Since 1935, Maine Day has been a beloved tradition at the University of Maine. At its conception, then-President Arthur Hauck wanted to dedicate a day to volunteerism, cancelling classes to give students this opportunity.

More recently, a key part of Maine Day for many students is the Maine Day concert, held on the last Wednesday of the spring semester. This year, through a collaborative effort from the UMaine administration, Student Government and the town of Orono, the focus of the day will be shifted back to its original intent — volunteering. Rather than holding a concert on the night of Maine Day, Student Entertainment is hosting a new concert, titled the Maine Event, on Saturday, April 14.

April 14 was one of two potential date options, but the other potential weekend, April 28, was too close to Maine Day and would make the events appear linked. According to Vice President of Student Entertainment Jared Dumas, some members of the Orono community wanted Maine Day stopped completely, and the separation of the two events is intended to quell people’s concerns.

“Massive parties aren’t good for the community,” Dumas said.

The new date isn’t the only change the concert is undergoing — the Maine Event will be held indoors at the Alfond Arena, rather than outdoors as past Maine Day concerts have been. The town of Orono, like many other towns, has an ordinance that qualifies excessive noise after 10 p.m. as a civil offense. Holding the concert outdoors meant it had to end at 10 p.m., but an indoor show can run longer, serving a dual purpose — providing a bigger concert for students to enjoy, and keeping students occupied later into the night in order to minimize trouble.

While Maine Day has become almost synonymous with the concert, the events haven’t been linked for long; the first Maine Day concert was held in 2015.

“The reason it seems like such a shock is because the current seniors were freshmen then,” Dumas said. “It’s just what they’re used to.”

Prior to 2015, the concert could have been held in the fall or in the spring, but often was in April.

Student Government has been working closely with the administration as well as the town to keep the concert while also re-focusing the purpose of the actual Maine Day.

“Maine Day is about service and volunteerism,” Vice President of Student Government Logan Aromando said.

Aromando also said that they are working towards getting outdoor concerts back in the future.

The Maine Event features headliner Lupe Fiasco with supporting artists Action Bronson and Felly, and is open to UMaine undergraduate students only. Tickets are free with a Maine Card.

On Tuesday, March 20, the North Pod was home to a cappella performances, feminist trivia, Rosie the Riveter photoshoots and advocacy work, all part of the Women’s History Month celebration hosted by the Women’s Resource Center and the Feminist Collective.

Though both organizations are active in promoting women’s rights and health on campus, this event was the first of its kind. “Our big things are the Vagina Monologues in February and Diversity Week in March, and we wanted to do something for Women’s History Month as well,” Meghan Frisard said. Frisard is a fourth-year zoology and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies student and co-chair of the Feminist Collective. Frisard wanted to put together an event that would involve women’s groups all across campus, not just activist groups, and organized the Women’s History Month celebration alongside co-chair Taylor Cray, second-year political science and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality studies student.

Groups involved in the event included Women in Economics, UMaine Renaissance and Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) Maine, women-centric organizations that represent different areas of women’s interests and needs at the University of Maine and throughout the state.

“As a group of all women, we’ve done gigs specific to just women,” Brooke Pietri, second-year music education student and member of Renaissance, the University of Maine’s all-female a cappella group, said.

A subsection of the University Singers, Renaissance’s 11 members have formed close bonds, and recognize the importance of strong female friendships in their lives. “We have our own support system within our group, but not every girl on campus does,” Pietri said. Although they only had half of their members in attendance, Renaissance performed three a cappella covers throughout the event.

The Women’s History Month celebration marked the first collaboration between UMaine and ERA Maine, an organization dedicated to the ratification of an amendment to provide equal protection to women under the law. The organization was represented by Susan Snider and Linda Nelson, who have been with ERA Maine since its conception in 2016. “We just don’t get why equal rights are a partisan issue,” Snider said. “Second wave feminism helped to lessen the impact of patriarchy, but without the equal rights amendment we’re fighting a real battle.”

“Second wave feminism” began in the early 1960s in the United States with the goal to gain greater equality for women with men by allowing them to have more than just the right to vote. Here, the goal was to allow rights on domestic issues and employment, whereas first wave feminism focused mainly on women’s suffrage and property rights.

While the organization is pushing for a federal amendment, Snider and Nelson see a Maine amendment as a more realistic initial goal. Maine is one of the 36 states that have agreed to an equal rights amendment nationally, but it hasn’t been written in Maine’s state constitution.

Both women were excited to be part of the event, recognizing the need to reach out to college students. “It’s important to get young people involved and educated,” Snider said. “The best way to fight this is to vote, and many of you are voting for the first time.”

The month of March is full of campus activities and individual events surrounding Women’s History Month, and this celebration brought together a variety of groups representing various aspects of womanhood on campus.

On Thursday, Nov. 2, the University of Maine hosted Maine Senate President Michael Thibodeau as the 2017 Distinguished Maine Policy Fellow. The program is sponsored by the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, a research and public service center at UMaine.

Distinguished Maine Policy Fellows are, according to the Margaret Chase Smith Center’s website, “individuals with past or current careers as policy makers in Maine — people of distinguished status and extensive experience.” Fellows are brought to campus and spend a day meeting with undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty members, giving lectures and discussing research and public policy.

Sen. Thibodeau began his day on campus with President Susan Hunter, who hopes every year that the chosen Distinguished Maine Policy Fellow will leave a positive impact on the school.

“People on campus get a chance to talk about what they do to someone with fresh eyes,” Hunter said.

The aspect of the university that piqued Thibodeau’s interest the most was the engineering department, specifically its recent work on biodegradable cups.

“The University is very proud of its program,” Thibodeau said.

UMaine has plans in the works to expand the engineering department, but funding is partially up in the air. The Senate is currently debating how much state funding the expansion should receive.

At his guest lecture, Thibodeau spoke with political science students about the function of the Maine state government. He served for four years in the Maine House of Representatives, beginning in 2006, and is now nearing eight years in the Senate after being elected President in 2014.

“He’s been a very fair President,” Senator Jim Dill, Old Town, said.

A reception for the day was held in the University Club in Fogler Library Thursday evening, where Thibodeau, Dill, Amy Blackstone from the Sociology department and the Margaret Chase Smith Center and President Hunter attended along with others.

“He’s very willing to talk and listen to both sides.” Dill said.

Thibodeau and Dill discussed the importance of working across the aisle, as Thibodeau is a Republican and Dill is a Democrat.

“It isn’t about whether or not we agree on the issue. Folks have strong opinions but you have to try to understand,” Dill said.

“Each and every member of the Senate loves our state,” Thibodeau said. “And sometimes it’s the debate that brings out the best in us.”

Also present at the reception was Mary Cathcart, who has been with the Margaret Chase Smith Center since 2004 and started the Distinguished Maine Policy Fellows program in 2006.

“Every time we have visitors to campus, I learn something new about what students are doing on campus, and what they’re doing benefits us and benefits Maine,” Cathcart said, before presenting Thibodeau with a plaque and a Margaret Chase Smith bobblehead.

“I am honored and privileged to see all the hard work that’s going on at Maine’s premiere University,” Thibodeau concluded, commending UMaine for its dedication to the next generation of Mainers and commitment to keeping young people in the state. “We need people to stay here and be Mainers for the rest of their lives.”

This Monday, Oct. 16  marked the start of the University of Maine’s 33rd Coming Out Week, a collaboration between UMaine’s LGBTQ Services, the Rainbow Resource Center and Wilde Stein. Coming Out Week celebrates members of the LGBTQ community on campus as well as their allies.

The week kicked off with the raising of the rainbow flag in front of Fogler Library at noon on Monday. Silvestre Guzman, director of the Office of Multicultural Student Life and the Rainbow Resource Center, was the first to address the nearly 50 students and staff gathered on the mall, thanking everyone for supporting the event. Guzman also announced that the week would culminate in a two-day conference, in collaboration with Equality Maine.

Jennifer Iwerks, the Staff Associate for Diversity and Inclusion spoke on behalf of Wilde Stein, the queer-straight alliance on campus.

“I’m so happy that the people who identify with this flag are here,” Iwerks said.

She also acknowledged the allies present, but emphasized that simply showing up is the beginning of allyship, not the end.

Coming Out Week was created to celebrate UMaine’s diverse student population, as well as honor the strength it takes to come out.

“Coming out can be a difficult time, and we want to offer support,” Mark Dube, the graduate assistant in the Rainbow Resource Center, said. “It takes a lot of courage to admit that you’re different. We publicize so we can bring people together.”

The week also showcases collaboration between groups on campus. Dean of Students Robert Dana thanked the Feminist Collective, known until its recent name change as the Student Women’s Association, for working with Wilde Stein.

“Things have changed here in Maine. It’s a society that celebrates people,” Dana said, noting the university’s long-standing tradition of holding Coming Out Week. “Diversity makes UMaine stronger, and we are so very thankful for every member of this community.”

As the ceremony was winding down, a protest surrounding a religious extremist outside the Memorial Union was beginning. He carried a large sign with slogans including “God is angry with the wicked every day” and “Repent or Perish”, as well as a lengthy list of sins. Students gathered around him armed with glitter, rainbow flags and signs hastily scribbled on notebook paper, chanting “Love Trumps Hate” and “God is gay, so are we.”

The peaceful protest continued for nearly six hours, eventually migrating to surround the rainbow flag, where first-year Sociology major Andrea Michaud led a rally emphasizing pride and love.

“It’s really unproductive to follow hate with hate,” Michaud said, who came out as transgender when she arrived at the university in August. “UMaine is a place where I feel safe. I don’t want other trans people to feel like they can’t be themselves.”

Michaud spent four or five hours protesting and wished others would do the same. “You gotta stay, you gotta fight, you can’t back down.”

The mission behind Coming Out Week is to promote acceptance in the UMaine community, and the ceremony as well as the protest demonstrated the spirit that LGBTQ students and allies hoped the week would have.

After a long week of work and school, Saturday mornings are times for rest and recuperation, as well as preparation for the upcoming week. For many residents of the greater Orono area, the Orono Farmers’ Market provides just that.

The market has been a staple of the town’s culture since 1994, when the inaugural market was held in the Steam Plant parking lot with 20 vendors. Two and a half decades later, the tradition continues almost unchanged. Although 33 farms are currently members, students and community members can find around 20 stands set up at the Steam Plant every Saturday morning, where small vegetable and plant farms from all across Maine sell their goods.

This week’s market was moved temporarily to its winter location at the Pine Street parking lot due to Homecoming weekend. After Thanksgiving, the market will move there until commencement in May, when it returns to its summer location at the Steam Plant.

While the lineup has changed over the years, some farms have been participating in the Orono Farmers’ Market for much of its existence. Grassland Organic Farm has been a part of the Orono Farmers’ Market for the last 10 years. For them, the market serves as the business side of their farm, which is primarily a dairy farm and is located an hour away in Skowhegan. The farm itself is for production, and is typically closed to the general public, so the market is their chance to interact with their customers.

Other members are much newer, though; Ironwood Farm in Albion was voted in as a new member just this year.

“We’ve had a lovely experience in Orono,” Nell Finnigan, the farm’s owner, said. She had been selling at farmers’ markets just north of Boston before moving back to Maine and purchasing Ironwood. “It’s a really nice community of people.”

Marr Pond Farm, located in Sangerville, has spent two years at the Orono Farmers’ Market, as well as two years at the Waterville Farmers’ Market.

“It’s a great market,” Courtney Williams said citing the loyal regular customers as a reason for the market’s success. Marr Pond Farm is a Community Supported Agriculture farm, which means customers purchase “shares” and receive a box of products, typically vegetables, each week of the farming season. This helps farmers make more money and gives customers fresh food and increased awareness of how food is grown.

Some farms sell exclusively at markets, but others, like Marr Pond, sell wholesale — they send larger quantities of food to various local stores and make sales through them. Marr Pond’s products can be found at the Natural Living Center in Bangor, Axis Natural Foods in Auburn and food co-ops in Belfast, Blue Hill and Portland.

The Orono Farmers’ Market has drawn members for nearly 25 years, providing a sense of community as well as a more intimate knowledge of where food comes from, and will likely remain an integral part of life in Orono for many years to come.

On Friday, Aug. 25, the University of Maine hosted its annual “Maine Hello”, where approximately 2,500 first-year students were welcomed onto campus. While driving down College Avenue, families were greeted with sheets hanging from the sides of apartments, bearing messages such as “Honk If She’s 18” and “Daughter Drop Off”.

By Friday afternoon, the Orono Police Department (OPD) and the University of Maine Police Department (UMPD) had received several calls regarding the signs. UMPD Chief Roland LaCroix and Dean Robert Dana, vice president of student affairs, made their way to the houses.

Their first stop was on College Avenue, where one of the signs was posted. The residents of the home took the signs down immediately. Their second stop was to a house on Park Street with a sign that read “Honk If She’s 18”. These residents did not take the sign down when asked by UMPD and Dean Dana, but did once the OPD visited their property.

The displays were immediately introduced to social media, where a Twitter thread erupted. Students, faculty and police all expressed their concerns regarding the signs. The conversation began with parents pointing the blame to the various fraternities located on College Ave, which was not the case.

The intentions of the signs were not clear, though many defended the messages as a lighthearted part of college tradition. Others, however, saw the banners as offensive promotions of rape culture.

“The banners were seen by thousands of incoming first years and their families,” Sam Saucier, a fourth-year student in Sociology and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, said. “The fact that those students felt it was okay to put the banners up demonstrates the larger systemic problems of the campus that make students rightfully feel unsafe.”

Saucier, also the co-founder of the new Women’s Resource Center on campus, referred to the hanging of the banners as “the sort of action that normalizes misogyny.”

Faculty and students got involved, some taking the opportunity to have an open conversation about what speech like this really means. “We’ve never had a larger dialogue,” Susan Gardner, director of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGS) and the Rising Tide Center for Gender Equity at UMaine, said. “Let’s dig deeper about why people are offended. What does it symbolize? There’s a lot of stuff packed up underneath.”

Gardner is organizing a panel on the topic of these banners, hoping to get a wide array of opinions to gain a deeper understanding of this controversy. “Our current political climate provides a doorway for this conversation,” she said. “If we can’t have these conversations on a college campus, where can we have them?” Gardner said. This panel will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 5 at 12 p.m. in the Bangor Room of the Memorial Union.

Another argument that was heavily debated on social media was the First Amendment rights of those who posted the signs on their property. Dean Robert Dana, the Vice President of Student Affairs, told the students that while this sign does not break any laws, it does break the student conduct code.

The residents that hosted these signs did not respond to requests for comment.