She didn't want to get out of bed anymore. She stopped showing up for things. She lost her appetite. She had a hard time sleeping.
"I felt bad because I didn't understand why I was doing those things," said Liz, a junior who asked that her last name not be used for confidentiality reasons. "Once it starts it snowballs and...
Finding a date in the town of Portland is no easy feat. In a town this size there should be plenty of single attractive 20-somethings kicking around, yet the good catches are few and far between `round these parts. Even harder than finding a date though is finding a good hangout. There are plenty of college bars, pick-up bars,...
If you heard a rumor someone was raped on campus, what would you do?
Would you report what you heard to the police, or to the newspaper?
Would you say nothing?
Would you try to find out if it were true, or would you believe it without question?
If you report it to the police, they may investigate, but without the survivor's statement,...
Stolid-faced trustees walked past the picket line ignoring the shouts and blaring music. An insistent murmur could be heard among the demonstrators. Quietly the crowd marched towards the meeting inside.
The scene of protest was not Seattle or Washington but Upton-Hastings Hall on the Gorham campus. Nearly 50 University workers gathered for a meeting of the Board of Trustees for...
It is wintertime, and if you are like many others out there, you probably hate the cold and are wondering why the hell you chose a college in Maine. Wake up you big crybaby.
Among the many advantages of living in this state are winter sports, easily accessible to college students.
The American Skiing Company (owners of Sunday River, Sugarloaf and...
Pedophile in custody
As the result of an ongoing investigation, the USM Police Department has arrested a Lewiston man suspected of downloading child pornography in a Lewiston-Auburn College computer lab.
The man, Fredrick Butler Jr., 31, is being held at the Somerset County Jail after being charged with downloading and/or possessing child pornography. Butler was already on parole.
The matter has been...
In fear of creating yet another bureaucracy at USM, Provost Joe Wood has decided to cancel the plan for New College. This plan, originally designed to help improve student retention rates at the University, will instead be broken down so that only parts of the plan will be implemented.
"A lot of time and effort went into this plan, and...
When Melissa Noyes transferred here from St. Lawrence University, the registration process confused her. When she met with her adviser in Advising Services, she discovered that she was not the only one.
The adviser struggled to interpret Noyes' transfer record and repeatedly consulted a handbook to see what the basic requirements were.
"He didn't seem to know what he was doing...
Last week a vehicle struck USM student Albert Lothrop as he attempted to cross the busy intersection at Forest Avenue and Bedford Street. Although Lothrop was not seriously hurt in the accident, students and faculty are concerned about the safety of the intersection.
Those who make the difficult and time-consuming journey across Forest Avenue know first-hand of the danger involved.
"It's...
Vagina Monologues
This Friday the Senate voted to give the Women's Center $2,000 for the third annual Vagina Monologues skit-based performance at USM. The skit, which explores the multiplicity of women's experiences including rape, genital mutilation, and pleasure and lovemaking, hopes to raise money for local support groups and is seen as USM's initiative to End Violence Against Women. "It's...
With the start of the spring semester, the Greek community began its recruitment of potential new brothers and sisters. These students, if worthy, will carry on Greek traditions that have been in existence since before the turn of the century.
Each sorority and fraternity will have several rushes over the next two weeks, all on different weeknights and none conflicting...
One cup of milk a day is not enough calcium to keep your bones healthy and strong. Calcium needs vary by age, and pregnant and lactating women should try to increase their calcium intake. Some guidelines are:
1,300 mg/day for 9-18 years
1,000 mg/day for 19-50 years
1,200 mg/day after 50
Keeping calcium intake at these levels throughout a lifetimecan protect bone...
In his knee-high steel-toed rubber boots Brian Alward looks like an anthropologist. However, the 60-year-old geography-anthropology major is more likely to be found in the Geographic Information Systems Lab on the Gorham campus than in a swamp collecting data.
This summer, after graduating from the University, Alward will participate in a prestigious internship at the National Geographic Society in Washington...
Ah, Zootz.
That dank, overcrowded, sweaty hole of a nightclub was host to many a fond high school memory. By the time I was 18, I was attending Zootz's chem-free all-ages nights at least twice a month. After waiting in line to get inside for what seemed like forever, my friends and I would shake our money makers to cheesy...
The University is teaming up with the City of Portland to find the silver bullet to end college smoking once and for all. Actually, the coalition is focused on youth, but USM is one of the main targets.
Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that I am a smoker (much to my parents dismay).
That said, the...
The best defense against unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases is abstinence. The next best thing is a condom.
However, some students question the effectiveness of certain brands of condoms distributed by University Health Services.
One resident adviser, Jordan Gibbs of Robie-Andrews, said that at least two students recently reported that condoms they got from University Health Services broke during intercourse....
Lacrosse has been taking off across the state and across the country in recent years, and USM isn't far behind. Last year the men's varsity lacrosse team got off the ground, and this spring will be the first women's varsity season.
Lacrosse isn't new to the athletics scene at the University, however. Back in the early 1970's there...
Imagine pulling into the Portland campus five minutes before class and easing your car into one of the many open spots - in the parking garage. Imagine getting out of your car and actually being able to open the door without hitting the car two inches away from you. Then picture not having to brave the harsh Maine weather...
The legendary Camel logo burns out of sight as the last drag is taken from the cigarette.
Casually the butt is tossed aside into the slush where it joins a variety of other now-indistinguishable brands of cigarettes as the student rushes inside to class.
While a finished cigarette may be left behind after use, the effects that each one has on...
Recent thefts on the Portland campus have led police to issue a warning to students and staff. Some are questioning the level of concern generated by the warning's call to report suspicious people to the police.
The thefts started shortly before Christmas and have continued into the new year. Most of the thefts have targeted unattended wallets. Credit cards and...
Attendance is declining in some USM classes and the professors are encouraging the absentees.
The University is offering a number of classes over the Internet, allowing students to attend classes without coming to campus.
Professors are now able to hold Web classes by posting class notes, assignments, announcements, and quizzes on the Internet as a supplement to their live courses. In...
