December 5,2022

December 5th, 2022

Vol. 54

ISSUE 5

Inside: Art is More Than Just Art pg.3

November 14th & 28th Student Senate Meetings pg. 6

USM Craft Fair pg. 11

the free press 92 Bedford s treet, p ortland, Maine 04101 (207) 780-4084 www.usmfreepress.org

Editorial

INTerIM edITor-IN-ChIeF Kelly ledsworth

NewS edITor

ArTS & CUlTUre edITor Ben reed

CoMMUNITy edITor SporTS edITor web edITor

STAFF wrITerS doug Banks, Cayley Bowman, deklin fitzgerald, dakota eddy

Copy edITorS

edITorIAl boArd: Kelly ledsworth, Kyle Mercier, Ben reed

bUSINeSS MANAger lucille siegler

dESiGN aNd PHotoGraPHY

deSIgN dIreCTor Kelly ledsworth deSIgNerS

dIreCTor oF phoTogrAphy Kyle Mercier

STAFF phoTogrApherS Cammie Breuer

FaCUltY

FACUlTy AdvISor adVErtiSiNG

AdverTISINg MANAger

Cover by Kelly ledsworth

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Interested

Find Happiness

Kelly Ledsworth Interim Editor-in-Chief

In the thick of the holiday season. that presents itself with many complicated feelings, everyone is rushing around looking for the next big deal and we’re panicking because we have to submit so many assignments in the next couple of weeks. Oftentimes we are told to just relax, It’s the holiday season, kick back with some eggnog and enjoy the snowflakes. Maybe for some people that’s true and this time of year is bliss, I think I envy those people.

Some of my friends are not going home for the holiday season because your definition of home isn’t what they would call it. Things can get so complicated especially if you’ve been away for so long, then you have to deal with the family dynamic. It can become really exhausting around a time that is supposed to be for relaxing, other animals go out and hibernate, I know that’s all I want to do. It takes the fun out of it having to plan everything, to make sure everyone’s schedule lines up, and mentally prepare for how things will go with relatives. It can be hard to leave your chosen family behind and trade it for blood relatives during winter break.

I have always had complicated feelings surrounding holidays. For awhile with Thanksgiving, it was always a debate about who I was going to see. I wouldn’t be able to see everyone, especially in such a short period of time. This whole thing usually ends

up going somewhere along the lines of someone making you feel bad for not going to theirs or you end up regretting the decision you made. Sometimes this means setting boundaries by saying if I’m going to come to this event I will

healthiest things that you can do, but it also hurts really bad at first. If you want to help others you cannot do it if you don’t feel safe or welcomed in an environment. It’s also a way to take care of yourself. You know yourself better than anyone else.

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leave under certain circumstances, usually it’s just if someone’s being mean. I’m a pretty tough person, I can handle a lot of things, but everything is already so hard enough that I don’t need to be putting myself in a situation where someone will be unkind to me. You can only do that to yourself so many times before it hurts too much, then all those I’m Sorry or Good Deeds don’t seem to make up for the wrongdoings. Setting a boundary is one of the hardest and

Thanksgiving break seems to be over before you even get to relax or catch up on any homework you were trying to catch up on. It feels like time accelerates immediately after you get back from break. I have been counting down the weeks until the end of the semester to calculate how much time I have left to complete everything. Also, it depends on how your professors are doing finals week, some of my professors are doing it where all of my assignments are due before finals week entirely. When I was in lowerlevel classes freshman and sophomore year I was thrilled by this revelation; it was literally like Christmas came early. Now when the classes are more complex everything seems to be down to the last minute, I never thought I’d want more school at the end of the semester. Lately, I’ve been wishing for the world to just stop moving so fast. If I could hit a big pause button but still keep doing everything that I need to do, and of course relax in between, it would make my life so much easier.

I do not have a magical stopwatch so time must go on. I find breaking things down into lists with deadlines can help. I learned a cool new thing where I can put a widget on my home screen that links to a note in my phone, this is now a task-keeping time saver. It has helped keep me aware of what I need to get done and it also helps prevent doom scrolling. Sometimes at the very end, all the anxiety in my body manages to do something where I get a ton of energy and can manage to do okay. I’m sure if I just didn’t procrastinate as much or put less on my plate I would be better off. I don’t try to procrastinate oftentimes I will pick at an assignment piece by piece and slowly get it done, but it takes me twice as long to do it. So for now I will try my best to get everything done, I might not get the best grades but I know I try my best.

Hope everyone gets some time to relax during and after finals week. This time of year can be very hard so be kind to yourself and others. Go outside and do something fun that you maybe haven’t done in a long time, exercise can help during these dark days. Finally, whatever family you get to spend time with I hope it makes you happy, we need more of that these days.

Kelly ledsworth / Design Director

A snowflake suncatcher Kelly made

Kelly ledsworth / Design Director

The spirals of clay that was trimmed off of a vase for a final project

Art is More Than Just Art

Director of Museum of African Culture shares traditions with USM

Dakota Eddy Staff Writer

Mokeme then brought out another mask that he explained represented ancestors. This mask had no color besides the muted brown wood it was made out of. There was no clear expression on the mask that hinted towards any emotion. He prompted the audience to think about their own definition of ancestors, and used that to compare cultures in a meaningful way. He talked about the importance of balancing the body, mind, and soul. Inner strength was also emphasized as he stated that the path to success in African culture is seen as having strength and determination. To be able to let go of hurtful and stressful situations is seen as having that inner strength. In African culture, ancestors provide support and are looked to for guidance in order to achieve their strength, which is confirmation that they are on their personal path to success.

Love is very important in African culture. Mokeme describes love as the foundation. Following ancestors, Mokeme brought out a small, thin statue with a larger head that represented childhood. He used this statue to discuss the idea of having an “inner child”. It’s important to stay connected with your inner child in order to be comfortable, Mokeme said. He explains that pride and arrogance comes from your inner child, and brings it back to having that personal strength to let go of that pride to heal and move forward. It’s also important to recognize this pattern in other people as well, and to have sympathy and love for others.

invoke the fear of demons. In African culture, demons are believed to make and influence bad decisions. The mask had a line down the middle of the forehead, which Mokeme explained was to remind one to stay calm and be still in challenging moments in life. The mask also had large horns to represent strength. He reminded us to have love for ourselves and others, despite what could be happening. To be happy is strengthening one’s relationship with the divine, and protects one from the negative low vibrations of demons.

As the presentation came to a close, Mokeme left the room for a few moments as the audience was left wondering about what was to come next. When Mokeme returned, he was dressed head to toe in a ceremony costume as he danced around the room. The presentation was done perfectly, as Mokeme shared his personal experiences and home culture in a way that an American audience was able to relate to. It was a great opportunity to learn about another culture and made the audience think about their own beliefs in a new way.

USM had the wonderful opportunity to welcome Oscar Mokeme to give a presentation called “African Masquerade” at the Burnham Lounge in Robie-Andrews Hall on November 14th. The presentation was an opportunity to share African culture through art with students. Mokeme immigrated from Nigeria, and is now the Founder and Director of The Museum of African Culture in Portland. The event was attended by various different classes on campus, whose coursework focused on art history and cultural encounters.

Mokeme had started the presentation by inviting his audience to interact with him throughout the presentation, which kept everyone engaged, and provided a welcoming atmosphere that allowed people to learn more about African culture. He then explained how in Africa, the different objects he was going to show weren’t just art, they were used as tools to express themselves and connect with their community.

The first object shown was a mask that had many colors and great horns. Mokeme walked around the room, and asked the audience what emotions the mask brought up for them. Most people had responded with fear, which prompted the idea that the mask was for battle. Mokeme explained that the mask was worn when a child was born, as a sort of initiation. He talked about the different cultural beliefs around birth and life, and how life is seen as frightening, because it is all new for a child. He went through the different aspects of the mask, such as the colors and symbols, all while explaining the significance they carried in African culture.

While in American culture, where women had to fight for rights and recognition, there is a lot more respect for women in African culture. Just as the sky is viewed as a man, Earth is a woman, as Mokeme explained, so hurting a woman is like hurting the Earth. Women are also the ones who make the laws in Africa. Mokeme had also touched on the topic of being transgender, or “crossing gender” as he had explained it. He said in African culture, it’s natural, and it’s known to not be a choice. There isn’t the same stigma that American culture has.

The next mask that was brought out had a very intense expression. Mokeme again turned to the audience to gather their opinions on what they thought the mask was representing. There wasn’t a clear answer, so Mokeme put on the mask to demonstrate. He explained that it was a mask that held double personalities, to help express laughter and sadness. This mask was used to address the topic of toxic masculinity, as Mokeme explained how it’s important to allow yourself to cry and express your emotions, especially for men. Bottling up emotions, and not allowing yourself to get those negative feelings out is what leads to violence. Being open and honest with yourself and others requires that inner strength Mokeme discussed previously.

Mokeme kept the audience engaged throughout the entire presentation, especially when he opened up the opportunity to the students to try on the next mask he brought out. The mask was wooden and brown, with an open, smiling mouth. He explained that this mask was a “laughing mask” to encourage one to laugh at themselves. Laughter is the best medicine, Mokeme said. He stressed the importance of being able to laugh at yourself during times of hardship and embarrassment. The student who had the chance to wear the laughing mask demonstrated this perfectly, putting himself in a vulnerable position in front of the audience, and still was able to have fun and laugh at himself with the others.

The final mask Mokeme had brought out was meant to

Kelly ledsworth / Design Director Oscar Mokeme in a costume used for ceremonys

Kelly ledsworth / Design Director

A student trying on a mask presented by Oscar Mokeme

The Job Shadow Program

The

program that doesn’t just give you an ordinary day away from school

Doug Banks Staff Writer

Underclassman students here at USM take on a lot of new responsibilities, from new classes to a new living situation, and many more things they have to adjust to. It’s easy to get lost in thought about what to do once someone graduates from USM. Specifically, what kind of career a student wishes to pursue. Some students come into USM with the notion that they already know what to pursue, but don’t have enough experience in that field in order to not fall behind once they’ve graduated, others come into college undecided and hope it comes to them along the way. No matter which way a student feels about their future, the job shadow program has been helping students remove the obstructions on the path to a clearer future.

Peter Hofmann, a career liaison at USM for the past year and a half, was first tasked when he was hired to connect USM’s vast amount of majors, departments, and programs with outside organizations, and one of the things that he and his colleagues came to realize was that a job shadowing day, which did not exist here at USM at the time he was hired, would be an obvious choice when it comes to connecting students with businesses and employers.

Starting in February of 2021 with ten organizations, the point of the Job Shadow Program according to Peter Hofmann was that they “wanted to match one student, with one organization, for one day. Why? Because it’s about the individual experience and about the

time and attention that the students experience that they wouldn’t experience if they were on a school trip or a field trip.” This is something that Peter and the rest of his colleagues take into account when driving this program forward. This program for organizations is not meant as a recruitment tool, but is actually an experience enhancement, while instead of hearing a pitch from a business on why someone should join, a student can genuinely be on the ground floor and witnessing firsthand what a day in the life inside that business is like.

This is much different than what a local middle school or high school offers when it comes to a job shadow day, where they might show you how a TV station works, or what the day in the life of a plumber looks like. The Job Shadow Program carefully picks and matches the right students to the right organizations and encourages the students to ask questions about what they are looking for in that particular career field, with the objective of obtaining as much knowledge as possible in order to have a clearer understanding about whether or not that career is something the student is truly interested now and later when they graduate and leave safety of a school.

The importance of an underclassmen being a part of the Job Shadow Program is that it is meant to give the student a perspective inside the career field they might be interested in. It is understood that an underclassman student sent out on these job shadows are “not career ready year four seniors who are ready to graduate.” Hofmann said, “some of them are undeclared freshmen, but we want to provide them the

opportunity to find out what is out there, connect with businesses, and take away the fear of connecting with people.” Taking the fear out of connecting with people in businesses is a prominent goal behind the program. It’s okay to be intimidated about reaching out to businesses and employers about your interest and disinterest in the particular career field, the Job Shadow Program is there to help build that bridge of communication between the student and the business by not only starting the conversation, but by putting the student in the business for a day to see what it’s all about.

The businesses involved in the Job Shadow Program are all varied as well, meaning that if there is a job a student would like to know more about, chances are that they will get that student connected with that organization in one way or another. From the Portland Seadogs, to a nursing program, to even the Portland Police Department, the Job Shadow Program has been able to get in touch with a wide variety of businesses and organizations for many different walks of life.

In the first iteration of the program, they started out with ten different organizations. The next iteration they went up to 20 organizations. This time, they are bringing down the number to 15 organizations, not because of a lack of participation, but because they are “making sure we are listening to students” and that the organizations who are available are the right ones for students, and are in tune with what students are looking for, and specifically what students want. This comes with giving students surveys, and asking students to report on their experiences after a job shad-

owing so that they keep in touch with what the student is truly looking to get out of it and how a student can translate their experience onto a résumé and give them the tools to network as well.

Hofmann stated that, “we want to make this program about students, that’s what our number one goal is. If businesses want something that doesn’t align with what our students are looking for, we stand up for the students, we are there for the students because that is the point of the program. The program is not here to create a pipeline for businesses to recruit USM students necessarily, the point is to provide USM students with real world experiences that they can use to build upon.”

The program is meant for any type of USM student; whether you are a commuter student going into your senior year, or an underclassman who is unsure what the next step in your life will look like, they are here to help take the fog out of your window that looks out to your future. They want to help students make the most of their present so that their future is a place they want to live in, not a future they have to be a part of. “It’s all about empowering students to realize their potential, and realize that the hurdles that are in our way are oftentimes just perceived hurdles.”

To get in touch with the Job Shadow Program go to the Career & Employment Hub on the Portland Campus at 231 Luther Bonney Hall; for online go to the student services tab under the Career & Employment Hub section of USM’s website; or feel free to contact Peter Hofmann via email.

Indigenous Peoples: How They’ve Been Impacted

Taking a Look into the History of Native American Communities

Cayley Bowman Staff Writer

On Monday, November 14, Intercultural Student Affairs and the Student Body President’s Office hosted an event in which they streamed “Dawnland,” and “Bounty,” to educate about Indigenous history in the Bailey 10 lecture hall on the Gorham campus. Two guest speakers, Dawn Neptune Adams and Esther Anne, attended the event. Both women were featured in the films. Esther Anne appeared in “Dawnland,” and Adams appeared in both.

“Bounty,” was a ten-minute film that consisted of Penobscot Tribe Native Americans family members from Maine sitting in the old state house in Boston and the Governor’s Chamber, reading over a proclamation from the colonization times. This proclamation made it so the Penobscot people were hunted by white men, and they could get rewarded money for bringing them back to the government. The Penobscot Tribe teaches their kids the importance of their history, and how their ancestors persevered through the difficult times. At the end of the film, they burn the proclamation as an act of defiance and strength for their ancestors.

“Dawnland,” is an hour and a half documentary. This film is about the first ever government sanctioned truth and recon-

ciliation commission in the United States diving into a deep investigation into Maine’s child welfare system, and how it has impacted indigenious communities. The documentary has interviews with many different Native Americans who recount their experiences in the Maine child welfare system. Indigenous children are being taken from their families and are being placed with white foster families so that they can have a “normal childhood.” Although this harms the child’s upbringing and connection to their ancestors and tribe. The film talks a lot about the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), which is a law that the entire country has to place Native American children closest to their parents. If a child cannot live with their parents, they must be placed with a relative. If that is not possible, the child must be placed with someone within the tribe, on the reservation. A tribe is considered a third parent, so keeping the child with the tribe would be the next best option. If all of this is not possible, the child is then placed with any family that can be found. There is talk in the Supreme Court about getting rid of ICWA, which could be detrimental to the Native American communities. The documentary suggests helping economically disadvantaged and targeted families attain the standards that they are judged by.

Both films were very eye-opening, and it is important for

everyone to learn about the Native American communities and their history. The entire country should be educated about this cultural genocide. Esther Anne and Neptune sat down and answered questions after the film. They discussed what it was like to be in the films, and also dove a little deeper into ICWA and how indigenous communities could be helped by the government. They informed us that although ICWA currently exists, indigenous children are still being taken from their tribe and being placed with white families. Also, if ICWA gets overturned, all of the children will be at risk of being torn away from their parents and their tribe. Esther Anne and Neptune opened up about how they have been impacted by their ancestor’s history and how they hope that equality can be given to the indigenous communities. They also provided sources that can be found to learn and teach more about the indigenous communities and how to be an ally, which starts with learning about their history.

To learn more about the Native American communities and their history, go to www.bounty.org and www.dawnland.org. You can also watch both films through these websites.

FAFSA deadline around the corner

Events held on all USM campuses for students filing for financial aid

Dakota Eddy Staff Writer

Estimated Family Contribution (EFC), which will be given to the school a student is enrolled in, or has applied for, and is used to calculate how much funds in scholarships and grants a student will receive from the school as well. The FAFSA becomes available to fill out on October 1st every year, and the priority deadline is February 1st. It can be a difficult and overwhelming process, so events like this are important so students know they’re not alone and there are people who are available to help.

it is possible to connect with a financial advisor to help walk students through various financial circumstances, includ ing FAFSA.

On November 9th, USM’s Student Financial Services teamed up with representatives from the Financial Authority of Maine (FAME), TRiO, Promise Scholars, and Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG) to host a FAFSA Completion Night on both Gorham and Portland campuses to encourage students to fill out their FAFSA. The same event was also held at the Lewiston campus on November 3rd. Student Financial Services puts together a similar event every year. The events were successful, as students from all different backgrounds and ages were able to attend and connect with each other.

The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is a form that allows students to file for federal financial aid, which includes work-study funds, scholarships, grants, and loans. It also provides information about a student’s

The University Credit Union (UCU) was also attending the event, with a table of pens, frisbees, water bottles, bags, and other various items. The UCU has ATMs on the USM Portland campus, on the second floor of Abromson Center, and in the Maine School of Law. They also have a branch on the Gorham campus in Lower Brooks with a 24 hour ATM, and a video teller from 8-5 on weekdays. Even without an account through UCU,

During the FAFSA Completion Night, students were also encouraged to sign up for iGrad, a personal finance program that has been provided by the University of Southern Maine. The program offers money management tools, assistance in searching for scholarships, information on student loans, and courses on vari ous different subjects to maintain safety, such as how to avoid identity theft. iGrad is free to use by USM students, and can still be used after graduation.

Once making an account, the website will take you through a short questionare to collect information on your financial situation. From there, you will be given a “money personality”, which iGrad will use to determine which courses and resources would be best suited for you. Completing one course takes about 15-

25 minutes, and if completed before De cember 1st, students will be entered into a drawing for a $500 scholarship.

Remember to keep in touch with Student Financial Services for any questions about filling out your FAFSA, scholarships, and student loans. You can call them at (207) 780-5250, email them at usm.finaid@maine.edu, or check out the University of Southern Maine website to find their hours and where their offices are located across the different campuses.

To fill out your FAFSA, go to https:// studentaid.gov/. To make an iGrad account to learn more about financial literacy, go to https://www.igrad.com/.

decklin fitzgerald / Staff Writer

Daniel Barton with students

decklin fitzgerald / Staff Writer

decklin fitzgerald / Staff Writer

November 14th & 28th Student Senate Meetings

Proposal’s vote changes the senate’s voting structure & a BSO club works to be active

Doug Banks Staff Writer

The Committee on Military, Veteran, and Public Safety Affairs; a committee created by Senator Jameson Goulding has officially passed after it was brought to the Student Senate over a month ago. Although it was passed with a 2/3 majority vote, the steps in order for the committee to be an official part of the senate was nothing short of a complicatedly worthwhile journey.

Originally brought to the senate table on October 17th, this “collaborated committee” was met with praise and critiques on both the details the committee’s overview contained and the sentiment behind it being a bridge of communication between first responders and the USM student body. It was decided to be tabled and voted on at the next meeting. The October 31st meeting was similar to the previous meeting except for two things: one being the possibility of the committee being placed under different points within SGA’s supervision; the other being that many of the individuals in that meeting openly expressed their personal stories pertaining to their experiences with police, and specifically USM’s first responders and the emotions they’ve had to carry because of it. After having a long and healthy dialogue between Senator Goulding and the rest of the student senate, it was decided to table the proposal once again to be voted on at the next meeting. In the two week span of that meeting and the next one, and for the most part since the October 17th meeting, Senator Goulding sent out emails and a questionnaire to the Student Senate to help bring transparency, and a relationship between himself and the senate to help this committee truly be a collaborative effort. The proposal was tabled again for a third time due to Senator Goulding’s excused absence at the November 14th meeting. At the November 28th meeting the proposal was officially put to a vote, with ten “yes” votes and four abstains, the proposal didn’t pass, but questions quickly rose about what should be considered in the voting process.

First, the senate questioned their own constitution when it comes to a majority vote, whether it should be a majority of all the sitting senators (for which there is currently 20 sitting senators out of a possible 21) or it should be a majority of the quorum that is present at the meeting either

in person or over Zoom. After much discussion, a Roberts Rule was put forth by Senator Tarwick to put in place a vote over whether something passes with majority of the sitting senate or of the quorum, then a second vote of Senator Goulding’s proposal would take place after. Robert’s Rule of Order is a parliamentary procedure to help facilitate discussions and group decision-making.

The section in Robert’s Rule that was implemented was Article VIII Vote, specifically “motions requiring more than a majority vote.” Senator Tarwick’s reasoning for wanting the quorum decided and not the whole sitting senate was that she has seen the same amount of senators show up to these meetings and have gone forward voting on items without concern of the senators that never show up. She stressed how this isn’t drawn from her personal opinions on the proposal but how it isn’t “fair for any proposal” to be decided with the consideration of the missing senators who don’t show up whether in person or over zoom when there have been things passed by a close margin before when it was just the quorum. Other senators in the room agreed with one senator even questioning that if this is the concrete voting procedure that happens, does it mean that past proposals and constitutional articles that either passed or didn’t pass should be re-voted. One senator argued that it should be 2/3 of the whole student senate roster because it’s important to “have everyone’s voice heard” and that “their voice still matters,” arguing how a senator could be out from something outside of their own control and that shouldn’t hinder their influence and voice on important issues. It was also mentioned by SGAAdvisor David Lewis that when the constitution was edited three years ago, “they did not do a good job at all” with nailing down a solid structure on voting procedures. With this vote coming about from Senator Tarwick’s Robert’s Rule, it will set a precedent on the future of student senate meetings and method in how voting is conducted. The time came to put this to a vote and with 14 “yes,” one “no,” and one abstain, the motion passed that the majority of the quorum will be the one who decides and will be put into the constitution as such.

With that now decided, the student senate returned to Goulding’s proposal and with the new voting procedure, the pro-

posal passed with exactly a 2/3 majority of the quorum voting yes. The committee will now be a part of SGA, and even though Senator Goulding will be leaving USM at the end of this fall semester, he does hope that the committee will move forward in helping build a much needed bridge between USM’s first responders and the USM students.

During the November 14th Student Senate meeting, Robbie Faucher, President of the Student Theater Artists Group (STAG) came to the meeting to have the senate vote on a new constitution, not because they are a new group, but because their old constitution no longer exists. Going under the assumption that STAG was an “active” club under the Board of Student Organizations (BSO), they wanted to change their name from Performers At Work (PAW) to what is now STAG, and “in an effort to do everything by the book,” they went around trying to find a current copy of their constitution, only to discover that nobody had a copy on file even though they have a budget and bank account under their name. Because of this, STAG, with events coming up that they had been planning all summer, has now found themselves in an “unpleasant limbo space because our predecessors blew it.” The student senate then decided to vote on the new constitution of STAG which was passed with the only two abstained votes.

In an interview with Robbie Faucher, he stated that when it was discovered that a new constitution needed to be written, it might have taken his own time away from dealing with other club business, it did not hinder the production as a whole from the new performances the club is producing, and that a majority of the time was spent with Faucher writing proposals of the constitution, and later pitching it to the members of the club in order for a common agreement and fairness to play a factor within its details. Being involved in local politics, Faucher worked in a group for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 Presidential campaign, he has been on the local democratic committee for Buxton-Hollis for the past two years, and was recently running as a candidate for the state legislature. With all of this experience he felt confident enough while writing STAG’s constitution for it to be written correctly from a legal and semantics standpoint, which showed when the constitution was unanimously approved

within the club and was again approved by the student senate; the only two abstaining votes coming from one who is the club’s treasurer and another from someone who wasn’t paying attention at the time of the vote.

Part of this confusion in terms of the lost constitution could be due to the fact that this club has gone through three name changes since 2018, and was also a part of USM’s art department up until the start of this semester. This created a problem, but not as big of a problem as it could’ve been. The problem being that they had to create a constitution from scratch, a positive being that they still had a bank account on record under the BSO, which goes back to the active and inactive club situation the BSO has been working to figure out this semester.

It has been reported before that, some inactive clubs have been holding money in their personal accounts, some upwards of $1,200, with no possible way of retrieving that money in order to redistribute it to the clubs that need it which in turn is holding back from both active clubs and the BSO in general, and although STAG would’ve been considered an inactive club due to their previous ties under USM’s art department, having money taken out of their accounts would’ve been a genuine restriction to them wanting to be “an official player on the USM BSO stage, but can’t because they don’t know what they need to be filling out, who they need to talk to, what paperwork they need to worry about.”

The reason why STAG was able to have a strong start out of the gates, according to Robbie Faucher, was because they had a fairly sizeable amount of money in the student theater bank account left over when they came into BSO this semester, but if the BSO’s budget amendment had gone forward before this, “at least half of it would’ve been gone and possibly more and that would’ve been a real impediment to getting this club started up again,” and without that money in their bank accounts, not only would it be a difficult process for STAG to become an active club again, and without that money in their bank accounts, not only would it be a difficult process for STAG to become an active club again, it would put their current theater productions into jeopardy. Even though Faucher told me he understands the BSO’s logic and motivations behind taking money

and without that money in their bank afrom inactive clubs and even “to a lesser degree” taking money away from active clubs that do not use all of their given funds, he reiterated that “it would’ve been a real impediment to our ability to put ourselves back in a position of stability.” He did state that he will be forever grateful of the time the BSO committee generously took in their assistance, and Faucher pointed out that this whole thing wouldn’t have worked without the BSO committee’s due diligence and how much they care about the matter as STAG gets ready for their performance on December 8th and 9th.

This all led to the latest student senate meeting on November 28th when BSO’s President and Vice President came in to discuss, and put to vote articles within their constitution that was voted on and turned down due to some wording issues at the October 17th Student Senate meeting and new articles up for vote for the first time. It is important to note that each of these separate articles were voted on and passed in BSO’s general meeting, which can total to around thirty people taking part in the vote, before they were brought to the student senate. First was Section ThreeMembership and Quorum. This deals with how many students can be at a meeting before any business is carried out, and also about restricting students from changing their clubs names more than once in a two year period. This was passed with only one abstained vote.

Second was Section Four - Officers and Responsibilities, Article B: Qualifications of Officers. This deals with people who actually attend BSO meetings can be a part of the BSO Executive Board, while also being a part of the gaming club board, for example. To avoid a conflict of interest according to BSO’s constitution: “All forms and proposals relating to that group must be voted on by the general body and not during executive committee meetings as to avoid a conflict of interest,” with individuals who are on the Executive Committee not being allowed to vote on their own personal clubs general meetings. This was passed at BSO’s meeting unanimously, and was passed at the student senate meeting as well.

Third was Section Four - Officers and Responsibilities, Article C: Duties of the Chair of BSO - specifically part 15i: “general email communication with the BSO advisor and other executive committee members are mandatory as to plan general meeting times and executive committee meetings for the start of the new academic year,” so that “just because it is summer break” that doesn’t mean someone should not be communicating with their respective colleagues and it does not hinder clubs un-

der BSO. This passed by the student senate unanimously.

Fourth was Section Five - Meetings, Part B: Absences; a section that was brought forth at the October 17th meeting, but was turned down due to a typo with the article stating: “No single group may receive more than two excused absences per semester,” instead of, “unexcused absences per semester.” The BSO’s president stated that this has been, “our policy for forever, it’s just now in writing.” With the typo now fixed, the Student Senate voted to pass this updated article.

The fifth and final section of BSO’s constitution that was brought to the Student Senate was Section Nine - Retrieval of Unused Funds.

Part A discussed the situation of an active club not using their funds, and that 10% of their budget will be returned and redistributed through special projects. It is stated, however, in the BSO’s constitution that a reminder will be sent to those groups who have not used their funds, and that a group will need to submit a formal statement explaining why the funds were not used in order to receive a grace period of one semester which will then go to a vote at BSO’s executive board, and will have to be passed by a 2/3 majority vote. When this was brought to the people within BSO to vote on it was passed, but not unanimously. BSO’s vice president stressed to them that “we don’t want to take their money, we want them to start doing things with their money,” for the student body, and in the long run will help the BSO not turn to the Student Senate for help when student activity fees hit at the start of each semester.

Part B concerned inactive clubs with the constitution stating, “every academic year that an inactive student group does not use their funds, 25% of their overall budget will be returned to the BSO at large budget to be redistributed for other student groups either through special projects or G.O.B.” It also mentioned to exceptions to clubs considered “inactive,” and what steps they need to show in order for their club to not have their money taken away from them, examples being, communication “either by email or through a meeting with the BSO advisor to get instructions on how to become active”, “communicating with a member of the BSO Executive Board Committee, in which case it is the responsibility of the BSO Executive Board Committee member to help the student get in contact with the BSO advisor and make sure that the group does not lose funds for an additional semester grace period”, and “has communicated with the BSO advisor and is waiting for their constitution to be approved by the Parliamentarian.”

Part C was again about inactive groups,

stating “every three academic years that an inactive group remains inactive with no students interested in activating the group, all accounts will be closed, and the remaining balance will be returned to the BSO at large budget to be redistributed for other student groups.” Very similar to what was covered in Part B, if an inactive group does want to become active again, they must have an active line of communication with the BSO in order to receive a grace period of one semester and to receive help in coordinating plans to become active again.

Each of these were then passed by the senate unanimously, except for one abstaining vote, each due to that specific senator being on the board of various clubs under BSO. When asked about STAG’s specific situation dealing with their new constitution, the BSO is now actively trying to correct the wrongs of past BSO leaders. First by “keeping track of everything,” and having each club send in their personal and constitution so that if a group becomes inactive, the BSO still has their constitution on file and will never be deleted so that if something similar to STAG arises, that particular situation won’t become something of a recurrence.

Other notable items from the two meetings was Senator’s Burt and Seile nominating themselves for the Board of Trustees Representative position. This is just to get an interview with USM’s board, and the final decision of who gets the position will be decided be-

fore January of 2023 when the term begins.

The Sports Club Council led by Senator Seile brought forth their clubs constitution to the student senate to have particular articles voted on. The one article that stood out was Section 7 Hazing, Misconduct, and Discipline Process, specifically Part A. The club wanted to institute a punishment for bystanders by stating, “if a team member had knowledge of hazing activities and failed to address it to the Coordinator of Recreation or the Club Sports Council Board, the complicit individual will be considered for misconduct.” This was met with mixed reviews from the student senate, who agreed with the notion that bystanders and people with knowledge of disrespectful behavior should come forward, it could create fear that if someone who wasn’t in the wrong doesn’t come forward, they are in just as much trouble as an individual who did the harmful act. This article was then voted down by the senate and asked Senator Seile to rethink and rewrite the article.

Senator Hussien, head of the LewistonAuburn Committee, talked about wanting to reappropriate “some of the seats in the Senate to reflect our online community” and to accurately reflect the senate to represent all three USM campuses and online students, and since the Lewiston-Auburn campus used to have their own student government, it could something considered at future senate meetings.

Diane Geyer Coordinator of Clinical Substance Use CServices

Choices?

In College, we can explore our interests, work towards our goals, and plan for our futures. It’s a time to meet new people, socialize and make our own choices.

Socializing at college provides emotional and academic support. Choosing how to have fun and de-stress matters. Some students use alcohol and cannabis as a way to socialize and see this as an integral part of the “college experience”. Some students have a fear of missing out and participate in substance use even when they are not comfortable and other students arrive at college with established patterns of use.

Samar Post Jamali FNP

AIDS Awareness

On today, December 1, we marked World AIDS Day. Health Services encourages our USM community to protect themselves against HIV (the virus that causes AIDS), seek testing and know that there is treatment for the virus.

We are a judgment-free zone and are here to support you. To that end, we humbly offer up information:

Maine

There are approximately 1800 people living with HIV in Maine and about 50 new cases each year.

Protect Yourself

Where is HIV? Semen (cum), vaginal fluids, anal mucus, blood and breast milk.

Where is it not? HIV is not in saliva. Sharing food or drinks or utensils, or kissing, does not spread HIV. Blood donations do not have HIV. All donated blood is screened for infections, including HIV.

How do I get HIV? Vaginal or anal sex, sharing needles or syringes for shooting drugs, piercing tattoos, and even getting HIV-infected semen (cum), blood or vagi-

or papers, and receiving lower grades with approximately 9 percent of college students meeting the criteria for Alcohol Use Disorder”

We do not always think about the consequences when we are having fun. With this good time comes the risk of unintentional injuries, accidents, lowered inhibitions, conflict, fights, violence, and alcohol poisoning. With Cannabis use, we could experience paranoia, panic, loss of personal identity, possible psychosis, lower reaction times, and increased heart rate (risk of heart attack and increased risk for stroke). While both substances are legal, neither comes without risk. According to College Drinking.gov, “About 1 in 4 college students report academic consequences from drinking, including missing classes, falling behind in class, doing poorly on exams

nal fluids into open cuts or sores on your body.

Unprotected sex is the most common way to get HIV. Using condoms or dental dams EVERY time you have sex can protect you and your partners. We have many condoms here at Health Services. Come get some! We love giving out condoms.

If you are at higher risk for getting HIV, Health Services can offer PEP and PrEP treatment that can protect you from HIV.

Test Yourself and Your Partners Health Services offers both blood and free oral swab tests for HIV.

Your results are confidential as described by law.

We want to support our students in health! There is no judgment!

Treat Yourself and Your Partners

If you do test positive for HIV, Health Services can connect you with local healthcare providers. FMI

Call us at 207-780-5411 or scan the following code:

Some common beliefs about substance use include, if I only use to have fun, if I only drink beer, if I just use on weekends, I won’t develop a problem. Some people believe those who use substances to cope with their problems are at higher risk for addiction than those who only drink to socialize. The truth is it’s not about the reasons why a person uses substances, it’s about the quantity and frequency. What may begin as one drink or one toke may become two, once a week, twice a week or daily. When a substance is used in greater quantities, repeatedly over time the brain (intellect, functioning, social and emotional regulation) and the body develops tolerance. Greater frequency increases the chance of developing a substance use disorder. If an individual has high tolerance and can “hold their liquor”, this is cause for concern.

No one expects, or sets out to develop

a problem with alcohol, cannabis or other substances. While it’s true, there can be biological factors that increase an individual’s risk, it’s not fate, it just signifies vulnerability. Making different choices can help prevent a substance use disorder. How do you know if you might be at risk? Does your use of alcohol or other substances put the things you value in jeopardy? Is getting high on alcohol or drugs an important part of your life? Has your use or tolerance increased? Do you only find social interactions fun if there is alcohol or other substances? Is it hard to stop using once you start? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, check out ScreenU on USM’s Health and Counseling website. There are other ways to socialize. Choose to meet for coffee, a meal, get involved in your department, seek a work-study job in an area interests you, join a club, go for walks, hike, and explore the local area. For more information, contact Diane Geyer, LCPC, LADC, CCS at University Health and Counseling 207- 780-4050.

Crossword

Level of difficulty: Medium

the object of a sudoku is to fill in the remaining squares so that every row, every column, and every 3 × 3 box contains each of the numbers from 1 to 9 exactly once.

Sudoku

Aries (March 21 - April 19)

Jump on board the fast train and see how far it takes you, aries. You will be surprised how far you can go with minimal effort.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20) flexibility is important today, taurus. take the relaxed, laid-back approach. trying to ram your ideas through isn’t the best tactic.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20)

things coming at you from all sides are forcing you to make a move, Gemini. try not to feel pressured into something you don’t want to do.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22)

lock into the practical, grounding force that is not only realistic but also flexible. attend to details and organize yourself, Cancer.

Word Search

Theme: search for the list of words in the grid of letters. Grab a pen and circle each word as you find them.

Horoscopes

Leo (July 23 - August 22)

You will find what you seek, but it’s up to you to take the first step to going after it.

Virgo (August 23 - September 22) perhaps your mind is drawn to one person while your heart is drawn to another.

Libra (September 23 - October 22)

You’re apt to be in a romantic mood today, libra. Your whole being may revolve around love and romance.

Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)

Connect with the stable, grounding energy of the day, scorpio, but beware that tension may come in the form of fast talk and misguided information.

Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21)

the expansive feeling you might be experiencing is apt to be squelched today as you get the feeling that you’ve lost touch with reality.

Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)

Walk to the beat of your own drum, Capricorn. if you try to latch on to the glib, fast-paced information of the day, you might lose your voice in the crowd.

Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) alk to the person sitting next to you on the bus, quarius, or the one behind you in line at the store. hey may have a piece of wisdom to share.

Pisces (February 19 - March 20)

Your self-esteem may be challenged by a fast-paced talker or unpleasant situation, pisces. don’t accept things as they appear at first glance.

The Menu

man and his wife, who is accompanying her and her apparent boyfriend, Tyler (played by Nicholas Hoult), to the restaurant. As the guests arrive on the lavish island, Hong Chau in her role of the chef’s right-hand woman greets the guests, and notes how every dish served in the restaurant is made of natural ingredients found on the island itself, making it completely self-sufficient from the outside world. What becomes striking to the guests is both hearing of the near-22-hour days of the devoted workers, as well as the extreme minimalist plates that are being served to the guests. The 12 customers are shocked when Chef Slowick, portrayed by Ralph Fiennes, dishes each customer with a so-called bread plate, with only minute samples of various dipping sauces, but with no actual bread to taste with them. Slowick introduces each course through giving convoluted, artistic descriptions of his inspiration behind each dish, which further confuses the guests. Urgency onsets as the courses keep being dished out, the ties that bind each of the customers together are revealed, and the customers attempt to outsmart the devoted staff before any of them ends up becoming a part of the menu itself.

a&C listings

december 5, 2022 - december 9, 2022

Pulped Under Pressure

7th Floor Glickman Library & Gorham

Art Gallery

Free

december 5, 2022 - december 31, 2022

2nd Annual Clever Cup

Maine Crafts Association

Portland

december 7, 2022

Yoga in the Gallery

Art Gallery, Gorham Campus

6:30PM - 7:30 PM

Free

december 8, 2022

Word Count Poetry Night

Bailey Library, Gorham Campus

7:00PM - 8:00PM

The exploration of the stupidity within ultra-wealthy classes, and the near-comedic minimalism of high-end dining prevails in the Hollywood palette cleanser, “The Menu.” Directed by Mark Mylod, and starring an ensemble cast with Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes, Nicholas Hoult, Hong Chau, & more, “The Menu” follows a group of 12 strangers who find themselves trapped in an exclusive restaurant on a private island, and held captive by the staff and their leader, Chef Julian Slowick. Due to discussion of various details throughout this review, I’d like to caution readers with a spoiler alert.

It becomes apparent to viewers in the beginning of the film that the stories of the restaurant’s customers are heavily entwined, with Taylor-Joy’s character, Margot Mills, heavily eyeing the presence of an older gentle-

I am going to come right out and say it: go see this in theaters while you can. This film is a hidden gem in and of itself, and I found myself gawking at the screen during various points of the movie. Anya Taylor-Joy adds another great performance to her resume, backed by just-as-strong performances by both Hoult and Fiennes. The construction of the film was smart and built a strong impression that the film itself was the menu, creating close-ups of each food dish as it’s served to the guests, as well as announcing the commencement of each dinner course. The score, composed by Colin Stetson, was a standout, and added a lot of layers of mystery and urgency to the film’s overall vibe. Clocking in just north of an hour and a half, the pacing of this is great, and feels like an edge-of-your-seat genre of movie. This film began its theatrical release on November 18, so it’s expected to remain in theaters for a few more weeks through the holiday season.

Free

december 8, 2022

USM Vocal Jazz Ensemble

Corthell Hall, Gorham Campus

7:30 PM

$10 admission

december 10, 2022

Huskapellas Performance

Corthell Hall, Gorham Campus

7:30 PM

Donations Only

want to submit an event?

arts@usmfreepress.org

Ben Reed Arts & Culture Editor

Photo courtesy of IMDB.com

USM’s annual Fall Craft Show Crafts galore & so much more!

USM had its yearly fall craft fair, free to all attendants, from November 12th to the 13th in the Costello Sports Complex on the Gorham campus. This year, there were 167 vendors encompassing most of the main gym floor within Costello’s fieldhouse. Many brought baked baked goods, paint ings, stickers, quilts, candles, a coffee cart and many other goods that members of the USM and local community could come and peruse for purchase.

Having 167 vendors is a lot for any craft show. It felt like, where do I even begin? Usually, you have to make a plan first if you want to see everything. In my experi ence, you just go row by row, down one side and back the other. If you stray from the designated path, you are sure to get turned around. Something they did have that could help is an interactive floor plan you could pull up on your phone. Unfortunately, it was a bit glitchy, and I wish it had had a photo of the person, or the type of art or products they made. The handout at the door was just as crafty in guiding you to your excursion.

This event had every type of craft, artwork, and snack you could want while browsing and preparing for the holiday season. A majority of the goods offered at the craft show appeared to be holiday themed.

my feeling has to do with my own excitement for everything that the holidays entail for me. There was nowhere you could look without seeing at least one cute snowman, or bright red cardinal! There were plenty of goodies I could find that were not just based on the time of year, but truly something for everyone. You could try your luck with a raffle that was presented just when you walked in, with an item from almost every vendor, which was intriguing to see what items they decided to put up as an offering.

take you hours, especially with free admission–you can leave and go get something to eat, then come back. My trick is to find an item I like as long as it’s not the last one, and take a picture of it, then take a picture of the booth so at the end I can go back through my photos and easily find the booth. Oftentimes when I’ve gone back for my items, I found other things that I hadn’t seen before. It’s always surprising to me because I feel like I do a thorough job admiring everything and asking questions.

The cost for the November show is $125 for an 8’ x 8’ Booth, and $150 for a 12’ x 10’ Booth. This initial cost may seem like a lot up front, but it truly pays off when you have so many people showing up for an event like this. He mentioned he met his goal within two hours of the market start on the first day. Another vendor I spoke to was Moonlighter Ceramics, who makes ceramic work with themes of animal skulls, moons, tarot, and more. They mentioned that each place you are selling has a different feel and a different crowd and that this market wasn’t their ideal demographic. As an artist myself, I really value the time, effort and creativity it took to make each individual item. I do enjoy the surprised look on their faces when I start talking about something I’m familiar with, like clay body or screen printing mesh. Plus when you know a thing or two about the art that has been created, the vendors and other artists themself get really excited and want to nerd-out with you. You can really tell how passionate the people at this craft fair were about the skills they had honed. Make sure not to miss USM’s yearly spring craft show in April, 2023!

I suppose the fall season in Maine is always too short, so they may want to drag it out as long as possible. I’m sure most of

Now, I’m someone who likes my little trinkets and gifts, so I tend to take the journey of finding them seriously. I also know myself, and that by the time I’m done looking at everything, I will be tired, and want to go home, and not have to dig around trying to find every little item I wanted that I was too indecisive to buy at first sight. When you really stop to take a good look at everything at an event like this, it will

It was nice to get to talk to the vendors in more of a behind-the-scenes look. and ask about what goes into being a vendor. One of the vendors I spoke to was Ink Cap Illustration, who makes stickers, posters, and prints of mushrooms, fairies and more. He reached out to the market, and was able to get a spot more last minute. The applications for the vendors usually closes in February for the April and November markets, so this was a wonderful for him.

Kelly Ledsworth Interim Editor-in-Chief

Kelly ledsworth / Design Director / Interim Editor-in-Chief

A view of the craft fair from the stairs leading down into the gym

Cammie Breuer / Staff Photographer Ink Cap Illistrations artwork

Kelly ledsworth / Design Director Painted bottles being Illuminated

Image courtesy of Anna Bruner