University of Maine at Presque Isle
AUGUST 31, 2012
Volume 41 Issues 1 & 2
Journalism for Northern Maine Visit us at utimes.umpi.edu
WELCOME ISSUE
UMPI!s new first family Front row: Jack Fuhrmark, Zora. Back row: Virginia Fuhrmark, Tom Fuhrmark, Linda Schott, Michael Noonan-Schott, Pouncer. Not pictured- cats Callie & Squeaky
President Schott Welcomes You to UMPI Linda Schott COLUMNIST
My warmest welcome to those of you who are on the UMPI campus for your first semester, as well as to those of you who are returning! The coming year will be a time of transition, as we learn together and move our individual lives and the university forward. My personal transition has already begun. A long journey across the country—with my husband, three teenagers, dog and three cats—brought me from southwestern Colorado to
Presque Isle in mid-June. Since then, my family and I have been settling into our new home. We’ve been meeting members of the campus and community and even traveling a bit to see the beautiful state we now call home. Thanks to the untiring and efficient work of many members of the administration, faculty, and staff, and especially to the assistance and support given by President Don Zillman, my movement into the presidency has been smooth. I now look forward to making new friends, meeting new challenges and
learning more about our excellent institution and most welcoming community. Students, I am particularly eager to meet you and to learn about your dreams and aspirations. I will be attending campus events, occasionally joining you for meals in the cafe and presiding over official ceremonies. I hope that you’ll introduce yourselves, and not just at an official event. Chat with me while I’m working out at Gentile Hall (as long you don’t mind me panting and sweating through our conversation!) or walking my dog
around campus in the evenings. You are the reason UMPI exists. I want to be certain that you’re having a quality experience in every way. I’ve already met many of the members of the faculty and staff as well as many community members. I look forward to coming to know each of you more fully. I’ll be visiting with faculty members in their offices, as well as walking around campus to see where our staff members work. I’ll also attend community events and schedule individual meetings with community leaders and UMPI
alumni. If you would like to meet with me and I haven’t contacted you yet, please feel free to ask my assistant, Ethelyn Boyd, to set up a meeting for us. One of my priorities for the coming year will be to spend time engaging in conversations about what UMPI does well and how we might make things even better. I hope that all of you will vigorously participate in those conversations; we need your ideas and energy! For now, best wishes for this new academic year. May it be filled with learning, fun, adventure and success!
C
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The University Times Staff Editor Lanette Virtanen Assistant Editor Ben Pinette Staff Writers Kayla Ames Cole DuMonthier Kathi Jandreau Stephanie Jellett Mika Ouellette Ben Pinette Jessie Rose Lanette Virtanen Staff Alumni Stephanie Corriveau Contributors Mary Kate Barbosa Bonnie DeVaney Jannie Durr Clare Exner Dick Gardiner Dick Harrison Marc Heiderof Deb Hodgkins Meg Lightbown Lorelei Locke Danielle Pelkey Ralph McPherson Vanessa Pearson Linda Schott Mike Sonntag Rachel Rice Candice Roy Ray Rice Jennie Savage Jessica Stepp Jim Stepp Lisa Udasco JoAnne Wallingford Adviser Dr. J The U Times welcomes submissions from the campus community. Send digital versions of articles, photos, etc., to utimes@maine.edu and jacquelyn.lowman@umpi.edu
University Times
ampus August 31, 2012
Dear Readers, Every semester is like a new beginning, whether you!re a freshman coming in for the first time or you!re a senior coming back for your last year. This semester you!ll have a chance to meet new people, make more friends or enjoy a new class. You!ll be meeting new professors and learning something different, so each semester is like a fresh start with new possibilities. Take the time to get to know someone new this semester. Get out there and get involved. This edition is there to help everyone: it!s not just for freshmen. We put together this issue with everyone in mind. You can get an idea of what the campus has available for help, tutoring or financial aid. You can get a copy of the schedule for upcoming events on campus and you can see what!s going on for our Week of Welcome. For all new students coming in this semester, welcome! For those of you coming back, it!s good to see you again! Lanette
Hi Everyone, Well, it!s hard to believe another school year is upon us. One of my favorite U Times issues to write for (and to help lay out) is the Welcome issue. This issue is always chock-full of information for all students, no matter what your year. This year at UMPI, I urge you to do something with me. Try going to a place you!ve never been before at UMPI. I bet you haven!t been to every place here, whether it be an office such as financial aid, or using our amazing swimming pool, walking track or gym at Gentile. We!re always looking for new members to join both U Times and WUPI. If you have an interest in writing for the U Times or joining our radio station, we would love to have you. To join either club, please contact Dr. J at jacquelyn.lowman@umpi.edu. I hope you have a great, productive school year. -Ben
Dates for Submissions to the U Times
Sept. 21 Oct. 19 Nov. 2
Nov. 16 Dec. 14
Any submissions recieved after a deadline will be published in the following issue. If you have any questions please contact Dr. Lowman at 768-9745.
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Jim’s Journal
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My New Post
Hello everyone. My name is Jim Stepp. Many of you may know me as the assistant dean of students/director of residence life. But this year, I will be taking on a few new responsibilities. As of July 1, I was named the interim vice president of student affairs and dean of students. In my new role, I will be charged with trying to help students to achieve their academic goals. If you are having difficulties, I may be able to help you or I may be able to help you get to the person who can. One of my duties will be to implement a retention plan that could help you stay in school when things get tough. When I was a student, I almost left school after my first semester. I felt like I didn’t fit in, I was a little homesick and I thought college wasn’t for me. Thanks to the help of an RA and a faculty member, I did stay in school
and graduated. Being at a university can be very exciting and very scary. You will be able to meet new people and learn new things. How successful you are at doing this will be up to you. Get out of your comfort zone. Talk to people you would not have talked to normally. Discuss things that make you feel uncomfortable. Most of all seek out those people you believe are the most different from you. One of the greatest gifts a college education can give you is the learning of other points of view. One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to get involved. Join a club, go to an activity, volunteer or join a team. I mentioned above how I almost left school after my first semester. I felt that way because I didn’t know anyone and was bored. My grades were good, but I just didn’t fit in. One of my RAs, Doug McHugh, knew I like astrono-
my. He introduced me to the advisor of the Planetarium Club with about three weeks left to go in the fall semester. I immediately joined the club, met people with similar interests and got involved in campus life. Before leaving Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, I also joined the Astronomy Club, the Residence Hall Council, a fraternity, and became an RA. Joining one club in my first semester led me to several leadership opportunities, a sense of belonging and a strong resume. UMPI has more than 30 clubs and organizations you can join. If you’re interested in finding out what clubs we have or starting a club we don’t have, visit Vanessa Pearson on the first floor of the Campus Center. The 2012-2013 academic year is just starting. Do everything you can to make it a great year for you.
Jim Stepp
UMPI: The Compass to Your Career Stephanie Corriveau STAFF ALUMNI
Stephanie Corriveau
You’ve probably heard that it’s OK to begin your first year still a little unsure of what career path you want to take. This is definitely true. But that doesn’t mean you have to be alone in picking the right direction. In fact, UMPI will be there to guide you along the way. The university has many opportunities to prepare you for your future, whether it lies in grad school or a career in the workforce. For instance, the university usually holds a career fair every spring. No matter what your major, you’re bound to find a position that suits your interests. Here’s a sample of the organizations that were recruiting at last year’s fair: Senator Susan Collins’s office, Northern Maine General, Child Development Services,
Cumulus Broadcasting, Northeast Guide Service, Loring Job Corps—and the list went on! These jobs touched upon a variety of fields. Some students took these positions for the summer. They gained experience and built their resumes between their school semesters. It was a perfect way to see if they liked a certain field and would want to work in it after graduation. And by building their resume, they increased their chances of success for getting a future job. Many graduates move on to successful careers. This is often helped by opportunities such as the career fair, and also other university-sponsored activities. For instance, art students have their own shows during senior year. This is a chance to display
their work to the public and maybe even potential employers or customers. Biology majors often take part in research experiences. These can be with a professor on campus or at an institute such as the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory. Those who major in English can sharpen their skills by working on the University Times or in the South Hall Writing Center. All of the majors typically have unique programs to get you involved and prepare you for what you want to do with your life. And if you’re not sure that you want to move into the workforce right after graduation, there’s definitely the option of grad school. The career fair also hosted recruiters from schools such as UMaine
and the University of New England. UMPI graduates have gone on to physician assistant, veterinary and medical schools. But the graduate degree options are open to many other fields as well. As you can see, the doors to opportunity at UMPI are plentiful. And with the help of the friendly faculty and staff, you’ll be sure to navigate the direction that’s best for you.
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Week of Welcome Fall 2012
Monday, September 3
All Day 1pm
Tuesday, September 4
7-9am
Returning Students Move In Residence Halls Tug-of-War Merriman Mud Pit Try out your strength and try not to fall in the mud at the annual tug-of-war. Sponsored by the PULL Programmers. 2:30-4:30pm Computer Services Assistance Emerson Hall See Computer Services personnel in the first floor lobby for help setting up your computer, printer, game console, etc. Evening RA Program Residence Halls Meet the RA!s and other residents of your building.
Coffee & Donuts Outside Folsom and Wieden Hall Stop by for a start of the semester treat! 7:30a.m.-12p.m. Computer Services Assistance Whooo!s Hut Need help logging on to the network? Need your password reset? Stop by for assistance. 7:30a.m.-3p.m. Welcome/Q&A Tables Outside Wieden Hall Find out about classes, room locations, and get your questions answered. 12p.m. New International Students Orientation CC118 All new international students are encouraged to attend. 12:40p.m. Student Senate Meet & Greet Alumni Room Meet the Student Senators, find out how you can join, and get some free stuff! 5-7:30pm Computer Services Assistance Whooo!s Hut Need help logging on to the network? Need your password reset? Stop by for assistance. All Day Mobile Ice Cream Truck Campus Wide Be on the lookout for the FREE mobile ice cream truck! 7-9a.m. Coffee & Donuts Outside Folsom and Wieden Hall Stop by for a start of the semester treat! 7:30a.m.-12p.m. Computer Services Assistance Whooo!s Hut Need help logging on to the network? Need your password reset? Stop by for assistance. 7:30a.m.-3p.m. Welcome/Q&A Tables Outside Wieden Hall Find out about classes, room locations, and get your questions answered. 7p.m. Maranatha Band Concert Wieden Auditorium Enjoy some Christian meringue music and get ready to dance! Join the group of 20 musicians from Haiti and the Dominican Republic and learn about ongoing relief efforts in Haiti. Tickets are free, but donations welcome. Benefits Batey Social Services and Haitian Refugees.
Wednesday September 5
7:30a.m.-12p.m. Computer Services Assistance Whooo!s Hut Need help logging on to the network? Need your password reset? Stop by for assistance. 12:30-1:30p.m. UMPI Squares Owl!s Nest Stop by and play this classic game! Chance to win over $250 in prizes! 7-9p.m. Rock Wall Party Gentile Hall Come rock it out at the rock wall! Perfect for all abilities and experience levels! 9p.m. Outdoor Movie: The Avengers Park Hall Lawn, Rain Location: MPR Bring your blankets and enjoy free popcorn!
Thursday September 6
10p.m.-1a.m. Welcome Back Hippie Dance Tennis Courts, Rain Location: MPR Celebrate the start of the school year at this outdoor dance! Come dressed as hippie! Student ID Required. 12-2p.m. Kayak Roll Clinic Gentile Hall Learn the basics and essential kayak rolling skills with whitewater guide and UMPI Recreation student, Josh Stahl. No experience necessary!
Sunday September 9
12p.m. 2:30p.m
Men!s Soccer Game vs. UMaine Augusta Park Field Cheer on the UMPI Owl!s at their first home game of the season! Women!s Soccer Game vs. UMaine Augusta Park Field Cheer on the UMPI Owl!s at their first home game of the season!
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Michael Sonntag CONTRIBUTOR
Greetings! If you’re a new student to campus, welcome and I’m glad you’ve decided to make UMPI your new home for a while. If you’re a returning student, then welcome back and we’re glad to see you again. And welcome to a new semester to all of our staff and faculty, and an especially hearty welcome to our new President, Linda Schott, and her family. It’s been a very busy summer, but I’m hopeful you all enjoyed the beautiful Maine summer and are ready for a busy new year. For those of you new to campus, let me introduce myself. I’m Michael Sonntag, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. In the role of provost, I work with the chairs and faculty of the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Education, and Professional Programs to oversee all academic programs and the faculty and staff responsible for delivering our courses and programs of study. The library, information technology, student records, Houlton Higher Education Center, and Cultural Affairs/Reed Art Gallery round out my portfolio of responsibilities at the university. I also represent the university along with the president, vice president for business and finance, and vice president for student affairs within the University of Maine System. Finally, I’m an experimental psychologist with interests in developmental and existential psychology, though I don’t get to teach as much as I once did. Academic year 2012-2013 promises to be our busiest yet. We welcome two new biology
faculty, Scott Dobrin and Judy Roe, two new business faculty, Stacey Emery and Bryan Thompson, and a new early childhood education faculty member, Sohyun Meacham. Each of these individuals was hired to bring something new to our academic offerings. Scott and Judy bring an increased emphasis in neuroscience, molecular biology,
TATION. Our Physical Therapist Assistant Program is undergoing review by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education and we hope to graduate our first class in August 2013. Our Teacher Education programs underwent review by the State Board of Education in spring 2012,
well, but also what we’re not doing so well and how we plan to improve. So what is accreditation and why is it important to us? Accreditation is a public acknowledgement that a university or school has met a set of standards that demonstrates it is delivering a high quality education. It is a sort of “stamp of approval” that
Photo by Dick Harrison
Mike Sonntag, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. and human anatomy and physiology. Stacey and Brian give new offerings in accounting and new emphasis in project management. Sohyun will offer a newly designed early childhood education program. Be on the lookout for new courses and new majors and concentrations in the coming semesters. You might find that a double major or an added concentration makes sense to your degree plans! The coming year may also go down in UMPI history as the year of ACCREDI-
and we have an interim review again in 2014. And finally, in October 2013, UMPI will be reviewed by our regional accreditor, the New England Association of Colleges and Schools (NEASC). This means the faculty, staff, and students at UMPI are going to be very busy in the next year preparing self-study reports. Such studies require us to make a very close and very critical review of ourselves. We must report on what we’re doing
tells students and their families that a university is legitimate and delivering a quality education. NEASC has eleven standards that we must demonstrate we are meeting. They include such areas as quality faculty, qualified students, a coherent and meaningful curriculum, good student support services, sound infrastructure, and stable finances. Interestingly, accreditation of the type found in the U.S. is relatively unusual in the world. In most coun-
tries, the government sets standards for universities and then provides oversight thought to promote accountability. In the U.S., higher education institutions early on recognized the need to provide public accountability. But they preferred that accountability come about through peer-review rather than government oversight. Peer-review—rather than government oversight— allows university faculty and their students to be relatively free to study what they wish and to be analytically critical of all aspects of our country. Therefore, rather than a group of people from the state or federal government, a group of professors and administrators from colleges in New England will be our reviewers. Our peers will come to our campus in October 2013 and judge how we stack up against the NEASC standards and how well we are meeting the mission we have set for our institution. Don’t worry: we’ve been through this every 10 years for decades. We always learn and improve through the process. We also have been successfully reaccredited each time. But it does mean we have a lot of work ahead of us. We will be coming to ask you to participate in committees, study groups, and other activities as we prepare our report. I hope you will take part and help us strengthen the institution through this critical selfstudy process. I welcome volunteers for the process. Please contact me if you have questions or concerns. Welcome and best wishes for a great semester!
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Counselor’s Corner Let!s Get Started on the Right Foot Ralph McPherson CONTRIBUTOR
Welcome back students and a warm welcome to incoming freshmen. I hope everyone had a great summer and you are now ready to get back to work. It’s a very exciting time and the energy level is high. Your classes are just beginning and it’s a fresh start to the new semester. This is my second year at the counseling center and I am very glad to be here. Last year, I met many students and it was a privilege to work with students who needed some help. I also learned a great deal from the students I worked with. They taught me how to make the best of what we have and not to take things for granted. We can forget that sometimes. I am a better counselor and person for working with them. I’d like to offer a piece of advice to start the new semester. The new semester will quickly evolve into assignments and deadlines. Before you know it, we will approach midterms and
grades will begin to take shape. Let’s get off on the right foot by setting good study habits. Take time each and every day to read and complete assignments. Don’t miss classes and be prepared when you do go to class. Get a tutor if you are having trouble in a certain subject area. Take time and get familiar with the syllabus. This will help you be prepared for what is due and it will also allow you to ask for assignment clarification from your professor. Then we have the basics of getting enough sleep and proper nutrition. These are just a few tips for getting a good start to your semester. It’s important to have fun and have times for relaxation. Unfortunately, this can be carried too far and before you know it, you’re in academic trouble. Believe me, I dealt with this a lot last year. I would like to dedicate some of this article to our services and how we can help students. The role of a counselor is to help people who may need some support in a life area.
Some of these areas may include: time management, relationship issues and career guidance. Some other issues may involve sad or difficult feelings, excessive worries or issues of substance abuse. Regardless of the issue, the counseling center is here to serve students in order to enhance their academic pursuits. Referrals can be made through student support services or you can just call my office. I am here MondayFriday, from 3:30-7:30 pm. My office is located at 101 South Hall and my extension is 768-9791. It’s OK if you’re not sure what you want to talk about. I’ve had some students just come by my office and introduce themselves. You are always welcome. This is a free service to students and information is kept confidential. Please feel free to contact me with any issues, concerns or problems you may be experiencing. I wish all students a fun and exciting time this semester.
If You’ve Got a Problem, We Can Help Mary Kate Barbosa CONTRIBUTOR
Concerned about your grades? Organizationally challenged? Having difficulties due to a documented disability? Have questions about to whom you should speak about a problem? Our friendly crew would like to meet you, so please come visit us at Student Support Services in South Hall for help. Seek help the minute you experience a problem! Our tutor coordinator, Meghan Lightbown, will speak with you about your academic struggles and arrange for a FREE tutor for your academic classes. She can also help you structure your class work and supplies. Contact 768-9614 or meghan.lightbown@umpi.edu to discuss tutoring options. Mary Kate Barbosa, the director of student support services, encourages students with documented disabilities to seek appropriate accommodations on campus. Each student requesting services must provide
appropriate documentation. Contact 768-9613 or mary.barbosa@umpi.edu to arrange an appointment, obtain the appropriate forms and request accommodations.
In addition to these important areas, we’re also happy to provide personal, financial and career counseling and referrals for students needing these services. Don’t forget to friend us at UMPI Student Support Services to get the latest information on academic assistance, workshop opportunities, annual grant aid awards and important academic and student life events!
Testing:1,2,3 John Harrington CONTRIBUTOR
South Hall.
Welcome to the New Year! Testing Services welcomes you to campus. We’re here to help with your questions to help you prepare for your career. We provide on-campus testing either as a paper based exam or in our on-campus computer based Prometric Testing Center. You might be a new student looking to save time and money by taking a CLEP for credit
classes or a current student preparing for your profession needing the PRAXIS I or PRAXIS II for certification. Or you might be interested graduate school, law school or medical school. For whatever the reason, we offer convenient, oncampus paper and computer based testing for you. For more information on testing programs available please visit the w e b s i t e : http://www.umpi.edu/current -students/testing-services.
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Exciting Exchange Opportunities! Meg Lightbown CONTRIBUTOR
Are you aware of the opportunities UMPI offers students? Would you like to go to another university in the United States and take classes to add to your major? Would you like to go internationally and see another country? How about immersing yourself in a French culture to improve your French skills?
UMPI offers programs such as these and more! Whether you’re interested in a semester or year, national or international exchange – we have a program for you! The National Student Exchange (NSE) gives you the opportunity to attend more
than 200 campuses in the U.S., U.S. territories and Canada. You pay either UMPI home campus tuition or in-state tuition at the host campus (whichever works best for you) while using your financial aid to cover all your expenses. Coursework is preapproved and transferred back into your current program at UMPI. NSE is a wonderful opportunity for students to diversify their academic and life experiences. You can break out of their comfort zone and experience life from a new perspective. Applications will be due Feb. 1, 2013, for the 2013-2014 exchange year. The College Consortium for International Studies (CCIS) offers students the opportunity to study abroad. Financial aid can be used to cover costs for this program. Students work through a partner campus to select classes and prepare for a semester or year abroad. Project Maine France (PMF)
is an exchange program between the University of Maine’s seven-campus system and six universities in France.
other New England universities at a reduced tuition rate. We have had students take advantage of the tuition-free,
Tuition and fees are paid to the student’s home campus. Financial aid can be used to cover the cost of room, board, flights, books and expenses while on exchange. Students must have a minimum of two years of French to be eligible for this program and should apply in March 2013 for the 2013-2014 exchange year. The New England Board of Higher Education offers many exchange programs to students to study at universities in Quebec and Nova Scotia as well as
12-week, intensive French programs in Quebec in the past. This program requires language proficiency with a minimum of two years of coursework. You can obtain information about the George J.
Mitchell Peace Scholarship through this office as well. UMPI is the proud home campus of the 2010-11 recipient of the Mitchell Peace Scholarship who attended Cork University in Ireland for a semester with tuition and housing paid, as well as travel and living expenses! Applications and information on this program can be obtained in the exchange office as well. Information on the Marshall Scholarship and the Rhodes Scholarship is also available. Which one of these programs interests you? Stop by and see Meg Lightbown, NSE coordinator, in South Hall, room 120, call 207768-9614 or e-mail meghan.lightbown@umpi. edu for more infor mation on these opportunities.
Welcome from International Students Services
John Harrington CONTRIBUTOR
Bienvenue, Huan Ying, Swagatam, Soo dhawow, Witajcie, Hwan Young Hapnida, Bienvenidos! Welcome in French, Chinese, Nepalese, Somali, Polish, Korean and Spanish, the home
languages of some of our current students and staff. International Students Services, located in South Hall, welcomes you to campus. Bonnie DeVaney and John Harrington are here to answer your questions and help you with any concerns you may have about your student visa,
getting settled in, banking, life at UMPI, employment, etc. Remember, as an international student, you must check in with international students services twice during each semester. At the beginning of each semester, you need to complete the “check in” form at South Hall or online at
http://www.umpi.edu/curren t-students/international-students/check-in-form. Then at the end of each semester you need to have your I-20 signed by John Harrington or Bonnie DeVaney—both located in South Hall—or Jessica Blackstone in admissions. If you need help, come to
South Hall, call 207-768-9750 or 207-768-9589, or e-mail Barbara.DeVaney@umpi.edu or John.Harrington@umpi.edu. For more information, check out the International website at http://www.umpi.edu/current -students/international-students.
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Starting Off on Your Career Starts at UMPI the Write Foot Bonnie DeVaney CONTRIBUTOR
Greetings from CAREER SERVICES! Welcome to the University of Maine at Presque Isle, a great place to launch your career. You will have many opportunities to maximize your potential at UMPI. One way to do this is to make career planning an integral part of your education. Career services can help you, whether you are a first year student, sophomore, junior or senior. Not sure what to major in? Career services can help you identify your skills and interests and explore career options. It can help you define your career goals so that you select the right major for you. Looking for career related experience? The best way to gain experience is through part-time and summer employment, internships and volunteer activities. Career services can help you find these opportunities. When you’re ready for your job search, career services can help you write a dynamic resume, devel-
op your professional portfolio, learn job search strategies. It can get employers’ contacts and information on job postings. Some employers provide students the opportunity to have preliminary interviews right on campus. Career Services offers many
Etiquette Event; Career & Job Fair; Suits for Students. It offers workshops and information tables on writing resumes & cover letters, job search & interview skills, and graduate & professional school admissions. Let career services help you develop your career plan. Contact
Bonnie DeVaney. programs to help you succeed in the job market. It can help you maximize your potential in your future career. Look for information on these programs throughout the school year: Club & Community Fair;
career services at 205 South Hall, 207-768-9750, Barbara.DeVaney@umpi.edu and check out our website at http://www.umpi.edu/currentstudents/career-services.
Deb Hodgkins CONTRIBUTOR
What kind of work do all college students have to do in their courses here at UMPI? Writing! Who needs feedback on their writing? We all do! The UMPI Writing Center can help. The UMPI Writing Center offers one-on-one tutoring for writers at all levels of coursework on all types of writing projects. We can take you from first year composition essays to senior theses, from biology book reviews to personal statements for graduate school applications. Friendly student tutors are trained to help writers at all stages of the writing process, from brainstorming a topic through revising a completed paper. Tutors offer a conversational approach in a confidential, relaxed, non-classroom setting. The writing center’s mission is to help writers develop skills and strategies that will help them not only with one paper, but with future writing. The Writing Center is locat-
Welcome Students -From the Advising Center Lorelie Locke
CONTRIBUTOR
The Advising Center, located in South Hall, is part of UMPI’s new Center for Teaching and Learning. We are dedicated to YOUR success! Are you wondering… How do I find my advisor? What’s a wish list and why do I need one? How do I change my class schedule?
How do I know what classes I should be taking? What if I don’t know what to major in? What should I do if I’m worried about a class? Where do I go when I’m not even sure what my question is? The advising center staff can help you with these and many other questions. We can show you how to: Navigate MaineStreet. Learn about degree programs. Track your degree progress.
Understand university policies and procedures. And, we can put you in touch with faculty and staff who provide other valuable assistance and services. Come visit us! We are: Sheila Blair, student success specialist Kathryn Higgins, administrative assistant Lorelei Locke, director of advising Heather Ouellette, student success specialist
The writing center.
ed on the first floor of South Hall. We are in the inviting area with the large windows, round tables and computers. Come by and check it out (we have candy). Students can make an appointment for 50 minute consultations (though every session may not take that long) by signing up for an appointment on the schedule at the student services desk or by calling 7689615. See our website for more information on what to expect, what to bring and how to become a tutor (http://www.umpi.edu/acade mics/english/writing-center). Remote access is also available for students at the Houlton Higher Education Center, and on a limited basis for other students taking courses from a distance. Students, staff and instructors seeking more information may contact the Writing Center Director, Dr. Deborah Hodgkins (768-9423 or deborah.hodgkins@umpi.edu).
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A Fresh Start: New Student Orientation Fall 2012
Wednesday, August 29 1-4p.m. New Student Move In Owl’s Nest Be sure to pick up your Student Handbook and FREE USB drive. 2:30-4:30p.m. Computer Services Assistance Park & Merriman Halls See Computer Services personnel in the first floor lounges for help setting up your computer, printer, game consoles, etc. 3:30-5p.m. Parent Orientation Alumni Room This is a great opportunity to ask questions, get information, and meet some of the staff that will be working with your student. 5-6:30p.m. Family BBQ Dinner Campus Center Lawn Join the campus community and meet other new students and their families. Lots of fun, games, all you can eat food, and give-a-ways! Students can use their meal plan. The meal cost for family and friends is only $6.00. 6:30p.m. Floor Meetings Park & Merriman Halls Meet your RA and other residents and create community living expectations. 7:30p.m. Real World UMPI Wieden Auditorium Find out what UMPI’s really like from the students who live, work, and breathe it every day! Drama, suspense, and laughs included! 8:30p.m. A Shot of Reality Wieden Auditorium A mix of improvisational comedy, audience participation, and partying smarter! If you’re going to drink, find out how to do it the smart way! Tons of FREE give-a-ways!!
Thursday, August 30 9-9:30a.m.
Check In Campus Center MPR Be sure to pick up your Student Handbook and FREE USB drive! 9:30a.m. Welcome Campus Center MPR 10a.m. Get a Life Campus Center MPR Meet fellow classmates, get excited for the school year, and find out how to make the most of your college experience! FREE give-a-ways! 12p.m. Lunch with Faculty and Staff Kelley Commons Students not already on the meal plan, will receive lunch FREE of charge. 12:30p.m. UMPI Athletics Campus Center MPR Get involved in athletics by finding out how to join the teams! 12:45p.m. Piracy Video & Computer Services Campus Center MPR Get the 411 on computer and network access, the UMPI Portal, and more! 1-3p.m. College 101 Scavenger Hunt Campus Center MPR Think you know the most about UMPI? Put your knowledge and creativity to the test as your team tries to win $200! 3p.m. Work Study Informational Session Campus Center MPR If you plan to have a work study job, you MUST attend this informational session! There will an opportunity to ask questions and find out what positions are available.
5-6p.m. 8:30p.m. 9p.m.
Dinner Kelley Commons Bonfire Behind Gentile Hall S’mores, hotdogs, music, and fun! Become Your Inner Star Behind Gentile Hall Join the Interim Dean of Students and VP for Student Affairs to learn about the night sky and discover how you can succeed at UMPI.
Friday, August 31 10a.m.
Plant New Seeds Join your classmates as you leave your mark on UMPI by planting a Class of 2016 garden!
11a.m.-1p.m. Brunch 1-4p.m. Afternoon Activities Spend the afternoon playing volleyball, making tye-dye, painting a banner, and more! 5-6p.m. Dinner 6-9p.m. Open Gym & Rock Wall in Gentile Hall Try the rock wall, play a game of basketball or soccer, swim in the pool, run on the track, or work out in the fitness center! 7p.m. Movie at the Braden Theatre Come watch a free movie of your choice and enjoy a small popcorn and drink at the Braden Theatre!
Saturday, September 1 11a.m.-1p.m. Brunch All Day Day of Service Spend the day serving local organizations of Aroostook County. Prior signups required. 5-6p.m. Dinner 6-8p.m. Evening Shuttle to Area Businesses Forget something at home and need to go to Walmart, Aroostook Center Mall, Graves, or another location? Van leaves from the Campus Center Circle at 6pm, 7pm, & 8pm.
Sunday, September 2 11a.m.-1p.m. Brunch All Day Day at Aroostook State Park Spend the day outdoors; hiking, kayaking, and picnicking! Prior sign ups required. 5-6p.m. Dinner 8p.m. Movie Night, Campus Center Owl’s Nest Relax by watching a movie on the big screen! Free popcorn!
WOW!
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Learn – And Earn – As You Go
Jennie Savage CONTRIBUTOR
You’ve come to the University of Maine at Presque Isle for a good education. The cost for what you’re getting is a bargain. Even so, it’s more money than you have and you’re worried about taking out too many loans. What can you do? Work study just might be the answer. What is Federal Work Study? Federal Work Study provides part-time employment opportunities for students. There are on-campus and limit-
ed off-campus opportunities. Work study gives students the opportunity to expand resume building skills. They can strengthen such areas as communication, organization, time management. They also gain experience, often in their field of study. In addition, it provides a chance to connect to professional references for employment beyond college. How do I qualify for Federal Work Study? Students are awarded work study based on financial need, which is derived from the FAFSA. In addition, you must be enrolled for at least
six credit hours as a regular, degree-pursuing student. You
Preble Hall.
Wanted: Twitter Followers, Photo Subjects and Big News Rachel Rice
CONTRIBUTOR
Do you Twitter and Facebook? Have major news to share? Ever wanted to be in a photo shoot? Then the Office of Community and Media Relations has a few things to tell you about. Never heard of us? Well, our office handles everything from official press releases and advertising to the UMPI website, photos, and social networking. And if you’re interested in any of the items we mentioned
above, we have three simple ways you can get involved. First, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to keep up with the latest campus news and events. Just head to our social media portal at http://www.umpi.edu/link2um pi to link to our Facebook and Twitter. From there, you can also check out our YouTube and Vimeo channels or visit our Flickr page). And don’t forget to comment – we’d love to hear from you on all our social networks. Second, send us your stories.
must also maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by
If you have major news connected with UMPI anytime during the year, we want to know about it! It could be anything from a project you did in class that affected the local community to an award or major honor you received. Your story could end up in UMPI’s newsletter, in the local news, online, or in this very newspaper – but first, you need to share it with us. Third, if you’ve ever wanted to be involved in a photo shoot, this could be your chance. We need a slate of students who could help us out with this, sometimes on short notice. The photos we take get used for the UMPI website, advertising and campus publications. Just let us know if you’re interested and we’ll add you to our list. We hope your time here at UMPI is filled with rewarding experiences and that these are among them. So go on, get involved – we’re waiting to hear from you! Questions? Feel free to give us a call at 768-9452 or e-mail rachel.rice@umpi.edu.
the office of financial aid. The total work study award depends on when you apply, your level of need and the funding level of the school. It’s important to complete your FAFSA every year as soon as possible in order to take advantage of available work study funds if you qualify. I have been awarded Work Study: now what? Visit the office of human resources, located in 126 Preble Hall. You’ll get help finding a work study job that fits into your class schedule and you can begin earning money toward your college education!
Financial Aid: An Investment in Your Future Danielle Pelkey CONTRIBUTOR
The Financial Aid Office welcomes back returning students and incoming freshmen to the University of Maine at Presque Isle. Have you applied for Financial Aid yet? If not, please do this as soon as possible at www.fafsa.ed.gov. UMPI’s school code is 002033. Please remember that students are able to apply as soon as Jan. 1, 2013, for the 2013-2014 school year. We encourage students to apply before March 1, so that they can receive their full eligibility before funds run out. If you received loans and are a first time borrower, make sure that your entrance counseling and promissory note are complete. That’s necessary so that your loans can disburse to your account to help with your bill. If you have not completed them, you may do so at www.studentloans.gov. We encourage students to take just enough loans to take care of their bill, school supplies and books. If you received a
refund check and would like to reduce your loan debt, you may do so by returning the difference to either the financial aid office or the business office. Toward the end of November, make sure to stop by the financial aid office to apply for foundation scholarships. The scholarship application will be due in the financial aid office in February. Keep an eye out for e-mails and posters throughout campus in November for more information dealing with scholarships. If you decide to register for summer courses, remember to stop by the financial aid office during April 2013 to apply for summer financial aid. If you have any questions at all throughout the 2012-2013 academic year, please feel free to stop by the office, 232 Preble Hall, from 8a.m.-4:30p.m., Monday through Friday, call at 768-9510 or e-mail us at financialaid@umpi.edu. Remember to like us on Facebook at UMPI Financial Aid for scholarship updates, deadlines and other information.
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Welcome to the College of Professional Programs! Clare Exner
CONTRIBUTOR
If you’re in the Athletic Training, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Physical Education Non-teaching, Physical Therapist Assistant, Recreation or Social Work programs, then you’re a part of CPP. Some themes that define us: Diversity and Global Issues: How would you like to explore social work on an international level? Assistant Professor Shirley Rush and several students traveled to Tanzania with Cross Cultural Solutions last year. This year Shirley is back in Tanzania developing a proposal for expanding her professional work in Africa. Learning through Practical Applications: Ever thought about getting involved in the
music industry? As a business major, Derick St. Peter completed a business internship in Nashville at CMT. This past year he worked with Matt Mason, an up-and-coming star he met during his internship, to organize a fundraising concert in Fort Fairfield. What about working at a prestigious summer camp in Pennsylvania teaching kids adventurous activities such as climbing? Several recreation students have this opportunity because of a connection our recreation faculty built. These students have been sharing some of their excitement and learning through Facebook. Academic Rigor: Development of the Professional Self: Our newest program, Physical Therapist Assistant, is a two year degree program requiring strong
motivation to learn, especially in areas such as kinesiology and anatomy and physiology. The Occupational Outlook
cent from 2010 to 2020. That’s much faster than the average for all occupations. Chris Rolon, program direc-
New Physical Therapy room located in Wieden. (from the federal government) states: Employment of physical therapist assistants is expected to increase 46 per-
tor, and Vanessa Patenaude, clinical coordinator, have been working on the accreditation requirements for this pro-
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gram. You can find them in what used to be called Wieden Music Room. Presenting at the National Level: Our Criminal Justice program has national stature. Last year, a criminal justice senior completed his honors thesis about police agency funding in Maine. He presented his work to Maine legislators as well as at the national Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences conference in New York City. We’re very excited about 2012-2013. We hope that you have a great year. Who knows, maybe you’ll be starring in next fall’s “Back to School” issue!
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Have Fun – Get Involved
Vanessa Pearson CONTRIBUTOR
Greetings from the Student Activities Office! I hope you had a great summer and you’re ready for another exciting year here at UMPI! There are a lot of new
direction of the show by voting on what they want to see happen on stage! Want to win $500? Create a “band” and jam out in UMPI’s own Battle of the Air Bands contest! Also, there will be a movie night in the pool! Come swim, float and relax
things happening this fall. Be on the lookout for a Homecoming Kickoff BBQ , celebration bonfire and a hypnotist who allows audience members to steer the
in the pool while watching the classic movie, “Jaws!” One of the best ways to get involved at UMPI is to join one or more of the 40 student
Candace Roy
account, loan pre-qualifications and applications to assistance registering for text message banking or just a generic question about finances, Candace
groups on campus. From academic and religious groups to service and athletic groups, there is something for everyone! Be sure to check out the Club and Community Fair on September 20 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Campus Center MPR to find out more about these groups! If you do not see a group that you are interested in joining, you can easily start your very own student group. Throughout the semester, the student activities office will also be hosting student group roundtables, leadership sessions and teambuilding events! For all this information, and much more, be sure to check out the new and improved student activities website at www.umpi.edu/sao. It’s the best place to find out what’s happening on campus, download student group forms and
Upcoming Events: Sept. 5: Maranatha Band from Haiti & Dominican Republic, 7 p.m., Wieden Auditorium Sept. 14-16: Homecoming Sept. 15: Hypnotist Paul Ramsay, 7 p.m., Wieden Auditorium Sept. 20: Club & Community Fair, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Campus Center MPR Sept. 27: Open Mic Night with Jason LeVasseur, 89:30 p.m., Owl’s Nest Oct. 4: Comedian Jasper Redd, 7 p.m., Wieden Auditorium Nov. 12: Battle of the Air Bands, 7-9 p.m., Campus Center MPR Nov. 27: Pool Party with movie “Jaws,” 7:30 p.m., Gentile Hall Pool Dec. 8: Free Trip to Bangor Dec. 11: Mentalist Christopher Carter, 7 p.m., Wieden Auditorium get your questions answered! I’m always looking for feedback and ideas for events, so please stop by the student activities office located in the
Campus Center to share your thoughts! You can also call 207.768.9582 or e-mail vanessa.pearson@umpi.edu. Have a great semester!
SHARED BRANCHING KIOSK: The kiosk in the UMPI campus branch can complete almost any transaction that you’d do at a regular
teller line. If you are a UCU member or a member of a credit union that participates in Shared Branching, follow the simple registration process on the screen. In minutes you’ll have the ability to make withdrawals (in denominations from 20s to ones – yes ones!), transfers, loan payments and much more. Questions? Simply pick up the convenience phone next to the kiosk and you’ll be automatically connected to a UCU representative. Visit www.ucu.maine.edu for more information or to become a member today! University Credit Union is federally insured by NCUA, is an Equal Housing Lender and is a registered mortgage lender through the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System & Registry – NMLS ID 407658.
Show Me the Money: University Credit Union
CONTRIBUTOR
UNIVERSITY CREDIT UNION is here to serve you -the students, employees and alumni of the University of Maine at Presque Isle. With a convenient location in the Campus Center and a kiosk that’s available whenever the Campus Center is open, access to your money doesn’t get much easier. UCU has all the products and services you may be looking for in a financial institution. These include remote deposit capture and text message banking, reward-based checking accounts, home, auto and personal loans, and so much more! PERSONAL SERVICE: Candace Roy, campus branch manager, is here to help you! From questions about your
wants to be your go-to person for all of your financial needs. Stop by to say hello or contact her at 207-554-4810 or by emailing croy@ucu.maine.edu.
University Credit Union, located on the first floor of the Campus Center.
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The Office of Conferences and Special Programs Welcomes You to UMPI Lisa Udasco
CONTRIBUTOR
Planning meetings or special events? Contact Conferences and Special Programs to reserve your space…in advance. Book early to guarantee that you have a space for your organization’s event. See the on-line reservation procedure and forms at: http://www.umpi.edu/facultystaff/conferences/reservationforms. CSP is the headquarters for scheduling all non-academic spaces for use by ON- and OFF-campus clients. We are in the Campus Center, rooms 121 and 120. The full-time staff (Mary Lawrence, coordinator, and Lisa Udasco, administrative assistant) and seven to eight students, staff the center from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday,
and from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Saturday. Often, staff members are here earlier in the morning and/or on Sundays as well, depending on events/guests/clients’ needs.
CSP is responsible for room sets and setting up audio-visual (AV) equipment or making alternate arrangements for AV equipment as requested by guests. CSP produces and/or
coordinates appropriate signage (inside/outside building), compiles and distributes weekly facilities usage reports, and serves as the university liaison. CSP also coordinates non-academic edu-
Campus Center
cational enrichment programs such the very popular AMA and SAGE programs. And we handle various educational conferences (for on and off campus clients), several annual meetings and university events. For student organizations/clubs, your room reservation requests will go to the student activity coordinator for approval. Please submit you room request form at least 10 days in advance. Also, follow up with Vanessa Pearson for the status of your room request. You can find her in the Campus Center, call her at 207.768.9582 or e-mail Vanessa.person@umpi.edu. For more information about reserving rooms, please check our website at: http://www.umpi.edu/facult y-staff/conferences.
Helping the Students’ Voice Be Heard Jessica Stepp
CONTRIBUTOR
As president of Student Senate, I would like to say a few things. First is that I hope that everyone had a wonderful and refreshing summer break! Also, welcome to all new and returning students, staff, faculty. Second, student senate helps the students’ voice be heard.
We advocate for students’ rights and act as a liaison between students and faculty and staff. Student senate also works with the student groups. We handle the Student Activity Fee (SAF). SAF is paid by most students and student senate allocates it to the many student groups here on campus. We are always looking for new members! If you’d like to meet new people, work to better
the university and participate in student government, I hope that you’ll consider joining student senate! All you need is a GPA of 2.25 (or a letter from your advisor if you do not have a GPA), attend our weekly meetings and be active in one of our three committees! We meet weekly on Tuesdays at 12:40 p.m. in the Alumni Room. Meetings are open to
everyone! The first meeting will be Tuesday, Sept. 4! If you have questions or suggestions throughout the semester, please contact any of the E-Board members below: President: Jessica Stepp Vice-President: Elizabeth Keagan Secretary: TBD Treasurer:
Andrew Seeley Parliamentarian: Tim Babine Student Affairs: Mercedes Dobay and Logan Lockhart Have a great semester! ~Jessica Stepp Office: Campus Center 104; E-mail: u m p i - s e n a t e @ m a i n e. e d u ; Phone: 768-9561
UMPI hosts annual Community and Campus Clubs Fair Don!t miss the Club and Community Fair on Thursday, Sept. 20, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Campus Center Multipurpose Room. Get coupons and samples from local businesses. Find out about great part-time jobs. Learn about campus clubs and organizations that you!ll want to join. The Fair is FREE to all, and there will be door prizes, giveaways and fun. For more information, contact Bonnie DeVaney at 7689750 or Barbara.DeVaney@umpi.edu.
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Don’t Just Sit There: Do Something! Jessie Rose
STAFF WRITER
Welcome Class of 2016! As you prepare for the semester ahead, you may start to feel overwhelmed. College is something new that is different from anything you have experienced before. You may not know anyone here. You may have friends here from high school. Either way, college offers opportunities, but also hurdles. Starting college can be a challenging time. You want to get involved in the different activities and events that are held on campus. This is a great opportunity to meet new people who share the same interests that you have. UMPI does a great job hosting many different types of events that are sure to interest you. Another great way to meet new people who have similar interests is to join a club or two. Just about every major has a club of its own with people from within that major. If you’re unsure what you want to major in, a great way to talk to
others in the major is to attend one of the club meetings. Your advisors should be able to get you into contact with the president or advisor of the club to get information on when the meetings are being held. It’s never too early to start getting involved.
“I joined a couple clubs as soon as I found out what they were about and when they would meet. I would recommend joining a club as soon as you can,” Jessalyn Levesque said. Plan to attend an event being held on campus. Ask your roommate or classmates if they want to attend with you. Or go alone—because you won’t really ever be alone at one of the events. Don’t just stay in your room. Get out and talk to others. Explore the
campus. Meet your advisors. They will be the ones to help guide you through to graduation. They are a huge asset in your success. Talk to your professors. This isn’t high school. Don’t be afraid to get to know them. They are people, too. Plus, if you are having any problems in any class, your advisors and professors are the ones you want to discuss these problems with first. UMPI also offers free tutoring for every class, plus a writing center. These are free to students, so take advantage of them if you need them. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for help. A lot of the tutors are upperclassmen who have already taken the course. Getting involved with three different clubs really helped me to connect to different people, including people within my major. It also introduced me to some great friends whom I might not have met otherwise. We at the University Times wish you a happy, successful, involved career at UMPI.
Look at the Bright Side
Kathi Jandreau STAFF WRITER
Unfortunately, summer vacation is over. But fall is in the air, and what a beautiful season it is. With this new season comes the start of a new school year. Are you ready for the journey ahead? Some of you may have already begun this journey and have an idea of what to expect. Others are fresh out of high school or nontraditional beginners. If you are anything like most Americans, you’re likely to be a little anxious about juggling college and other things such as a job, sports, children and extracurricular activities. Before you let your to-do list bring you down, try to look at the bright side of things. Sorting through priorities can feel like a bunch of pish posh sometimes. But when you keep your eyes on what the future could bring you with a college degree, you’re more likely to find some relief. After the recession, our job market has been slim, as we have all seen and experienced. The unemployment rate for those who have no higher education is almost double what it is for those with a degree. Many statistics are pointing at the fact that over the
next 10 years, more than 60 percent of jobs will require some sort of workforce training or higher education. The state of our economy has left little for the days when college wasn’t for everyone. It still may not be. But for the majority to really even make it to middle class now, it may be tough without it. These statistics are becoming clear when we see that nontraditional students are becoming the new tradition. With that said, many of us now have much more to worry about than getting through class and then going to our dorm to do homework. Many are working fulltime jobs as well. Times are changing. But it is very important not to let the rug get swept out from under you. Most important, stay healthy. When stress comes knocking on your door, try not to let it in. Often, however, it won’t knock. So get enough sleep, eat well and don’t sacrifice everything that makes you happy. No matter how many pieces your puzzle has, always try to keep your head up and look forward. Sometimes you may find yourself having to wait on a piece or two for longer than you expected. But if you work hard enough, it will all come together.
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Residence Halls – For Commuters & Residents Jim Stepp
CONTRIBUTOR
Welcome to UMPI. The title of this article may seem confusing to you, but it is accurate. The residence halls are for commuters as well as residential students. The residence halls offer opportunities for programming and learning for residential and commuting students. The residence halls also may be used for emergency housing for those students who commute. In a separate article in this edition of the University Times, Jannie Durr describes some of the activities available in the residence halls to aid new students in their adjustment to college life. This
series of activities are part of the Preparation for University Life and Learning (PULL) program. Although these programs take place in the residence halls, they are open to all students. The programs are designed to help you meet new people, learn important skills needed for college and are just plain fun. Watch future editions of the University Times to find out more about these programs. Another area where the residence halls may be useful to the commuting student population is for emergency housing. As you might have guessed, it does occasionally snow in northern Maine. If school is canceled and you feel it is unsafe to drive home,
please feel free to contact me. affect your life at college. If you do not have a friend in Vanessa’s main focus is prothe local area to stay with, I viding campus activities. If you have any concerns should be able to find a place for you to stay. Remember, your safety is very important to the university. There are two fulltime professionals who live and work on campus. Jannie Durr, the assistant director of residence life, lives in Emerson Hall and Vanessa Pearson, the coordinator of student activities and leadership development, lives in Park Hall. Jannie works closely with the resident assistants and can help residential students with roommate issues and Emerson Hall other items that may
about living in the residence halls, please feel free to stop by the Emerson Hall Annex and speak with Jannie.
everyone on his floor to be comfortable and to stay active. Merriman Hall PULL: Stephanie Jellet is a senior professional communication and journalism major (with a minor in art) at UMPI and is from Grand Falls, New Brunswick, Canada. Stephanie is an assistant editor of the school newspaper, the University Times,
dents and meeting new people. Merriman Hall PULL: Stephen Thorne is a fourth year student at UMPI from Dalhousie, New Brunswick, Canada, majoring in both athletic training and physical education. He plays baseball and is the vice-president for the UMPI hockey club. He is excited to be a PULL programmer because it
and helpful connections to the university culture. The PULL programs are convenient for you. They are offered either in Park or Merriman TV lounges, just outdoors on the soccer field or in the Owl’s Nest. The events are focused on fun and engaging activities that try to connect all personality types and interests. Here is a look at
and loves covering events on campus. In her spare time, Stephanie loves being outdoors, reading and taking photos. She is most excited to be a PULL programmer because she can't wait to start planning and organizing events for stu-
will give him the opportunity to be a part of campus life and to plan fun and exciting activities for the students to enjoy. Coming to a new place such as a university can be difficult. Being a part of these activities will offer you the social outlets
the September programs in store for you: September: Tug-of-War: The challenge begins early. Test your muscles against upperclassmen and faculty. See if your incoming class or which residence hall will be
the new reigning champs! Merriman won our last competition. Who will take the 2012 title? Club Day: Get Involved! Prizes, food, and fun. Club day is a great time for all. Join us in the Campus Center and explore your options. Find out the huge array of clubs that UMPI has to offer. Our table raffles off a free large pizza! You Want Me to Sleep with Who? A fun way of understanding how to make the best of your roommate relationship. The Sex Show: Sex-Ed with a twist. An expert will be available to provide information, tips and to answer all of your probing questions. Free condoms and door prizes. If you have questions or suggestions about the PULL program, please contact Jannie Durr via e-mail: jannie.durr@umpi.edu. If you would like to become a PULL coordinator, you may apply to Jannie Durr during the spring semester.
Preparing for University Life and Learning
Jannie Durr
CONTRIBUTOR
The PULL program is created by students for students. Its ultimate goal is providing new students with opportunities to socially connect with their new classmates and spend time with faculty members in more social settings. It also creates situations where students can understand our university culture and how to succeed in a low-stress setting. PULL stands for Preparation for University Life and Learning. This program is offered throughout the fall semester to our first-year students and is coordinated by three upper-class students who live on your floors as peer mentors. Park Hall PULL: Chris Cosenze is a returning junior from Old Town, Maine, majoring in business. He just returned from Wyoming where he was in the National Student Exchange Program. Chris enjoys playing baseball and golf. He is excited to begin his experience as a PULL programmer and wants
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Fear Not! Kayla Ames
STAFF WRITER
You’ve probably heard the saying that college is the best years of your life. Whether you believe that, it’s certainly an opportunity to further your knowledge and try new things. There are times, of course, where trying something new can be frightening. When you also happen to be surrounded by unfamiliar people and in a place you’ve never been before, that fear can worsen. There are, however, solutions. A lot of these unfamiliar people want to help you. UMPI doesn’t have to be scary. Here are just a few fears you might have and some answers, advice and resources that could prove helpful. Roommates You might be worried about how it will work out with your roommate. Does your roommate have any secret or annoying habits? Will the person like you? What if you can’t get along, but you’re stuck? Well, just remember, it’s not permanent. Honesty, communication and empathy will prove beneficial. Beyond that, talking to an RA can really help in more
extreme situations. “Cutting It” Academically This is college, after all, and school work comes first. Keep in mind, though, that grades aren’t everything. It’s important to get a lot out of your classes, but that means having some fun while you’re learning. Time management and prioritizing are key! Making Friends Some of you will have gone to a local high school. Some will be from far away. Still others will be nontraditional students and unsure whether they can relate to the younger people around them. Don’t worry. This is a common concern, and others probably feel the same way. Joining a club is a great way to find fellow students with similar interests, as is attending events around campus. Coping with Stress Here, it’s important to remember that, while you should work hard and do your best, you should also avoid burning out. That won’t benefit anyone. This is where friends, RAs and academic advisers also come in handy. If you’d rather not go that route, though, consider
taking advantage of the counseling services available on campus. Meeting Professors They can come across as intimidating. Not only are they very intelligent, but it’s as if they hold your future in their hands. That said, UMPI professors want you to succeed. Most, if not all, list office hours and encourage you to contact/email them if you’re struggling or just worried. As long as you’re willing to work, they’re willing to listen and help. Homesickness College demands a lot of time, and most of it will be spent away from your parents, your old friends and your kids. As unlikely as it sounds, you’ll get used to it before too long. Study groups or similar positive relationships can make this transition easier, as can keeping in contact and bringing reminders from home. Also: keep in mind why you’re here, and think of the rewards. Finances This doesn’t necessarily mean student loans. You’ll also have to spend money on books, supplies and food. Perhaps you’ve
heard that college students live off ramen noodles and sandwiches. Well, some do, but that isn’t always the case. Manage your money wisely. Find people to share the burden, not to mention ways for everyone to benefit from said sharing. Last, be ready to talk to financial aid personnel or visit the business office if necessary. There’s always work study! Health Few come to college without hearing about the dreaded Freshman Fifteen. Combined with stress and the occasional skipped meal, perhaps you’re worrying about keeping in shape. There are plenty of ways to get active, though, especially in Gentile Hall. Consider joining a sports team or OAPI, also known as Outdoor Adventure Program International. Also, if you want to see something specific in the cafeteria, the staff are very accommodating. Fending for Yourself Unless you’ve been in charge of scheduling, grocery shopping, meal preparation and laundry for a long time, these everyday chores can seem daunting. If you need advice or instructions,
Join the University Times! -Meetings every Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. in Normal 102. -Join us if you are at all interested in writing, photography, -Part of the process of the newspaper going from ink pen to printers ink. -For more information about the U Times, feel free to email us at utimes@maine.edu or talk to our advisor, Dr. J at jacquelyn.lowman@umpi.edu
ask your parents, an RA or a more experienced student. Try not to let pride get in the way. The Future After all, college is often described as the beginning of the rest of your life. A lot of concerns go along with this. Will you get a job? How can you improve your chances? Are you truly ready to work with new people, in a completely new environment? For answers to all of these questions, career services is a good place to start. Also, your academic adviser can probably tell you if you’re taking the right course of action. Here, nontraditional students are especially helpful. Most of them have probably been a part of the work force and can tell you what to expect. Whether you’re returning to college or entering your freshman year, keep these pieces of advice in mind. They’re relevant no matter what’s worrying you. Remember: you’re not alone — there are people and services all over campus ready and willing to help. Work hard, get involved and have fun. If you follow those simple rules, you can’t go wrong.
17 Living in the Dorms
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Surviving Freshman Year You never believe them when they say that each year goes by faster than the last. After going through my first year at college, I now believe every word of that statement. The atmosphere of college took some getting used to. Soon, however, it worked
they don’t have the answer or solution to your problem, they’ll know or find someone who does. Your professors are there to help you learn. They’ll also help you in any way they can. Don’t be afraid to go to your professor outside of class if you are struggling—or even if you are not. Go and talk with your professors and build a relation-
itself it a nice rhythm of classes, socializing and the occasional late night trips to the Campus Center to grab a snack. I cannot speak for everyone. But I can say that my first year college experience was an eye-opening and life-changing experience. A great tip for any incoming students—and those who are returning—is to make the most of the resources available to you. This means using the library for research material. Make use of that membership to Gentile Hall and its exercise facilities. The most important piece that I think falls under this category is making use of your professors and resident assistants. If you find that you have a problem either in the dorms or in any other aspect of college life, talk to your RA. Even if
ship with them now, especially with those within your field of study. This can really help you now and in the future. When I started college, I thought dorm life was going to be the most difficult aspect. I found, however, that it helped to bring me out of my shell somewhat and definitely helped me to meet some very cool people. As an only child, I thought it was going to take some time to get used to having a roommate. I’m glad to say that things turned out very well. Here are a few tips on roommates and sharing a room, though. Some of you out there are going to arrive at UMPI, meet your roommates and very likely end up switching roommates. If this happens to you, try not to take it personally. This happened to me and it
Cole DuMonthier STAFF WRITER
ended up working out very well. Even if you feel that it’s not going to work out with a roommate, always try to make it work. Talk to your roommate and see what similarities and interests you have in common. Chances are there are at least a few. Give it a few days at the very least before you consider switching roommates. There’s never a lack of things going on around campus if you know where to look. Clubs and groups put on various programs throughout the school year. Most, if not all, are free admission. UMPI has a wide assortment of student run clubs to become involved in. I’d strongly recommend that you try out at least a few. You never know whom you might meet or what you might find that you really enjoy. Anyone who tells you that college is a boring and lifeless place is someone who has failed to get involved. With any luck, these tips will help both incoming and returning students have a better college experience. While I myself still have much to learn, I hope that these experiences of mine are able to help you in some way. Remember to get involved and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. You might find a hidden talent or make a lifelong friend. Your professors are there to help you, so make use of them and any of the facilities of campus. While roommates can be stressful at times, they are for the most part one of the better parts of college. I hope this helps and I’ll see you around.
Stephanie Jellett STAFF WRITER
Finally moving out of your parents’ house and into a dorm room might be the best thing ever. But your new environment will include roommates, sharing bathrooms, dealing with noisy, rambunctious neighbors and participating in floor activities. So if you’ve never experienced a dorm before, you’re going to have to be prepared for everything. Keep in mind, when you move into the dorm room, you can’t bring everything with you from home. Let’s be honest: the rooms aren’t big enough. Plus, you have to share the room with someone else. You can bring the necessities, things to decorate the walls, maybe a futon (if you organize the room carefully), a mini-fridge and a few other small items. It’s not like you’ll be shunned from your house once you move to the dorm. Mom and dad won’t renovate till you’re really out of the house! OK, so you either have brothers and sisters or you’re an only child, but chances are you’ve had some experiences with sharing a room at one point or another in your lifetime. Living in the dorms is a bit different, though. Your dorm mates are there when you wake up and when you go to bed...seven days a week. Here’s a small tip to help you with that: get to know your roommate. That will go a long way. Living at home, you’ve had to share the bathroom with your family. Not a big deal at all! Once you move into the dorms, you have to share a bathroom with countless others. There are only a certain number of showers, toilets and sinks. A certain time to
shower at home might not work in the dorms and you might find yourself waiting. After a while, you’ll start to notice a pattern and will find the perfect time to get squeaky clean. Staying up till 2 a.m. and playing Call of Duty online with friends may be acceptable at home, but the noise factor most likely won’t be welcomed by neighbors. Or vice versa. It’s just common courtesy. Also, there will be quiet hours in the dorm, which everyone needs to abide by. If you find yourself not able to sleep at night because of noise level, there will be two helpful RAs (resident assistants) who will gladly put a stop to that. Something that you’re encouraged to participate in is the floor activities created by your RAs and PULL Programmers. Not only will they educate you in a fun way, but they’ll also bring you closer to your neighbors. Throughout the year, the RAs will have different types of programs to keep you busy and involved on campus. Some of the activities include: movie and game nights, tie-dye, pizza parties, decorating the halls. Living in the dorms can be a great thing. You learn how to be independent, prioritize, balance school work and a social life. It can help you break out of your cocoon into a social butterfly. It’s just a matter of choosing the right path.
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Staying Put for College Mika Ouellette STAFF WRITER
It’s no secret that times are tough right now. You thought that you had your dream school picked out until you realized how much money it would cost to live and study there. You look at the campus that’s near your home and decide to attend school there and commute. Luckily, you have some classes online so you only have to be there three days a week. When you tell your friends, who are all going away to college, about your decision, they think you’re making a mistake by not going with them. You shrug it off, thinking that with the Internet and the phone you’ll be just fine when they all leave. You can still keep in touch. But when school starts and all your friends are away at college too busy to give you a call, you begin to feel blue. You start to think your friends were right. After all, you’re still at home with your nagging parents, you have almost no friends because you don’t live on campus and you practically live in your car. You feel lonely. You can’t afford to transfer schools so you wonder what you’re going to do. You’re not alone. Here at UMPI, you are one of 1,200
commuter students. Life as a commuter can be lonely. That’s why it’s essential to get involved in extracurricular activities or find a work study job. You can find clubs and work study jobs to fit your
sandwich on the front steps of the Campus Center like you usually do. You do have a lunch break between classes and your commuter meal plan cost you only $100 for the days you would
payment, take advantage of it. Go for a walk around the track or play a pick-up game of basketball with your friends. If you do decide to take part in extracurricular activities, time management and sched-
schedule and when you’re on campus. These are great ways to meet other students and make some new friends. Who knows? Maybe you can actually use your commuter meal plan and join your new friends for lunch in the cafeteria. That beats eating your homemade
be on campus. Also, if you’re lucky enough to have some extra time on your lunch break, perhaps your new friends could also be your new gym buddies. You don’t have to worry about the dreaded “Freshman 15” at UMPI. Since you have a membership to Gentile Hall with your tuition
ule planning will be crucial so that you don’t get burnt out. If you have a work study job, your supervisor will be happy to accommodate your class schedule. UMPI has a wide offering of online courses that are perfect for students who want to study on their own time. Also, if you know that
Medical services available at the health service include: physical exams, pap smears, breast exams, sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing and treatment and laboratory tests. It also provides treatment for routine health problems such as cholesterol, mononucleosis, strep throat, pregnancy testing and tuberculosis screening. It
gives information and immunizations for measles, German measles, mumps, tetanus/diphtheria and Hepatitis B. The health service has birth control counseling and materials. It also offers personal counseling. For an appointment, please call 768-9585 or stop by Emerson Annex.
Linda Maestro.
Staying Well at UMPI Linda Maestro CONTRIBUTOR
The Student Health Service is located in the Emerson Hall Annex. It provides students with a range of on-campus professional medical services. During the semester, a registered nurse practitioner holds regular office hours Monday through Friday from 1:15 to 5 p.m.
you don’t like to drive at night, you can plan to have most of your courses during the day. Winter driving is another challenge that commuter students face. Watching the news frightens you when you see footage of car accidents after a storm. Whenever there’s a winter storm watch, you get up early to watch the school cancellations on TV, waiting impatiently for UMPI to show up. There has got to be a better way, you think. There is. E2Campus is a free service that you can sign up for on UMPI’s website. Whenever classes are cancelled at UMPI, this service sends you a text message announcing it. So that way you can sleep until your phone goes off and roll back over after rather than get up and wait for UMPI’s cancellation to be announced. By following this advice, you can ensure a safe, happy and healthy experience as a commuter student. Instead of crying over your peanut butter and jelly sandwich about how you made a mistake by not leaving for college like your old friends did, you’ll be glad you stayed put. No, you won’t have the traditional college experience as seen in movies such as “Animal House.” But you’ll still have memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.
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Education on the Move Shara Gardner STAFF WRITER
With the start of the 20122013 academic year right around the corner, the College of Education is poised to get the ball rolling with some exciting opportunities. Leading the way is a great new addition to our already strong faculty. The UMPI chapter of SEAM, the Student Education Association of Maine, will continue to provide its members and other student teachers with opportunities. It helps them master the knowledge, skills and dispositions they’ll need as career teachers. SEAM members will still be participating in the Washburn afterschool program. They’ll
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also collaborate with Presque Isle-based educational projects for Native American learners. The list of planned activities for this year includes conducting campus-based prep sessions for students who will be taking PRAXIS tests in the near future. They’ll contribute time and effort to such important undertakings as Reading Across America. Further, they’ll organize community educational events such as a movie screening or public debate on education with invited guests. The time and place of SEAM’s meetings will be announced right after the new academic year begins. Please feel free to contact SEAM’s advisor, Dr. Tomasz Herzog: tomasz.herzog@umpi.edu ,
768-9429. Another great CoE partner is CACE: Central Aroostook Council on Education. CACE has a great workshop planned for fall 2012 with the theme, Learning Forward. Two major presenters will be here together on Tuesday, Oct. 9. The first, Bea McGarvey, will present an all-day session based on her new book: “Inevitable, Mass Customized Learning.” The other major presenter is Dr. Marcia Tate. She specializes in brain based strategies. Her topic is Worksheets Don’t Grow Dendrites-20 Instructional Strategies That Engage the Brain. Tate will also present all day. But people can also attend either half day session.
Also on that day there will be a variety of half-day sessions on standards based learning. Troy Howard Middle School staff will discuss five elements of a standards based school. The Maine Learning Technology Initiative staff will be on campus to discuss three technology topics. (Laptops required for any of these sessions). Two presenters from the Maine Cohort on Mass Customized Learning will be talking about their experience developing Learning Targets. John Newlin from the International Center for Digital Learning will share how technology can be used to enhance student learning. On an international level, one of CoE’s students, Jackie Suh, is participating in
our student teaching agreement with the Lertlah School in Thailand. Suh has been keeping a blog of her experience that’s available at http://decemberseventeen.blo gspot.com. Finally, CoE is proud to announce the hiring of Sohyun Meacham, MAT, as the new assistant professor of Early Childhood Education. Meacham comes to UMPI from the University of Delaware. She has specializations in early childhood education, literacy education, child development and teacher education. She’s extremely excited to become a part of the UMPI CoE. Please join us in welcoming her to campus!
name.lastname@maine.edu. This is your account to access all computers on campus on our wired network. This includes all computer labs. Use: From on or off campus – go to my.umpi.edu and sign in. This portal will allow you to gain access to everything else from this site. The quick launch on the left has links to Blackboard learning management system, Google Mail, Google Docs and MaineStreet portal. By expanding the MaineStreet tab, you will gain access to places inside MaineStreet that you have access to. These credentials grant you access to use one of the university’s computers while you are on campus. This also provides students with $15.00 (.03 per single sided black and white and .05 for double-sided black and white) of free printing per semester before they have to add money to their accounts. Help: If you forget this password, you can reset it by going to mail.maine.edu and choosing recover a lost password. You
can also call 207-768-9626 for help. To pick up your account or get a forgotten password reset, please visit us in the basement of the library, or call 2 0 7 - 7 6 8 - 9 6 2 6 . Changes: During the summer, IT Service has made some changes. The most significant changes are that we now have a MacLab (located in Folsom 101-B), a Portal (thanks to media services) and students can now borrow laptops and iMacs (Mac Books) and Kindles for use in the library. While most of this is self-explanatory, the portal deserves some explan a t i o n . Portal: The Merriam-Webster website includes this in its fifth definition of portal: “a site serving as a guide or point of entry to the World Wide Web and usually including a search engine or a collection of links to other sites arranged especially by topic.” (http://www.merriam-web-
ster.com/dictionary/portal, accessed on August 18, 2012) The UMPI portal (launched this summer) is the beginning of a single sign on collection of all the resources students, staff and faculty need on a daily basis. The portal is designed to make your lives easier by allowing you to sign in one time and click links to university information systems. To sign into the portal, you can go to my.umpi.edu and use your UMS ID ( M a i n e S t re e t / B l a c k b o a rd account) to access it. Once you have accessed the portal, there are many links along the left that will get you to places you need go. This portal is a brandnew phenomenon that we’ll continually be improving. We realize that it’s not fully loaded with what you need. But it’s a great start. We felt that you should have access to the timesaving features now. Launchpad: The launchpad on the upper left hand side con-
tains icons to take you to Blackboard, Gmail (your student e-mail with the university), Google Docs, MaineStreet portal and a few other items. MaineStreet:The MaineStreet menu located under the launchpad on the upper left has quicklinks to the common places within MaineStreet with just one click. UMPI Links: The UMPI links menu located under the MaineStreet menu on the left contains UMPI specific links that we think you’ll find very h e l p f u l . Students will have their own menu across the top of the portal with access to resources that they need. Faculty will also have a menu across the top that will give them access to class lists and advisees with one click. Please watch the University Times for more IT tips and tricks and other announcements about technology.
Computer Services 101 JoAnne Wallingford STAFF WRITER
Welcome! Computing Services is located on the lower floor of the library building. We can be reached at 207-7689626. We have drop-in and phone help at our help desk from 7:30a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. We also have after hours help on Sunday through Thursday nights until 9:30 p.m. Just dial the same number or come in to the circulation desk on the main floor of the library. This is a quick overview of the IT services we provide. Every campus member gets ID numbers and account numbers to access our systems. For students, you need to keep track of two different accounts: your UMS ID account and your local active directory account. Function UMS ID Active Directory: This is your account to all University of Maine System resources, including: the Portal, MaineStreet, Blackboard, Gmail, Google Applications. This is usually your first-
! ! 20 Taking the Mystery Out of the Library Unive r si ty Ti m e s
JoAnne Wallingford CONTRIBUTOR
If we asked you to name a place where you can relax with friends, have a snack, curl up with a Kindle or browse the Web, what would you call it? Did you way the UMPI Library? No? Then let’s take a tour to unlock some of mysteries. New and Returning Students The library is conveniently located in the center of campus between the Campus Center and the classroom building. We have three floors. The main (first) floor is where you enter the library. The second floor is the top floor. And the ground floor is the bottom floor. Top Floor: The top floor contains the periodical collection, the juvenile collection, the curriculum material collection, the Library of Congress collection. It holds the room 201classroom (for some First Year Seminar classes), a quiet study area, a group study area, art collections and bathrooms. Main Floor: The main floor contains the reference department and staff, the circulation department and staff (including books and other materials on reserve), interlibrary loan and staff. Here’s where you can find the library director, the easy reading area, a television, the book drop. It holds McNaughton Best Sellers, computers, printers, the photocopier , group work areas and a conference room. Here people speak in normal tones. Bottom Floor: The bottom floor has the IT department and staff, computer lab and group computer work areas. you can really relax here with candy/chip/soda machines, television and comfortable seating. There are more bathrooms, along with the Special Collection room, the microfilm reader, government/Maine documents. What You Need to Know: All students, staff and faculty members have access to the full range of library resources. We also allow community patrons
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access to most of our resources. This means that all of your family members and our community members may also get library cards. All students gain access to resources (even if they’re located in another country). Students: -Library Card – You’ll need your library card to check out anything on reserve from your professor or any library books. You can use it to borrow a PC, Mac Book or Kindle or to gain access to the library online periodicals from off campus. For students attending locally, your student ID is also your
Monday through Friday. She can also be reached at 207-7689602 or virginia.fischer@umpi.edu. The reference librarian (aka human search engine at times) has varied responsibilities within the library. Of these, one of the most important is interacting with patrons to maximize their access to information. In this role, the reference librarian is equal parts instructor and facilitator. Either in a group setting or individually, communicating the organization of knowledge is the key. Faculty can request group instruction. She also has
library card. Your card must be validated EVERY semester (either at the business office or here in the library, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.). All first-time users will need to get their ID cards linked with their student records. This can be done at the circulation desk. For students taking classes from a distance, please contact Nancy Fletcher at nancy.fletcher@umpi.edu for your Multi-User Off Campus library card/barcode in order to get access to the online library resources. -Reference Needs -- We have a full-time reference librarian located on the first floor of the library. Virginia Fischer is on duty 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.,
student or faculty individual appointments – in person, by telephone or via e-mail. Soon there’ll also be online tutorials available from the library website. -E-Journals – As an UMPI student, you have access to literally thousands of periodicals (journals and newspapers) electronically. If you’re not already familiar with how to use the electronic journals, please contact Virginia Fischer. Or come visit us in the library and we’ll be glad to help you. Interlibrary Loan Service -If the UMPI library doesn’t have access to the journal or book that you’re looking for, you can go to our home page and sign up for an Illiad account and
then submit your request. The UMPI library is part of a network of libraries that gives us access to materials all over the world (usually at NO COST). Articles and eBooks are usually sent electronically to your email. Printed materials can be picked up here in the library at the circulation desk (you’ll need to bring your validated ID to check these out). -Textbook Reserves – Faculty bring items (books, photocopies, etc.) to place on reserve here behind the circulation desk for students in their classes. These items require a validated ID in order for students to check them out. Items will either be on CLOSED Reserve (inhouse use only) or OPEN reserve (can take out of the library for a specific time designated by the faculty member). Students need to know the name of their professor and the title of the item they’re looking for. (We will, however, have a copy of the class syllabus). The library will have SOME freshman level textbooks on reserve. Even if your professor does not mention it, please check with us at the circulation desk. -Computers -- The library has many computer workstations throughout the library. We provide loaner laptops, Mac Books and Kindles for use in the library. This allows commuter students to leave their computers at home when doing research. Your student computer accounts will allow you to use the printers in the library and other computer labs on campus. All students are provided with a free print quota per semester. Once you have used that quota up, you can
add money to your print balance at the library circulation desk. There is a photocopy machine available to everyone on the main floor. You can obtain copy cards at the circulation desk. Although our library resources will continue to change, we are committed to helping support the academic environment. As always, we provide a place to get reliable answers to questions. We offer a quiet place to study, find a good book to read for fun, meet with a group to study or chat. We’re still the place where you can get help on accessing resources and browse through our knowledge collection. The difference now is that we provide you with tools to navigate through this maze of information and knowledge more efficiently and effectively. Please stop by and discover how we can help you. And please provide us with feedback on what you’d like to see changed. We’ll do our best to meet your needs. We hope this helps your efforts to navigate through our university library systems. It doesn’t matter whether you’re an on-campus or online student. It doesn’t matter whether you’re new to our campus or a veteran. We hope that this helps you to meet your goals. Please remember, don’t be afraid to ask directions on your journey. During the academic year, we’re open Sunday from 2-10, Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. till 10 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Beginning mid-semester, we’ll open on Saturdays from noon-5 p.m. Please visit us on the UMPI website at www.umpi.edu/library. Director: JoAnne Wallingford 207-278-9432 Reference Librarian: Virginia Fischer 207-768-9602 Head of Access Services/Interlibrary Loan/Technical Services: Nancy Fletcher 207-768-9595 Library Circulation Assistants: Gretchen Brissette 768-9593/ Michelle Greene 207-768-9599
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ports August 31, 2012
UMPI Athletics Gets New Direction Marc Heiderof CONTRIBUTOR
Change is on the horizon in UMPI athletics. Some of it is here. Some of it is still coming. What is here is a new university president in Dr. Linda Schott and a new interim athletic director in Paul Stone. Stone takes over athletics after two seasons at UMPI as the Nordic skiing coach. One of the changes that Schott and Stone are hoping to bring to athletics is a conference for UMPI teams to join. 2012-13 will be the second season that UMPI athletic programs will compete without a conference. Since leaving the NAIA Sunrise Conference, Owls’ teams have participated in the Association of NCAA Division III Independents. This is a grouping of the 11 universities in the country affiliated with NCAA Division III, but not in a recognized NCAA conference. UMPI athletics also holds the distinction of being one of only three schools in the U.S. to carry dual affiliation with NCAA Division III and the USCAA, while not having a home conference in either. This unique situation allows UMPI athletes to qualify for post-season awards and play in both NCAA and USCAA postseason play. But getting into a conference is an important goal for a school such as UMPI that others may view as “loca-
tion-challenged.” Acceptance into a conference would give Owls’ teams more home games across the board. That would lead to better opportunities for the campus and community to follow athletics’ progress. Additionally, it gives the department an identity and natural rivals which is fun for players and fans alike. To find out more about the athletics’ agenda for the coming year, the U Times spoke with both administrators.
LS: One of the first changes I made was to have the interim athletic director report directly to me instead of to the vice president for student affairs. I’ve enjoyed getting to know Paul Stone and learning more about our athletics program. I anticipate working with Paul to decide how to move athletics forward, recruit a permanent director and make progress toward getting UMPI into a conference. UT: Why hire an interim athletic director instead of creating a full-time position?
LS: We hired an interim athletic director because we needed to fill the position quickly after the departure of Christine Corsello. I anticipate initiating a search for a permanent athletic director this fall in order to have someone on board for the 2013-14 academic year. UT: How important do you feel it is for UMPI’s teams to be participating in a conference? Should fans expect the Owls to be in a conference within the next 2-3 years? LS: Getting UMPI into a con-
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ference is one of my priorities. I have already begun discussions with folks outside of UMPI who are very experienced with the NCAA. I will be talking with NCAA officials and attending the NCAA annual conference in January 2013. I have also tasked members of our athletics department to study the advantages of USCAA membership. The NCAA is more of a known quantity. But it could be that the USCAA is a better fit for our university (continued on following page)
Dr. Linda Schott U Times: What role does intercollegiate athletics play in the vision you have for UMPI? Dr. Schott: At UMPI, we are educating the whole student— mind and body. Our studentathletes are great examples of people who manage to balance both intellectual work and physical health. As such, they are models for all of us who work to balance our work and family lives with our physical well-being. A strong athletic program also attracts students to UMPI and helps retain them on our campus. It promotes the continued allegiance of alumni and increases community engagement with the campus. Done well, an athletics program is an essential part of financial sustainability. UT: Is there anything athletics department-related on your Emily Wright, Phillip Boody, Carly Langley holding up their Mariner sledgehammers. first year agenda?
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min. Chelsea Beauche
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Paul Stone U Times: What are the advantages of being a coach and athletic director? Paul Stone: As a coach, I think I can be more empathetic to the plight of coaches than someone who has spent more time as an administrator. Also as a coach, I have daily interaction with many student athletes, which should bring some advantages to my new role. I have spent the last 11 years facing the same challenges our coaches face every day. These include trying to stretch our budget to improve the experience of our student athletes and constantly finding new ways to challenge them. It also entails becoming a part of the larger community in Presque Isle, Aroostook County, Maine and New England, to ensure that we are attracting the best students to our campus. UT: What are your goals in your year at the helm? PS: 1. Continue to foster a close relationship between admissions and the athletic department to ensure we are getting the type of student who will thrive at UMPI. This is a relationship that has evolved in the past two years and we continue to meet regularly so that each department better understands the goals and challenges of the others. 2. Encourage closer ties between our department and the campus community. I think there are probably some things we are doing now that could reach more people. I also hope that with my daily presence in athletics, I can help our teams do even more in the community. 3. Improve the quality of the student athlete experience. We are making some inexpensive changes to the locker rooms in Wieden that will make for better meeting spaces for both the men’s and women’s teams. We hope that will be only the first step in a grander renovation project. We also have two buses this year. This will mean fewer coaches and athletes behind the wheel on road trips. UT: What direction would you like to see intercollegiate athletics go at UMPI?
Kallie Pelletier.
Patrick Manifold vs Fort Kent.
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PS: I hope that by the end of this year we will make inroads into conference membership. I would ideally like to see us in an NCAA conference. But President Schott has asked us to study USCAA membership versus NCAA membership so that she can make a more informed decision which way to go. UT: What is the biggest challenge the athletics department currently faces? PS: Our biggest challenge as a department is the amount of travel our student athletes deal with each season. Scheduling home games has become increasingly difficult since the demise of the Sunrise Conference. Many of our teams have to travel for more than three quarters of their contests. Despite this added stress, our student athletes still tend to do very well in the classroom. This is a testament to our coaches and athletes’ commitment to the classroom. Our coaches spend a lot of time scheduling practice and competition so that our student athletes can practice and compete with as small an impact as possible on their academic life at UMPI. Our student athletes have to be very careful with their time. Many of our student athletes are juggling a part-time or work study job around their class, practice and competition schedules. UT: What is the biggest thing UMPI athletics has going for it currently? PS: Our greatest asset is the people in our department. I believe we have the staff necessary to be successful. We just need time to improve. Each coach is unique and brings a skill set or experience that we collectively need to be successful. As we get to know each other better and discover the places we can help one another, I think our department will begin to function on another level.
Kyle Corrigan headbutting.
Jacob Paradis.
Courtney Bishop.
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Uni ve r si ty Ti m e s ! CAMPUS ! Au gu st 3 1 , 2 012
Transforming the Future Ray Rice
CONTRIBUTOR
At the College of Arts and Sciences, we believe that education must be much more than simply a pre-packaged set of skills that faculty present and students memorize. We believe education must play a transformative role in the lives of students and the society in which they live. It doesn’t matter whether you’re studying to be a doctor, lawyer, nurse, journalist, counselor, broadcaster, writer, artist, educator or health care professional. Arts and sciences prepares hundreds of students for these professions every year. But we don’t simply offer you talents for your next job. We help you gain the knowledge and strategies you’ll need for your future: whatever that might entail and wherever it might take you. In other words, we don’t simply prepare individuals to fit into a pre-existing (and at times unfair) society. Instead, we provide the tools by which students engage, evaluate, and transform their world. We prepare our graduates both for today’s economy as well as for the challenges you will face as a global citizen. In this sense, we espouse the values of a Liberal Education as defined by the renowned educator John Henry Newman. He wrote nearly a century ago in “The Idea of a University”: “It is the education which gives
a man [and woman!] a clear conscious view of his own opinions and judgments, a truth in developing them, an eloquence in expressing them, and a force in urging them.” Newman’s point is that the individual is transformed by higher education through the development of a “clear conscious view” of his or her own “judgments.” As a result of this process—after this “liberal education”— the individual will “be at home in any society” and thus able to forge a common ground with every class; he knows when to speak and when to be silent; he is able to converse, he is able to listen; he can ask a question pertinently, and gain a lesson seasonably, when he has nothing to impart himself; he is ever ready, yet never in the way; he is a pleasant companion, and a comrade you can depend upon… In other words, in the college of arts and sciences, we do not believe that higher education is simply a Google search engine or a databank. It is “liberal” in the sense that it prepares us to engage the world in all its complexity and multitude. For this reason, the faculty of arts and sciences are committed to the
importance of civic, ethical, and cross-cultural learning as priorities for all of our programs and each of our students. To this end, each of our programs—whether it be environmental studies and sustainability, biology, English, fine art, history, professional communica-
tion and journalism, mathematics, psychology, or any of our other majors—is sustained by three commonly held core values: student empowerment, dialogue, and critical thinking and communication. Student empowerment is at the heart of any effective education. Thus it is our fundamental goal. Student empowerment ensures that students are active and invested in their education. It assures that they are co-contributors to the learning community in
general and to their own learning process in particular. Second, student empowerment means educating students so that they want to be responsible for their education. It means providing an environment for students to reach higher levels of motivation so that they become invested in learning and creating their knowledge. Dialogue is the starting point of any meaningful liberal education in that it recognizes each individual student as one with his or her own history of experiences and values. Dialogue also positions the professor as a learner, as a “teacher-student” who becomes the facilitator or director of investigation rather than the banker and assessor of facts. We believe that dialogue must occur both inside and outside the classroom. It must be an innate aspect of the students’ entire learning process. They should come to recognize that it will continue long after formal studies at the university have ended. Finally, we believe educated people are those who know how to ask critical questions. They are the ones who are informed. They make decisions knowing,
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L IS T E N TO US NOW !
to paraphrase Paulo Freire, “what is connected to what,” both within their chosen fields and across our curriculum more generally. Educating people to be critical thinkers means providing them with the tools to be aware of how society functions and to think beyond the boundaries of a narrow discipline or occupation. Critical thinking means active participation in your process of learning. It means analyzing rather than passively accepting information. It means, ultimately, questioning your own and each other’s opinions and knowledge. Such abilities are crucial if we, as a society, hope to achieve the goals set forth by John Henry Newman: The artist puts before him beauty of feature and form; the poet, beauty of mind; the preacher, the beauty of grace: then intellect too, I repeat, has its beauty, and it has those who aim at it. To open the mind, to correct it, to refine it, to enable it to know, and to digest, master, rule, and use its knowledge, to give it power over its own faculties, application, flexibility, method, critical exactness, sagacity, resource, address, eloquent expression… This, indeed, is the purpose of a Liberal Education and the goal to which it aims. In whatever your field of study in the college of arts and sciences, it’s a goal we’ll help you achieve.
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Homecoming Schedule 2012 Friday September 14 All Day - UMPI Pride Day Wear your UMPI gear! 11am-1pm Homecoming Kickoff & BBQ Lunch Campus Center New! Join the Campus Community as we kick off Homecoming 2012 with food, games, prizes, and a chance to play soccer against faculty and staff ! 3-4pm Business Program Reception & Welcome Alumni Room, Campus Center New! The Business Program invites everyone to stop in and meet our two new UMPI Alumni hires; Bryan Thompson ’03 and Stacey Emery ’06. Refreshments will be served. 4pm University Credit Union OPEN HOUSE Campus Center -Stop by the UCU office for exciting member information, give-a-ways and refreshments. 5:30pm Women’s Soccer Spaghetti Supper Campus Center - Enjoy a delicious meal and help our women’s soccer team with this fundraiser. $5, $3 for children; sponsored in part by ARAMARK Dining Services. 7pm Alumni Basketball Game Wieden Gymnasium New! Dig out those basketball sneakers . . . the UMPI basketball court is calling! We welcome all UMPI Alumni basketball players for a team or mixed game. If you would like to play, RSVP to alumni@umpi.edu; we’ll have a T-shirt for you! 8-11pm Homecoming Bonfire behind Gentile Hall New! Free s’mores, hotdogs, music, give-a-ways. 8:30pm The Alumni & Friends Social Frankie’s Lounge, Presque Isle Inn & Convention Center - All Alums, Campus Folks & Friends are invited to this casual gathering to catch up with classmates and old friends - giveaways, refreshments, more, hosted by Laura Gardiner ’82 and Sharon Roix ’64.
Saturday September 15
9am Triathlon Race Riverside Park, Presque Isle - Men’s and women’s divisions plus a team division where each participant must complete at least one leg of the race – run, bike, or kayak. For more information: barbara.blackstone@umpi.edu or 207 768.9415. 9-11am Open House: UMPI’s NEW Physical Therapist Assistant program Wieden PTA Lab (the old music room) Learn about the growing field of physical therapy and how UMPI is developing this exciting new program 9am-4pm Art Exhibit “Bardo” - works by Adriano Farinella Reed Art Gallery, Campus Center - story on page 9. 9am “Molly the Trolley” Narrated Tour of Presque Isle The Historical Society offers a city-wide 2.5 hour trolley tour, leaving from the historic fire station. Limited seating; $5/person, reservations required. Call 207 762.6300 to reserve a seat. 10am Owls Sculpture Dedication on the lawn between Wieden and Pullen Halls; see story on page 10. 10am-2pm UMPI Bookstore Campus Center - 20% discount on Clothing & Glassware. 10:30am Homecoming Alumni & Friends Brunch at the President’s House. I Meet UMPI’s new President Linda Schott I Casually catch up with your classmates and campus folks while having brunch I We will recognize our 10-, 25- and 50-year Reunion Classes of 2002, 1987 and 1962 I 11 & 11:45am Men & Women’s Cross Country UMPI Invitational Park Family Field 11am Greek Games Calling all Omega, TKE, Kappa and Beta Sisters and
Brothers! In true Aroostook County style, test your skills with “pass the potato,” “potato bag race,” “wheel-barrel race” and other fun filled games. 11:30am Remembering Coach Frank McGrath Park Family Field - This is a tribute in memory of Frank McGrath. He coached soccer, basketball and several other sports at UMPI for over 30 years. Members of the Men’s Soccer Team will be wearing symbolic armbands in his memory at the Homecoming Games. Show your Blue & Gold pride and cheer on the UMPI Owls Soccer Teams when they play Fisher College on the Park Family Field - FREE 12pm Men’s Game 2pm Women’s Game 2-5pm Alumni & Families “Swim and Gym” Gentile Hall - part of UMPI’s Week of Wellness. See page 8. 5pm Hall of Fame Reception Campus Center 5:30pm Athletics Hall of Fame Dinner Campus Center - Three Alumni will be inducted: Larry Worcester ’88, Shawn Windle ’96 and Erica (McGary) Tweedie ’04. RSVP: connie.levesque@umpi.edu, 207 768.9506 - $15/person. 7pm Hypnotist Paul Ramsay Wieden Auditorium New! The days of clucking like a chicken are over! Using interactive polling software and remote controls, audience members steer the course of the show by voting on what they want to see happen on stage. It’s interactive, original entertainment that transforms average participants into a cast of characters before your very eyes! You’ll talk about what you see long after the show is over. 9pm “Too Far North” at The Connection, Presque Isle Inn & Convention Center – You asked for them and They’re Back! The famed local cover band of classic rock will entertain all! $5 cover at the door, proper ID required. Proceeds benefit Alumni Scholarship and Outreach. FMI: 207 768.9568. Sponsored in part by Presque Isle Inn & Convention Center.
Sunday September 16
ALUMNI SPORT DAY! Watch fellow Alums battle it out against our current teams and see who will win! Refreshments and T-shirts for all alumni team members! To register, call Keith Madore 207 768.9568. Sponsored in part by Rod Brewer Designs, Tim Horton’s, and ARAMARK. 10am Men’s Alumni Soccer Game Soccer Field 11am Alumni & All-Comers Cross Country Race Park Family Field - Test your speed and skill and see if you can still dash! To register contact Chris Smith, 207 768.9472 or christopher.smith@umpi.edu. 11:30am Alumni Athlete Hot Dog Roast Park Family Field 12pm Women’s Alumni Soccer Game Soccer Field
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Uni ve r si ty Ti m e s ! CAMPUS ! Au gu st 31 , 2 01 2
In the Center of It All Join the University Times
Ben Pinette
STAFF WRITER
OK, let’s be honest here. How many of you have wished to see your name on the front page? Besides making the news yourself, the best way to
make the front page (or any page for that matter) is to write about the news yourself. Why not? Take a chance and come join the University Times.
The University Times (or U Times) is our student-run newspaper. We put out about six issues per semester. Our goal every single issue is to be as close to the voice of UMPI as possible. We’re a great club if you like to be at the heart of what’s happening on campus. Every single one of our reporters has gotten a backstage pass to some of the great events on (and sometimes off) campus. Besides writing about newsworthy events on campus, we always like hearing about what’s happening in the community of Presque Isle. If you commute from another local town, we’d love to hear from your town as well! The possibilities are truly endless here at the University Times. If you’re a person who has an opinion for everything, here’s your chance to be
heard. Have your own column in our “Voice” section. It’s your voice: use it to your potential. If you’re not into writing but are interested in the technical aspect of a newspaper, we’re also the place to be! We always have positions open for editors, web designers, or even just layout. Some of the most fun that comes out of putting together the newspaper is the layout and deciding where a story goes and its accompanying pictures. Our layout editors work late into the night compiling the issue. As bad as it may sound, it’s actually a lot of fun, trust me. The University Times wants you, regardless of your past experience. If you have the interest and desire, we’ll work with you. Become the first to see the news by writing about it yourself. For more information
about joining, you can contact our adviser, Dr. J., at: jacqulyn.lowman@umpi.edu, or 768-9745. Or stop by our office in Normal 102 during normal
school hours. We promise, we don’t bite. If you want to be a part of a rewarding club on campus, the U Times is the way to go!
Lanette Virtanen working feverishly into the night on a recent newspaper layout.
Controlling the Airwaves Ben Pinette
STAFF WRITER
Music. It’s a pastime. Talking. We do it every day. You can do a lot more with these than just pass
the time, though. Why not join a club and do these things? Yeah, there is such a thing. It’s actually our campus radio station: WUPI 92.1. WUPI has plenty of
positions available for students, besides becoming a DJ. We h ave p osi tions available for advertising, Web page design, station engi ne er and so much more. A common misconce ptio n a b out j oi n i ng WUPI is that you have to be on the radio. Not true! There are tons of opportunities both on and off the air that are always open for anyone interested. Besides getting on the radio, WUPI does a lot of dif ferent activities that benefits its listener s around Presque Isle and the world listening online. Over the year s, we’ve broadcast at various campus events such as Frozen Frenzy, the Medieval Faire, Native Appreciation Day, University Day for the past
3 years, and even at the 2011 iBU World Cub Biathlon at the Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle. We got to talk to some world-famous skiers. Now, tell me, what other club on campus can do that for you! Currently, WUPI broadcasts a Top-40 format when we don’t have live DJs in the studio. We broadcast online, anywhere in the world at our website, http://www.umpi.edu/wupi. While you are there, “like” us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter. Our studio has been in Normal 108 since December of 2009. If you’re interested in joining WUPI 92.1, stop by our office in Normal 102 during normal school hours. Or simply come to our meetings every first Thursday of each month in Normal 102 from 12:30 to 1
p.m. Our first meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 6. If you would like additional information, contact Nicole Gray at nicole.gray@maine.edu
or our adviser, Dr. Jacqui Lowman, at jacquelyn.lowman@umpi.edu or 7689745. We hope to see you at our first meeting!
WUPI!s studio location in Normal Hall.
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Rolling Stones and ‘Ice Caves’ Kayla Ames
STAFF WRITER
Are you wondering what goes on around UMPI aside from classes, performances and club activities? Well, for one, we’ve been known to have a professional conference or two! More specifical-
Alice Kelley. ly, UMPI’s environmental science and sustainability program and the geo-ecology club took part in an annual GSM meeting on Friday, April 13. The geo-eco club goes out of its way to attend the educational conference every year. This time, though, it hosted one here: for only the second time in
GSM’s 38 years. It was a rare opportunity, not only for professional and aspiring geologists, but anyone interested in science or making connections in that field. GSM 2012 started off with an employment panel. The main speakers were Liz Champeon and Cliff Lippitt. They gave advice on what to expect once geology or environmental science majors have g raduated. After getting a degree, aspiring geologists and the like have to figure out their career path, go on interviews and find a job. Some of the options available to them are teaching, research, government service, consulting and mining. In Maine, the most likely avenues are university positions, government service and consulting. There’s also the possibility of mining. “I’m going to spend a little more time on consulting because that’s where, primarily, the jobs are,” Champeon said. Consultants act as interpreters. They explain the scien-
tific aspect of what they’re doing so that the public can understand. They help their clients understand what regulations they have to meet. They also provide services such as sampling and testing. With almost any position, there’ll be a lot of educational overlap. For instance, a working knowledge of geochemistry is useful. Everyone should have good problem-solving skills. Also, learn to ski and snowshoe! It will come in handy. Based on preferences, some positions fit better than others. If you’re a “rolling stone,” or love to travel, you’re probably better suited for not only consulting, but exploration and mining. Extroverts might do better teaching. Those who favor research would likely flourish in a governmental career. Before choosing anything, though, expect to go on lots of interviews. Champeon and Lippitt encourage getting out there, associating yourself with professional organizations such as GSM. You should also be ready to research a company. Dress casual but sharp when called back for an interview. Remember to bring your diploma, any certifications and a brief resume. Also, don’t get discouraged if they don’t choose you. “Go in with the attitude of presenting yourself and what you can do for the company: not what the company can do for you,” Lippitt said. Oral and written communication skills are important. In an interview after the career panel, GSM president Alice Kelley said that people hoping to get these jobs should practice public speaking. Another major piece of advice she offered was to
have a solid background in earth science, in basic hard and soft rock courses. After the employment panel, there were student presentations, a business meeting and remembrance ceremonies for geology enthusiasts Bill Forbes and Don Koons. Another big event was the keynote address by Dr. Steven Kite concerning “ice caves” in the Appalachians. Kite, a former Maine geologist who’s currently on the faculty at West Virginia University, entitled his presentation “Ice Air Refugia in Cold Air Traps – Prospects in the Northern New England Landscape.” While looking into the geology of the Ice Mountain Reserves in the central Appalachians, he found several species of plants and insects in areas they didn’t seem to belong. For instance, he discovered star flowers, bunchberries, twin flowers and tiger beetles in West Virginia. Before that point, Kite had pretty much only seen them in Maine. Infrared
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imaging revealed the presence of nearby vents, sometimes called “ice caves,” that were keeping surrounding areas much cooler than expected. This enabled certain organisms to live where no one thought they could. It also has significant implications, given the changes we’re seeing in the climate. These vents could preserve modern species in a warmer world. They could serve as “nature’s ice boxes,” or refuges. “Simply said: I think they’re important and that you should go out and find them,” Kite said. Though the location isn’t set in stone, according to its website, next year’s meeting will take place at the University of Maine in Farmington. If you’re interested, you can find out mor at http://www.gsmmaine.org/. You might also consider joining the geo-ecology club! If you have any questions, contact club president Gary Parent at gary.parent@maine.edu or secretary Sarah Ames at sarah.ames@maine.edu.
Liz Champeon, speaking.
Bio Medical Club: Our purpose is to give back to the medical community as as well learn about different opportunities in the health related field. By volunteering at numerous events in Aroostook County, we are able to lend a helping hand to numerous organizations. If you have questions, please e-mail Bryan Jennings at bryan.jennings@maine.edu.
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! ! 30 Gentile Hall: It’s Fun to Be Healthy Uni ve r si ty Ti m e s
Dick Gardiner CONTRIBUTOR
Make Wellness an essential part of your college routine. Staying Healthy is as easy as it will ever get while you are on campus! All you need to do is get your student ID validated at the business office with current semester and Gentile Hall stickers. Then, just stop by the Gentile Hall front desk, present your validated ID and sign in. Gentile Hall offers a multipurpose gymnasium, fitness center with cardio and strength equipment, as well as free weights. There is also a 25 yard swimming pool, climbing wall, bouldering wall and elevated walking and jogging track. Keli Marston, fitness & wellness coordinator, will be offering her already very popular Fit Camp and Step and Tone programs. Watch for her Week
of Wellness events scheduled for September 10-15. She is always eager to share nutritional information as well. Weekly gym schedules are
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posted on both entrances to the multipurpose area. Check for class times, programs and special events. Avoid showing up when the area is in use.
Gentile Hall.
Week of Wellness at Gentile Hall Free Sessions All Week!!
Schedule of Events Sept. 10 Orientation of Fitness Center Strength Machines 10-11 a.m. 12-1 p.m. 5:15-6:15 p.m. Sept. 11 Learn How to Use the New Fitness Trends 10-11 a.m. 12-1 p.m. 5:15-6:15 p.m. Sept. 12 Importance of Good Nutrition for Wellness 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 13 Fitness Class Demos at Gentile Hall 12-2 p.m. 45 min. Step-N-Tone/45 min. Fit Camp. Sept. 14 “Leisure Stretch and Flex” 12-1 p.m. Sept. 15 Family Swim and Gym Day 2-5 p.m. Pool, rock wall, fitness center, track and multipurpose room open to everyone free of charge. Free Snacks!! Free Door Prizes!! Free Water Bottles!! Chance to win an item from the UMPI Bookstore!!
Clubs/groups that use Gentile Hall regularly are OAPI (Outdoor Adventure Program International), Swim Club, Disc Golf & Ultimate
Frisbee Club, Indoor Soccer League and intramurals. And don’t let the name OAPI scare you!! The club offers programs for all levels and it does some really neat afternoon/day programs that take place nearby that are either free or at low cost. The club meets each Thursday at 1 p.m. in the OAPI office. The first meeting of the semester will be Sept. 6. OAPI is always looking for new members! New this year is that all our users will need to bring in a combination/key lock to secure items in the recently installed metal commercial lockers. Lockers are still for day use only. Locks left overnight will be cut and belongings will be bagged and left in the lost and found area in Gentile Hall. Go to: www.umpi.edu/gentilehall for more information.
Unive r si ty T i m e s ! CAMPUS ! Au gu st 31 , 2 01 2
A Second Chance Kathi Jandreau STAFF WRITER
A high school is important when preparing for and trying to succeed in college. For some, though, it may not come easy. Many of us know that there are struggles in the social world and that there can be barriers against our goals. The state of Maine has an alternative option for students who are having great difficulty in traditional high
“I have to say, I could never go back to public education,” Nunez said. As the students introduced themselves, they reflected on how the Carlton Project has changed their lives. Students who have had a negative experience in traditional high school are given a second chance. They’re all given an opportunity to take part in designing their own course of
The Carlton Project, located in Park Hall. school. Many don’t know this but, located in the basement of Park Hall at The University of Maine at Presque Isle, is the Carlton Project. This alternative high school is a nonprofit with five locations in the state of Maine and is 100 percent tuition funded. During the 11th annual University Day, five students from the Carlton Project held a session to let us in on the truth about alternative high school and to share their personal experiences. The teacher for the Carlton Project’s Presque Isle location, Heather Nunez, began the session by introducing everyone to the Carlton Project. “Instead of dropping out, the students are seeking other options. It is student motivated from the start,” Nunez said. She made it clear that she loves what she does and takes pride in her students.
study. Unlike traditional high school, students are able to work more at their own pace and in their specific areas of interest. “I hated being around other people,” one student said. “I heard about the Carlton Project, explored it and I was astounded by the independent work available.” Another student added, “I was out of school for two years. I’m not the most socially active person. I applied and here I am, about to graduate.” As with many unfamiliar things, there have been lots of misconceptions surrounding the Carlton Project. Students provided the audience with a poster filled with myths and facts. Come to find out, the Carlton project is no easier than traditional high school. Students are expected to meet high standards and to challenge themselves to the fullest
extent. Students in the Carlton Project are not all high school drop outs, either. Many simply decided that they would do better outside of traditional high school, a decision they make for themselves. No student is forced to be part of the Carlton Project. Upon graduation, students are given a regular high school diploma. Seventy percent of the students graduate with a college credit. “We get more control over our curriculum,” a student stated. “This really helps us develop individually.” The students passed around a few portfolios they had put together of their various work at the Carlton Project. These portfolios were thick and loaded with essays. Kim-Anne Perkins, professor of social work at UMPI, asked the students, “If you could be on the board of directors of this project, are there any changes you would make?” Each student gave the same answer: “I wouldn’t change a thing.” In traditional school, students may feel left by the wayside, deprived of enough oneon-one support with teachers and as if they have no one to turn to. The Carlton Project helps nurture students and work with their individual needs, allowing them to recognize their self-worth. Nunez ended the session with an insightful question: “These are kids that the public high school was going to throw away! Can you believe it?” The Carlton Project works hard to help students and enables them to truly understand their ability to succeed. Given the value of education and its ability to improve every area imaginable, the Carlton Project and those involved in it don’t just give the students a new lease on schooling, they also give them a second chance at a better life.
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Maine Rabbi to Keynote Gay Days Dick Harrison CONTRIBUTOR
bian rabbi ordained by Conservative Jews is “really an honor,” Isaacs said. UMPI’s annual Gay Awareness Days is co-sponsored by the Gay-Straight Alliance and the Diversity Committee.
Rabbi Rachel Isaacs, Jewish chaplain at Colby College and spiritual leader of Waterville’s Beth Israel Congregation, will speak at UMPI¹s fourth annual Gay Awareness Days, Oct. 1-3, 2012. In May 2011, she became the first openly gay rabbi of either sex to be ordained by the Conservative movement’s Jewish Theological Seminary. During UMPI¹s Gay Days, Isaacs will speak about “A Faith-Based Approach to Marriage Equality” and will bring her personal story to the topic. In addition to her duties as Jewish Chaplain at Colby, Rabbi Isaacs teaches Hebrew and Jewish theology on campus. Being the first openly les- Rabbi Rachel Issacs.
Importance and Values Lisa Udasco
CONTRIBUTOR
Welcome new and returning UMPI community! The UMPI Diversity Committee represents a crosssection of the campus community (race, gender, ability, sexual orientation). Our goal is to create a safe and positive environment for everyone. We encourage and guide groups that want to develop programs and promote issues supporting our diverse populations. People can contact the committee if they have issues or concerns that need to be addressed. Don’t worry that your concern is not important enough. If matters to you, it will matter to us. The 2011-12 academic calendar year was a busy one for us. We helped create a
gender neutral dorm. We supported the Everyone Matters Global Social Media Campaign. And we successfully advocated removal of an exhibit deemed offensive. The best is yet to come! We’re always looking for more students, faculty, staff and community members to either attend our meetings or become members. We meet once a month. Look for announcements of upcoming meetings. For more information, contact Lisa Udasco at 768-9558. Her office is in 121 Campus Center. Current active committee members are: Lisa Udasco, Dr. William A Breton, Darylen Cote, Barbara J Devaney, Jannie Durr, Dick Harrison, Dr. Jacquelyn Lowman, Kim-Anne Perkins, Myrth Schwartz and James Stepp.
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Have a great school year from all of us at the U Times! It!s every Mainer!s fantasy: sun, palm trees, endless sailing. Would you like to have that? Then buy a ticket for the great U Times raffle! Now, we won!t be sending you to Tahiti: that would be too fleeting. No, instead you have a chance to win this beautiful pillow. It will keep the spirit alive forever. It!s handmade by Dr. J!s 90-year-old mother. It measures 16 by 16 with a cover that can be removed for cleaning. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5. All proceeds will fund a U Times staff education trip in March 2013. Drawing will be early October. For tickets, contact Lanette Virtanen (lanette.virtanen@maine.edu), Kayla Ames (kayla.ames@maine.edu) or Jacqui Lowman (jacquelyn.lowman@umpi.edu). We!ll be happy to let you examine it. The photo is good, but it!s even better in person. Thanks for your support. Good luck.