This past week, Maine legislators have been debating and paring down the long list of over 400 potential bills to be argued during the 2020 legislative session.

The titles of the bills, which have been released to the public, cover a wide variety of topics. Included are legal marijuana designations, protections from propane explosions and healthcare expansion measures.

During the session, the ten-member body, which currently has a Democratic-majority-approved 133 total bills. Of these bills, 125 were sponsored by Democrats, and eight were sponsored by Republicans.

Although for the second session, which will be starting in January 2020, legislators usually only designate “emergency bills” for debate, during the meeting of the Legislative Council, a high amount of non-emergency bills were approved. By definition, an emergency bill is outlined in the Maine Constitution as a bill that is “immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health or safety.”

Some of the non-emergency bills which made it to the debate process focused on improving education resources, such as LR 3054 Title: “An Act to Provide a Sales Tax Exemption for Textbooks,” and LR 2885 Title: “An Act to Strengthen Maritime Education.” Others focused on labor rights and career opportunities, such as LR 2777 Title: “An Act to Set a Minimum Wage for School Support Staff,” and LR 2896 Title: “An Act to Establish a Career Path for Adjunct Professor in Maine’s Public University and College System.”

Other bills are tackling immediate community issues such as propane monitoring and vaping regulations. LR 2834 Title: “An Act Regarding the Use of Propane and Natural Gas Detectors,” is a response to the propane leak which caused an explosion that killed a firefighter in September. The incident was caused by a propane leak that was not properly managed. The bill seeks to prevent further community damage by monitoring propane and natural gas lines more closely in hopes of detecting leaks before they become a community threat. An act would also prevent the sale of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarette) and vaporizers to anyone under the age of 21, which is a direct response to the number of injuries and fatalities suffered by e-cigarette users around the country over the past months.

Also considered, but ultimately rejected, were bills that would increase regulations on firearms, as many have voiced their concern for the rising number of violent gun deaths related to mass shootings around the country. Gun control is hotly debated around the country and here in Maine where many residents are gun owners. However, of the seven potential bills, an act which would make granting a child access to firearms a case of “child endangerment” was rejected.

Other rejected bills included amendments and community standards. LR 2828 Title: “An Act to Conform State Labor Law with Federal Labor Law,” which would protect the First Amendment rights of public employees, was not approved for the second session in Jan. 2020. Another bill that was not approved was an act to prohibit the confinement of egg-laying hens whose eggs were being sold as profit, which is centered at the debate on cage-free and humanely raised chicken products. This legislation may see the state floor in the future requiring cage-free eggs around the state, but for now, the focus stays on health care, climate, education and public safety.

Oct. 24 – 11:15 p.m. 

While on duty, Officer Gray of the Orono Police Department (OPD) noticed a vehicle driving down Stillwater Avenue heading towards Veazie that was traveling at 65 mph. Officer Gray conducted a traffic stop and spoke to the driver, Thomas Todd, 19, of Orono. Todd told Officer Gray that he had thought that the speed limit was 45 mph, not 25 mph in that zone. Todd was summoned for criminal speeding and has a court date of Dec. 5.

Oct. 25 – 11:30 p.m. 

While on duty, Officer Angelo of OPD received a complaint of an erratic driver on Park Street. Officer Angelo answered the complaint, following the vehicle onto College Avenue. Officer Angelo performed a traffic stop and pulled over Dylan Fitts, 21, of Orono. Fitts told Officer Angelo that he was on his way to get food for his friends and admitted to having a drink earlier in the night. Officer Angelo conducted a field sobriety test, which Fitts failed to pass satisfactorily. Fitts was brought back to OPD, where a blood alcohol test confirmed that Fitts blood alcohol content was higher than the legal limit. Fitts was arrested for operating under the influence and has a court date set in December.

On Thursday, Oct. 11, the University of Maine’s Wildestein Queer-Straight Alliance held Coming Out Monologues to observe UMaine’s Coming Out Week. Coming Out Week is an opportunity for the UMaine community to recognize and celebrate the LGBTQ members of the community, as well as observe the work of influential LGBTQ figures from around the area.

During Coming Out Week, the university held many events around campus celebrating the LGBTQ community members, starting with a flag-raising on Monday, Oct. 7. The flag-raising ceremony featured speeches from Staff Associate for Diversity and Inclusion Robert Jackson, Director of the Office for Diversity and Inclusion Anila Karunakar and Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Robert Dana.

At Monday’s ceremony, Dana expressed his gratitude for the support that the UMaine community has shown for their LGBTQ members.

“I don’t think there’s anything more delightful than being able to go into a public space and say ‘Here I am,’” Dana said. “The Memorial Union is the central gathering space [for students, staff, and faculty], and what better place to be able to come and to say ‘This is my home.’”

“The University of Maine, whether you are figuring out who you are today, whether you are wrestling with that…whether your sexuality is different than what other people say it should be, is your home,” Dana declared in a message to the LGBTQ students at UMaine.

Throughout the week the Rainbow Resource Center (RRC), the Multicultural Student Center (MSC) and other student life offices offered programs to celebrate the spirit of pride and collaborated on events that discussed some of the more sensitive topics which affect the LGBTQ community. On Wednesday, Oct. 9, the RRC presented a Lunch & Learn at the MSC Lounge which discussed how initiatives that fight for marriage, adoption and reproductive rights affect marginalized communities within the LGBTQ community differently and opened a dialogue about racial discrimination within the LGBTQ community.

The Coming Out Monologues offered members and allies to the LGBTQ community a more private space to discuss their personal struggles with their LGBTQ identities and finding a place within the community. The event, which was closed to the public, offered a safe space for people to talk about their own journey with coming out. Many of the members expressed their gratitude for having a space in which to verbalize their own experiences with being part of the LGBTQ community without judgment.

Jane Pappas, the graduate advisor for the club spoke briefly at the event.

“There’s power in solidarity, and power in folks just leaning on each other within the community,” Pappas noted.

MJ Smith, the president of Wildestein, expressed how important the event was to the club members.

“This [was] an opportunity to speak your power about your coming out story and to be proud of who you are,” Smith said.

While members of Wildestein who participated in the event wished to remain anonymous, many of the dialogues focused on a common element within the LGBTQ community; understanding that each person’s experience is individual, and that many aspects of coming out can create difficult divides in relationships between family members and friends. Each speaker touched on different realizations that they had during their coming out journey, such as the struggle to feel as though their identity was accepted and expressed relief at forming “found family” relationships within the UMaine community.

The UMaine community wrapped up Coming Out Week with National Coming Out Day on Friday, Oct. 12. UMaine will hold Pride Week in April. For those interested in joining Wildestein, contact Jane Pappas at jane.pappas@maine.edu.

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On Oct. 2, 2019, the second day of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the annual March Against Domestic Violence was held on the university Mall at the University of Maine. Several different on-campus groups, including the UMaine Male Athletes Against Violence, the UMaine Swim Team, Young Americans For Liberty, The UMaine College Democrats, UMaine’s Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), Partners for Peace, Rape Response Services, the UMaine Feminist Collective and the Rising Tide Feminist Collective gathered to stand up for survivors of domestic violence and commemorate the lives lost to violent partners. 

The march drew a large crowd of people who came from all walks of life. Due to the large turnout, some people had to scramble for room during the march.

“I’ve done this march for many years and this is the largest one I’ve seen,” Andrea Gifford, the assistant dean and director of student and administrative support services said. 

Maine has some of the highest rates of domestic violence in the United States, which drew people to the march to observe the seriousness of this issue. According to recent data, one in  four women and one in seven men in Maine have experienced domestic violence. 

The Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence reports that incidents of domestic violence are reported to Maine law enforcement every two hours and five minutes. In 2017, domestic violence assaults made up 40% of all reported assaults in Maine. Worst of all, the Bangor Daily News reports that half of all homicides in Maine were related to domestic violence. 

For many of the marchers, domestic violence is a highly personal issue. 

Monica Figueroa, a fourth-year student studying Communications and Media studies, said she was at this march to stand up for her mother. Figueroa’s mother survived domestic abuse from her former husband, which had a huge impact on Figueroa’s life. 

“Basically, what happened was, [when] I was a junior in high school, I came home, and when I came home and walked through the door, [my mom] was covered in blood. She had her upper lip busted open,” Figueroa commented.

Figueroa described the shock she felt after seeing her mother in such a battered state. 

“It was just kind of a hard thing for me to see being the only girl in the family,” she noted. “I never grew up around that kind of environment, because my mom hid it away from my brothers and I.”

Following the abuse she’d faced, Figueroa’s mother sought legal action against her perpetrator. She reported the abuse to the police and took her abuser to court. 

“My mom won her case, in the sense that [her abuser] got put away for five years,” Figueroa said.

Additionally, Figueroa emphasized the importance of this march and other events for survivors. She encouraged the UMaine community to take further action to provide resources for survivors of domestic abuse.

“I agree that the march is a good idea [for domestic violence awareness]. Moreso, I feel as though we should be promoting more events for people to speak out and express any situations they may be having with family,” Figueroa said. 

Jim Settele, interim director of athletics at UMaine, also expressed that he feels as though the UMaine community should do more for survivors than just an annual march. 

“We don’t recognize this issue and issues like this enough,” Settele remarked. “We did a great walk today, a lot of people showed up, athletics is out here in force as they always are, but we’ll walk away from this, hear a couple of talks, but what’s next? What are we doing to stop domestic violence, to stop sexual harassment, to stop sexual abuse? How do we keep the energy that’s in the walk? How does it manifest itself in changing the culture, not just on campus, but maybe something more significant?” 

Amber Hathaway, a P.h.D. candidate in the physics department and a member of UMaine’s Rising Tide Feminist Collective, offered an outlet and safe space to talk about the issue of domestic violence. The Rising Tide Feminist Collective will be hosting “Take Back the Night” on Oct. 23, which is an event that is centered around discussing the impact of surviving domestic violence. 

If you or someone you know is currently facing domestic violence or dating abuse, do not hesitate to call the UMaine Police Department (207-581-4040), the UMaine Women’s Resource Center (207-581-9509), the UMaine Student Alliance for Sexual Health at m.me/umainesash, Title IX Student Services (207-581-1406), Rape Response Services (1-800-871-7741), or Partners for Peace (1-800-863-9909, or 1-800-437-1220 for TTY). 

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion, a subsidiary office within the Division of Student Life, expects to soon change the name and administrative structure of its Women’s Resource Center (WRC). These changes are anticipated to come through a process of organizational restructuring in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, which has just this year acquired administrative control over the formerly unaffiliated WRC.

Operated by graduate and undergraduate student employees, as well as university administration in the Division of Student Life, the WRC, Multicultural Student Center (MSC) and Rainbow Resource Center (RRC) are together organized and controlled under the auspices of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The latter two of the three centers – the MSC and the RRC — serve primarily as social spaces for UMaine students. The spaces mostly attract students with ethnically diverse backgrounds and students who identify on the LGBTQ spectrum, but they are open to all students in the UMaine community. The spaces offer a variety of educational events that are intended to foster a welcoming environment and provide visitors with a sense of belonging and fellowship.

In a conversation with the Maine Campus about the WRC, Anila Karunakar, the university’s director of diversity and inclusion, explained that the WRC has not yet decided on its new name if a change is in fact to occur. However, she added that meetings have been scheduled between herself and the center’s student employees, and that she expects the matter to be resolved before the weekend.

Remus Anderson, a student employee, and one of the WRC’s co-directors, commented on the changes which have affected UMaine’s WRC over the last two decades. 

“The center existed in the ‘90s as a part of the WGS [Women’s, Gender, Sexuality Studies] Department before becoming defunded and later brought back in 2016,” Anderson said. 

When asked whether the WRC is associated with either the university’s Feminist Collective or Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department, Anderson responded: “We are no longer directly tied to the Feminist Collective or the WGS Department but we do partner with them from time to time.”

“The Women’s Resource Center is a valued member of the UMaine community and the Division of Student Life,” Robert Dana, vice president for student life and dean of students, told the Maine Campus. “We have recently welcomed our new director to run the Office for Diversity and Inclusion, Anila Karunakar, who oversees the running of the three centers. Anila uses her skills to develop student leaders in the Women’s Resource Center, the Rainbow Resource Center, and the Multicultural Student Center to create [a] stronger community that is inclusive and student-focused. The Women’s Resource Center is run by passionate work-study students who actively promote education around feminism and body positivity through programming in the center. We are thrilled that the WRC is committed in our endeavors to contribute to a more inclusive and student-friendly campus.”

Although administrators within the Office of Diversity and Inclusion are in the process of restructuring the WRC, neither of the office’s other two subsidiaries, the Multicultural and Rainbow Resource Centers, nor their upcoming event program schedules, are expected to be altered in any way.

The MSC’s next program, which is set for noon on Wednesday, Oct. 17 in Room 312 of the Memorial Union, will address the concept of cultural appropriation and its abundance in modern American society, while the RRC will separately be celebrating Coming Out Week from Monday, Oct. 7, until Friday Oct. 11, a date which has been designated as National Coming Out Day. At least three events have been scheduled for each day from Monday through Thursday by the RRC, beginning with Monday’s flag-raising ceremony at noon on the university Mall.

Both the Women’s Resource Center and Rainbow Resource Center can be found on the Memorial Union’s second-floor corridor, in Rooms 227 and 224, respectively. The Multicultural Center and the Office of the Director of Diversity and Inclusion are located on the third floor in the adjacent Rooms 310 and 312.   

The University of Maine Police Department (UMPD) recently developed and released a smartphone app called Black Bear Safe in an attempt to make the campus a safer place for students. 

The app, which is free, is available on Apple’s App Store as well as on Google’s Play Store. Through the app, students are able to access a wide variety of services to help them stay safe, whether they are reporting an incident anonymously or using the app to contact emergency services. 

Black Bear Safe offers the ability to quickly call 911 or area police stations at the press of a thumb. It also allows app users to send an emergency dispatcher their location from the app, which allows responders to more easily find someone in distress. This feature, called the “mobile blue light” function, is reminiscent of the physical blue light stations located around the UMaine campus, which allow users to speak with a dispatcher at the press of a button. The mobile app is a viable option for students to be able to reach out to UMPD if they are not within the distance of a blue light station. 

The app also has a form that lets people anonymously submit tips about incidents on campus. If you use the app to report an incident, you can attach a photo or video of the incident to alert UMPD as to the severity. UMPD anticipates that this feature will be used to report fender benders and other minor car damages. 

The Black Bear Safe app will also provide emergency plans, which will help guide people through situations where they may need advice or support. There are also ways to access support services for Title IX services, health counseling and mental health counseling. 

Fourth-year student Ryan LaGross has already used the app. LaGross has an undiagnosed condition that causes him to have unpredictable seizures. He had been looking for ways to keep himself safe if he felt a seizure starting, and opened up dialogue with UMPD on how to get in touch with emergency services or a dispatcher before he became unresponsive. Black Bear Safe, which allows you to alert emergency services through the touch of a button, was a good option for LaGross. 

“I can feel my seizures coming on about one minute in advance, so I determined that it would be best to call for first responders in case I do get hurt,” LaGross said. “They showed me a simple function on the Black Bear Safe app that allows you to choose which emergency number to use so I just pressed ‘UMaine Police Department’ and luckily had enough time to explain where I was and that I was having a seizure before my seizure actually started.” 

LaGross notes that when he can feel a seizure coming on it is crucial he contact a dispatcher quickly. 

“When I feel the seizures start I get extremely disoriented but the app is very simple to use and I had no problem navigating the emergency contacts and choosing the right one,” LaGross said. “The emergency contact feature that I did use was very quick. I don’t remember exactly how long it took but I just hit the correct contact and the next thing I remember is talking to a police officer, it likely took a maximum of 10 seconds.”

The app is a good way to help maintain a feeling of safety within the UMaine community. 

“Because it is fast and simple, I think this app could be used by everyone. It can be helpful in maintaining a general feeling of safety for individual students and the UMaine community as a whole,” LaGross stated.

On Tuesday, Sept. 24, the University of Maine community gathered in the lobby of the Class of 1944 Hall, just in front of Hauck Auditorium. It was a bustling and lively scene, filled with students, faculty, alumni and supporters of the university. Each person in the room was there for the same reason; to listen to a lecture delivered by Emily Cain, an executive director, politician and UMaine alumna.

Cain has made her mark on both local and national politics many times throughout her life. At only 24 years old, Cain was elected in District 19 to the Maine House of Representatives. She served eight years in the Maine House of Representatives, before being elected as a State Senator for District 30 in 2012. After serving a decade in the Maine State Legislature and running two unsuccessful campaigns for U.S. Congress, Cain became the executive director of the Political Action Committee (PAC), EMILY’s List.

At Hauck Auditorium, Cain extensively discussed her career in politics with the audience to a full house. Citing Charlie Salvin as her inspiration, Cain talked to the audience about her success as the state’s youngest legislator. She also detailed the journey that she undertook to become the first woman Floor Minority leader of Maine, noting that she “passed good laws and balanced budgets” throughout her career. 

Cain then described the work she has done as the executive director for EMILY’s List — a PAC that helps elect Democratic, pro-choice women — and how it has helped many women around Maine. She noted that since she had accepted this position in 2017, she has brought about progressive changes. During Cain’s time as the executive director, the staff of EMILY’s list had increased by 30%, and 49,000 women had reached out to them for campaign assistance within the past year. EMILY’s List has also helped elect dozens of women during the 2018 election cycle. According to Cain, “40% of these women were women of color.”

For Cain, allowing women the opportunity to run for office and win is important. 

“Women in politics are what holds the system together. Women in politics pass more bills and do more bipartisan work. These things, especially bipartisan work, are important to the vast majority of American voters,” Cain said. 

Within the past year, the gender gap has been closing in the political arena. More women are running for offices and being elected than ever before. Cain takes pride in her work with EMILY’s List to help more women succeed in politics.

“The good news is, women are coming to run for office, and I am so excited that at EMILY’s List, we can play a role in helping them get started and then win their races,” she said. 

Many of Cain’s supporters also see gender equality as something to strive for and are hopeful for the change that programs like EMILY’s list may bring. Lauren Turcotte, a first-year student of the UMaine Honors College finds inspiration in the fact that there are more women in politics. She acknowledged that it makes a huge difference for young women to see strong role models in political positions of power. 

“I think a nation isn’t equally represented until every single person who needs representation is in those positions in politics,” Turcotte said. 

Virginia Hugo-Vidal, a political science and international relations double major, aspires to become an elected official. Cain’s work with EMILY’s List is a source of inspiration for her. 

“Women cannot succeed without EMILY’s List doing the work it does, because by electing pro-choice, Democratic women, it gives women the stability they need in politics,” Hugo-Vidal commented. 

Both Turcotte and Hugo-Vidal find the work Cain has done with EMILY’s List to be inspiring, and feel as though representation is necessary in the current political climate. 

Even considering all of the country’s gains, Cain made it clear that there is still a lot to be done. Gender inequality is still a very prevalent issue, especially in the political arena. 

“Women make up over half the population, and not even 25% of congress,” Cain noted. According to the Center for American Women And Politics, men still dominate the American political system. Throughout American history, only four women have served on the Supreme court, 25 have held seats in the Senate and 102 have held seats in Congress. This means that women make up only 23.7% of both levels of Congress and 33% of the Supreme Court.           

Cain, whose work has inspired and enabled women to break through the glass ceiling into the world of politics, delivered a rousing lecture. Cain taught the UMaine community valuable information about the work she’s done for women in politics with EMILY’s List all while encouraging the progress and development of women’s rights, leaving the audience informed, inspired and ready to take action.

This past week, the University of Maine took part in observing National Hazing Prevention Week (NHPW). The weeklong event spans the last week of September and is a nationwide effort to raise awareness of how hazing has impacted many lives across the country. The week of Sept. 23- 27 was observed within the UMaine community by many of the constituents of the Interfraternity Council, the Panhellenic Council and the administration and faculty of UMaine. 

In past years, the university has had to intervene with student organizations to prevent hazing, so observing NHPW has a large impact on the wellbeing of the community. Last year, the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity did not join in rush week because of hazing allegations. 

National Hazing Prevention Week was established in 2007 by HazingPrevention.org, a non-profit dedicated to raising awareness of how to identify hazing as well as the effects that hazing has on communities. HazingPrevention.org recognizes that hazing doesn’t only affect students on academic campuses; their goal is to bring together communities in the discussion of the issue. They sponsor programs throughout elementary, middle and high schools, as well as at university and college campuses and military training facilities. 

UMaine celebrated the week by encouraging students to engage in a conversation about hazing. Many of the Interfraternity and Panhellenic Council members were given the opportunity to table at the Memorial Union to hold discussions and participate in NHPW. 

The UMaine Student Affairs Department also hosted a table in the Memorial Union and encouraged passing students to sign a banner to pledge their support towards NHPW and to show that the UMaine community is dedicated to hazing recognition and prevention. 

Robert Dana, the vice president for student life and dean of students is dedicated to the effort to prevent hazing at the university. 

“Hazing obviously has its roots in establishing bonds and connections to a group. Hazing is, however, a dangerous and typically demeaning behavior that actually weakens bonds and loyalty to a group. If a group seeks to establish a common bonding experience the best and most effective efforts assure that the activity is safe and respectful of people,” Dana said. “Embarrassing, shaming, frightening or otherwise subjecting a person to any expectation that they must do something to be accepted is wrong.” 

Dana noted that the UMaine community can be stronger if the members focus on ways to form positive, uplifting connections with others in their social group. 

“Instead [of hazing], dignifying someone and sharing healthy and positive experiences that all members participate in likely will lead to a strong bond, a stronger group, and a set of experiences that everyone is proud of and which demonstrates a healthy group,” Dana said.

Dana also noted that UMaine is a zero-tolerance community when it comes to hazing.

“Hazing can be found in any sort of group but we have zero tolerance for it – whether subtle or severe – and my hope for this community is for all of us to be part of the no hazing imperative,” Dana said. “Here we do not haze. We’re better than that and all of us pulling together can assure nothing like this is now or ever a part of our community culture.”

This year, the University of Maine was granted $1.4 million to go toward floating offshore renewable wind energy technology. This competitive award is meant for projects that will make wind turbine technology more efficient and has been granted to 12 other programs around the United States to fund the pursuit of renewable energy. The award was announced by Maine Sens. Angus King and Susan Collins. 

To go forward with this project, the UMaine Advanced Structures and Composites Center will be using technology from NASA that was originally designed to be used in rockets to help monitor and manage vibrations caused during use. This technology, used in the floating turbines, will counteract the turbine’s motions and will allow for lighter platforms, increased turbine production and lower cost of energy. The combination of the motion monitoring technology and floating turbine platforms is a new method that could revolutionize the process of adapting floating wind turbines. 

“With this funding, we plan to further stabilize our floating wind turbine hull in extreme storms by integrating NASA rocket vibration suppression technology into the design,” Habib Dagher, executive director of UMaine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center, said. “This will help lighten the hull and further decrease our already very low electricity costs.”

UMaine has had years to anticipate how to implement a project like this. Over the last 12 years, UMaine has been designing and implementing the first grid-connected offshore wind turbine in the U.S. As the university develops more wind turbine technology, it will be tested in the Harold Alfond W2 Wind-Wave Ocean Engineering Laboratory.

“This program will leverage the unique design, numerical modeling and scale model testing expertise located at the UMaine Harold Alfond W2 Ocean Engineering Laboratory to significantly advance this concept and offer a cost-competitive solution to industry” Anthony Viselli, the manager of offshore model testing and structural design at the University of Maine Advanced Structures and Composites Center, said. 

This program will give the UMaine engineers the experience that is needed for other projects like this. If the university is able to successfully implement an offshore wind turbine, the engineers will be able to generate data on the effectiveness of the model. This will then allow them to move forward with other technology to harvest renewable energy. This project will also hopefully be the first of similar designs.

As Maine pushes toward more renewable energy options, technology like floating turbines could revolutionize the way that power is generated throughout the state and throughout the nation. The Gulf of Maine is famous for its powerful winds, and by generating wind power in the Gulf of Maine, floating turbines could potentially generate enough power to heat every home in Maine and provide electricity for electric cars. 

Another hope is that this project will lead to many more floating turbines and may even lead to the first offshore grid that contains only floating turbines.

The state of Maine is making progress toward administering single accreditation for all schools that are a part of the University of Maine System. The accreditation will accommodate all of the University of Maine locations at Farmington, Orono, Augusta, Fort Kent, Machias and Presque Isle, and will include the University of Southern Maine in Portland. 

Currently, each university receives a different accreditation given to them by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), regardless of the fact that they are all part of the University of Maine System. For a university to have and maintain an accreditation signifies to the NECHE that they have acquired a certain quality level. Eesha Pendharkar of the Bangor Daily News describes accreditation as “essentially a stamp of approval that shows it meets a benchmark of equality.”

The Chancellor of the University of Maine System Dannel Malloy proposed a recommendation for a state-wide single accreditation which was approved by the board of trustees. Pendharkar writes how this improvement has the potential to benefit the 300,000 students in the system, as well as the educational institutions themselves because it means each of the universities will be working together more closely.

The single accreditation will benefit students who are taking courses at other universities because it helps to ensure that most, if not all of the classes taken, will be transferable between campuses. Additionally, high school students deciding to take advantage of the UMaine courses offered at many high schools around Maine will be ensured the credits will be applicable at any of the UMaine locations. 

Furthermore, UMaine is trying to increase its numbers of high school students taking courses at the university. The credit high schoolers earn through the University of Maine System can be transferable, and in the past has been applicable to any of the UMaine institutions. Often, these courses stand in place of traditional Advanced Placement (AP) courses, which require students to take an assessment at the end of the year. If the student is not able to score a three or above on the AP test, they often will not earn any transferable credits from that semester’s work.

Students who have taken classes in high school through the college system find it very beneficial once they reach a university. Jasper Sommer, a third-year student, took advantage of the opportunity to gain college credit while still in high school. Sommer had taken courses at the University of Southern Maine (USM) in Portland throughout his high school career and earned college credits in psychology, multiple calculus courses and statistics. 

“Taking these courses at USM really helped me along with my degree at UMaine before I even knew it. All the courses I took transferred here which has sped my progress along. I would strongly recommend it to any and every high school student to take advantage of this opportunity,” Sommer said. 

Bethany Rozzi, a second year, also took classes through UMaine while still in high school. Rozzi, who took a math class online through the university, is grateful for the opportunity to get ahead in her college credits.  

“It was definitely a financially smart move to take math in high school. I have the credit now, and it’s one less course I have to take in the future,” Rozzi said.