This spring in Maine has been beautiful, the perfect spring to celebrate. April usually brings a host of good things, including USM’s annual Earth Day celebration, which is on-going this week.
All students are invited to this year’s Earth Day Picnic, taking place on April 22 on the Gorham campus.
Imagine a machine that could generate enough information from analyzing mud from car tires to tell where the car had previously been. Imagine a machine that could help researchers figure out when and where ancient pottery and ceramics were produced.
USM is now the home of just such a machine.
The University of Southern Maine may receive $9 million jointly with University of Maine for an initiative program that will strengthen technology-based businesses throughout Maine.
Last Tuesday, the Appropriations Committee of the Legislature approved a series of four bond issues, including one worth $34,970,000.
In last week’s Student Senate meeting Commuter Sen. Benjamin Hoffman made a motion to withhold the stipend paychecks of The Free Press executive board members, accusing them of various policy violations committed during the Senate elections of three weeks ago.
Communication breakdown
To the Editor:
In the past two weeks I have heard students stating that we should be more active. That we should get involved. And most importantly, that we should vote.
I have also heard that there is a race for the Student Senate taking place.
It was recently announced that it is going to cost students 5 cents per page for printouts in the computer lab. Though I am sympathetic to the rising costs of maintaining a computer lab for students, I believe there is a better way to proceed.
In her recent letter to the editor, Carol Sobczak reports that “USM spends over $70,000/year for paper and toner for the computer labs and libraries.
An African-American student was recently walking down the street when a young boy yelled “nigger” out the window of a passing bus.
Graduate student Lori Jenkins sat in class looking through her textbook when she read that blacks and Hispanics were the push for welfare.
EDITOR’S NOTE: We asked two of Associate Professor of Psychology John Broida’s former students to share their experience in his classroom. Broida was recently accused of making racist and homophobic remarks on videotaped lectures circulated to students. A University spokesperson said Broida intentionally tries to provoke students as part of his teaching style.
Last year in a public speaking class a professor assigned a list of vocabulary words to be memorized.
One of the terms was “bete noire,” a French derived phrase the professor defined as “object of hatred.”
Because he knows French, Jesse Cooper, one of two African-American students in the class, asked the professor if he knew that the literal translation of the word meant “black beast.
Racial problems at USM are not new. Many of the faculty, staff, community members and students who attended last week’s forum to discuss racial issues at USM said they’ve been aware of the issue for some time. Most of the people of color who attended the forum expressed their frustration – and sometimes their outrage – that the University hasn’t done more to address their concerns.
“High Crimes” is the best film of the year, if one had never seen a movie before. However, if this were one’s second movie, he or she would dismiss it as riddled with cliches.
The film has some ambition to rid itself of those cliches, but ultimately succumbs to the easier route of the thriller genre.
There is a tiny pizza shop on India Street with unique style. Portland Pie Company’s goal is right on the back of their menu: To stand out from the thousands of other pizza shops in town, written by owners Steve Freese and Nat Getchell.
They offer specialty pizzas that in my opinion top the rest.
By Elise Adams
Alive Editor
The Lady Huskies’ new scoreboard won’t show you the three steals the team had against Rhode Island College on April 6.
The Lady Huskies had at least one extra base hit nearly every game in the last week. There have been several close games, but that is still not a check in the win column.
Too much sun exposure can lead to skin cancer, including malignant melanoma – the most serious form of skin cancer. It’s not just a beach thing. Sun exposure adds up day after day, whatever your skin color. These true/false questions will test your knowledge of sun safety:
1.
High-tech dummy
The College of Nursing gets high-tech with a new mannequin that mimics the needs of an infant. The model cries and expresses hunger, and has a machine that simulates the sounds of a beating heart.
The new equipment will be on display at an open house held from 9 a.
By Lindsay Quinn
Staff Writer
Welcome newcomers
All newly elected senators attended the meeting last Friday although they could not vote. The meeting, according to Chair Marcy Muller, was to familiarize the new senators with the format of the meeting.
Concerns
Senator Janine Gorham brought up the Perspective on Education meeting, which is about bigotry on the part of students and professors and “what is going on between ethnic groups on campus,” she commented.
Planet Watch
This is the best time to be a planet watcher. Within two weeks, you’ll be able to see all the “naked eye” planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) in the evening sky. Presently, you can see four of them. (Mercury is the only absent planet.
Aries (March 21-April 20).Before midweek officials may disagree concerning new policies or additional work projects. Expect minor tensions and ongoing power struggles. Provide detailed, accurate information. For the next four days, authority figures may unexpectedly request complex reports or completed paperwork.
Name?
Julie Smith
Age?
23
Year and Major?
Senior, philosophy
Did you attend the Lecture on “Women in Need” by Shalome Odokara?
“Yes.”
Did you enjoy it?
“Yes, very much. I thought it was really incredible because of the knowledge that she possessed and in the power of her presentation, with all of her supporting facts.
“It makes me want to skip class.”
Rebecca Rasche, sociology, junior
“It makes me want to get in my car and drive to Canada.”
Sarah Lord, undeclared, sophomore
“Makes me feel ready for summer.”
Mat Leighton, music, junior
“It’s making going to classes a lot harder,”
Kristin MacCaffray, media studies, junior
“It’s kind of made me want to be outside more and absorb the sun.
Why did junior English major Gregory Bates submit a story for the 2002 edition of Words & Images?
“It was a logical step,” he said. “A little affirmation of your creative work is always good.”
Words & Images is an annual collection of writings and art by USM students, faculty and regional artists.
Monday, April 15
USM Jazz Combos in concert, 7:30 p.m., Corthell Concert Hall, Gorham, $5 public, $3 seniors/staff/students, 780-5555.
Tuesday, April 16
USM Chorale conducted by Robert Russell, 7:30 p.m., Corthell Concert Hall, Gorham, $5 public, $3 seniors/staff/students, 780-5555.
It started out a day like any other for Gustav Niebuhr. He got on the express train near his home in New Jersey as usual. But as the train approached the famous and beautiful New York City skyline, Niebuhr saw smoke rising from the north tower of the World Trade Center.
Although Student Senators expected a landslide “No” vote on a referendum to eliminate smoking at USM during last week’s elections, they were surprised by a very close count.
“I mean, we figured it would fail. We knew it would be unpopular but I’m surprised that it’s not as unpopular as we expected.