Little Hall is without a doubt the most controversial building on the University of Maine’s campus. Named after Clarence Cook Little in 1966, the name holds a complicated history. Although Little contributed to oncology and tobacco research, he also took an interest in eugenics. Eugenics is an outdated theory that defines desirable traits, and seeks to encourage people with the most “desirable” traits to reproduce with similar people. According to the theories of eugenicists, desirable traits were considered to be fair skin and able-bodiedness and undesirable traits were darker skin and disability. Little was also pro-birth control and pro-euthanasia which along with his interest in eugenics made him highly controversial. He promoted marriage segregation laws and was a firm believer that interracial love was immoral and these couples should not reproduce. Little’s other research inquired into tobacco usage and its links to cancer, finding that tobacco usage increased one’s risk of contracting cancer, but he hid these results from the public. 

Despite his concerning interests, Little was elected as UMaine’s sixth president in 1922 and served until 1925. While at UMaine he began founding what is now known as Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor. From 1925 through 1929, he served as the president for the University of Michigan but later returned to Bar Harbor for his work in Jackson Laboratory. 

Little Hall was named in 1966 but the name is now under revision by task forces and President Joan Ferrini-Mundy. UMaine’s Assistant Vice President for Student Life and Senior Associate Dean Kenda Scheele chaired both the first and second task forces charged with renaming the building. The first committee was tasked with deciding whether or not Little’s name should be removed, what the criteria should be for removing someone’s name from a building and to suggest alternate names to the board of trustees with rationale as to why those names are appropriate. The committee voted that Little’s name must be removed. They, then, stated their case to the board of trustees in a report which is widely available on UMaine’s website. 

In the 13-page report released on June 23, the task force makes a clear statement that Little’s contributions to UMaine are outweighed by his commitment to harmful scientific research. 

“[T]wo major aspects of his career are disturbing today,” the committee stated. “First, he was a notable figure in the eugenics movement in the United States, which sanctioned the identification and forced sterilization of individuals with 2 undesirable characteristics. Second, he was the lead expert in the tobacco industry’s attempt to hide the link between smoking tobacco and cancer. Little’s leadership in these latter two areas raise doubts about the appropriateness of having his name on a campus building. His short tenure as UMaine president (his only formal relationship to the university) raises further questions about whether or not he merits the symbolic honor of a building named after him in perpetuity.”

The task force also shares in their report that the University of Michigan, where Little was also president, voted to remove his name in 2018 from one of their buildings due to his professional endeavors violating current community values. The task force recommends that UMaine follows suit and removes Little’s name immediately. Currently, Little Hall is home to modern language and psychology departments at UMaine. 

Most importantly for the renaming of the building, this report notes six important criteria that must be met when generating a new name. These factors include pedagogy, due diligence, interpretation, commitment, revision and historical institutional context. The committee finds pedagogy to be the most important value as it is ranked first on the list. 

“UMaine building names should provide opportunities for learning about our past and the purpose of the university,” the website for the office of the president states. “This can include names that recognize the distinguished lives of alumni, extraordinary acts of generosity, path breaking achievements by faculty, and important administrative leadership as well as individuals who have made notable contributions to local, state, or national life.”

The second task force, also led by Scheele, is working closely with Ferrini-Mundy to decide on a new name. According to the website for the office of the president, this committee will review the June 23 report and use the six criteria the report lays out to choose a new name. Scheele remarked that this second report is very confidential because if a name suggestion is leaked and not chosen, people could end up upset if their suggestion was not chosen. The suggestion will go to a subgroup of the board of trustees for approval, and if they approve it will go to the full board of trustees. Ultimately, Ferrini-Mundy will have the final say on the name that replaces Little Hall. 

Regan McCleary, a second-year mechanical engineering student, died on Sept. 27 after jumping from the Brandon M. Silk Memorial Bridge in Orono overlooking the Stillwater River. Currently, McLeary’s death is under investigation by the Orono Police Department, who will be releasing more information to the public after the investigation is concluded. He was 19 years old and a Buxton native. McCleary excelled academically and was taking a challenging course load this semester including Engineering Graphics and Computer Aided Design, Thermodynamics I and Strength of Materials, all within the mechanical engineering department. He also frequently made the Dean’s List. 

Masoud Rais-Rohani, the chair of mechanical engineering extends his sympathies. “Unfortunately, I did not have Regan in any of my classes. However, he appeared to be doing quite well in the classes he had taken so far at UMaine and we are all very saddened by his loss. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends,” Rais-Rohani said. 

Outside of academics McCleary was also a fantastic friend to his peers. James Libby, a second-year student in kinesiology, remembers his friend as “a genuine joy to be around.”  

“No matter what he’s doing he always did it with a smile. He’s one of those people that simply talking to him can bring a positive influence to your day. He was always there to help you through your lows and praise you for your highs,” Libby said. “One thing I’ll always cherish from him is his love for Goodwill. He was my Goodwill buddy. No matter what he was doing, he would drop everything to come with.”

Libby is hoping that the memory of McCleary will not be lost. He and his group of friends are trying to have a sauna in the New Balance Recreation Center named for McCleary as he would spend a lot of time there catching up with friends or meditating by himself. His close circle of friends are struck with grief but they will continue to band together to ensure McCleary is remembered by all. 

“He’s remembered as the kid who was real,” Libby said. “He always knew how to tell people the truth. He managed to find a balance between not hurting someone’s feelings while still telling them how it is. Regan had a beautiful soul that radiated every time he entered the room.”

In a community message sent to all UMaine undergraduates, UMaine Vice President and Dean of Students Robert Dana said, “[McCleary] is remembered as a motivated and dedicated student, kind and friendly. Our entire university community is grieving for the loss of a young life. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family and friends, his classmates and the College of Engineering community. Our thoughts are with them. This tragedy is a loss for all of us at UMaine and beyond.” 

As a tribute to McCleary, an impromptu memorial was set up along the bridge where the accident occured. Bouquets of flowers lay underneath sports jerseys and t-shirts belonging to McCleary and photographs of him are displayed where rescuers stood days ago trying to save him. Occasionally mourners stand in front of the memorial and gaze out at the river. UMaine urges those who are grieving to reach out to the Counseling Center if they are in need of emotional support. 

Throughout the summer and into the fall the state of Maine has been experiencing a drought which is directly affecting the forestry and wildlife ecology industries. Earlier this week the majority of the state was in the midst of a severe drought, the effects of which can include loss of crops, governmental water restrictions and a shortage of water. Parts of Aroostook County and nearly all of York County faced an extreme drought, which is one level above severe. This includes widespread water restrictions and shortages as well as a guarantee of massive crop loss. Due to the recent wind and rain storm on Wednesday, Sept. 30 the drought has become less critical. The local drought and wildfires across the nation have impacted people, but the effects on animals and ecosystems will be more damaging in the long run. 

Students in the wildlife ecology program feel that the drought and wildfires, both locally and nationally, will impact their course of study. Brennan Gunster, a third-year wildlife ecology student is focusing his studies on endangered shorebirds and Atlantic salmon.

“Ecological events such as droughts and wildfires happen naturally but the frequency and intensity has been increasing,” Gunster said. “These are symptoms of climate change, and an example of ecology as we as humans have gone beyond the global carrying capacity. Finding ways to use resources based on sustainability and stock is an ecological solution to some of these problems. Due to this and more human factors, such as habitat fragmentation, we now live in the sixth mass extinction. We are losing species forever at an extremely fast rate and many ecologists have gone into conservation because of this, I would guess these programs will only become more necessary as we continue our population and resource use growth.” 

Gunster shared that humankind’s dependency on fossil fuels and overpopulation are its biggest downfalls, and unless people choose to focus more efforts towards family planning and green energy, the world will not be headed towards a good place. Gunster also expressed concern for Maine’s economy, as the state relies heavily on trees for the lumber industry; however, he isn’t concerned about the jobs in wildlife ecology because he sees the drought creating more jobs. 

“The drought itself will have exotic impacts… The trees will not grow as well and a large part of Maine’s economy is lumber,” Gunster said. “Continued drought would only compound economic and wildlife issues and if climate change gets worse it will likely do just that. The drought hasn’t affected any work or internships, in fact I’m guessing that many ecologists are taking population surveys to see precisely how animals are dealing with the drought. We will need the population information even more when we see changes in population so we can better understand how a species is affected by its environment.” 

Josie Miller, also a third-year wildlife ecology student, disagrees with Gunster’s statements on abundant job opportunities. 

“The job market for wildlife ecology is already not great. This is mostly because, –– especially regarding government jobs–– there isn’t a lot of funding for those types of jobs so there aren’t that many,” Miller said. “Hopefully people will become more aware of these problems and will start to want to see a change. The people who are working to try to help wildlife populations can’t do anything without funding, and they will only get funding if the public is aware of the problem and wants to help fix it.” 

Both Miller and Gunster agree that the more climate change causes adverse events like droughts and wildfires the more people will begin to understand the drastic effects and want to create positive change. Additionally, as issues become more local to Maine, like this drought, people will begin to see more of an impact in their community and work to better their surrounding area. 

“Climate change has caused Maine’s summers to be hotter than normal, and along with the droughts we have been having, that combination has caused an increase in forest fires. I know that there have been significantly more forest fires in Maine this year than last year, and the fires in the West Coast are getting worse and more prevalent as well,” says Miller. 

As far as the forest fires are concerned, there were actually two small ones reported late in the summer that occurred in UMaine’s forests. Forest Manager Keith Kanoti shared that the fires burned less than half an acre. One fire was caused by human behavior and the other is under investigation but Kanoti speculates it was caused by human behavior as well. According to Kanoti, UMaine has an excellent relationship with the Maine Forest Service Protection Division and the local fire departments who are all trained on how to combat forest fires. Kanoti urged people to use caution when engaging in activities like smoking during a dry spell. UMaine does not permit people to build fires in their forests. 

Miller and Gunster agree that individuals can take steps to help reduce climate change and its adverse effects, although it is important to note that corporations and the government must cooperate with the individual efforts. 

“Average people can understand that there is a major problem with climate change and that these droughts are likely to get worse unless we change things on the governmental level as well as the individual level,” Gunster said. “Reduce use of plastics and petroleum products, reuse when you can and recycle. Buy sustainably-sourced and local food. This will not solve the drought, but limit the severity and frequency of future droughts.”

Miller wants people to be aware of their surroundings, echoing Kanoti’s pleas to not engage in an activity that could spread a forest fire when it is windy and dry outside. She notes that large bonfires will require a permit, and says its always a good idea to have water near the fire. Hopefully increased awareness around ecological issues will help Maine prevent another extreme drought or forest fire.

Food insecurity poses a large problem in modern society, including in some Maine communities. With the ongoing pandemic causing an uptick in national unemployment rates, researchers have been documenting the effects of COVID-19 on food insecurity rates. Researchers Rachel Schattman, a University of Maine professor of sustainable agriculture, and Kathryn Yerxa, a professor through UMaine Extension, presented their findings as a part of the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions Sustainability Talk Series on Sept. 21. Their talk was titled “Safety Nets and Bootstraps.”

Schattman and Yerxa conducted their research as a part of the National Food Access and COVID Research Team. They began with an overview of their presentation, and some key definitions and statistics for the audience to reference.

Food insecurity is defined by several properties. It is the limited or uncertain ability for households to attain food; factors such as quality, variety and nutritional value also play a role in what is considered stable food. Low vitamin intake, for instance, is a common issue in food insecure households. 

The first data points presented were poverty rates, both nationally and within the state of Maine. Data collected in 2018 was used to determine food program participation. The national poverty rate in the year 2018 was 13.1% of the population, approximately 42 million people. Among those affected, 18%  of children under the age of 18 were reported as being in impoverished situations. In Maine, poverty affected 11.6%  of the population, with 14.8% of children reported as being impoverished.

 According to the lecture, a 2019 Feeding America survey conducted to gather statistics on national household food insecurity found that 10.5% of households were food insecure and 4.1% reported very low food insecurity. Six point five percent of the households surveyed contained children. These rates are the lowest since 2007, when there was a rate of 11.1% of food insecure households nationally. Feeding America also conducted the same research in the state of Maine in 2019, finding that one-eighth of the population was expected to experience a form of food insecurity. This study also conducted research on the Meal Gap, which is defined as the number of impoverished individuals who did not meet the requirements to qualify for food assistance programs. Of 173,080 food insecure people in Maine, an estimated 61%  do not meet the Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP) poverty threshold for food assistance programs.

The presentation highlighted several Federal Nutrition Assistance Programs as well. The Women Infants and Children program (WIC) provides food assistance to mothers and their young children. The child nutrition program provides school meals as well as child and adult care food programs and the Summer Food Service. There are also several programs involved with the Federal Nutrition Education Program, including SNAP-ed, a branch of the SNAP dedicated to educating communities on the importance of nutrition.

The study Schattman and Yerxa were involved with was conducted between July 7 and Sept. 18 of this year and involved surveying  Maine residents over the age of 18 who had been living in the state since before Jan. 1, 2020. They found that there was a 12.5%  increase in those enrolled in some form of food assistance program, while 25% reported that they were unable to find many of the foods that they were looking for during the early days of the pandemic. Many of the foods they were unable to find included shelf-stable items such as pasta and canned goods. Along with experiencing food insecurity, 25% reported they were also dealing with the long term effects of unemployment.

The food assistance programs mentioned were able to face the needs of the population in several ways. SNAP experienced a large increase in enrollment, although many of those surveyed reported that they were unable to find access to their resources online. SNAP has heard these critiques of the program, and they are now piloting an online platform in multiple states. The WIC program also experienced an increase in enrollment, and members of the program reported that it was easily accessible, and easy to use despite the limited number of approved foods available for them to acquire.

In terms of nutritional value and planning, the School Meal Program proved to stand out amongst these food assistance programs. The distribution of the meals was consistent, although there were some issues with the delivery methods of the meals. Their adaptability throughout the duration of the pandemic was highly reliable to many food insecure households.

Home food production also saw a rise in popularity among Maine residents. The most popular methods of self-sustainable food production were canning and gardening. Some households even began to raise livestock. This, according to the presenters, represents an interesting cultural phenomenon amongst Maine residents. Their self-sustainability, and ability to adapt and innovate to remain independent during the pandemic was a testament to the strength of will many Mainers possess.  Although this cultural feeling of independence can also pose a barrier in food assistance programs.

Many households have this feeling of independence which prevents them from seeking out the help of food assistance programs. In trying to navigate these cultural values of independence and self-reliance, many programs have started implementing different educational and outreach practices.

At the conclusion of the lecture, Schattman and Yerxa took questions. 

“Part of it is just learn what the needs are in your community,” Yerxa noted, when asked how to support struggling communities in Maine. Yerxa noted that donating to local food banks and community drives is a good start to helping those in need. Remaining educated on the issue of food insecurity is one of the first steps to solving it.

The Mitchell Center hosts weekly lectures through its Sustainability Talk Series. Events are free and accessible through Zoom and require interested parties to register through the Mitchell Center website prior to the event.

The spring of 2020 sparked a resurgence of racial justice movements on a national level as a result of police officers publicly killing a number of unarmed Black people, including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, which brought national attention to the issue of police brutality. Public opinions surged in favor of social justice movements, including the Black Lives Matter movement, after reports of unwarranted brutal force used by police officers surfaced and highlighted the biases that affect many Black and Indigenous people of color (BIPOC). The dialogue surrounding disenfranchisement of BIPOC provided a glimpse into the broader issues of police brutality and systemic racism that affect many aspects of people’s everyday lives. As a response, the Raymond H. Fogler Library at the University of Maine launched their own Racial Justice Challenge. This initiative aims to start the painful and sometimes uncomfortable conversations surrounding these issues and teaches its participants how to be anti-racist. 

“[We] created the Racial Justice Challenge as an asynchronous, online program. It was a weeklong program, and each day for five days, people who signed up received an email with several tasks designed to learn, listen, share ideas, and take action around issues of race, racism, and antiracism,” Jen Bonnet, Madelyn Woods and Anila Karunakar, leaders for the program, said. “For example, we explored how to be anti-racist (versus “not racist”), examined issues of race in the media, and by the end of the week, participants created an individualized antiracism action plan to help them continue their work.” 

Many are concerned that highlighting racial injustices in the United States was only a fleeting moment and not a movement with momentum behind it. Bonnet believes this will not be the case for the Racial Justice Challenge. 

“We heard from people who were taking the challenge with friends, family members, faith groups and peers,” Bonnet shared. “Doing this work with others can help us keep each other accountable and maintain momentum. And, importantly, day five of the challenge provides people with a template to create a personal antiracism action plan based on what each participant wants to commit to changing, tackling or dismantling. This is intended to help people see antiracist work as a long-term, enduring commitment [as well as recognize] that self-care is important to maintain that commitment).”

The idea of being anti-racist comes from a scholar named Ibram X Kendi who feels that there is no room for neutrality when it comes to racism, and hence, there can be no such thing as being “not racist.” Kendi believes that one is either firmly anti-racist or engaging in harmful racist behavior. 

 Karunakar explains that the conversations around race can appear daunting to people. She says many people attended diversity and inclusion training with her before the school year, but instead of striving to learn how to actively be anti-racist inside the classroom, people wanted a quick overview of how to act and behave, not a lengthy conversation fueled with emotions. 

“There are a lot of people who are afraid to engage in discussions around race,” Karunakar explained. “This fear fuels the distance. A lot of white and white-passing folks lack the language, education and skills when it comes to race. They also lack the opportunities to learn. The process of learning and unlearning is vital if we are committed to be[ing] agents of social change — to be anti-racist.” 

According to Karunakar, people, especially white people, need to be willing to change their thinking and accept their privilege while listening to the voices of people of color in their communities. This is the only way people can attempt to create a better future. 

“My hope is that the challenge is one of many ways that all of us, students, staff, and faculty, consider how we as a university can do better and create real, meaningful change regarding racist policies and practices, for instance in what is taught and discussed in the classroom, how we recruit and retain staff and students, how we respond to and combat racist speech, and how we support our colleagues of color,” Bonnet said. 

This project aims to make UMaine a safer and more inclusive place for all people, and Bonnet is proud to share that many members of the administration such as Vice President for Student Life and Inclusive Excellence and Dean of Students Robert Dana and President Joan Ferrini-Mundy participated in this challenge. 

The intent is that this important work can be continued outside of Fogler Library,

“[I] have been working with the communication and journalism department to create a resource for anyone on campus to use, instructors and students alike, regarding the various ways race, racism and anti-racism are embedded in media, and how one might incorporate racial justice pedagogy in the classroom,” Bonnet said.

 If you would like more information or want to participate in the Racial Justice Challenge, it is accessible on Fogler Library’s website at https://libguides.library.umaine.edu/racial-justice 

Sept. 2

The University Bookstore reported a theft to the University of Maine Police Department (UMPD) when a bookstore employee found a misplaced textbook and realized that the access code was removed from the book. The suspect was identified as Brierrose Wormer, 23, and was issued a summons for theft. 

Sept. 13

At approximately 1 a.m. Mohamed Mohamud, 24, of Old Town was charged with operating under the influence of marijuana. Mohamud has also been charged with a class D crime in the past.

Sept. 15

A UMPD officer initiated an investigation at 10:53 p.m. when driving by the botanical gardens near the Emera Astronomy Center. The officer reported suspicious activity in gardens and found two students smoking marijuana. There was a sizable amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia in plain view when the officer approached the two students. Summons were issued to Logan Mattessich, 18, for possession of a usable amount of marijuana for a person under 21 and to Elijah Fitch, also 18, for possession of drug paraphernalia. 

Sept. 16

At 9:20 p.m. Anna Vidoni of Massachusetts, 19, was charged with possession of a false ID card, which is a civil offense.

Sept. 17

An investigation is still underway after an individual threw eggs at the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity house a little after midnight. The eggs struck the side of the house but no permanent damage was done to the building. UMPD is continuing to investigate the case. 

Things are looking different in Orono as fall classes resumed at the University of Maine on Aug. 31. In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, many classes have been moved to an online format, offered either synchronously or asynchronously, or in a hybrid format that allows students to alternate the days they participate in a typical classroom setting. President Joan Ferrini-Mundy reports that only “41% of undergraduate class sessions are being offered in-person” in order to adhere to local, state and federal guidelines surrounding social distancing and safety related to COVID-19. 

President Ferrini-Mundy sends out a weekly newsletter titled “Friday Futurecast” which includes reports on what the university is doing to keep students and staff safe, as well as updates on the number of coronavirus cases detected within the University of Maine System As of Sept. 2, there are 13 known cases of COVID-19, 10 of which are at UMaine, one at the University of Maine at Farmington and two at the University of Southern Maine. By Sept. 2,  phases one and two of the asymptomatic testing have yielded eight positive test results out of the 7,543 tests given. Jackson Lab and Convenient MD have partnered with the University of Maine System to make tests accessible for students. Students can check their results in a secure portal and will be contacted by the Maine CDC if they test positive for COVID-19.  

Currently, only students who are living on campus or are from out-of-state and live off campus in the Orono area are being tested. Currently, there is no set date on when the university will begin testing students who are Maine residents who live off-campus. Any student who lives on campus and tests positive will be quarantined for two weeks in Knox Hall, and any off-campus student is asked to quarantine in their private residence. Students who are sick should not go to class or go anywhere on campus aside from the room they are being asked to quarantine in. 

Alongside UMaine, the town of Orono is also taking precautionary measures to keep its residents safe. Due to the influx of people moving back to Orono for school, the town passed emergency legislation requiring residents to wear masks everywhere outside their home. Residents will be fined if they do not comply. The Orono Police Department will carry masks to hand out to those who do not wear one. UMaine is also requiring everyone on campus to wear masks, and they have banned inefficient face coverings such as face shields and neck gaiters. To promote wearing masks, the  Black Bear statue at the end of the university mall now wears a mask, and a picture of UMaine mascot, Bananas, wearing a mask is posted next to the UMaine Police Department. On campus, signs remind people to wear masks and stations provide masks and hand sanitizer. Lastly, the bookstore sells reusable masks along with hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies. 

While clubs and student organizations are required to adhere to social distancing procedures if they must hold an event, they are strongly encouraged to go online. All members of a student organization must fill out the COVID-19 acknowledgment form which outlines safety protocols. University of Maine Student Government will not fund any events until all members of the student organization or club have submitted their forms. 

    Although running clubs and organizations remotely is important to keep everyone safe, doing so does change the atmosphere of certain clubs and affects how they’re run. UMaine’s chapter of HerCampus, an online magazine targeted at the female college student demographic, has moved completely online. Executive Board Member Quinn Galletta has found that “COVID has made a lot of things harder [for the club].” Although articles have always been written and published online, the chapter previously met once a week for bonding events and to discuss article topics.

“I miss seeing the HerCampus members so much,” Galleta said. “Going to our Tuesday evening meetings last year was the best part of my week… and I loved connecting that way.” 

The club is also trying to increase its social media presence in order to get new students to join who may not know about the club. Galleta remarked that “the biggest thing we are trying to do remotely is to create things we can all do together while we are apart.” Thankfully, student organizations and clubs like HerCampus do provide an outlet for students during these stressful times. Even though going online is not ideal it still provides a wonderful reprieve from classes and a space to relax. It will be a challenging year for student organizations to recruit new members and plan events, but thankfully technology can help bring people together even when they are miles apart. 

Attending university during a global pandemic is not easy, but hopefully with safety precautions in place and available mandatory asymptomatic testing, UMaine will be able to have a successful fall semester and contain the number of COVID-19 cases. Aside from removing spring break and delaying the start of the spring semester by a week, UMaine has not yet released plans for the spring semester.

Aug. 26 – 5:25 p.m. 

On Aug. 26, 18-year-old Joseph Farrelly of Rhode Island was charged with minor presenting a false ID card, which is a civil violation.

Aug. 27 – 4:20 p.m. 

On Aug. 27 at 4:20 p.m., Keegan Comeau of Massachusetts,18, was charged with minor presenting a false ID card, a civil violation. 

Aug. 27 – 7:35 p.m. 

On Aug 27 at 7:35 p.m, Michael Rhodes of Massachusettes, 19, was charged with minor presenting a false ID card, a civil violation.

Aug. 27 

The University of Maine Police Department (UMPD) responded to a large group of students sitting in Stewart Commons. No charges were filed and the students were sent back to their rooms. 

Aug. 28 – 12:00 a.m.

On Aug. 28, a little after midnight, five students were found to be in possession of stolen traffic cones. These five students were referred to conduct and the traffic cones were safely returned to the Bangor Water District. 

Aug. 28 – 10:04 p.m.

On Aug. 28, UMPD arrived at Stewart Commons after it was reported that a large group of students was assembled there. The students were found to be in possession of empty alcohol containers but no charges were filed against them. 

Aug. 28 – 6:55 p.m. 

On Aug. 28 at 6:55 p.m William Blais of Connecticut, 19, was charged with minor presenting a false ID card, which is a civil violation.

Aug. 28 – 11:39 p.m.

On Aug. 28, UMPD responded to a medical call on the third floor of Aroostook Hall. An intoxicated female was transported to Northern Light Hospital in Bangor. No charges were filed but the student was referred to conduct. 

Aug. 28 – 11:39 p.m. 

On Aug. 28 at 11:39 p.m., there were a large number of students drinking on Stewart Commons. When police arrived they all ran back to their respective residence halls and no charges were filed. 

Aug. 28 – 11:40 p.m. 

On Aug. 28 at 11:40 p.m., 19-year-old Christian Zlamany of Connecticut was charged with illegal possession of liquor by a minor, which is a civil violation.

Aug. 29 – 4:54 a.m. 

On Aug. 29, UMPD responded to a medical call involving a twenty-year-old student residing in Hart Hall who was found outside the Mahaney Clubhouse near the baseball field. Officers arrived at the scene where the man provided a fake ID and was evaluated by paramedics from the Orono Fire Department. He was found to be extremely intoxicated. The student was not transported to the hospital but was referred to conduct and no charges were filed against him. 

Aug. 29

On Aug. 29 UMPD received a report through the Campus Eyes app that detailed a large group drinking on a quad. It is believed that this was the same incident they responded to at 1:30 a.m. 

Aug. 29 – 10:39 p.m. 

On Aug. 29, UMPD responded to reports of a large group and noise on Stewart Commons. No charges were filed. 

Aug. 30 – 1:30 a.m. 

On Aug. 30, an RA called UMPD to report a large gathering on Stewart Commons. All the students had left or were in the process of leaving once officers arrived on the scene. 

Aug. 30 – 2:36 p.m.

On Aug. 30, UMPD officers responded to a call regarding a large group traveling on foot up Rangeley Road. The group was chanting “Black Lives Matter” and were heading for Martin Luther King Plaza. After briefly stopping there, a few more individuals joined their group and they marched off campus. The group was not disruptive and no charges were filed. 

Aug. 30 – 9:55 p.m. 

On Aug. 30, UMPD responded to a large gathering in Stewart Commons, but when officers arrived all the students dispersed. No charges were filed. 

Aug. 31 

On Aug. 31 at approximately midnight, UMPD officers were dispatched to the Knox Hall parking lot because a group of students was making noise. Once officers arrived the students left on their own accord.  

Aug. 31 – 9:26 p.m. 

On Aug. 31, about 100 students were congregated in Stewart Commons listening to loud music. Once UMPD arrived, students ran off and the ones who stayed were cooperative with authorities and returned to their respective residence halls. 

Aug. 31 

On Aug. 31 at approximately midnight the following individuals were charged:  Megan O’Connell of Orono, Maine; Olivia Bourque of Farmingdale, Maine; Layne Audet of Winthrop, Maine and Hailey Morrill of Gorham, Maine. They were all charged with furnishing a place for minors to consume or possess liquor, which is a class D crime. 

Sept 1 – 4:21 p.m. 

On Sept. 1, UMPD found students smoking cigarettes in a large crowd in Stewart Commons. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that some students involved had received a positive COVID-19 test result and were breaking the mandatory quarantine. The students who were breaking quarantine were sent to conduct and no charges were filed. 

Sept. 1 – 6:12 p.m. 

On Sept. 1, UMPD was dispatched to the Lambda Chi fraternity on College Avenue. When the officer responded, there were students and members of the fraternity playing beer pong on the front lawn. Everyone was wearing a face mask and social distancing was being practiced by all. There were no signs of alcohol and they were advised to move their game to the backyard which is out of view from College Avenue. No charges were filed. 

Sept. 2 – 8:47 p.m. 

On Sept. 2, the UMPD responded to a medical call at Androscoggin Hall. Upon arrival, they found an intoxicated student in the north stairwell on the third-floor landing. His friends gave a statement to officers that they had brought him there after finding him in Stewart Commons. Orono Fire responded with an ambulance and successfully transported the student to Northern Light Hospital in Bangor for concerns surrounding intoxication. The student was not charged and was referred to conduct.