Six students have been referred to conduct in relation to the March 17 vandalisms at several fraternities on College Ave. Between March 17-19, a series of vandalisms and petty thefts occurred, in which several fraternities had letters stolen from their signs.

Overnight on March 17, Alpha Sigma Phi, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Phi Eta Kappa, Theta Chi and Beta Theta Pi had their signs stolen. On March 18, Phi Eta Kappa and Delta Tau Delta reported several burglaries, which involved an estimated $1,000 in damages. On March 19, multiple vehicles were vandalized overnight in the rear parking lot of the Lambda Chi Alpha chapter.

There is an active investigation underway regarding the burglaries and vandalism, and UMPD is exploring the possibility that the crimes could be linked. As of April 20, six students have been referred to conduct for the sign vandalism on March 17.

UMPD released video footage of the suspected burglars on their Facebook page and website, and are asking for assistance in identifying the perpetrator.

“Even though the face is covered in the video, someone knows who this is,” Detective William Flagg said. “Anyone who has info on who this is, is encouraged to call [(207)] 581-4040.”

Another investigation is underway regarding a series of bicycle thefts which occurred outside of Somerset Hall between April 18-19. Sometime between 11 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. multiple bikes were reported stolen from a bike rack outside Somerset Hall, with their chains holding the bikes in place having been cut. Flagg encourages anyone who has lost their bikes to report the thefts to UMPD.

Contributed by Guest Author Colin Gallagher

Brian McNaught held a special conference at the D.P. Corbett building at the University of Maine this Tuesday, pertaining to LGBTQ issues. 

McNaught is the author of over 13 books and is most widely known as a diversity and sensitivity educator who specializes in LGBTQ issues in the workplace. With a career spanning 48 years, The New York Times has named him the “godfather of gay diversity training.”

At beginning of the discussion, attendees both in-person and viewing online were asked to answer yes or no questions surrounding lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer topics. An astonishing 98% of the attendees said that they were not taught about these topics while in elementary school.

McNaught also talked about the recent and extremely controversial ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, which is being pushed in 16 states. Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida since 2019, recently signed the bill into law on March 29. 

This bill being put into place means that discussions surrounding issues pertaining to gender identity or LGBTQ discussion will be banned or restricted in a classroom setting. DeSantis says that children will be sent to school with their parents knowing their child will receive an education and “not an indoctrination,” according to a report by The Guardian. 

Student attendees from UMaine asked McNaught how they could sway decisions on future bills. 

“If you’re lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, come out and put a face on the issue,”  McNaught answered. “Those of you who are straight and cisgender, you can stand up as an ally. If you hear people say things on the [campus], speak up. Make sure to call Congress, or you can call the legislatures of Florida.”

The issue surrounding representation isn’t limited to the American education system. The workforce still has many problems surrounding the treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals. An estimated 40% of workers who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer have experienced some form of office mistreatment during their lives, according to the University of California in Los Angeles. 

Having decades of experience, McNaught gave some insight on the matter.

“The issue is when you come out, people don’t talk to you anymore, not because you’re hostile, but they don’t know what to say,” McNaught said. “I help them [get] past their fear.”

The discussion lasted from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. McNaught led most of the discussion with his own personal stories. He talked about how he was once a Catholic columnist in the city of Detroit before officially coming out in 1974. 

Nearly 50 years later, the same problems plague our world. After the Florida government passing this bill, a massive student walkout occurred at Winter Park High School in Orange County to protest.

“The most powerful tool I have is telling my story,” McNaught said.

On March 26, the University of Maine issued a statement regarding an update to its masking policy. The statement declared that masks are now optional in indoor and outdoor spaces for students, staff, faculty and visitors, effective March 26. This policy also declared that masks were optional for everyone, regardless of vaccination status.

Masks are still required in classrooms, research spaces and instructional areas, unless faculty members have given explicit permission otherwise. Masks are also required for UMS events which host over 75 people, unless it is an event which requires proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test results.

This update to UMaine’s masking policies comes after a number of other universities in the region waived their requirements. Institutions including Husson University and Colby College waived their masking requirements earlier this March in accordance with the updated Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines.

While faculty have been given the ability to choose whether or not to uphold the old masking policy, students have expressed mixed feelings toward the update. Many students still wear masks in public spaces to limit the risks of spreading the virus. 

Teddy Fegly, a fourth-year psychology and history student, spoke to the reasons why he chooses to wear masks in public spaces.

“I usually wear a mask everywhere I go anyways,” Fegly said. “I have made it this far without getting COVID[-19] and I would like to continue ensuring that I don’t get that. I also don’t want to risk getting anyone else sick.”

Jordan Bessette, a fourth-year mechanical engineering technology student, also expressed concern for the lifted mandate.

“All of my professors have lifted it. I understand the want for normalcy. It’s all anyone has ever wanted for the past two years,” Bessette said. “However, I am still incredibly wary because the statistic used to determine the change was that only 1% of students tested positive before leaving for break. That data only reflects tests that have been taken, and not all of the students on campus have tested, so we can’t definitively know what the rates actually are.”

Other students have had mixed emotions on the issue. Kaitlyn Sutton, a fourth-year nursing student, spoke about her experiences with the new mask policy.

“I don’t really know how I feel about the no masks in public areas. It still feels weird, but it was kind of nice seeing everyone’s face again that I’ve been studying with since freshman year,” Sutton said about the updated policy.

She also spoke about the fact that there are still a comfortable level of restrictions.

“I only have one teacher this year that lifted the mandate. I felt pretty safe because I know that everyone is vaccinated because they have to be to work at the hospital,” Sutton said. “I am still required to wear a mask at the hospital.”

While the masking policy has been lifted across the state in accordance with the CDC’s guidelines, there has been an increase in COVID-19 cases in several counties within Maine. According to data collected by the Maine Division of Disease Surveillance, in Penobscot county alone there were 282 positive cases in the last 14 days. This data makes up for two of the 11 outbreaks which have occurred in the state over the past two weeks. In the past 28 days, Penobscot county has seen 502 total cases of COVID-19 reported, meaning that well over half of these recent cases have occurred within the past 14 days.

UMaine is closely monitoring the situation in the state, and will adjust their mask policies as they see fit depending upon how cases of COVID-19 continue to trend. Students still maintain the right to wear a mask if they see fit to do so.

On March 24, University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy was announced to have been appointed to U.S. President Joe Biden’s Committee on the National Medal of Science.

The Committee on the National Medal of Science is composed of sixteen members who award the nation’s highest scientific achievement award. The award is given in recognition of outstanding achievements in the fields of engineering, mathematics, biology, chemistry, behavioral and social sciences and physics.

The National Medal of Science was established in 1961 during John F. Kennedy’s presidency, and was first awarded to Theodore Von Karman for his research with jet propulsion. The medal has since been awarded to 506 scientists and researchers.

Ferrini-Mundy’s appointment to the committee has been applauded by Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King.

“During her time at the University of Maine, Dr. Ferrini-Mundy has worked to solidify the school as a global leader in education and research, and she has helped train a new generation of Maine scientists,” Collins and King announced in a joint press release.

They went on to congratulate Ferrini-Mundy for the accomplishment.

“We congratulate her on this well-deserved recognition, and we know that she will be an immense asset to the President’s Committee on the National Medal of Science.” Collins and King said in their release.

UMaine has also recently received accreditation as an R1 research university under Ferrini-Mundy’s leadership, making UMaine the only institution in Maine to receive that level of recognition. UMaine received the accreditation from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education earlier this year, a prestigious accreditation reserved for only the highest performing research universities in the nation. Only 146 universities out of approximately 4,000 postsecondary institutions share this accreditation.

Ferrini-Mundy’s leadership and dedication to the importance of scientific research and STEM education have been recognized at a national level and her appointment to Biden’s Committee on the National Medal of Science is a testament to that dedication.

“The appointment by President Biden to serve on the President’s Committee on the National Medal of Science is a distinct honor,” President Ferrini-Mundy said. “The recognition of the importance, value and contributions of the sciences, in all their forms, reminds us of the difference they make in our lives and in society. The same is true of the arts and humanities. Together, they are critical to who we are and what we can become, and it’s important to recognize and appreciate people who advance them.”

The President’s Committee on the National Medal of Science was disbanded following Barack Obama’s presidency, but is making its return this upcoming year. The committee will receive nominations, and deliberate on their selections for the award before seeking confirmation from President Biden on their selections. A candidate’s nomination is effective for three years and typically the award is given to up to twenty nominees per award season.

On Feb. 14, the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions hosted a discussion called “Wabanaki Fisheries: What Rivers Teach us About Partnerships” at Norman Smith Hall. The presentation was hosted by David Hart, the director of the center, and Tony Sutton, who earned his doctorate in ecology and environmental science from the University of Maine.

The presentation was introduced by Hart, who took a moment to remind the audience of the mission of the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions, which is to create a brighter future inside and outside of Maine by seeking collaborative solutions to sustainability issues. He then introduced Sutton, a member of the Passomoquody nation, who has dedicated his time to researching how to amplify Indigenous voices in discussions about environmental design and sustainability.

Sutton began with a brief synopsis describing his work as an undergraduate student. He talked about his experience with his interest in trying to unite Indigenous voices with sustainability solutions. When he expressed his desires, he was told simply “good luck.”

Sutton’s lecture primarily focused on the question of partnerships, and how the life-sustaining properties of rivers can reflect the notion of partnership between Indigenous people and those tasked with managing natural resources. Sutton’s work emphasizes the idea that fish passage is not just about food, but instead about values.

Sutton spoke about how his research involved visiting historical locations of displacement, including forts at key access points along Maine’s riverways. The colonization efforts that plugged the mouths of Maine’s key rivers also restricted access to life-giving places. Among the forts and locations that he visited were Cushnok, Fort Halifax and Fort Pownall. 

Sutton told the story of how these places reflect ongoing issues within the Indigenous community. While walking around Cushnok, Sutton was approached by a tour guide who asked him to leave, leading Sutton to reflect on the “role this fort first had in displacing our Wabanaki relatives.”

Sutton’s journey also took him to Fort Pownall, where he found land teeming with wildlife and waters full of fish. He saw that the land was communicating with him, and talked about how we have to give the land gratitude in return.

Sutton concluded his discussion by re-emphasizing the importance of these partnerships and acknowledging what the land needs, before opening the floor to questions.

Sutton was asked about advice he would give to open people’s minds to this collaborative research. To answer this question Sutton returned to an anecdote he had told earlier in the presentation about his experience looking for fiddleheads with his son.

“[It is] important to note that I didn’t find fiddleheads because I was going to look for them… it’s not something I was looking for, it was something the land was teaching me.” Sutton said. He said it’s important “to be open to the thing when it is presented to you.”

Following this event, the Senator George J. Mitchell Center hosted a new segment of their sustainability series, the Career Q&A, where students could ask questions about Sutton’s research and his career path. This new segment of the discussion series is designed to encourage students to explore careers in sustainability research by speaking to professionals in the field.

The next Sustainability Talks series discussion will take place on Feb. 28 and will address the resiliency of the Maine coast in the face of climate change.

The University of Maine and HELP University Malaysia have signed a five-year-long research partnership to encourage cooperation between the institutions. UMaine signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with HELP University on Dec. 3 which outlines the nature of the partnership.

The memorandum was signed by UMaine Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs John Volin and HELP Vice Chancellor Datuk Paul Chan at a virtual ceremony. Amongst the goals outlined in the agreement are joint research initiatives between the institutions, as well as collaborative programs and faculty exchanges. The partnership will also provide educational transfer pathways for both graduate and undergraduate students.

HELP University was founded in 1986 by Paul Chanat in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The institution is one of the leading research institutions in the country, and has programs in business, IT, law, management and economics, among other programs. The institution also has partnerships with over 100 other U.S. and Canadian universities, which have provided over 4,500 students with educational opportunities through the American Degree Transfer Program.

Both institutions are looking forward to the opportunities that this partnership will bring.

“This MOU lays a foundation to be creative and innovative in exploring new academic and research collaborations,” Volin said. “Partnerships such as these send a strong positive signal that we are advancing and growing our international relationships, and they highlight the importance in the broader educational enterprise.”

Chan echoed these sentiments, explaining the potential for climate change research brought about by this partnership.

“In Asia, there’s a great concern about climate change [and] sustainability issues, and UMaine is conducting this type of research,” Chan said. ”Hence, besides the dual MBA program that we’re discussing and the other credit transfer programs in business, psychology, education and so on, we would like to include research, staff development and training. I want to emphasize mobility because we want young Americans and our young Asians, who are both the future leaders of the world, to get to know each other.”

Along with climate science and sustainability, HELP has also created the Center of Regenerative Sustainability, which features a partnership with Thought for Food, an innovation engine for food and agriculture, to explore food sustainability programs. 

The institutions are currently exploring a number of transfer pathways for graduate and undergraduate students in their MBA programs. Pathways include a dual MBA program, as well as a 2+2 pathway. Collaborations for other programs include a 3+1 psychology program for undergraduate students and a graduate program in global policy.

Dr. Norm O’Reilly, the dean of UMaine’s Graduate School of Business, spoke to the nature of the program as a great opportunity for the diversification of the university’s MBA program.

“The fact that students would receive two MBA degrees, one from each institution, is not to be underestimated in the current global environment. This partnership has the potential to diversify the student experience, internationalize our classes, share knowledge and graduate leaders with a global perspective,” O’Reilly said.

The collaboration between these institutions promises growth in the fields of business and climate research.

The results of the Nov. 2 referendum election have come in, and Maine citizens voted in favor of all three measures presented on the ballot.

The first question regarded the CMP corridor and future energy project legislation. Question 1 asked whether the Maine legislature should ban the construction of the CMP corridor, and whether in the future similar energy projects should be passed only by a two-thirds majority vote in the Maine legislature. The measure passed with a vote of 59% in favor of the ban and 41% against. This means that construction on the CMP corridor will be halted, and any future high-impact electrical transmission line construction must be approved by the Maine legislature.

The second question on the ballot involved passing a $100 million bond for the sake of constructing or repairing state infrastructure and transportation. The measure passed with a majority vote of 72% in favor of the bond and only 28% against. Directly following the results of the election, Maine Department of Transportation commissioner Bruce Van Note expressed his gratitude for those who supported the measure’s passing.

“On behalf of the nearly 1,700 dedicated and hardworking team members at the Maine Department of Transportation, I want to thank Maine voters for approving Question 2 today,” Van Note said in a statement to News Center Maine. “We are fortunate that Mainers historically have shown overwhelming support for transportation funding, and this year is no different. We never take that support for granted. Thank you.”

Van Note went on to describe precisely the effect that this measure will have on MDOT’s work. With this $100 million bond, the total investments given to the department will be increased to around $253 million, making this bond investment over 40% of MDOT’s budget.

“These dollars are critical to our mission. Without these funds, we simply could not do our job for the people who live, work and travel in Maine,” Van Note said.

Question 3 involved the ratification of a state constitutional amendment to make it a right for all Mainers to grow, raise, harvest, produce and consume food of their choosing. The Right to Food amendment passed with a vote of 61% in favor of its ratification and 39% against.

The passing of this amendment is the first of its kind to be passed in the United States, and makes it legal for Mainers to grow food and raise livestock in their backyards. Major concerns which were raised by opponents to the measure included animal safety and welfare, as well as food safety. Some of the proponents of the measure argue that the amendment’s passing will help prevent the complete erasure of self-sustainability and small farming.

With all three of these measures being approved in the Maine referendum election of 2021, the CMP corridor has been banned, MDOT has been approved for increased funding and Mainers have earned the right to grow and consume their own food and livestock.

Voting season is quickly approaching; on Nov. 2 the polls will open for elections on a number of state and local issues. College students who are currently residents in the state of Maine are eligible to vote in state elections and are encouraged to do so.

UMaine/Orono Voting Registration

 Students are eligible to register to vote the same day they are heading to the polls. In order to register to vote, students may visit the Center for Student Involvement between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Students also have the option to register at the Orono Town Hall on Main Street and only need to provide an ID and proof of residency to register. Residency can be proved using one of the following: a lease, a piece of mail, a utility bill or a student’s MaineStreet account with their Maine address. Students may also use their UMaine ID card as proof of identity.

Absentee Ballot Requests

 The town of Orono also has absentee ballot request options available. The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot has passed, however those students who have requested them before Oct. 28 may submit their absentee ballot to the town office on Main Street before 8 p.m. on election day. UMaine UVote’s website reminds students that the absentee ballots may not be submitted through the Center for Student Involvement or through Residence Halls.

Essential Voter Registration Requirements

Eligibility requirements in the state of Maine include having U.S. citizenship, being 18 years of age by the time of election day and having an established and maintained residence in the municipality you intend to vote in.

Local Voting Locations

 On Election Day, UMaine will be hosting a location to vote at the New Balance Field House between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Old Town residents will be able to vote at the Elks Lodge at 37 Fourth Street in Old Town. For information on where to vote if you reside outside of Orono or Old Town, students may visit the Maine.gov voting information lookup service.

Ballot Content Resources

 It is also important that students research the issues currently up for vote this season. The UMaine Fogler Library is providing a comprehensive database of candidates, issues and questions that will appear on the ballots on Nov. 2. This service also provides data from past election years, as well as resources for further information on voter registration.

Aquaculture, despite being a growing and environmentally conscious industry, has had mixed community support in the state of Maine over the past few years. Members of the School of Marine Science at the University of Maine, master’s student Melissa Britsch, professor Heather Leslie and professor Joshua Stoll, conducted a social study to survey these diverse opinions from the Maine community. The research team, in order to find a common ground where aquaculture policy can be built from, recently published their findings in Marine Policy, a scientific journal whose main goal is to educate its readers on the most recent developments in marine policy, ranging from the international to regional level.

 Aquaculture is the process of propagating and then harvesting different native fish species in an effort to revitalize their habitats and populations, and it has had a long history on the coasts of Maine. The benefits range from having more economic promise than commercial fishing to bolstering biological potential. 

This isn’t to say that there aren’t cons to this risky venture, and many individuals, specifically in coastal Maine communities, are wary of it. In recent years, there has been widespread opposition to some aquaculture projects, but the research team discovered that overall support for aquaculture is, surprisingly, in the majority. While most people support the idea, many still have some fears, specifically when it comes to socioeconomic impacts on coastal communities and displacement of commercial fishermen, whose livelihood is tied to the Maine coast. 

All of these concerns are valid, and the results of this study, which is only one of a relatively few social surveys that has been done on the public opinion on aquaculture will be instrumental in the planning and implementation of marine policy in Maine in the years to come. 

Britsch, a recent dual master’s recipient in marine biology and marine policy at Maine, conducted this research through an interview process, with individuals who have worked in or are familiar with Maine’s aquaculture industry. The subjects were asked to rank statements, taken from published views about aquaculture, by how much they either agreed or disagreed. Britsch, as a part of her graduate research, wanted to look into aquaculture specifically because of the sustainability aspect, and while the findings didn’t necessarily find a complete common ground between the opinions of the community, it did find places where there was room to grow. 

The findings from these interviews placed the subjects into four distinct groups: full supporters, who think there are no cons to the implementation of aquaculture fisheries in Maine; those who are supporters of the economic benefits, but are worried about environmental impacts like waste pollution; those who are slow to support because of the potential socioeconomic impacts to coastal communities and those who who are wary due to fears surrounding lack of space for both commercial fishermen and these new aquaculture fisheries. These diverse views surrounding this policy will be used in the future to make sure that, not only the community’s fears are met and managed, but also the environmental ones as well.

The University of Maine was recently announced as one of the key research institutions involved in an Oregon State University project to discover the oldest ice in the Antarctic. The project has been funded with $25 million by the Science and Technology Center and will span over five years of research.

Understanding the makeup of the Antarctic is crucial in understanding how the world’s climate has changed. Currently, the oldest ice which has been drilled in the Antarctic is over 800,000 years old.

One of the lead researchers involved in the project, Ed Brook, is a leading paleoclimatologist at Oregon State University’s college of earth, ocean and atmospheric sciences. He spoke on the importance of the research he is involved with at the Center for Oldest Ice Exploration.

“What we’re after is to see how the Earth behaves when it is warmer than it has been in the last one million years,” Brook told COLDEX, one of the new science and technology centers announced by the National Science Foundation.

Brook revealed that he hopes to find ice over 1.5 million years old during the expedition. “This ice and the ancient air trapped in it will offer an unprecedented record of how greenhouse gases and climate are linked in warmer climates and will help to advance our understanding of what controls the long term rhythms of earth’s climate system,” Brook said.

One of the long term goals of the project is to find ice over three million years old. Ice that old is most likely to be located underneath Antarctica’s mountains.

Oregon State University has had a growing polar sciences program, making it the ideal institution to lead research in the Antarctic. The university also has a marine and geology repository, which is home to one of the nation’s largest repositories of oceanic sediment and samples of ice from the Antarctic.

The program will also be making use of new and innovative technologies in the field of polar ice research. One example of this technology is the “ice diver,” which is currently in development. The “ice diver,” according to Oregon State University’s press release, will be used to melt through layers of Antarctic ice and collect data on each layer as it progresses further through the earth’s surface. According to Brook, the ice layers reflect the dustiness of the atmosphere, where more dust means colder temperatures. The data collected by the “ice diver” will be instrumental in understanding the climate cycles which the earth has undergone over the past 1.5 million years.

Two of the researchers involved in the expedition are Paul Mayewksi, the director of the UMaine Climate Change Institute, and Associate Professor Andrei Kurbatov.

“This Antarctic site is already well known for one of the largest collections of Antarctic meteorites, and one of the oldest greenhouse gas measurements from trapped air bubbles,” Kurbatov told UMaine News. “We hope that the COLDEX team will continue U.S. leadership in research on Earth’s oldest ice, and recover the longest continuous ice core paleoclimate record.”

Several graduate students will also be involved in the project, and will utilize UMaine’s Keck laser ablation system.

UMaine is one of the thirteen other research institutions lending a hand to the five year COLDEX research program. The other institutions involved in the project include Amherst College, Brown University, Dartmouth College, Princeton University, University of California Berkeley, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, the University of Kansas, University of Minnesota Duluth,  University of Minnesota Twin Cities, University of Texas, and the University of Washington.