Inside This Issue:
Reality TV Coming to P.I! Details on pages 6 & 7
University of Maine at Presque Isle
Volume 43 Issue 3
Melissa Lizotte CONTRIBUTOR
APRIL 1, 2015
Goodbye UMPI Windmill Details on page 12
Brad Paisley to Kick Off Summer Tour at UMPI
UMPI has always had great concerts. But it’s not every day that a big country star decides to play at our small campus. That will change on May 9. This is when Brad Paisley will kick off his summer tour at Wieden Hall. Paisley is one of the biggest country stars of the last decade. He released his first album “Who Needs Pictures” in 1999. He has since had 22 number one hits. They include “I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song),” “Then,” and his latest “Perfect Storm.” Paisley’s summer tour is the “Crushin’ It World Tour.” It is in support of his 2014 album “Moonshine in the Trunk.” This won’t be Paisley’s first concert in Maine. He played to a huge crowd at the Bangor Waterfront on June 15, 2014. His UMPI show will be the first major country concert in northern Maine. Paisley is thrilled to see how far north his tour can go. “The Bangor Waterfront had such a great crowd last year. It made me curious to see what towns are up north. Maybe I’ll find some good fishing spots while I’m there,” Paisley said, referring to his favorite hobby. Faculty and staff have been excited ever since they confirmed the concert date. Rachel Rice, director of community and media relations, said that this is a big deal for UMPI. “We are honored that Paisley chose to start his tour at UMPI,” Rice said. “The first concert of a tour always gets great publicity. We hope that this will make UMPI more nationally known. Maybe more high school students will come and see the campus.” President Linda Schott may be the
most excited faculty member. She is a huge country music fan. She hopes that Paisley’s concert will help start a new UMPI tradition. “I listened to a lot of country music back when I was growing up in Texas. It has been a longtime goal of mine to bring more country musicians to campus,” Schott said. Fans can expect a great concert. Paisley will perform his greatest hits as well as some new songs. His opening acts are Justin Moore and Mickey Guyton. Moore has played in both Bangor and Portland. He said that the UMPI show will check another item off his bucket list. “I’ve always thought it would be cool to play at a college campus,” Moore said. “Everyone who knows me knows that I’m a big fan of small towns. I think people in those places shouldn’t have to travel to cities to see a great Paisley set concert. It is country music after all.” Guyton is a new artist in country music. She just released her debut single, “Better Than You Left Me.” Paisley’s tour will be her first major tour as an artist. As with Schott, Guyton is from Texas. This will be her first trip to
Journalism for Northern Maine
Maine. “I think it’s great that Brad is traveling that far north,” Guyton said. “Country music is for people of all walks of life.
to visit UMPI May 10th.
It doesn’t matter if you’re from the North or South.” The weekend before final exams may seem like an odd time to go to a concert. But Paisley is doing something very rare to make students want to come. The tick-
ets will only be $5 per person! This is the first time his ticket prices have been this low. Paisley said that the inspiration for the low prices came from his own college days. He attended Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. Going to college there gave Paisley exposure to more country musicians than most people in Maine do. But like most college students, he still had to stretch every dollar he had. “I want students to be able to come to the show, have a good time and take their minds off things. They shouldn’t have to worry about ticket prices,” Paisley said. Last week, Rice was lucky enough to get a phone call from Paisley. He told her how thankful he is for the chance to play at UMPI. Rice said that Paisley is very down-to-earth and funny. But she was pleasantly surprised at what else he told her. Paisley will donate the total earnings from ticket sales to the Wieden Auditorium Fund. This will help with the much-needed renovations. “This is big news for both Wieden Hall and the UMPI community. It will allow us to bring more cultural events to campus,” Rice said. “If this concert is as big as I think it’ll be, we’ll definitely ask more country singers to come in the future.” The May 9 show will start at 7 p.m. Tickets go on sale on Friday, April 10, at 9 a.m. Anyone who wants tickets should call the media relations office at 7689452. Wieden Hall is probably not the first place people think of when they think of music venues. But thanks to Paisley, it could become a fixture in all country music tours.
C
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ampus University Times
Apirl 1, 2015
Dear Readers,
The University Times Staff Editor
Christopher Bowden Staff Writers Joshua Archer Christopher Bowden Dawn Gough Monica Hewitt Tong Liu Ning Sun Contributors Emma Campbell Tim Chase Julian Cross Joshua Cross Farah Duale Erin Keehn Marc Knap Brad LeFay Meghan Legassie Melissa Lizotte Linda Schott Jim Stepp
I’d first like to thank you for picking up the latest issue of the University Times. Sadly, however, I
must announce that this will be my last issue as editor. For the past couple of months I’ve been work-
ing with Beyond Limits and their adaptive recreation program. During my time with the program, I’ve picked up Nordic Skiing and have become quite the skier.
After a little help from UMPI’s own Andrew Nesbitt and Ethan Burke, I’ve been able to connect with a Nordic Ski program located in Olso, Norway. I’ll be putting down my pen and pencil for a pair of
skis and poles. I would just like to take a moment and thank all the faculty, staff and friends who have helped make these past three years memorable.
Please follow my progress on the racing circuit,
Christopher Bowden
Dates fo r Subm ission s to the U Times A pri l 10 Adviser Dr. J
The U Times welcomes submissions from the campus. Send digital versions of articles, photos, etc., to
A p r il 24
Any submissions received after a deadline will be published in the following issue. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Lowman at 768-9745.
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The Schott Heard Round the Campus! New Housing Option on Campus Linda Schott CONTRIBUTOR
President Linda Schott announced today that starting in Fall 2016, students will get a new housing option: self-designed and self-constructed igloos on campus. This decision came after months of deliberation led by the director of residence life, Dennis Koch, and that involved students, faculty and staff members from facilities. Schott explained that UMPI will be the first university in the nation to allow students to build and inhabit igloos on campus. "Given our location in northern Maine and our commitment to sustainability, I can't believe we didn't think of this before," Schott said. "Igloo housing will truly make UMPI ‘north of ordinary.’" Koch noted that the conversa-
tions about alternative housing first began last fall, as residence life staff noticed an increasing desire for single person housing and for quiet spaces for study. He then developed a working group composed of representatives from the student government association; the chair of the faculty assembly, Professor Jacqui Lowman; the chair of the university senate, Mr. Dan LaLonde; and the director of facilities, Mr. Gregg Bouchard. Lowman is excited about the instructional value of allowing students to design and construct their own rooms from snow. "This will be a great way for students to demonstrate their proficiency in some of our Essential Learning Outcomes," Lowman
iniside preview of the new rooms
noted. "I can't imagine that any students will be able to build their shelters without using clear communication, collaborating with others and thinking creatively." Bouchard is also pleased with the plan. "We've been hearing for years that students would like new residence halls, but we just haven't been able to afford the construction of a new building. This plan will satisfy the desire for new space while making use of a plentiful and free resource-snow!" Bouchard is also pleased that the igloos won't need to be maintained in the summer when there are fewer students on campus. Not everyone is convinced of
the wisdom of this new plan. LaLonde, who served on the planning group but who also works with institutional technology on campus, worries that student computers may "freeze up" more often when kept in igloos. On the other hand, he feels confident that students will no longer need cooling pads for their laptops. Craig Pullen, president of the student government association, couldn't be more excited about the new option. "UMPI is committed to providing a personalized education to every student--what better way to demonstrate that than letting students design and build their own rooms?"
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Life Found on Saturn’s Moon Titan Jim Stepp
CONTRIBUTOR
In 1655, Christiaan Huygens, a Dutch astronomer, discovered Saturn’s moon Titan. In his primitive telescope, all he noticed was a bright dot orbiting around Saturn. At that time he would never have thought that life would be found there 370 years later. 350 years after the discovery of Titan, Jan. 14, 2005, a NASA space probe named after Huygens landed on Saturn’s moon Titan. The Huygens probe drifted down through the Titan atmosphere and then landed on Titan. During the entire descent and for about 90 minutes after landing, Huygens took pictures, made measurements and collected data. On Earth life exists because we have water. Here water can exist as a solid (ice), a liquid (water) and a gas (steam). On Titan methane reacts like water: it can be a solid, liquid or a gas. The biggest difference between methane and water is the temperatures needed to be able to exist in these three states of matter. Titan has surface temperature of -
292 F (-179.5 C). On Friday, Feb. 13, 2015, while studying pictures taken from the surface of Titan, Dr. Mimas Tethys became the first person to see a living creature on another world. Her discovery took only two days to be confirmed when a team of NASA scientists including Dr. Dione Enceladus and Dr. Rhea Iapetus enhanced the image and confirmed the discovery. Dr. Tethys described the creature as being about two feet tall, walking on three legs, brown in color and having one eye that glowed with a dim yellow light. Dr. Enceladus also added, “Although it took 10 years to notice this new life form, we hope to send a space probe to Saturn in the next year of two to look for and study these creatures further. If there is one life form on Titan, there are probably more. We are looking forward to study them.” For more information on the Saturn and its moons, please go to http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/
ATTENTION: Senior Class of 2015
Graduation for this year has been postponed til May 31 due to rennovations of Wieden Hall Mandatory Meeting: April 31, 5 p.m. Campus Center
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To Be Lucky Dogs Ning Sun
STAFF WRITER
If you want to visit somewhere you are interested in, the program called “Lucky Dog” provides a good chance for you to achieve your dream. This program is organized by University Dream, which usually helps college students to solve problems. The organization has been running the lucky dog program for seven years. More than five hundred students have gotten benefits from the project. Organizers elect candidates by using different ways according to the topic of the year. For this year, the topic of the project is exploring the world. Students are required to write a research paper about the place they want to visit. Then, a vote meeting will be hosted on the Internet. People from different walks of life will choose their favorite paper. The top one hundred lucky dogs will get a
chance. The process seems complex, but you will be lucky enough if you do a good job. The organization will provide financial support for candidates. Also, University Dream will make a plan for each elected student. For example, some students were eager to be volunteers in other countries. The organiza-
tion assisted them to find suitable chances. A lucky student named Luna Smith won a chance to go Thailand last year. She got a chance to be an elephant keeper with the help of the organization. “I’m so appreciative of this. I told my advisors that I wanted to stay with animals in another country. They referenced several plans for me and I chose staying with elephants finally. The whole process is free. I’m so lucky to be one of the lucky dogs,” Smith said excitedly. The leader of the University Dream gives some reasons for this program. First, it helps some university students who are without enough money to broaden horizons by exploring a place. Experience accumulated in traveling and volunteer processes is very valuable for university students. This program
creates chances for those students to learn a lot outside classes. Second, those lucky candidates become a bridge to exchange various cultures with people from different places. At the same time, those experiences help build the resume. All in all, the lucky dogs program is beneficial for all university students. To bring more benefits to more students, the organization has decided to expand the program to other countries in a few years. If you are studying in a university in the United States, you can gain this chance once you do a research paper to explore places you are addicted to. Don’t worry about the money during the trip if your paper is popular enough. This election meeting will be hosted on May 1, 2015. Best wishes to you. Welcome to this program!
Banana Man Enrolls at UMPI Julian Cross
CONTRIBUTOR
As college students are taking tests and doing homework, many prospective students are already preparing to enroll in the fall semester. One student among next fall’s candidates, however, stands out of the bunch. His name is Berry Obstbaum, and he stands out because he never takes off his banana suit. Obstbaum, 20, of Miami, has been wearing his banana suit since his freshman year in high school. “When I was at that age, I had no idea who I was until I found the suit…. It was then I realized I was more banana than man,” Obstbaum said. Obstbaum explained that he identifies as a banana. He even claims that he has memories of growing in a bunch. He spends much of his time trying to locate his “siblings” or the bananas he
grew up with. Obstbaum has dedicated a large portion of his life to biology and plans to go into the field. He believes that he can become more “in sync” with his inner banana if he understands biology and botany. He spends much of his time cultivating plants and banana trees. “I feel bad for my roommates! They have no idea just how many plants I am bringing with me!” he said. Obstbaum has many plants he cares for. “My room back home is pretty much a ghetto greenhouse. I’m growing just about anything you can think of. I have a green thumb to end all green thumbs.” He also explained that it’s because of his banana inObstbaumʼs Senior Photo stincts. His mother, Mary Obstbaum, isn’t so sure. “He isn’t really a ba-
nana. His father and I are botanists and we know a banana when we see one. Still, we like to support him, so we let him think he’s a banana. I wish he’d wash that suit more often, though,” she said. Berry Obstbaum’s parents have been mostly supportive. “I just thought it was a phase. Then, one day he came into the living room with tears in his eyes and told me he was a banana. We cried and hugged. I love him, whether or not he thinks he’s a banana,” his father, Harry Obstbaum, said. “I couldn’t ask for better parents,” Berry Obstbaum said. The University of Maine at Presque Isle has many new students to look forward to. Obstbaum will be just one of many students the school will welcome in the fall semester.
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Marc Knapp CONTRIBUTOR
‘Finding Bigfoot’ Coming To the County?
Rumors have been circulating recently about a reality show coming to northern Maine. The show “Finding Bigfoot,” which airs on the Animal Planet network, may be doing some filming in the Aroostook County area. A representative for the show wouldn’t confirm it, but he didn’t deny it either. “We’re looking over a couple of different places right now. Nothing is set in stone. But that story about the guy who lived in the woods for more than 20 years…kind of
makes you wonder what else could be roaming around up there.” Has there been anything that may have caught the producers’ attention? Some of the police stations in the county have been getting more calls recently. In rural areas, there have been a lot of reports of a large figure roaming through the woods. No one has gotten a good look at the person though. It seems that whoever it is purposely avoids people. The shadowy figure has mostly been reported
by hunters and hikers. The National Forest Service had no official comment on the situation. One forest ranger, however, was willing to speak, under the condition of anonymity. “The government doesn’t want us saying anything. It doesn’t want that TV show poking around up here. All I know is that we have been getting a lot of strange calls. I haven’t seen any figure like everybody has been saying. But I have seen some strange tracks. Like feet,
but big ones. That’s all I’m saying.”
The producers have tried to get in-
formation on encounters or sightings,
but the government is not disclosing
any. To combat this, the producers of
the show have established a hotline to
try to get information directly from
the public. You can call this number
to report possible sightings and help
sway the producers to come to Maine. The number is 1-277-453-6657.
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Investigator Sheds Some Light On Strange New Faces in the County Meghan Legassie CONTRIBUTOR
This past week there were some new tity. people out and about around the “Well of course every County. Sam Green, a local, had seen guy knows who Megan some new faces around where he Fox is,” he said. “And with lives. Duhamel and Hill, they are “They looked like they didn’t bepretty popular in the movie long,” Sam said. “They looked like business. I took pictures they didn’t know where they were or and placed them into my what they were doing.” computer. You can look for Further investigations finally were people by doing a Google able to give these strange new people Image search, and the names. No one would have thought names all popped up,” that actors Josh Duhamel, Megan Fox So why did no one reand Jonah Hill would be all together alize that they were fasearching in the County. What were mous actors? Bennett had they here for? Why were these three this explanation. “They stars in the County? The top investiall were incognito,” he gator sheds some light on these quessaid. “Fox had what looked tions. like a wig that was bright Duhamel (Above) Fox (Bottom Left) and “Well, when I was first assigned red. She had huge sunHill (Bottom Right) the recent visitors this job, I didn’t know what I was glasses on and was dressed looking for. Some townspeople were in everything a farmer worried that these suspicions would wear. Duhamel and people would start up some Hill were dressed in sort trouble. So I didn’t know what of the same attire, with I was getting myself into,” plaid shirts and overalls, John Bennett, a new private and big straw hats to investigator, said. cover their faces. I guess Bennett is a new face they all thought a small around the County as well. He town in Maine was nothmoved here from New York ing but country. I think City last month and had althat’s what scared the ways dreamed of being a pripeople in the town. No vate eye. This was his big one usually wears things break to be the local hero and like that on a daily basis,” find out who these strange Bennett had his own people were. When asked, theory about why they Bennett smiled as he explained were here. He said, “They when he found out their iden-
were probably working on a movie. Probably still in the researching character phase. Might be a movie about farming or some sort. I would have done more research, but I think they caught on to me. They left their hotel at two in the morning and drove to the airport, getting on a big private jet,” Bennett explained. So far these three have not come back to the County and things have gotten back to the way they were. Bennett said that he feels that they won’t be back. He said they were always busy while visiting. He thinks that they got everything they needed. Bennett said to keep an eye out on social media to see if anything comes up about a movie with those three in it. With a laugh, Bennett concluded, “Who says nothing ever happens in
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The Easter Bunny’s Dilemma
Emma Campbell CONTRIBUTOR
The Easter Bunny is befuddled. He’s got his ears in a twist. With massive snowfall this winter, the Easter Bunny has a problem on his...paws. Ask anyone about this winter and they will talk about the snow, “It’s one of the craziest winters I’ve seen,” John Campbell said. Campbell, a driver for General Currier, also said, “The streets in Portland are incredibly narrow. They are supposed to be removing the stuff, but where can you put it all?” Yes, indeed. This winter was harsh. Big storms. Cold temperature. This winter was a burden for many. The Bangor Daily News said the downeast area already broke a 46-year-record in mid February. This was done when a little over 60 inches of snow fell between Jan. 24 and Feb. 20, 2015. Bangor isn’t the only area breaking records this winter. Records have been
broken all over New England. Portland, Maine, and Boston are a few of them. What does all of this harsh winter weather mean for the Easter Bunny? Difficult hiding conditions. Easter, set for April 5 this year, is a spring holiday many celebrate. It is usually the unofficial gateway into spring. With its bright colors, festive games and seasonal foods, Easter is the light at the end of the tunnel for many. Along with festival colors, traditional foods and lots of chocolate are a hide-and-seek tradition children love. The customary game of hidden Easter eggs goes hand in hand with the delivery of the Easter basket. This job is all done by an Easter favorite, the Easter Bunny.
This year, though, with many feet of snow still covering the ground, the pop-
ular bunny is at a loss. “I’m in a real pickle. All of this snow will make it very difficult to hide the eggs this year, no doubt about that.” The Easter eggs usually come in cheerful and bright colors. Blues, purples, greens, yellows, pinks, etc., are the favored shades. These bright colors are easy to hide among the seasonal shades of spring. Green and blue eggs can hide in grass. Purples and pinks can be hidden among flowers. This year, though, that does not appear to be the case,
“With all of the snow on the ground, the colorful eggs will stick out. Impossible to hide. Not to mention, because the eggs are dyed, the snow will make the colors run.” It is not the first snowy Easter we have seen. It won’t be the last either. For the Easter Bunny, though, these are the toughest Easters to pull off. The Easter Bunny works all year on dying eggs, “I work hard to get everything ready by Easter! All of my white eggs are dyed, including my batch for the snowy states,” the Bunny said. His game plan now is to use white ones. “If anyone out there has some white eggs that can be sent my way, that would be great.” What if he doesn’t have white ones in time? “Hope the snow melts!” he said. It seems as if we will have to wait and see. If not, better luck next year,
Celebrate Easter with Rabbit Sushi Joshua Archer STAFF WRITER
Easter is around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than with a butchered bunny? The Japanese style of rabbit sushi allows you to experience the full flavor of the rabbit, by enjoying it raw. "Store-bought rabbit or canned rabbit won't do. Your rabbit needs to be fresh," UMPI cafeteria chef Harry Ballson said. "Setting up a snare and catching a rabbit on your own is the way to go. I don't suggest reaching into a rabbit hole unless you want to get bitten. A single bite from a rabbit could result in Rabbities." After catching your rabbit, it's tradition to hold a small ceremony in honor of taking the rabbit's life. This is what the Native Americans call a “Rhabet B'ded.” Take the rabbit and hold it like a baby, then scold it and throw it as far as you can. "It's imperative you scold the rabbit before throwing it. Scolding it after you
throw it won't allow the rabbit's soul to leave its body when it hits the ground. The soul can leave a nasty aftertaste," local Micmac band leader Bartholomew Hattersley said. Before you skin your rabbit, you'll want to chop off its feet. It's a common misconception that rabbit feet bring good luck. Rabbit feet are actually poisonous, and rubbing them could result in a terrible rash or even death. So you'll want to wear gloves when cutting them off. "After you've done away with the feet and skinned it, you'll want to prepare your hare first by blowing its brains out. Not with a gun, but with a bendy straw," Ballson said. Ballson advised drilling holes in the rabbit's head for the bendy straw. "Just pop a drill right through its eyes. Make sure the drill bit is long enough to go right through the skull. Then just slip your straw in and blow
A fresh Rabbit being prepared. Ballson said.
out the delicious goo," Ballson said. The rabbit's brains provide a dipping sauce for the slices of rabbit meat. "Finally, in honor of Easter, say a small prayer before slicing the meat off the ribs, belly, and thighs into thin strips and then serve at room temperature,"
UMPI students and staff will have the luxury of dining on rabbit sushi on Easter Sunday, April 5. Join chef Ballson in the multipurpose room of the campus center for a delicious holiday treat. To make reservations call 800555-7399.
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Register for New Class And
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Get Round-Trip Tickets to China! Tong Liu
STAFF WRITER
Do you like different cultures? Do you like different languages? Do you want to have experience going to another country? The University of Maine at Presque Isle is offering a Chinese class next semester. In order to bring a different culture to the campus, we encourage students at UMPI to register for it. The course will have four parts to help students get to know more about Chinese culture. First of all, students will learn some basic greetings and vocabulary. Second, some famous Kungfu movies will help students to have more interest in learning Chinese. Then Chinese international students will be invited to be guests in the class and also the tutors all semester. Finally, the moderator will teach students to write some Chinese characters in this course. For example, they will learn to write their names in Chinese. They can also have a Chinese name. The most important aspect about this course is that if you register for the Chinese class next semester, you will have a chance to get tickets to go to China. Students who enroll and have no absences and have submitted all assignments can have round-trip tickets to China and enjoy a two-week free trip. The International Student Club at UMPI is offering those roundtrip tickets for students who take this class. The International Student Club will use its fundraising profits to pay
for each student’s ticket and cost in China. The students who can go to China spend two weeks visiting several big cities for free. In two weeks, the students will go to three big cites in China. During the trip, students can go to Beijing, which is the capital of China. They will stay in Beijing four
China since we talk to each other about this every week. When I shared this news to him, he was so excited and couldn’t wait to ask his questions. “If I take this course, will I really get the chance to go to China for free?” Bowden said. “Of course, the course description said everyone who
terested in Chinese culture. And you
never really understand Chinese cul-
ture unless you go there. So that’s the reason we want to support this event
for all the students,” I said.
“Wow, I will not forget what I
learned in class if I can go to China
and use it!” Bowden said. “Sure you
will not: this will be a unforgettable trip. And this is also the reason we
want to support the event. All of us Chinese students had a hard time
learning English, but we really im-
proved after we came to America. We
want students learn Chinese and have
the chance to use it,” I said. “No kid-
ding. I will register for this class and
I’m sure this course will be full in one second! After this class, I will have
professional training in Chinese, so we can talk in Chinese someday!”
Bowden said. “Tell me more about
those three cities! Where I can go and
days in total. Then they will go to Shanghai and Xi’an for another 10day trip. Students can taste good food and visit some famous buildings in those cities. Also, all the costs in China are free. After I introduced this news to him, Chris Bowden, UMPI student, U Times editor and English tutor, was very excited and he had many questions. He knew a lot of details about
takes the Chinese class, has no absences and has submitted all assignments can go to China for free,” I said. “But why did they do this?” Bowden said. “I am a member of the International Student Club. We can use our funds to support the flight ticket. Also, in those three cities, we have students who studied at UMPI before. They would like to offer the free trip to those students who are in-
what I can eat?” Bowden said. “Don’t
worry, you will learn this and many more things when you are in this class. So it is secret for now!”
Enjoy learning Chinese and enjoy
your trip. This is what we expect from this event. We are lucky to go aboard
to study and know different culture. We would like to do something for
other people who have the same wish
as us.
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UMPI Windmill Stands No More Joshua Cross CONTRIBUTOR
The windmill that has towered over
door swimming pool and a state-of-the-
does not offer UMPI enough positive
university the most money back rather
art UMPI owl statue.
presses on the university. It’s been too
cash proceeds will be used to improve
lawn of the suite past the presidential
put to a recent vote to the community
that were put to a recent poll were a
much of a repair hassle. So it has been
over its visual appearance. Apparently
people in the area would much rather
see the mountainside in the distance
STAFF WRITER
to be parted out. This way will give the
summer and shipped across the country
benefits to warrant the financial strain it
Monica Hewitt
academic year. The new renovations
UMPI for past years is sadly coming to its final days. The windmill simply
The Windmill will be missed.
piece-by-piece starting this upcoming
than the obstructed view through the
UMPI windmill.
The windmill will be taken down
than selling it all in one lump sum. The
consist of a personal tennis court, inThe statue will perch on the front
facilities here at UMPI. A few ideas
garden. It will tower over the streets en-
new student center, upgrading Weiden
UMPI’s power and independence to the
auditorium and a new presidential suite. The presidential suite won by a few
electoral votes in the board of visitors.
Construction will start by summer of
2016 and finish by the end of the 2017
tering Presque Isle. This will show
community and visiting traffic. The
owl will stand tall at 15 feet and serve as a reminder for us all to spread our
wings and leave the nest one day to set out for a new world of our own.
New Gadgets for UMPI
UMPI students, say goodbye to your usual student ID cards. In a few short months, the University of Maine at Presque Isle will be changing student identification in a big way. Starting at the beginning of the 2015 fall semester, students will have ID badges that they must carry with them to every class. These badges will function much like the current ID cards, but they will also have additional uses. As of September 2015, students will enter their classrooms using these new badges. Each classroom on campus will have a scanning device located at the entrance of the room. Students will hold their badges under the scanner and enter the room once they are cleared. The badges will hold DNA samples of their students. This is what the scanner will be detecting. In addition, each scanner will have a
retinal scanning device built into it. This way, the scanner makes sure that the DNA on the badge is the same as that of its student. The information recorded will appear on a monitor for the professor to see. This is how professors will keep track of who comes to class. Barry Smart, an UMPI student, said, “I think that this process of identification will greatly increase the campus’s efficiency.” Smart works in the campus’s tech center as part of his work study. Other students, such as Shelby Teal, are looking forward to not having attendance taken. “It always seems to take time out of class when attendance has to be read. This way, class can get started as soon as possible.” UMPI will be the first campus in Maine to use this new form of technology. A company called SmartAt-
tendance first developed it in Melbourne, Australia. It developed this technology to provide professors with a more efficient way to take attendance. They will no longer have to read off names from a list at the start of class. This will be especially useful on bigger campuses where the class sizes tend to be large. UMPI will act as the guinea pig for testing this new technology. UMPI officials will soon be notifying students on these new changes. This will happen so that students can provide DNA samples for the badges. Trained technicians will gently scrape the inside of the cheek using a cotton swab. This is how the DNA will be obtained. It will be a very short process. Will this new technology be a positive step for UMPI in a new direction? This coming school year should
provide the answer. Campus staff and faculty are looking forward to greater efficiency in student identification. Students are looking forward to trying out this new technology.
DNA Sample has shown on the new ID cards
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UMPI Center for Innovative Learnng to Be Relocated
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Farah Duale
CONTRIBUTOR
The average number of students who go to the center for innovative learning for study, help or for five minutes to use the bathroom is 27 per day. The university conducted a survey of the center and it has come to the conclusion that students are not using it because they claim that it is too far from them. “I have classes during the day and the only time I do my work is at night. Instead of walking five minutes to the center, I prefer doing it in my bed,” Michael Fowler, a freshman student, said. Out of the 27, half of them go to the center for an appointment with a tutor or to borrow a reserved book. The rest go for something else. Rebeka Hydein, a senior majoring in education, said, “I have
gone to the center many times but only to print a document after I have done it in my room or the lounge of my dormitory,” Hydein said. In an effort to solve this issue, university officials have agreed to relocate the the center for innovative learning to the campus center building. “Students will always want everything to be simple. If this change will improve their academics, then we will accept it and make a library the building in front of their dooms.” The campus center which was built in 1992 for the purpose of being students center will be the new UMPI library. It’s a hard decision for the school to do this, but it is really
worth a change when only about 27 out 1200 students visit the library just because the building is five minutes away. When UMPI President Linda Schott was asked if this change is the biggest, she replied, “Well, so many things have to be moved, but we care mostly about our students’ voice and so it is not that a big deal.” The school has undergone four name change since it was founded. The library itself was once located in Preble Hall. According to Anna Ching-YuWong, director, UMPI library, the relocation would be done as early as the end of spring semester. While counting the number of bookshelves in the third floor of the library, Vanessa Pearson, director of student
success and the learning commons, said, “The two buildings are not similar but space would make the change possible.” In just less than two months, the dream the students wanted will be complete. The campus center will be the new library. The main floor of the campus center that has the snack bar (Owls Nest) and office of conferences and special programs, among others, will be space for students to study, conference rooms and the circulation desk. The upstairs that has the meeting spaces, rooms for club meetings and other students activities will be a computer lab, shelves with special collection books and also space for students to study
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Fishing Season May Not Be Possible in Northern Maine
Dawn Gough STAFF WRITER
This summer the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is closing Portage Lake and Eagle Lake indefinitely starting June 1. Officials need to drain and dredge the lakes and try to find a cure for a new invasive species. Apparently someone brought in a boat and forgot to check the bottom for any foreign plants. This has infected both lakes with a type of invasive species never seen before anywhere in the country. Officials are calling this infestation hydrofoil algae. Officials are also stating they may not even be able to stock the lakes this year because of this new potentially dangerous infestation.
This new and potentially dangerous algae is only infecting the females and causing infertility of all fish stocked in our lakes, which means there is no chance for natural repopulation if a solution cannot be found. Scientists have come up with one way to make sure boaters around the state and country are checking their boats for any foreign objects when they are brought out of the water. They have come up with an eco-friendly chemical that will glow bright fluorescent leopard print pink after the boat has come out of the water and starts to dry off. Maine is one of the states chosen to test this new chemical. The process for adding this chemical to
our waters is to first drain the
lakes and streams. Then sprinkle what looks like plant or flower
seeds around the muddy beds before filling them back in with the water. When the water is back and the sun’s warmth has heated it to just the right temperature, the seeds will release the dye that will adhere to the bottom of all boats. As the boat is drying, this dye will adhere to the bottom of any boat that has not been properly rinsed or washed off and stay there until the boat owner completes this process. Officials are hoping this will help boaters become more aware of how important it is to clean their boats.
African Curse or New Bug Hybrid? Erin Keehn
CONTRIBUTOR
Last week, if you haven't already heard, there was a spill in one of the science labs. None of the teachers or students is certain who allowed the spill. It's been rumored, however, that one of the history professors brought in an ancient African urn. This urn apparently has magical powers. The powers were put on it by the tribe’s medicine woman. This spill wouldn't be such a big deal if it hadn't affected the entire campus. Many students have reported that the campus seems to get bigger and smaller while they're walking to and from classes. Valerie Estabrook, a Houlton commuting student, remarked, "I was walking to my car after class
one night and all of a sudden I was already in the parking lot. It was the weirdest thing. I knew for a fact that I was right outside of my building a second before. Then I blinked. I was right in front of my car." She also commented that a few people in the cafeteria seemed to be glowing, but had to leave to meet her sister before she could really catch a good look at them. Even more than glowing students and a shrinking campus, the spill has caused the university's bug problem to become a much bigger issue. Former student Greg Smaligo said, "When I was going to school here, there were never cockroaches. But I was just vis-
iting this past weekend and they were everywhere! They were hissing, too. I swear, I walked right past one and I heard it hiss at me. Another one that I accidentally stepped on leaked out this weird, green ooze. Then it ran away." The number of bugs he saw made him very uncomfortable. But the number of bugs isn't the only issue. Three students had to go to The Aroostook Medical Center this past weekend due to cockroach bites. They all had the same symptoms: nausea/vomiting, high fever, trouble swallowing, hallucinations and hydrophobia. Although these symptoms do link up with other illnesses, the doctors are stumped as to why
they're all showing up together. The doctors have ruled out the illness being contagious. They've found only one similarity within the patients: all were bitten by a cockroach on the campus. One nurse, who wouldn't disclose her name, said, "I'm scared for these kids. I don't know why those bugs are at that school, but I'm advising all students I know to carry bug repellent with them.” The entire science staff believes that if the urn can be cleaned up, taken care of and returned to the tribe it originated from, these strange happenings will stop. Until then, steer clear of the cockroaches and keep track of where you are.
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University of Maine at Presque Isle Paying for Bail Tim Chase
CONTRIBUTOR
The University of Maine at Presque Isle is now paying for bail. UMPI knows that its students are under a lot of pressure with classes, tests and homework. Students need to let off some steam after school. UMPI doesn’t want its students to worry about going to jail. That is why UMPI has decided to bail out students who have had a rough night. There are restrictions of course. The UMPI campus president says that UMPI will not be involved with any students who have any more charges than a non-violent class D misdemeanor. If students have done anything more than that, UMPI will be unable to help them. UMPI does not want this new privilege to be abused: it wants its students to stay on the good side of law enforce-
ment and have a long, bright future. Having this new policy in place does not mean that students are above the law. Students must respect all laws and rules. But UMPI does understand that there are misunderstandings and the possibility to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. UMPI stands by its students and their decisions. This policy is just another way that UMPI as a college can help its students feel safer. UMPI student Jess Tucker sees the value of the new policy. “I do not plan on getting in trouble, but then again, does anyone really plan on getting into trouble? And just because UMPI says it will pay my expenses doesn’t mean that I want to get into trouble. But it sounds like a good safety net.” Another UMPI student, Mackenzie
you’re on spring break in the Florida
Keys and you get arrested are you covered? Or if you are home and not in
Presque Isle are you covered? There
would have to be some modeling done
concerning what you can and can’t do and where you are covered and where you are on your own.”
UMPI students can breathe a little
easier now that UMPI has their back
with this new policy. The new policy is
York, said, “It is a good idea but I could see where it could be abused and there would be a bunch of loopholes that would have to be addressed. Such as if
set to take effect August 28, 2015.
There will be a detailed list of guidelines that will inform students what UMPI will help them with.
Oh, have you checked the date lately? H Gotcha! AH ! A H A A! H April Fools!
UMPIʼs ʻThis Old Iglooʼ
From the Producers Of
ʻThis Old Houseʼ