Volume 36 Issue 2

NIVERSITY TIMES

THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE AT PRESQUE ISLE’S STUDENT VOICE

Gentile remembered at campus memorial service Volume 36, Issue 2

DEANNA JORDAN Editor

Hundreds gathered in Gentile Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 8, to celebrate the life and legacy of Caroline Gentile. Classes between noon and 2 p.m. were canceled so that faculty and students would be able to attend the memorial service.

President Zillman welcomed everyone, reading a special message from the university chancellor, Richard L. Pattenaude. Zillman said that Gentile first began teaching at the school in 1946, when it was still called the Aroostook State Normal School.

She taught at the school for more than 50 years as an associate professor of physical education.

Following his welcome, President Zillman introduced Nan Amodeo, professor emerita of English,

www.umpi.maine.edu/utimes

Friday, October 24, 2008

who taught with Gentile. Amodeo shared some special memories she had made with Gentile, including a story of Gentile’s driving ability. She recalled the physical education professor driving the two of them to Augusta, making the trip in an impressive “two hours and 20 minutes.”

Amodeo described Gentile as being “a good driver with extraordinary reflexes.”

Fred Getchell, a close friend of Gentile’s, spoke next, also sharing memories. He said she was a perfectionist and expected nothing but the best from her students. He also said that she was very proud of the hall bearing her name and she was always checking to see that it was being well taken care of and used.

Dr. Christine Standefer spoke next, saying that many of Gentile’s former students have gone on to have positions in physical education departments. She said that the legacy she began is even stronger today and that she helped to shape the lives of her students. Standefer said, “She was a mover, she

was a shaker and she was a molder of young people.”

Professor Theodore Shields said, “The number of people she inspired must be staggering.”

Jo Dill, executive director of the Maine Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, spoke last, as a former student of Miss Gentile. Dill said that 60 percent of those involved with her organization were touched

by Gentile and the other 40 percent have heard of her. Dill recalled the lessons she learned while in Gentile’s classes.

She said, “She taught us that hard work pays off. She taught us to be great teachers and leaders.”

At the end of the service, those attending were able to share their memories of Miss Gentile. The service was recorded, so all the memories will be added to a book that celebrates her life.

As Dill said, Caroline Gentile “is a legend who will live on for many years to come.”

Vietnam and South Vietnam. The U.S entered the war because we did not want a Communist takeover of the south.

Many other things were going on at that time in the United States.

“One of the things that I remember most was the Robert Kennedy assassination,” Zillman said.

Robert Kennedy announced his campaign to be president and wanted the Democratic Party nomination in 1968. After he won the California primary, he was shot around midnight on June 5, 1968.

During this time, people were also fighting for African-American rights. Segregation was going on in the South.

“Another thing that I remember was the assassination of Martin Luther King,” Zillman

said.

Challenging times with university president SARAH GRAETTINGER Regular Contributor

When you hear “retrospective”, what do you think of? Retrospective means to look into the past and contemplate past situations. That’s exactly what we’re going to do when the 1968 Retrospective comes to campus and talks about events that happened during that year. I interviewed President Zilman about the upcoming events.

President Zillman talked about the experiences that he went through in 1968. “I was finishing my second year in law school, scouting the job market, got married and was going to be in military service shortly.”

At that time, the war in Vietnam was going on. It was a very trying time because the Vietnam War was the longest war in our history. It started in 1959 and ended on April 30, 1975. The war was fought between communist North

Martin Luther King Jr. was a pivotal leader in the Civil Rights movement. He led the Montgomery Bus Boycott. He led the march on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. He delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington. He was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn.,on April 4, 1968.

“One thing that I remember the most was the TET offensive,” Zillman said.

This was a military campaign that was started January 30, 1968, and ended on September 23, 1968. It was fought between the Vietcong (National Front of the Liberation of South Vietnam) and the forces of the Republic of Vietnam. The TET offensive was to get rid of military and civilian controls and to spark an uprising to topple Saigon to end the war. But it was started by the Vietcong.

What would Zillman like the students to gain from the Retrospective?

“I hope that the students will find two to three events that will affect them. We will talk about art, veterans and music.” Zillman said.

Freshman out of their comfort zone UNIVERSITY TIMES

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LEAH MCEACHERN Staff Writer

The big day for a lot of students this year was not graduation day, but August 27, 2008: The day when the new freshmen here at UMPI began the next big step in their lives. For many, it was the first time away from home for an extended period of time, and their first time being exposed to such a large group of strangers. Coming to a university is a significant change from the way high school is run, even if it is located in a small town in northern Maine.

You would think that a lot of the new owls would be a little nervous and homesick, but when asked, they all stated that they were holding up OK. If they didn’t have any friends around, they would probably be in worse condition emotionally.

The things that people seem to miss the most so far are family and the old hometown. But everyday things that we took for granted such as home cooking, a private

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bathroom, and a familiar routine are also missed.

Life in the dorms seems to be taken in varying ways, from being “sort of fun” to “good, but some people are annoying.”

“It’s interesting. You’re on your own, but not at the same time,” one young lady was quoted as saying.” You live with people you know or don’t know, and you learn how to live with them, their habits, and things like that. It’s an all over good experience with some bad, but that’s life.”

The university itself is viewed in a good light as well. “It’s a great school: with the programs it offers, it has helped me start the pursuit of my career,” another new student said. Most find it to be unlike high school: you’re given a lot more freedom.

It’s different and more challenging, but the social workings seem to be the same.

Another thing that stood out was that a lot of the classes are the same size as what students were used to, but the way they’re run is very different.

Most of the new students haven’t attend-

ed any of the meetings of the various clubs and activities around campus, either, because they were not advertised very well, or they simply were not interested in any of them. Those who did manage to find out when and where club meetings were held, however, found them to be very fun.

Everybody is meeting lots of people.

Students like the town of Presque Isle because of its small size. people think they’ll grow to like it even more. Many can see themselves living here until they’re done with school.

Even though it’s located in a small town in Maine, it doesn’t seem to be any different from any other town this far north. The new freshmen at UMPI are giving it a thumbs-up despite all of the changes they’ve been thrown into without a life preserver. A few thought they were going to be hated and the subject of many pranks.

But they were relieved to be treated nicely by the older students, staff, and people of the town.

Help Your Seniors Day October 25 8:30 a.m.

Meet in the Campus Center All Welcome

Make a Difference

The University Times welcomes your submissions (letters to the editor, poetry, articles). We reserve the right to edit all submissions for grammar, clarity, language, length and libel. Submissions must be received no later than Noon on the Thursday before publication, and must include your name, address and telephone num ber. Upon submission, all material becomes the property of the University Times. Submissions may be sent on a CD or written in letter form and dropped in the UTimes mailbox (426 in the Campus Center). Material also can be left in the mail slot on the office door or be e-mailed to utimes@maine.edu. The University Times does not impose length restrictions on letters to the editor, but advises “the shorter, the better.”

The University Times Deanna Jordan Editor

David Hamilton Assistant Editor William Coppola III Web Manager

Staff Writers

William Coppola III David Hamilton Deanna Jordan Johnny Lynch Leah McEachern Jessica Mayne Pamela Perkins Stefanie Schillinger Regular Contributors Harrison Kilpatrick Jeff Lovejoy Erin Pelletier Jim Stepp Chuck Weiss Adviser Dr. J The University Times, a nonprofit student publication, is printed at Northeast Publishing Company in Presque Isle, Maine.

Articles and photographic ideas for submission may be left at the University Times office in the Campus Center at UMPI, 181 Main St., Presque Isle, ME 04769.

Advertising rates are available upon request. The newspaper takes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. All rights reserved.

UNIVERSITY TIMES

Friday, October 24, 2008

Dos Miguels shake up UMPI PAMELA PERKINS Staff Writer

On Oct. 6 in the Campus Center, Cultural Programs, led by Carol Ayoob, hosted their first event of the semester, and it was a treat not only to the ears of the people there, but also to their bodies.

Dos Miguels (translated into English: Two Michaels) brought UMPI’s students and community members together through dance and rhythm.

Dos Miguels is a group composed of Michael Wingfield, a multitalented percussionist, and Michael Shea, keyboardist.

They brought to UMPI rhythms and songs inspired by jazz and cultures from Cuba, Africa and Brazil, along with some music and cultural history. The songs’ themes were about slavery, tragedy, love, carnivals, celebration and, most important, having fun with music. Some of the names of the song included: “Vote,” “Senior Blues” and “How Insensitive.”

When Ayoob presented the group to the audience, she talked about a previous workshop at Fort Fairfield High School where Wingfield got the chance to get the kids involved with music.

“I wish I could be like him. He has a way of making people get involved and just want to do things,” she

CHUCK WEISS Contributor

said.

At the performance Dos Miguels gave at UMPI, Wingfield got people from the previous workshop to come up and play the drums, calling them his Five Belles. He got other audience members to play the bells, shakers, and to dance, or even just clap their hands to the beat.

Wingfield joked that he could virtually take the audience to Cuba through his music because with today’s gas prices, taking a plane would be too expensive. Dos Miguels did do that by getting the crowd involved somehow with the music, just like traditional Cuban players would if the crowd were to see them play.

Though some people where shy about getting up and joining in at first, Wingfield eased their concerns by telling the audience about the first time that he got the chance to play in an orchestra. He said that when we got over his initial fears, “It was as if you were a sailboat and the wind was pushing you.” He meant that

as soon as people got over their fears, the music would carry them and make them have fun with it.

This is exactly what hapened.

Before closing their performance, Dos Miguels played a song called “Vote,” which to them has an important message. They told the audience that voting was their voice and that it was important to go out and vote, just as it was important to not let their fears stop them from having fun.

They also mentioned that though we may live in a world with scary things going on at the time such as global warming or starvation, it’s important that we get involved, learn and watch the news. But equal-

ly important is that we remember to have some fun along the way.

Connecting UMPI to the world

The title of this year’s tech fair, “Collaboration from Home or Office - Staying Connected in Today’s World,” was exactly what it hopes to help bringing closer to reality for not only UMPI, but the entirety of Maine. The event, which took place in the Campus Center Oct. 10, gave members of the UMPI and Presque Isle communities glimpses into what technology can do.

The main floor of the fair had various vendors with displays ranging from Elmo’s Digital Document Projectors, which will be tested in some classrooms here for the next six months, to local House District 7 candidate Zak Smith, who was concerned with what students believe the state government should do about technology concerns.

While the main floor was open, there were also

workshops and speakers throughout the day. The two that I went to (and understood, not being too technically minded myself) brought to mind our distance learning center in Houlton. The first was a demonstration of high definition video conferencing. During this session, CBE Technologies and Tandberg worked together to show us what we could have on campus to enhance our distance learning program. The technology showcased was very easy to use, a refreshing change for those of us who have experienced a class shared with Houlton.

Perhaps my favorite session was the keynote speaker, Robert M. Froberg from FairPoint Communications, who shared FairPoint’s plans to bring high speed Internet to nearly the entire state through improved landlines and Wimax towers connected to faster equipment.

The whole fair brought to mind the technological future of Aroostook County, which may

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bring hope for the local economy. It was a delightful experience and I hope next year’s tech fair brings news of the advances we’ve made at UMPI since this year.

Chris’ Corner UNIVERSITY TIMES

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CHRISTINE CORSELLO Dean of Students

As some of you might already know, I’m a big sports fan.

I played sports in college (perhaps hard to believe), play sports now, watch sports – basically, I can’t get enough of sports. That being said, I’m gearing up for the upcoming basketball season one of my favorite sports. In anticipation of the start of each basketball season, I watch a tape of one of my favorite games with my favorite team. Here’s how it goes: My “team” was unranked and playing a nationally ranked team – number five to be exact. While nervous about a potential blowout, I kept the faith and guess what happened? MY TEAM WON! How did it happen? Well, like Hillary Clinton used to say, “it takes a village” – but in this case, it took a team.

Why am I writing about this? Well, simply put, I was thinking about UMPI as I was again basking in my team’s win and decided that I wanted to share my thoughts on how the two are connected. In the game of basketball, there are many “players” who affect not only the outcome of the game, but also how well the game is played. Obviously, there are the fundamentals – we need to have some people who know how to play the game – some basic level of understanding.

As it turns out, there are many people who share this knowledge based on their own ability, their own experiences and their observations. The levels of expertise vary, but all are significant and affect the process.

Let’s start with the most logical of all team members – those out there on the court. Sure, if they weren’t there, there

From the president’s desk

wouldn’t even be a game. But how do they make it happ e n ?

Well, the coaching staff, with their years of experience and knowledge of how to use the resources they have available, get things started by passing along their wisdom and insight.

Communication is key - without it, everything goes to hell. The coaches discuss strategy. They then pass this information to the point guard, who passes it along to the guard, then the forward and so on. The ball gets passed about with precision timing and according to the designed play. Next thing you know, two points are on the board. Without this communication and timing, nothing would work right. There would simply be five people out there running around like chickens with their heads cut off.

A successful game doesn’t begin or end here.

There are the players on the bench who really are the support staff of the game. They pick up where others leave off; they fill in when others are tired, weary and need to rejuvenate. Then there are the trainers and physicians, who ensure that the players are healthy in mind, spirit and body. There are officials who keep things in check because there has to be some kind of framework to follow and some policies and procedures that need to be observed. Let’s not forget about the maintainers of the score clock, because we all need to be regularly updated on the status of the game. Then the fans and the official cheerleaders: where would we be without our strong supporting cast (the bench) and our never-ending patrons of passion encouraging us on?

Message to Campus:

This afternoon I signed a contract for the construction of our wind turbine. Dave St. Peter, Charlie Bonin and I are delighted to complete a very complicated and unpredictable year of negotiations. We are all pleased with the result.

I’ll provide further details later. For now, we have taken the essential next step to the installation of wind generation on campus next spring.

Don

Friday, October 24, 2008

Just like the game of basketball, UMPI has the ability to pull all of its players together for a successful effort. Every member of the community can find a role to play and a spot on the team. Whether you are more comfortable cheering from the bench or the sidelines, helping to keep things in check like the officials, monitoring the progress of the game as the scorekeepers, striving for peace of mind, body and spirit or actually being in the trenches and on the floor - it all takes commitment.

Sometimes our roles will shift, but we need everyone if we are to actually have a successful effort and pull off a victory. Share your own knowledge and wisdom based on your experiences and observations.

Communicate with the rest of the team, take advantage of those situations where you are asked what you need and want – remember, without communication and feedback, we might as well not even bother suiting up.

Well, that’s my little sports analogy for this issue. I hope I made my point(s) – it takes a team to make things happen. It’s not all about winning, but it certainly is about showing up and playing with your heart. The real success is having played hard, having worked together, and being committed to the effort, the task and the process. If all of us show up, then we are bound to meet with success. Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you around the court. P.S. GO OWLS!

VOTE

NOV. 4

sports

UNIVERSITY TIMES

PAMELA PERKINS Staff Writer

Friday, October 24, 2008

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Midnight Madness

UMPI’s Pride Committee hosted its first event of the year, to get students involved with sports: Midnight Madness. In Wieden Auditorium, on Monday, Oct. 20 UMPI’s Pride Committee and athletics department hosted Midnight Madness. The event didn’t start until 11p.m. and ran until 1 a.m. But when the doors opened at 10:30p.m., a good crowd of UMPI’s students and faculty were present.

What actually was Midnight Madness? Well, it was a event that marked the start of the basketball season. It was also a way to introduce all of UMPI’s players, who work hard and are proud to play a sport for their college, to the rest of the UMPI community. It was also a way to show off hidden talents. Soccer player Seth Dorr did a back flip to get the crowd cheering.

This was a way to get people involved with sports and proud of their home teams, to cheer the players on and to show their support. There were also some local bands that got a chance to show off their talents to the crowd as well. Some of the spectators were lucky enough to have their ticket numbers called out. They got a chance to play for prizes that included gift certificates for $50 at the mall, or for Pizza Hut, Arby’s or Big Cheese. Other prizes where thrown out to the crowd to get them in the spirit of being at a real basketball game.

During the introductions, the men’s golf team presented to Athletic Director Bill Casavant their NAIA Sunrise Conference plaque, signifying the team’s hard work that paid off. This was the first plaque that the golf team has won.

Men net three, Women score two

ERIN PELLETIER

and within 20 minutes, Corey Harding scored a goal. That was soon followed by a long ball, 40 yards out, off Trevor Hews’ foot that was headed in

by Craig Maffei. The game remained tied for some time until Devon Peaslee netted the winning goal, ending the game 3-2.

Regular Contributer

Men’s/Women’s Soccer at Machias

Eleven men in mud-stained uniforms stood in a circle, breathing hard and gulping water after a hard-fought half. The score was 0-2, and even after many shots on net, they couldn’t seem to put one on the board. The field was torn up and muddy and the fog was rolling in, making it hard to see.

Women’s Basketball Coach

Field conditions had worsened and the air had become chilly by the time 7 p.m. rolled around and the girls had to play their match. They ended the first half exactly as the men had, down by 2.

Unfortunately, even though they worked hard all second half, Machias scored yet another goal, and the Owls were unable to make up the deficit. They lost a heart-wrenching conference game 0-3. The women faced Machias once again, on Saturday

See madness, page 9

October 11: this time on home turf.

At Vermont Tech and College of St. Joseph’s (Vt.)

On Oct. 3, the men’s and women’s soccer teams traveled to Vermont to face Vermont Technical College on Saturday and Vermont’s College of St. Joseph on Sunday.

The UMPI men were evenly matched, and the game remained scoreless for almost the whole contest, until there were only 12 minutes left in the second half. Freshman Cody Closson scored for the Owls from 12 yards out to win the game.

Conference Champions

The men hurried back to the field for the second half

TRACY GUERRETTE

Some of the best funny attractions of the

CONGRATULATIONS to our Men’s Golf Team who captured the NAIA Sunrise Conference Championship on Sunday afternoon at the Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro, Maine. The Owls were led by freshman Brett

Hooper (St. Stephen, NB), who shot a par 72 on the day. Hooper was the medalist of the tournament and also earned Rookie of the Year and AllConference Selection honors.

Other Owl finishers were Senior Captain Matt Dubay (Lincoln, ME) and Paul Rucci (Millinocket, ME), both with a score of 98, Kyle

See Soccer, page 9

Grooms (Marshall, MI) with a 107, and Chad Phillips (Dover-Foxcroft, ME) with a 114.

The UMPI team totaled a one-day score of 375 to finish first among two other conference competitors, Vermont Tech and the University of Maine at Fort Kent who scored 395 and 395 respectively.

Campus Government Back in Action UNIVERSITY TIMES

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HARRISON KILPATRICK Regular Contributor

The university’s internal governing bodies gathered for the first time since the beginning of the semester, and are functioning swimmingly despite significant changes in both the university and student senates. John DeFelice recently assumed the chair of the university senate. The second term of Chuck Weiss, president of the student senate, is starting out with a challenging fiscal year. Budget requests, which took place last semester, saw massive cutbacks because of limited student funds.

The student senate voted on a preliminary semester agenda. It voted unanimously to accept a series of goals that will take precedent over the semester. The proposals were numerous and covered a diverse range of requests. Among them were a printer in the Owl’s Nest, a 24-hour computer lab and assessing the current library schedule. Other proposals included that of Senator Daniel Fournier’s initiative to investigate the overall quality of the furniture in classrooms, specifically chairs. These were along with such usual duties of the student senate, such as funding of organizations and overseeing how student activities fees are spent.

The student senate is starting the semester using a revised version of the 2004 constitution as a result of the senate’s bylaws not meeting standards. The student senate com-

Friday, October 24, 2008

missioned Zachary Smith, alumni and former senate member, to write the bylaws for approximately $2,000 dollars. But becauseas the student body has yet to vote on this change of constitution as required by standard governing laws, there’s a question about whether this is a legitimate move.

In light of this, the senate has created a committee to review its constitution and governing documents.

The new semester also brought about changes in committee assignments among the student senators. Student senators must now serve on the new presidential committee, called the Green Campus Action Committee. Students are welcome to join this and other committees.

The Disc Golf Club has also recently received funds to build a disc golf course on campus. The nine hole course will traverse the periphery of the campus and be available for all students.

The club also has prospects of having community members play at a price to fund upkeep and improvements to the course.

Other particular nuances in the senate include seeking two clerks who will perform office and other duties for the student senate office, allowing senators more time to actively participate in governance and committee assign-

ments. Each clerk will work 10 hours a week and have designated duties. One clerk will have duties more related to the office, while the other will be involved in media and publicity of student events.

On the university senate side, the meeting opened with some curiosity as to the whereabouts of the constitution. Last semester, in what was considered the ‘fastest meeting in the university senate history, John DeFelice was elected chair.

Among some of the more pertinent subjects discussed at the meeting was the reorganization of the class schedule for the near future. This schedule will have specific periods during the day in which both faculty and students will have time to participate in meetings and organizations.

A room in South Hall is being altered into a test taking room, in which times will be designated for students to take such exams as PRAXIS and GRE with the oversight of a proctor. This willmake it unnecessary for people to travel to Bangor or further south for these tests.

A particular point of interest was the issue of professors submitting names for their courses. It looks like in the future, professors may be asked to submit their textbook request no later than Thanksgiving.

Scribbles on a Breakfast Napkin

JEFF LOVEJOY

Regular Contributor Broken

Government Papa Bush and Bill Clinton have done yet another public service announcement together, asking for donations for victims of Hurricane Ike. So our government, impoverished by seven years in Iraq and Afghanistan, is apparently too poor to give these people the help they need. Instead, a couple of former presidents are asking folks who have lost jobs, pensions, health insurance and homes to foreclosure to make up the diff e r e n c e .

I suppose that does make as much sense as giving a giant welfare package to the bankers and speculators who, along with the administration, have virtually bankrupted America for generations to come.

New

Twist on Spying One of the reasons that many Americans did not want

virtually unlimited spying on their own citizens was precisely that we cannot trust the administration to carry it out honestly. Our worst fears have been realized. Two whistleblowers, Adrienne Kinne, an Army reservist, and David Murfee Faulk, a Navy linguist, spoke recently to ABC News about just who was being spied on by the National Security Agency. Topping the list were the International Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, and many more humanitarian aid organizations. Also included were journalists. All of the above very dangerous to America, of course. As if that were not bad enough, soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan who called their loved ones in America were also listened in on. Much of this was very private material, often of an affectionate nature. And the listeners often made great sport of the conversations.

It certainly gives me great comfort to know that my tax dollars are being spent in this manner when President Bush insisted that he needed to do this without any oversight because he was

seeing

to

our

safety.

Speaking of Terrorists . . .

I know that stories have abounded for years about diabolical Catholic nuns. But this seems a bit much. Details have recently been released about the Maryland State Police spying on peace groups and anti-death penalty activists.

Late last week, two Catholic nuns learned they were among the 53 activists classified as terrorists who had their names entered into a federal terrorism database. Sister Carol Gilbert said, “There is no way that we ever want to be identified as terrorists. We are nonviolent.” Just in case we needed something else to be afraid of!

Dorgan dazzles denizens UNIVERSITY TIMES

DAVID HAMILTON Assistant Editor H e comes from the small town of Regent, ND: a state where there are “three cows to every p e r s o n . ” D a r r e l l D o r g a n , UMPI’s first journalist – in – residence, is passionate about his work.

Having been a

Friday, October 24, 2008

journalist for 25 years, he approaches every new situation looking for facts.

During his time at UMPI, Oct. 5 – 9, Dorgan visited classes, spoke with local service organizations and gave a community workshop on building support and raising awareness. One of the highlights of his visit was his distinguished lecture: “Pioneering Spirit: How 19th Century Maine and North Dakota Helped to Shape a Future President.”

Dorgan reminded his audience “journalism is the first draft of history.” History was an ulterior motive for his coming to Maine. Being the director of the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame and having cowboys for heroes during his childhood, he has become enamored of the cowboy history of North Dakota, and especially Teddy Roosevelt.

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two Mainers, William Sewall and Wilmot Dow, both of Island Falls. It was with these two men, in Maine, that an 18 – year – old Roosevelt became a man. Before his time in Maine he was a “90 – pound weakling,” Dorgan said. Roosevelt went to the Badlands of North Dakota with these men, changing that state and forging the character that led to and influenced his presidency. It is with Sewall and Dow that Maine and North Dakota are linked.

Dorgan’s visit was an auspicious beginning for the journalist – in – residence program. It was a great kickoff for UMPI’s new journalism and mass communication program. Although Dorgan will be a tough act to follow, the goal is to have a journalist – in – residence each fall and spring semester.

Dorgan described Roosevelt in-depth.

Roosevelt’s time in North Dakota was spent with

Student of the Month Nomination Form Do you know a student who * goes out of their way to help other students? * contributes to school pride? * contributes to student life? * serves as a positive role model for other students? * is open to all students and embraces diversity? * does community service?

Each month of the school year one student will be chosen to represent UMPI as its "Student of the Month". Nominations will be accepted from anyone at the University. Completed forms should be submitted to the Dean of Students. The Dean of Students, along with members of the UMPI Pride Committee will review nomination forms and select a monthly recipient. The selected student will receive their award at the next Pride Event and will be announced in the University Times and other campus media.

Nomination forms are due by the 15th of each month

Return completed forms to the Dean of Students, South Hall

Student of the Month program sponsored by Dean of Students and the UMPI Pride Committee

If you have any questions, contact Bonnie DeVaney, 768-9750, Barbara.DeVaney@umpi.edu

Name of Nominated Student_______________________________________________ Degree Program of Nominated Student (if known)_____________________________ Nomination Month/Year (i.e. October, 2008)__________________________________

Nominated by (name, student/staff or faculty member)_________________________

Can we reach you if we have questions? ___Yes ___No

If yes - what is the best way (i.e. phone number, email, etc.) ____________________ Please tell us why you think the above named student should be Student of the Month

______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________

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Shining a light on abuse UNIVERSITY TIMES

DAVID HAMILTON Assitant Editor

Women and children are being battered and abused. It’s an ugly fact that’s part of life. There is hope, however. On Oct. 1 members of the community joined representatives of the Battered Women’s Project and the Criminal justice department to light a tree on the president’s lawn at UMPI for the first annual purple light

Friday, October 24, 2008

nights in Presque Isle. It was a night to reflect on those who have died, on those who are still being abused and that we need to help victims of violence and abuse find a way out.

As one woman read her story, it reminded the community of the horrors that go on, on a daily basis and that it’s not the individual who must find help. The community must provide the support to help those victims.

Three million women are abused each

year by their partners. More than half the homicides in Maine are related to domestic violence.

October is domestic violence awareness month. It’s a time to let members in the community know that there’s still hope.

On Oct. 31 the Battered Women’s Project will be sponsoring a walk to support domestic violence awareness. It will take place at noon on Main Street.

Halloween Fun Day Friday Oct. 31

Dress up for the Day - Have your picture taken at Preble Hall at 10 a.m.

Watch the Daycare Trick or Treat / Harvest Parade (if you want it to stop in your area contact Penny at Daycare)

War on many fronts

Cap the morning off with a Pot Luck Dinner in the President’s Office from 11:30 - 1p.m.

BARAT QUALEY Regular Contributor

In Presque Isle, Todd Russell is known as many things: a physical education professor; an enthusiastic bicyclist; a dedicated teacher and mentor; a supportive colleague.

Forty years ago, however, Todd Russell led a much different life, serving in the Vietnam War. Combining his return to the United States in 1968 with his interest in physical education, he will discuss the 1968 Olympic Games and play a vital role in the 1968 Retrospective. Russell shared his thoughts on the Vietnam War, the Olympics, and how these events shape our future.

“For part of 1968, I was in Vietnam during the war.

During another part of that year, I was in Denver, Colo.”

Russell, like so many others, was drafted into the Vietnam War for two years. He made the decision to stay an extra year, showing ability to perform quite a variety of tasks, such as: running the supply departments; being a defense counsel for special court marshals; serving as motor pool officer; maintaining vehicles. When his tour was up, Russell arrived back in the States and was sent to Denver to a highly concentrated mil-

itary area. So he was able to avoid many of the rioters and protesters of the war during that time.

The Vietnam War was an event that changed the course of history. A “precursor,” Russell says, to the war we’re in the midst of today.

Another event during this time was the 1968 Olympics. Held in Mexico City, these Olympic Games were highly controversial.

Because the 1960s were a time of intense segregation between blacks and whites, black athletes, who wanted to take a stand, felt as though they were being used by whites. So when black athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos medaled in the 200 meter competition, as they stood on the medal stand, they raised their fists that were adorned with black gloves in a symbol of Black Power.

“I’m guessing, because I wasn’t around for the games themselves, but I’m guessing that the black athletes thought that the Olympics would be a better avenue to speak out at.”

When asked about the impact and why they chose this event, Russell said, “Well, [to raise]

awareness that the black people were unhappy and that treatment of them could be improved. There was still discrimination going on. For example, colleges at the time still had all-white sporting teams. Black people were still being discriminated against by whites.”

What does Russell hope people gain from visiting the Retrospective?

“Well, I would hope that people gain a new perspective of this time frame. What’s that saying; ‘If you don’t understand history, you’re bound to commit sins of the past?’” And as a young person, it seems almost foolish not to do everything within our own powers to learn about past mistakes.

The 1968 Retrospective will begin on November 10. Todd Russell will be speaking on Saturday, November 15. This event is free for all visitors and students.

UNIVERSITY TIMES

Madness

continued from page 5

event included Leo Saucier selling popcorn, soda, shirts and candy, shouting out, “ Two for the price of one!” Our mascot rocked out on the air guitar and danced to the local bands. Men’s cross country runner, Justin Fereshetian, demostrated his juggling talents to the crowd, juggling up to four balls and bouncing them

Soccer

continued from page 5

In the women’s match-up, the Lady Owls frequently shot on net. They couldn’t get a goal until, Jessica Kinney crossed a ball into the 18-yard line where Senior Erin Pelletier knocked it in, with five minutes to spare in the first half. The ladies went out in the second half and held the Green Knights to end the game with a win of 1-0.

The UMPI women challenged the College of Saint Joe on Sunday and shut them out 11-0. In the first half, Erin Pelletier, Jessica Kinney, Katie Moody and Olivia Jameson lifted the Owls to a 4-0 lead going

H

Friday, October 24, 2008

off

his elbow.

The main event of Midnight Madness was a faculty/staff vs. students basketball game, which the faculty/staff won 19 to 18. The top scorer for the faculty/staff was Terry Cummings, who took a hard hit to the floor but got back up and poured in 11 points. The

top student scorer was Brandon Boulware, with 7.

into halftime. During the remainder of the game, Pelletier and Desiree Smith each added one while Moody netted 2 more and Makayla Gahagan made an additional 3. Kinney and Pelletier were each credited with an assist.

was tripped inside the 18, and scored off of a penalty kick. The men ended with a win, 2-0.

Sunday’s game proved to be a physical one for the men as they faced the Fighting Saints. UMPI sophomore Ben Costello sent a ball up the field, which bounced in front of the Saint’s keeper and was lifted over his head by Corey Fournier for the first goal of the game. The score remained as such until Devon Peaslee

Sophomore Corey Fournier explained, “This weekend’s games were stressful because we definitely dominated and were the better possessing team.

Although we had many shots on net, the finals scores don’t reflect it. However, we are very happy to have added two more wins to our record.” At the press deadline the men stood at 6-2-1 and the women at 5-22. Both faced Machias and Fisher College during the weekend of Oct. 18-19.

UMPI Writing Center Offering one-on-one consultations for writers at all levels of course work, at all stages of the writing process C

Students strike, Communism changes

DAVID HAMILTON Assistant Editor

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1968 is a year that represents change. The numerous actions that took place during that year transformed society completely. During the third week in November, the university will look back on this time and explore the changes that took place.

Some of the most critical changes took place in Europe in the form of student riots in France and the relationship between French Communists and the Soviet Union. “The movement in France during 1968 was an emotional outburst that failed because of no leadership,” Dr. Bill Davidshofer said. Dr. Davidshofer, who is professor of political science at UMPI, will be taking part in the discussion of these e v e n t s .

Davidshofer was at graduate school at the time, deeply involved in Soviet studies. Although he was not directly affected by the events in Europe, he studied them closely since the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia and the French Communist Party (PFC), to much surprise, condemned the actions of the Soviet Union. The PFC’s actions in 1968 played a bigger role in Davidshofer’s life when he wrote his doctorial dissertation, which discusses

the role of the PFC during that time, in 1976.

The parallels between 1968 and now are many. “You want to talk about parallels, just look at Russia,” Davidshofer said.

In 1968, Russia invaded Czechoslovakia and just recently, Russia sent troops into Georgia.

Drawing on other current events, Davidshofer has made numerous connections to 1968. The United States is embroiled in a war that doesn’t have an end in sight. There’s a crucial election in the United States about to take place. Davidshofer did see a difference between the elections of the two eras. He said that the Republican candidate now has to deal with more than war. “McCain is having to deal with the ‘Great Depression’ as well,” Davidshofer said. Davidshofer also has observed that the youth today are more active politically, especially in this election year where the way they vote could profoundly influence who will be the next president.

Davidshofer will be speaking Wednesday Nov. 13 from 6-7 p.m. as part of a panel that will introduce the movie Bobby.

Regarding Ravi UNIVERSITY TIMES

10

JEFF LOVEJOY

Regular Contributor

A curious article appeared in the Times’ first issue.

Given the vocabulary used, I gather that it was a response to an article by Ralph Nader, titled “Corporate Supremacy and the Erosion of Democracy.” The article, adapted from a 2003 Nader speech, appeared in The Humanist magazine in early 2004. A pity the writer didn’t see fit to inform his readers of t h a t .

I’m extra curious, of course, as I passed it out to some of my classes to read, and I don’t believe Mr. Munukutla is in any of those classes.

So, a few questions. Mr. Nader does indeed discuss “corporate supremacy” but a “supreme corporation”? Two entirely different animals. If it’s there, I don’t see it.

“A corporation cannot do service,” the writer says,

Friday, October 24, 2008

“unlike our liberal population, which claims that it doesn’t believe in serving our great country.”

Aside from the shoddiness of the sentence, is Mr. Munukutla claiming that liberals in general do not believe in service? If not, when, where, and by whom has this claim been made? I’m tempted to let that “claim” die in a howl of outrageous laughter. But for the record, let us recall that Obama began as a community organizer, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been working to get heating oil for the poor for at least 10 years, and Martin Luther King gave virtually his entire life in service.

Regarding corporations doing service: well, they certainly “do service” to many members of Congress! But not for free, I may add.

And yes, I’m sure many CEOs are responsible. But Nader was talking about corporate cul-

ture as it has evolved since the “greed-is-good” ‘80s. Does anyone remember Enron? A $440,000 AIG “conference” less than a week after the taxpayer bailout? Or Lehman Brothers board members approving more than $100 million in bonuses to five top executives just three days before the firm collapsed?

It was (Republican) President Lincoln who foresaw what we were coming to: “I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country . . . corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed.”

STARBUCKS ON CAMPUS Doubleshot Mocha, Vanilla and Coffee flavors

KOMMUTER KLUB GOING PLACES Available in the Bookstore

Press Release

Klub Kampus, formerly the Non-traditional/Commuter Club (NTS), has plans. They meet every other Friday at noon to discuss how to be a better kind of club.

So, what’s different about Klub Kampus? Well, for one thing, they’re concerned about the time of the events.

Commuter students often have families to go home to. They can’t stay up until midnight. They have to meet the school bus at two to pick up their children. Commuters aren’t often interested in similar entertainment venues as the residential students, either.

The idea is to find events that appeal to all students alike. for

“The idea of the group is to be a representative body all students.

We want to be able to do events that all students, commuter and resident, will enjoy,” says Randy Deabay, club president.

But Klub Kampus isn’t just concerned about providing events. They want every student’s input about all campus concerns and things students would like to see happen. In turn, these concerns are brought to the attention of the appropriate offices. Klub Kampus seeks to be a nonpolitical, non-judgmental voice for all students. Already they have assisted in providing a credit card machine in Kelly Commons and a Commuter Lounge in Folsom Hall.

“What I think is important is that the UMPI commuter students and their families are able to be involved in Campus Events,” says Mary Lawrence of the Conferences and Special Events office. “To me it’s all about connecting commuter

students and residential students through events.”

Some of the events to be sponsored by Klub Kampus include a fuel oil raffle, a doughnut and coffee giveaway and Santa’s Workshop. There are many more events scheduled, just check with Deabay. He can be found Wednesday nights in the Owl’s Nest. He’ll be happy to fill you in.

As Deabay says, “We want to create memories that will last long past the college experience.”

UNIVERSITY TIMES

Friday, October 24, 2008

One Wild Night

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Battle of the Bands 8 p.m. @ the Campus Center Sponsered by Kappa Delta Phi Haunted House Weiden Hall Presented by

They’re here

Be there Halloween Night WUPI Radio and the Criminal Justice Club

JIM STEPP

Regular Contributor

On October 27, 1975, at 7:45 p.m., a UFO was observed circling the Loring Air Force Base about 30 miles north of Presque Isle. On that night, Staff Sergeant Danny K. Lewis reported observing a UFO circling the nuclear weapons storage area at Loring AFB. The base was placed on a major alert status.

Radar tracked the UFO for rmore than 40 minutes. The reddish-orange UFO later moved to within five feet of the ground. Security personnel said the UFO was “like a stretched-out football in the air” as it hovered nearby. The object was described as being about four car lengths long. It shut off its lights and rapidly left the area from near ground level.

At 7:45 p.m. on October 28, 1975, the UFO reappeared over the area. Because of these two sightings, air support in the form of a National Guard helicopter was sent to Loring AFB on October 29, 2008. Canadian authorities were contacted and given permission to cross the border if needed. A Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer was also stationed on the National Guard helicopter. On October 29, 1975, the helicopter took off as soon as the first sighting occurred. On board the helicopter were the Army National Guard crew, the RCMP officer, a Maine State trooper and several Loring Air Security officers. Despite following up sightings, the crew was never able to observe the UFO. On October 30, 1975, the Maine National Guard helicopter was replaced by an Air Force helicopter and crew from Plattsburgh AFB. That evening, objects were reported at several locations over and near the base, and were detected by radar. Throughout the rest of 1975, many UFOs were reported over Loring AFB and Grand Falls, New Brunswick. Official investigations by various U.S. and Canadian agencies revealed nothing that was released to the p u b l i c .

The students at the Maine School of Science and Mathematics investigated the Loring UFO mystery of 1975 and then developed the program entitled “Close Encounters of the 1975 Kind.”

If you are interested in UFOs, this should prove to be a great way to spend an hour or so on Saturday, October 25. Weather permitting, Mr. “B” will be bringing out the science center’s 13.1-inch telescope. Space is limited, so please make sure you call (207) 488-5451 for reservations. There is a small cost for the program.

For more information go to: http://www.nicap.org/ncp/ncp-loringafb.htm or http://ufos.about.com/od/bestufocasefiles/p/loring.htm

Probably one of the best-known UFO stories is HG Wells’ “The War of the World.” On Halloween night, WUPI is planning to play the original broadcast of “The War of The Worlds” at 6 p.m.

WUPI can be heard at 92.1 FM or by going on line to http://www.umpi.maine.edu/~wupi/ To hear “War of the Worlds” and other Mercury Theatre programs go to: http://www.mercurytheatre.info/

The Night Sky The International Space Station will be visible as a morning object between October 23 and November 6.

Go to heavens-above.com for exact times and locations – You will need to register at this site and load your location to be able to get exact times.

10/22 Moon eclipses Asellus Ausralis (3.9 mag star) 00:08 – 01:00 10/22 Mercury at greatest elongation 18.3 west of Sun. Morning Sky 05:36 10/25 Saturn 5.6 degrees north of Moon 03:36 10/25 The ISS passes 0.3 degrees from Saturn 05:44 10/25 Francis Malcolm Science Center’s

Planetarium Show “Close Encounters of the 1975 Kind.” Weather permitting Mr. B. will bring out the Planetarium’s 13.1” telescope.

Space is limited so please call 488-5451 for reservations. 19:00 10/26 First photographs of the dark side of the moon – Lunik 3 1959 10/27 Mercury 7.1 degrees north of Moon 13:36 10/28 New Moon 19:14 10/28 Sun 5.1 degrees north of Moon 22:00 10/29 70th Anniversary (1938), Orson Welles’ Broadcast of the “War of the Worlds” 10/29 Mars 5.0 degrees north of Moon 21:00 10/30 Taurid meteor shower possible peak day.

20:00 10/31 Mars Farthest from Earth (232,500,000 miles) 00:00 11/01 Venus at Aphelion – Farthest from Sun (67,706,173 miles or 108,939,233 km) 03:06 11/01 Venus 2.6 degrees north of Moon 04:00 11/02 Moon at apogee – Farthest from Earth (252,177 miles or 405,752 km) 01:02 11/02 Daylight Saving Time – Turn clock back 1 hour 02:00 11/03 First Dog in space USSR 1957 11/03 Jupiter 2.6 degree south of Moon 14:54 11/04 South Taurids Meteor Shower Peak (10 meteors/hour) 23:00 11/05 First Quarter Moon 23:03 11/08 Uranus 4.0 degrees south of Moon 19:00 11/13 Full Moon 01:17 11/14 Moon at perigee – Closest to the Earth (223,095 miles or 358,961 km) 05:00 11/15 Francis Malcolm Science Center’s Planetarium Show “Apollo 8: Christmas Around the Moon.” Space is limited so please call 488-5451 for reservations. 19:00 11/17 Leonids Meteor Shower Peak – 20 meteor/hour – Moon will interfere with this meteor shower 02:00

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UNIVERSITY TIMES

Friday, October 24, 2008

Food for thought

Pizza Problem

Previous Problem: There are three closed boxes before you. You are told that one box contains a fabulous prize, while the contents of the other two boxes are worthless. You are offered your choice of the boxes, and you make a selection. One of the other boxes is then opened to reveal its worthless content, and you are offered the option of keeping your chosen box or switching to the other unopened box. Should you switch?

Solution: When you make your original choice, the probability that you hold the prize is 1/3 and the probability that you do not is 2/3.

This doesn’t change when one of the boxes is opened, so at that point the box you hold has a 1/3 probability of containing the prize, and the other box has a 2/3 probability of containing the prize. Obviously, it is in your interest to change your selection. If this seems counterintuitive, play the game twenty or thirty times with a friend and count how many times each strategy wins. Congratulations to Thad Swinehart for submitting the winning entry. Pizza is coming your way.

New Problem: Which is more likely: getting at least one “6” in four throws of a single die or getting at least one boxcars (double sixes) in 24 throws of a pair of dice? Send your solution to umpicontest@maine.edu

by October 28 if you want a free pizza, and watch for the solution and a new problem in the next issue of UTimes.

UTimes Writing Contest!!

It was a brisk September morning: a Monday, to be exact. The clouds were billowing forebodingly, filling the sky with several shades of grey.

A chilly wind blew, spreading dead leaves across the street. A crow cried in the distance, and was soon joined by more. The children shuffled down the street to the bus stop, their feet crunching on loose gravel. For them and many others, it was a dark day—the first day of school.

They stood almost motionless with their shoulders hunched around their heads, shivering and complaining, having been forced out of their warm beds at an early hour. Just then, a cheerful whistling sound reached their ears, and they looked up to see Jane coming toward them.

Jane Plane, the most enthusiastic student in their grade.

“Good morning, all!” Jane said with a smile. “And how are we on this joyous day?”

“Better before you showed up.” Bobby Pinn grumbled, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

“You’re not excited for school? I can’t believe it! School is fun, exciting, and interesting. You learn new things, read great books, and enjoy the company of wonderful people. What’s not to like?”

“Knock it off,” said John Long. “You’re both depressing.”

At that moment, the school bus came around the corner, creaking and squeaking, with its engine roaring. It screeched to a stop in front of Jane, and its doors opened with a metallic crack. All of the students filed on, not particularly in a hurry. They found their friends on the bus and sat next to them in the old, worn seats.

The bus driver glanced up at them in the rearview mirror and pushed

the gas pedal, and they were on their way.

They sped along the route, picking up other students, and then pulled onto the old highway.

All, save the driver and Jane, seemed to be asleep, their heads bouncing on the rattling bus windows. Houses, trees and mailboxes zoomed past them as colored blurs.

“There’s the school!” Jane exclaimed, bouncing with excitement, and everyone groaned.

But, to everyone’s surprise, the bus driver continued on, rather than pulling into the school’s parking lot. A great cheer erupted from the children.

“Stop that! Stop that!” Jane cried.

“Go soak your head!” Bobby said.

Suddenly, the bus pulled sharply off the main road onto a dirt trail. The students were

Comic by Bhava Albert

thrown all over the bus at every slight bump.

The bus skidded to a sharp stop.

“Everybody out! Time for school!” cackled the driver. All of the children simply sat there, staring. “Out! NOW!” Fearing for their lives, the students scrambled off the bus. The engine roared, and the vehicle rocketed away. They looked around, taking in their surroundings. They had been abandoned in a rank, filthy swamp, in the middle of nowhere...

Hey, look! What happens next? Can you think of an ending and a title for this story? If we pick your ending, it will be published in our next issue. What are you waiting for? Get writing and send all entries to utimes@maine.edu !