As part of Women’s History Month 2018, the University of Maine’s Rising Tide Center and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGS) Program hosted the pop-up panel “Feminism: Who Needs It?” in the Bangor Room on Tuesday, March 27 from noon to 1 p.m.

“This is probably our fourth or fifth one of these… ‘pop-up panels’ around different topics of relevance,” WGS Director Susan Gardner said before introducing the panel of five local feminist activists, brought together to discuss how feminism has served their lives, and what feminism means to them. “Maybe it’s something societally that’s happened, something on campus that’s being discussed.”

“I just feel personally that feminism is a movement for anyone of any gender to live whatever life they want without any sort of gendered expectations,” Feminist Collective Co-Chair Meghan Frisard began. “Feminism really helped me find a voice, and it became really central to my identity. Being able to practice intersectionality has given me the language to see the different levels of oppression that exist in our society… and how they’re reinforced by different biases that people are often not aware that we have. And learning about intersectional feminism really helped me recognize those biases in myself.”

Dr. Jacquelyn Gill, Assistant Professor in the School of Biology and Ecology and the Climate Change Institute, grew up as part of a bridge generation during both second and third wave feminism movements. “It was this long process of me first thinking that being a feminist meant being like a boy… letting go of any femme identities I may have had… and then somewhere in my late twenties, early thirties, really coming into my own feminist identity, at the same time that I started accepting my own femme identity, and being able to embrace the feminine as not something that’s not powerful.”

“It’s one thing to acknowledge privilege, it’s another thing to give some of it up,” Dr. Elizabeth Neiman, Assistant Professor of English and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, who brought discussions from her class into her definition, said. “I think there’s a lot of misunderstanding out there about what ‘feminist’ means. My students have confirmed that the word ‘feminist’ is often used as a dirty word or insult. For many people that they know, a feminist is someone who wants women to have more power than men. Perhaps this is changing, though, with the #MeToo movement … I would define feminism as a continuous and sustained effort to look inwards, and to be mindful of the ways in which sexism, including heterosexism, infiltrates one’s thoughts and ways of being. Women can be as misogynist as men… and even the most progressively-minded women can feel and behave in ways that counter their own politics.”

“There’s an old feminist joke that, asking ‘what is feminism?’ is like asking someone to describe the universe and give two examples,” feminist community activist and organizer JoAnne Dauphinee recalled. “Ideas of equality are necessary, but they are not sufficient. Feminism is not just an ‘add woman and stir’ recipe, although that’s hard enough. But we don’t want a bigger piece of the pie, we want a whole different pie. And the new pie would dismantle, or fix, systems that perpetuate oppression, like patriarchy, male supremacy, looksism, classism, rape culture, sexual and gender oppression, ableism, white supremacy, ageism and more. And they are all interconnected, they all intersect.” Dauphinee is set to be recognized the day after the panel as a recipient of the 2018 Maryann Hartman Awards.

Before the floor was opened for questions, Dr. Marie Hayes, a professor of psychology, brought the panel statements to a close with a simple request: “I ask you, implore you to support this program. I’m a phased-retirement faculty member, so I won’t get to see it. But I will say that there has been tremendous progress on campus.”

Dr. Julia Serano held a public talk, entitled “A Social Justice Activist’s Perspective on Call-Out Culture, Identity Politics, and Political Correctness” in the Minsky Recital Hall on March 22, as part of UMaine’s Women’s History Month celebrations.

Serano is a writer, performer, biologist, and transgender and bisexual activist, whose works include “Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity,” “Excluded: Making Feminist and Queer Movements More Inclusive” and most recently “Outspoken: A Decade of Transgender Activism and Trans Feminism.”

The purpose of social justice activism is to challenge the prejudice and discrimination that marginalized groups face, and to work towards putting an end to it. Serano’s focus is on ways to improve social justice activism.

“I think a lot of us feel that social justice is absolutely necessary, and yet sometimes it’s broken or doesn’t work quite the way it should. And so let’s talk about the ways to fix it, make it better,” she said.

Serano said that a rash of mainstream articles written by pundits with no experience in social justice activism that speak of contemporary social justice as getting “out of hand,” and cite the “harm” it brings exacerbate these difficulties. Serano describes their use of memes such as “political correctness” and “identity politics” as wholesale slurs to disparage social justice activism.

“I think of them as vague complaints, in that they’re not really being specific about what’s wrong with activism. They’re just saying ‘activism is getting out of hand! We have to stop these Activists!’” Serano said.

While some may use these memes due to bigotry, Serano notes that many who use the terms think that they “want to make the world better,” and see such activism as hindering that goal. “But when asked what they think about progress that’s been made, like, women can vote now and have careers, or that the South is non-segregated, as it once was, or … people with disabilities are able to move freely and access buildings, or gay people can get married … if you ask them, they usually will say ‘oh, those are all fine, those are all good things.’ Those things did not magically happen!”

The differing viewpoints between activists and non-activists leads to less-than-ideal framework for discussion. To combat this reflexive resistance toward contemporary activism, Serano proposed a different framework, “to move the conversation forward in a more productive way.”

One such aspect in need of improvement pertains to “call-out culture,” a term created by activists to describe the necessity to speak against those who use racist or hate speech. It has been appropriated by pundits to “paint activists as trolls or little snowflakes,” and therefore it is looked at as though activists should be ignored. The term’s modern pejorative use against activists is an inherently biased meme, since “everybody calls other people out.” With that in mind, the advances of social media and the greater intersectionality between activist causes has led to an increased frequency of call-outs. Avoiding “bad or unjust call-outs” requires an understanding that activist language and concepts have the potential to be misused. “Hammers and saws are important tools, but you can also saw people in half or hit people over the head with the hammer. Recognizing that is a good way to move forward with improved discussions.”

For those interested, Serano’s work can be found at juliaserano.com and medium.com/@juliaserano.

The University of Maine held its annual Renters Fair in the atrium of the Memorial Union from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Feb. 22 and 23.

The fair serves as “a way for local landlords and property managers to come on campus and show students who are interested in moving off-campus and getting a rental property for next year, what they have available,” Barbara Smith, a staff associate for Student Life for the Commuter and Non-Traditional Student Programs, said. “And, also to sort of help them learn about the process of going into signing a lease, and getting an apartment, and all the budgeting that comes from that. It’s both property information as well as just general information about how to be a good neighbor and good renter.”

Cross Properties highlighted the available spaces in their Timberview, Founder’s Place and College Park complexes, as well as their standalone locations, and were quick to cite their 32 years in business. The rental fair, in conjunction with their website, makes for good marketing, according to Cross Properties Representative Irene Wickett.

“This is a good outlet for us to get a lot of potential tenants to come out to a college forum,” Wickett said.

Representatives for The Reserve demonstrated their key marketing points by focusing on their three to four bedroom apartments, with private bathrooms for each, as well as the fact that electricity, cable and internet would be included in the rent. The Avenue pushed their clubhouse space and on-site amenities as their major selling point. KC Management was also present, promoting its open locations in Orono and Hampden.

Tabling at the event was the University Credit Union, handing out pamphlets promoting renter’s insurance through MetLife.

In addition to the nearby apartment representatives and businesses, UMaine also had staff present and tabling. The Financial Aid Office offered information pertaining not only to their student services, but also to the University of Maine’s cost per semester, the different kinds of financial aid, instructions for the use of Mainestreet and basic budget design and management. They also provided applications for this year’s Summer Federal Work-Study Program.

The Student Legal Services table carried handouts offering any undergraduate students free legal consultation “for a number of issues,” including reviewing apartment leases, courtesy of the Student Government’s Legal Services Attorney Sean O’Mara. His office can be found in Room 157 in the Memorial Union, next to the Wade Center.   You can also reach him at 207-581-1789 or sean.omara@umit.maine.edu.

Community and Organizational Development Advisor Herminia Gomez held a presentation for the Peace Corps volunteer program and its developing presence on the University of Maine campus on Tuesday, Nov. 7 from 3-4 p.m. at the Career Center Library in the Memorial Union.

Established in 1961, the Peace Corps is a government volunteer organization that currently serves 61 posts in 65 countries, and has served in 141 countries to date. There were 7,361 volunteers and trainees at the time of the presentation, and over 230,000 have served since the organization’s inception. Volunteers serve in a variety of work areas, including education and health, youth development and environment, community economic development and agriculture. They also engage in short-term, high-level impact assignments under the category of “Peace Corps response.”

Once introductions were complete, Gomez discussed college organizations dedicated to promoting and helping Peace Corps service, starting with Peace Corps Prep, a certificate program designed to train undergraduates to “make you a more competitive applicant.” The program helps select courses that will satisfy four core competencies required for completion: Sector-specific skill in the desired work area, foreign language proficiency, intercultural competence, and professional savvy and leadership training. They offer resume and interview preparation assistance, and provide templates for student applications. While the University of Maine does not currently offer this program, they are looking to see if professors are interested in contributing to the project.

Also mentioned was the Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program, a graduate fellowship program that offers financial assistance to volunteers returning from their service, offering internship positions and applications to aid graduate programs at partner universities. They are planning to set a new standard where partnered universities must cover 25 percent of their tuition fees at minimum.  

Finally, Gomez gave a brief walkthrough of the Volunteer Openings page of the Peace Corps website. “We try to make online process as transparent as possible.” Volunteers can search for open positions by country, language requirement, work area and whether couples are accepted. “You can really search by what you are interested in…your assignment should really match your professional goals.” Education positions mean volunteers can earn their TEFL certifications during their service. Student loans are frozen during service, health insurance is covered and service qualifies as federal government work years for retirement.

For more information, you can find the Peace Corps website at peacecorps.gov. For those interested in a one-on-one meeting with a recruiter, contact Danny Livengood at wlivengood@peacecorps.gov.

The “Kick-Off” presentation for the Blue Sky Strategic Plan Assessment Forum was held in Hauck Auditorium from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 27, led by President Susan J. Hunter and Jeffrey E. Hecker, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost.

The presentation was meant to serve as an opening act for a series of forums meant to discuss the 2012–2017 Blue Sky Strategic Plan, a framework designed with constant community involvement both on and off-campus, to address challenges that the University of Maine needs to address in the coming years.

“I think the opportunity from input across the landscape both on and off the campus was central to the plan of how this was done,” President Hunter commented.

The plan evolved to encompass five pathways, each allowing new initiatives to be implemented with their overarching goals in mind: “1. Serving our State” was meant to improve the University’s partnerships to assist the state economically, “2. Securing our Future” was meant to ensure the University’s fiscal sustainability, “3. Embracing a Culture of Excellence” was meant to improve the campus community, “4. Transforming Lives” was meant to improve the undergraduate and graduate experience and “5. Restoring the Dream” was meant to improve university infrastructure.

Now five years later, Hecker has been charged with evaluating the results of the initiatives that stemmed from these five original pathways.

“The development of the Blue Sky Plan was done quite inclusively,” Hecker said. “She went through 30 open sessions, people were invited to submit their ideas about where’s the University going, we had these preview grants. There was a lot of interchange around the campus, a lot of discussion and energy, so we thought if it started that way, maybe we ought to include that community involvement in the assessment of the plan.”

Hunter, now serving her final academic year in office, noted that this assessment will be invaluable for her successor to build upon.

“I’m not going to wax poetic at any length, but to say that I have loved my time as president, and I intend to…work as hard as I can this year…and really push the institution forward. But at the same time, part of my thought will be how to best prepare the institution for a very smooth and successful transition in leadership…I’m envisioning myself in a relay race.”

The forums for each pathway will be held in the Bangor Room at the Memorial Union, from 9 to 10 a.m. on the dates listed below. After the forum, full recordings and web-based inputs will be available for those who wish to contribute afterward.

Wednesday, Oct. 4: Pathway 1 – Jake Ward, Chair
Wednesday, Oct. 11: Pathway 3 – Monique LaRocque, Chair
Thursday, Oct. 19: Pathway 2 – Jeff Mills, Chair
Wednesday, Oct. 25: Pathway 4 – Kenda Scheele, Chair
Wednesday, Nov. 8: Pathway 5 – Stewart Harvey, Chair

For those who wish to learn about the initiatives and accomplishments of each pathway prior to their respective forums, the list can be found at www.umaine.edu/president. For those who could not attend this initial event, the links to a full recording of the presentation, as well as the PDF of the Powerpoint slides, can be viewed here: https://umaine.edu/president/blue-sky-strategic-plan-assessment/umaine-community-kick-off/.

Club Maintenance

The Associated Builders and Contractors requested a name change to “Student Construction Association,” to include the UMaine chapter of the Association of General Contractors. The motion passed.

The UMaine chapter of the Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship, an organization dedicated to outreach and community service, requested preliminary recognition. Their long-term goal is to “reach out to people who need them” and serve Christ in a way consistent with the Bible. Recognition granted.

The Guitar Club came seeking preliminary recognition. Their goal is to bring musicians and interested beginners together and provide a stable learning environment to facilitate everyone’s growth as musicians. The group is distinct from the Acoustic Guitar Club, which has effectively disbanded due to its members having long since graduated, by including electric and bass guitars. Granted.

The Martial Arts Club requested preliminary recognition. Membership costs will be kept close to free and will allow experienced or brand new members to practice and learn. The two club officers have a black belt and a probationary black belt in Kenpo Karate and a hybrid style called Kajukenbo, respectively. Granted.

Club Presentations

The African Student Association thanked the senate for funding their trip to the Harvard African Development Conference. Among the 15 speakers was the 4th President of Ghana, H.E. John Mahama and human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa.

Cheerleading thanked the senate for funding their trip to Nationals, noting some difficulties this year with coaches, as well as “illegal stunts” costing them the win this year.

Dressage reported on their home show last weekend, thanking the senate for funding their biggest show yet.

The Maine Student Chapter of the Wildlife Society reported on their Northeastern Conclave, a gathering of other student chapters, for workshops, keynotes and networking.

The University of Maine Tennis Club reported on their upcoming matches with Bowdoin and UNE, among others, as well as their plans to volunteer on Maine Day and Moving Day.

The Women’s Ultimate Frisbee Team thanked the senate for their support and for helping to fund their trip to sectionals last weekend. The UNH tournament they planned to attend was cancelled due to a snow storm.

Executive Reports

President Kevin Bois reported that the Legal Services contract has been signed and agreed upon. He will be attending a meeting about the construction of the disc golf course that had been put on hold due to weather.

Vice President Jared Dumas reported that the meeting with Dean Dana and the budget meeting last Friday were cancelled. Executive applications for open positions next year will be available in the Memorial Union.

Vice President for Financial Affairs Robert Begin reported $69,774.15 in unallocated funds.

Vice President for Student Organizations Jacob Johnson has been focusing on the growth in the Political Activism committee.

Vice President for Student Entertainment Isaiah Mansour discussed the announcement of the spring concert performers. Free tickets will be personally distributed by members of the senate, saving students a total of $30,000 that would go to online distributors.

Periodic Reports

The Board of Trustees meeting was cancelled, due to a personal matter.

Legal Services has reviewed the entertainment contracts for the Maine Day concert and documentation for study abroad programs.

The Army ROTC’s dodgeball tournament will be held on April 28 and their ball on May 5.

Reports of Standing Committees

Policy and Procedure looked over student government hiring policies and will have their final resolutions before end of year.

The last Services meeting this year will be on May 4, serving as a wrap up to discuss summer plans to be completed before the fall semester.

Reports of Special Committees

The UMS / Student Government Association Conference will be held this Saturday at 3 p.m.

Representative Board Reports

Interfraternity Council is updating their website. Greek Week events will start on Friday at the Orono House of Pizza.

Panhellenic Council is preparing for Whiffle for Wishes on Saturday, April 29, Move Your Phi’T on Sunday, April 23 and Theta-Palooza.

Community Association Reports

The Student Heritage Alliance Council reported on a number of events being held by their constituent organizations: the Asian Student Association’s Taste of Asia event at the Memorial Union on April 22; Hillel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day event at MLK Plaza on April 24; and the Maine Day meal packing will be held on May 3.

The Student Women’s Association reported on their ongoing Beautiful Week events and are considering postponing the Slut Walk to the next day.

The Wilde Stein Alliance for Sexual Diversity were proud to announce that Pride Week was a huge success, especially the drag show. They have edited their by-laws so elections will happen at the end of fall, not the end of spring, to allow more shadowing time. They will be submitting for a name change to “Wilde Stein Queer-Straight Alliance,” to better communicate the organization’s purpose for those unaware. The original name was derived from Oscar Wilde and Gertrude Stein and since the organization was founded in 1973, was meant to allow members to mention it by name in casual conversation without revealing its purpose.

New Business

The Woodsmen’s Team requested $2,300 for propane heating and electricity in Roger F. Taylor Hall, to make the 6 a.m. morning practices five days a week throughout the year more comfortable, as well as conduct equipment maintenance with power tools. Motion passed.

Main Motion

The College Democrats requested $110 to cover preliminary last minute funding for food and fliers for their Earth Festival at the bus loop by the Memorial Union on April 21. Granted.

The Student Government Officers held a brief tabling training lecture about tabling for the Maine Day concert ticket sales, including managing the spreadsheet, the necessary items and contact information and the raffle for the chance to meet with the performers that any member who tables for more than five hours is eligible for.

New Senators and Officer Appointments

Senator Melody Cropley was sworn in this week.

Club Presentations

The American Society for Civil Engineers reported on their success in both the Concrete Canoe and Steel Bridge regional competitions in Connecticut. For the former, they won 7th place overall, but won 3rd place in the races, with a canoe weighing approximately 220 lbs. For the latter, their bridge held 2500 lbs. and was one of the six teams to pass the vertical load test.

The Animation Club returned from their trip to Anime Boston. The group got the chance to meet with English voice actors and Japanese directors, including Shingo Natsume, the director of Space Dandy and One-Punch Man.

The Fishing Club thanked the senate for funding their ice fishing equipment. The representative said they want to get more people hooked on fishing. The pun garnered mixed reactions, from chuckling to groans.

The Orono Student Nurses Association reported on their trip to NSNA National Convention in Dallas, where thousands of medical professionals and students from across the country to learn and network. There they met with the Acting Deputy Secretary of Maine Health Services and representatives from Life Flight of Maine.

Executive Reports

President Kevin Bois apologized for not being present last week due to illness. He’s been working on the Maine Day concert. No official announcements about artists yet, but he hopes to announce them later this week.

Vice President for Financial Affairs Robert Begin reported $67,637.63 in unallocated funds.

Vice President for Student Organizations Jacob Johnson met with the International Student Association and the Intramural Sports Council and plans to meet with the Latin American Student Organization (LASO) at 7 p.m. tonight.

Vice President for Student Entertainment Isaiah Mansour is making sure all documentation is complete before making any announcements for Maine Day concert artists. Any member of the student government that spends 5 hours tabling selling concert tickets will be placed in a raffle to meet with the artists.

Periodic Reports

The Board of Trustees will hold a campus budget meeting this Friday at 1 p.m., open to all senators.

The Fair Election Practices Commission was acquiring contact info from the incoming President and Vice President.

Legal Services Liaison Maria Maffucci met with Sean O’Mara, who has been reviewing Maine Day contracts, as well as his own. He is looking for ways to improve his advertising.

Graduate Student Senate Representative Erin Daugherty got an email asking about the GSS stance on the upcoming campus open carry bill. She sent back an email to discuss at a later date.

The Army ROTC held a joint field training exercise with UNH last weekend. Tomorrow morning, they will hold an IMT drill at the football field. Beyond that, they are preparing for their military ball on May 5.

Provost Council’s next meeting will be next Tuesday.

Reports of Standing Committees

Policy and Procedure thanked the senate for passing their resolution last week. Hiring policies are still being reviewed.

The last Services meeting of the year will be held on May 4.

Reports of Special Committees

The last UMS / Student Government Association Conference Planning Committee meeting will be held this Friday. Reports will still be given until the conference is over and done with. The senate will likely begin disbanding this committee on April 25.

Representative Board Reports

Interfraternity Council is holding a Facebook “Like” competition for Greek Week.

Student-Athlete Advisory’s plans for Mental Health Awareness week are complete, including yoga, meditation and therapy dogs.

Community Association Reports

The Student Health Awareness Council (SHAC) held their final big event last week and are planning an ice cream social to wrap up SHAC for the year.

Next week, the Student Women’s Association will be celebrating Beautiful Week. The group also had an extensive meeting with the Provost Council and Dean Dana, who have agreed to give them space for their on-campus pregnancy center. They hope to get the keys and have an event to celebrate before the end of the year.

Wilde Stein’s Pride Week started strong with Monday’s carnival and flag raising. The big highlight they’re preparing for is the drag show, on April 15 at 8 p.m.

New Business

American Society of Microbiology requested $1,080 for hotel and registration costs for their Microbe Conference. The event brings leading scientists worldwide and allows students the opportunity to network. Motion passed.

President Bois stood to detail the changes to Maine Day activities. In communicating with CASE, the Harry Potter-themed escape rooms weren’t booked quick enough and the $4,000 granted by the senate has been returned to unallocated. Bois then requested $500 for trailers that student groups can reserve to make floats in the parade. Motion passed.

The senate moved to an executive session from 6:45–7:11.

Maine Day performers were released as Sammy Adams and Hoodie Allen.

New Senators and Officer Appointments

Troy Cochran was sworn in as a senator this week.

Club Maintenance

The Vegan Education and Empowerment Coalition, a group of vegan students and other interested members, requested final recognition. Their goal is to spread awareness by working with dining halls  and volunteering at Peace Ridge Sanctuary in Brooks, Maine. Recognition was granted.

Club Presentations

Nursing International gave a report on their service trip to Costa Rica, from March 4-12. There they provided medical care, distributed over $1,000 in medical supplies and made educational community visits to children in Tirasses, Las Palmas and San Jose.

R.E.A.C.H. reported on their service trip to Portugal over spring break. They collaborated with Just a Change and other special needs organizations, performing physical therapy activities.

Both the Men’s and Women’s Ultimate Frisbee teams reported on their attendance at the High Tide Tournament at North Myrtle Beach, S.C. over the second week of spring break. The tournament gave the opportunity for both teams to meet. Due to the change in climate from Maine to South Carolina, it was their first time this year playing outside on grass, rather than in field house.

Guest Speaker

Student Legal Services Attorney Sean O’Mara came to encourage new senators to come to his office any time 9:30-5:00 Monday through Friday if they have any questions. He will have a more detailed analysis later about his current landlord/tenant and criminal cases. He has also dealt with about 10 minor criminal civil violations, charges either reduced or dismissed.

Executive Reports

President Kevin Bois combined his report with the Student Entertainment report. He reminded senators of the upcoming Student Government Conference on April 22-23, as well as elections for President and Vice President of student government. He is working on the Maine Day concert which is taking up a lot of time due to contract negotiations. He hopes to announce the performer in 1-2 weeks.

Vice President for Financial Affairs Robert Begin reported $104,319.34 in unallocated funds.

Vice President for Student Organizations Jacob Johnson was pleased to announce that the updated student organization forms are live and can be found on the student government website, a more exciting replacement for the boring spreadsheet of the past.

Periodic Reports

Board of Trustees Representative Samuel Bohrer reported on the meeting in Augusta on March 24 and 25. The topics were divided into six categories:

Legislature and Government Relations: The board has finished the budget portion and is lobbying with education boards to increase state appropriation for the next fiscal year, considering this year’s “abysmal” appropriation. The board will wait until forming opinion on the upcoming campus carry bill until there is literature available.

Research Reinvestment Fund Report: 76 out 234 proposals from UMS researchers spanning all campuses have been selected for funding since June 2015. All projects tie back into Maine businesses.

Strategic Resource Allocations Program Update: The current level of resources available for the 2018-2019 fiscal year is $4,825,000 per year. A significant amount of funding is tied to enrollment, so the board will prioritize funding means to increase enrollment. The One University model will cut down on administrative costs over the seven campuses. The board is currently working to develop new accountability metrics to measure the success of their investments.

Financial Update: The current market value on the board’s managed investment pool is $281,482,818 and the market value of the day-to-day operating fund is $308,298,204.

The tuition freeze was “so important” to prove that funds were being allocated appropriately. Reporters were at the board meeting talking about the end of the freeze and the ensuing tuition increase, but Bohrer stressed that tuition wasn’t increasing so much as matching inflation. As helpful as the tuition freeze was, it was not sustainable.

Sightlines Annual State of Facilities Report: In Bohrer’s opinion, the data regarding UMaine’s low energy consumption in comparison to other campuses and shrinking carbon footprint, is the only positive information in an otherwise depressing subject. Post-War buildings on campus are 52 years old on average and over half have not been renovated in 50 years. Approximately 53 percent of space on campus will be over 50 years old by 2020. It will take a little over $1 billion in capital investment to bring these facilities up to code. Bohrer noted that this is “a sobering number, but graphs don’t lie.” This issue shall be addressed as UMaine starts to become more financially stable.

Finally, the UM-UMM Primary Partnership plan was passed unanimously and will go into effect July 1, 2017. Bohrer encouraged student leaders and organizations to reach out to UMM, seek opportunities to collaborate. UMM has had a very inactive and minimal student government and a Board of Trustees representative for UMM will appear next meeting.

Fair Election Practices Commission Chairman Alex Rahman reminded senators that voting for Student Government President and Vice President will be on FirstClass and the in the Wade Center beginning March 30.

ROTC Representative James O’Neill announced that Maine Maritime will be hosting an event for all state ROTCs. During the event, 150-160 high school students will be on boats for 3 days learning about the Navy. Today they have finally received the Macarthur Award, which will be displayed in the field house in ROTC headquarters. A 3-day training exercise in Plymouth for 130 trainees is in the works.

Reports of Standing Committees

Policy and Procedure Representative Mary Celeste-Floreani discovered a student government hiring policy from 2015 that was never officially ratified and needs to be looked at by Senate. It’s a little confusing, she admits, but more information will be provided in the coming weeks.

Reports of Special Committees

The UMS / Student Government Association Conference Planning Committee Representative pleaded for senators to register, to better calculate how much food to pay for and get nametags.

Representative Board Reports

The Interfraternity Council held Accepted Students Day on Saturday, March 25 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

The Panhellenic Council’s recruitment interviews will be starting soon. A Cystic Fibrosis Carnival is currently in the works.

The Student-Athlete Advisory’s Kickball Tournament will be held on April 8, during Mental Health Awareness Week.

Community Association Reports

Wilde Stein will be celebrating Pride Week April 10-15 and will be holding a Carnival on day 1 after raising the rainbow flag at the University Mall.

Consent Agenda

GSS allocated $210 to the Interfraternity Council and Tau Kappa Epsilon for a Twitch charity livestream.

New Business

Senators Floreani and Aromando held brief platform speeches for the Executive Elections.

Floreani thanked everybody who has helped her in student government and for the opportunity to run and hopes to serve the student population if they elect her.

Aromando, a freshman from Kennebunk High school and current mechanical engineering student, cited years of experience with Roberts Rules and writing bills via Model State, a mock state government program sponsored by the YMCA. He has also been elected as a member of the recruitment board for Sigma Phi Epsilon and President of the Community Leadership Council for student dorms. He hopes to transition into working for student government.

Fast Pitch Softball originally requested $1,155 for hotel, van and umpire costs, but UBM cancelled their home games. The motion was amended to $810, removing hotel and van costs and passed.

Women’s Lacrosse requested $2,746 for referees, hotel and van costs. There are no home games and all away games are out of state. Motion passes.

Women’s Rugby requested $4,144 for referees, lodging, insurance and gear for the spring season. They decided not to enter the two tournaments they planned for and instead entered two free tournaments. They hoped to use the funding that would have been put toward registration for vans. Motion passed.

President Bois made a pitch for an event for Maine Day: for $4,000, a Harry Potter-themed Escape Room at the Steam Plant. There will be four identical rooms to be used simultaneously and will switch from 10, 15 and 20 minute escapes to adjust as lines grow or shrink. Campus Activities and Student Engagement (CASE) is willing to cover $1,000. Motion passed.

Commuter and Non-Traditional Students requested $250 to run a special Sunday Kickin’ Flicks event catered towards student parents with children. They will run a family movie provided by CASE. The request will cover the cost of 30 pizzas. Motion passed.

The senate moved to Executive session from 7:55-9:08, presumably to discuss matters of employment.

New Senators and Officer Appointments

Trevor Lessard was sworn in as a Senator this week.

Club Maintenance

The UMaine branch of Exercise-Is-Medicine, a global health initiative affiliated with the American College of Sports Medicine, was granted preliminary recognition. Their goal is to encourage physicians and other health care providers to include exercise as a standard part of disease treatment in addition to prescription medication.

The Spooky Society, a special interest group interested in the horror genre, Halloween and spooky/scary things in general, was also granted preliminary recognition this week. They plan to have monthly horror film showings, Halloween events and general field trips to spooky locations. Their meetings will be held in the Estabrooke Hall ballroom, a fitting location, considering its significance as an inspiration for Stephen King’s “The Shining.”

Club Presentations

The Alpine Ski Club thanked the Senate for their support, having wrapped up their season a few weeks ago with ten races and both teams as the best in their division. They plan to do more outreach, thanks to their now record-high membership.

Executive Reports

President Kevin Bois attended the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs listening tour, meeting with 25 student leaders and his monthly meeting with President Hunter. He is now moving forward with planning for the upcoming Maine Day event.

Vice President for Financial Affairs, Robert Begin, reported $120,012.16 in unallocated funds.

Vice President for Student Organizations, Jacob Johnson, was proud to announce that the new student organization database is online. Organization data is currently sparse, but being updated. More to come in the following weeks.

Periodic Reports

Board of Trustees Representative, Samuel Borer, reported that the upcoming meeting on Monday will have a number of big ticket items; One of the most significant will be the UM-UMM partnership proposal. Borer was positive that it will not see a lot in the way of hesitation or resistance and will have a report on its effects on the student body next week. He noted that the political environment of the UMS is strained, as UMaine Orono’s perception as “the big dog” leaves a sour taste in the mouths of other campuses. The Board will be developing plans to assuage this and hope that the UM-UMM partnership will improve public opinion.

Other items include a new master’s program for Anthropology and Environmental Policy, $1.9 million in renovations to Barrows Hall to accommodate chemistry laboratories upward of 1700 sq. ft. and $3.6 million in renovations to the Bear’s Den to enhance the serving venues, replacing and redesigning equipment, adding security cameras and updating and completing aesthetics.

Finally, the ad hoc committee formed to examine the Board’s policies about freedom of speech and political impartiality last December has prepared a proposal to revise Board Policy 212 regarding the subjects of free speech, free inquiry and academic reform, civility and mutual respect and the enforcement of said subjects. The revision will also be voted on next Monday.

Sean O’Mara of Student Legal Services will attend next week’s Senate meeting.

Reports of Standing Committees

Services Representative Mary Celeste-Floreani reported that the MaineCard-accessible device charging stations have been placed in the Memorial Union.

Reports of Special Committees

The UMS / Student Government Association Conference Planning Committee is now a committee of two, double the size of other committees at the table. The schedule for the conference weekend of April 22 is in its final stages. Its theme: “How to Become an Agent of Change.”

Representative Board Reports

The Interfraternity Council reported that the Greek awards have been released and groups will be able to submit. Kappa Sigma will be holding a dinner fundraiser at Margaritas for the Fisher House Foundation on March 27. Greek Week will be held on April 21.

The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee plans to hold their kickball tournament next month. What the tournament fundraising will be for is undecided. The Committee is also preparing for Mental Health Awareness Month this May.

Community Association Reports

Student Heritage Alliance Council met this Monday to discuss the upcoming Hindi Color festival. The Asian Student Association is planning a bowling night event soon. Next week will be Diversity Week, where different cultural organizations will be present at the Memorial Union each day.

The Student Women’s Association (SWA) is planning an Equal Pay Day on April 4, to raise awareness about the gender pay gap, as well as an upcoming Beautiful Week event, to be concluded with a “Slut Walk.” The group is trying to create new contacts with SWA alumni and historians, to better document the organization’s history. They have also been trying to figure out what can be done to address the fact that there is no location or group on campus to support pregnant students.

The Wilde Stein Alliance for Sexual Diversity has been preparing events for Pride Week from April 10-15, most notably a drag show on April 15 at 8 p.m.

New Business

The African Student Association requested $1,600 to cover tickets and hotel costs for 20 members to attend the Harvard African Development Conference, “Africa: Imagining New Frontiers for Collaboration.” Cultural associations gather to discuss governmental policy issues, human rights, the African economy, tourism and more. The motion passed.

Wilde Stein requested $3,585 to cover the Pride Week drag show. They noted that the request was larger than previous years. They reassured the Senate that they were going to get two drag queens for the price of one this year and that while they usually split bill with RHA, they wanted to do more during Pride Week, such as opening the beginning the week with a full-blown carnival. Granted.

In an initially unorthodox-seeming move, the UMaine Crew Club brought two resolutions before the Senate for two fiscal years. The first is for $4,910 for the purchase of a new boat for their crew. Their current boats are too large crew and have been in use since the 1980s. Using the most efficient strokes possible, each stroke slightly warps the boat’s shell, adding up over the decades until the boat cannot compete in the current day.

The second resolution for $6,000 will be set aside until fall of 2017. Considering this, it’s expected that the crew will not request more funds during the fall semester. There has been precedent for this agreement in Senate dealings to get around certain obstructive. A similar deal to cover wrestling mats over a three-year period had difficulties, since a lot of the officers had graduated and new officers were originally freshmen who were unaware of the plan. The crew has displayed excellent attention to detail in their proposals to the Senate, which eases worries. Both resolutions pass.

The MBS Corps requested $4,000 to cover speaker travel costs, speaker fees and meals for their TOP Leadership Conference. They hope to have Travis Roy as a speaker, among others. Motion passed.

Cheerleading requested $4,000 to supplement their fundraising for cover the costs of hotels, flights, choreography and music for College Cheering Nationals in April at Daytona Beach in Florida. They won last year and hope to bring another title back. A motion amended to strike choreography and music from the resolution and passed.

Unfinished Business

Senator Wang was elected as EBC representative.

Special Orders and Announcements

A brief discussion was held regarding making an official resolution to support the UM-UMM Partnership and try to forge relations with the UMM student government.
President Bois, while not fully educated on subject, wanted to mention that a “campus carry” bill will be addressed by State legislature in April. Bois plans to research the bill and encourages the Senate to do the same, to discuss what position the Senate should take regarding the bill, if at all.

The “Historical Atlas of Maine” was formally released to the public on Thursday, December 11, in a launch event held at the Buchanan Alumni House.

The event was introduced by President Susan J. Hunter, who considered the release “a truly historic occasion” and “the most significant humanities project to Maine.” She also noted that she “would’ve liked to say that the release was meant to coincide with the University of Maine’s 150th anniversary, but in reality it was merely fortuitous that it did.”

The atlas, published by the University of Maine Press, is the product of 15 years of geographical and historical research on the part of 33 contributing scholars on the University of Maine staff, detailing the changes to Maine’s geography over the course of 13,000 years, spanning from the end of the last Ice Age to the year 2000, using over 700 original and historical maps, charts, and images.

In addition to geographical changes, the atlas describes the history of the state, with highlights including the lifestyles of the native peoples, European settlement, the American Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, and the more recent movements in environmental awareness.

UMaine professor and editor Stephen J. Hornsby also spoke on behalf of the work that went into making the lifetime endeavor of a project a reality.

“Canada and New Zealand have both created similarly grand atlases in the past,” Hornsby said. “Our original goal was to create an atlas that could stand with them. What we didn’t know was that those projects had financial support from their governments and enormous teams of researchers to create them. This new atlas has no peer at the state level.”

Senior cartographer Michael J. Hermann, the man responsible for all the original maps and charts created for the atlas, was the last to speak.

“It is a cultural and statistical atlas,” Hermann said, “the end result of synthesizing statistical data that would be un-absorbable otherwise, and putting it on a map for people to read. I hope that you all enjoy it.”

The atlas was then made officially available to the public. Preordered copies were distributed, and those involved remained for signing.

The initial vision to create such an extensive record of Maine history is attributed by all involved to the late UMaine professor Burton Hatlen, who led the project until his death in 2008.

Funding was primarily covered by Maine State Legislature, offering $160,000 during the project’s beginning in 1999, and a $293,500 grant from the National Endowment for The Humanities in 2003.

Editor Richard Judd also held a lecture regarding the atlas on behalf of the Maine Historical Society at 489 Congress St., Portland on Dec. 9. The atlas was launched in a sister event held on Dec. 10 at Osher Map Library at the University of Southern Maine in Portland, as well.

The Historical Atlas of Maine is available for order at the University of Maine Press Online Store.