Apr 19, 2019 | News |
Nolan Pakulski Contributing Writer
Vaping, a habit growing in popularity across the nation as well as among UMF students, is prohibited under school policy, a regulation seemingly unknown to the student population. UMF is a federally funded institution and must comply with federal laws restricting the use of substances. Therefore substances such as cigarettes, nicotine vapes and marijuana vapes are forbidden on campus.
“They’re not to be on campus. You can’t have them in dorms. [Campus] is smoke free property,” said Officer Sandy Burke of Public Safety. Around campus are green signs that say campus is a tobacco free zone and vaping falls under that category.
But among students it seems to be a normal thing to vape on campus. “I think it’s quite popular,” said Burke. “I’ve seen some students walking around with them.” If found in possession of a nicotine vape, Public Safety will confiscate the device.
Marijuana vapes likewise cannot be used or possessed on campus. It is similar to tobacco’s regulations in policy but marijuana is federally illegal, even if the user is 21 years of age making it legal by Maine state law. Marijuana possession on campus can result in a fine or a court summons. Generally though, Public Safety will confiscate the marijuana and potentially issue a fine. But according to Burke, consequences may reflect the frequency at which an individual is caught with substances as it “depends on [how] many times. Then you get a summons.”
Vaping has become increasingly popular in the U.S. since its introduction into the market in 2007. So much so that the Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams, has proclaimed it to be an “epidemic.”
In most vapes is a substance known as “e-liquid” that according to the FDA contains nicotine, “varying compositions of flavors”, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and other chemicals. These chemicals are heated and turned into a vapor which the user inhales into their lungs.
“It’s just like any other drug, its addicting” said Burke. Currently there is little regulation on what goes into the “e-liquid” which makes it dangerous to the consumer.
E-liquid comes in a variety of flavors ranging from mint, synthetic tobacco, and even Swedish Fish. The flavor is part of why it’s so appealing to consumers who otherwise would not have started using nicotine products in the first place, as flavoring eliminates the unappealing aspect of smoke from traditional tobacco products. The FDA cites, from a 2013-2014 study, that in 81% of vape users, “the availability of appealing flavors as the primary reason for use”.
A startling study conducted by the FDA, researchers found that 3.62 million middle and high schoolers in 2018 used e-cigarettes. The FDA classifies e-cigarettes/vapes as being “non combustible tobacco products”. Although the vapor is produced through combustion, it is still harmful to the user’s lungs. Vaping and the smoking of marijuana, creates an effect on the lungs known as “popcorn lung”, in which parts of the lung become scarred and more narrow, which can cause breathing issues in those afflicted with the condition.
Apr 19, 2019 | News |
Kara Doane Contributing Writer
A new UMF compliments profile on Instagram allows students submit compliments for students and faculty around campus, subject to the approval of the account creator, who is currently remaining anonymous.
Through a direct message interview, the creator of the account said, “ I want to remain anonymous, because I don’t want people to praise me for making this account. I just want people to be happy.” The profile typically gets three to five submissions a day, where sometimes people will submit two or three compliments about their friends.
The first post made by the account is from March 28, reading, “Made this account to compliment people around campus! DM me your submissions and I will post them anonymously!” Since this post, there have been 79 positive posts about members of the community.
The account user has been listening to the buzz around campus about their endeavors.“I’ve heard people talking about my account around campus and that it makes them really happy to see all of the posts. My hope is that this account will spread more positivity around campus.” As many hold preconceived judgments of others, this account can help them see the good side in people, especially those who they wouldn’t normally get along with. “I have seen such a wide range of people being complemented which is really awesome,” said UMF Compliments.
The most liked and commented post on the page features junior Norma Williams, posted on April 2nd: “Norma Williams is more than what is talked about. She is a caring individual with a lot to give and people don’t recognize that enough. She’s faced things no one should have to and for that she is strong.” This post had 52 likes and 7 comments.
Williams said this post “was sad but true, it was nice to see that people know what I’ve been through.”
Posted on April 9th was a compliment for CA Crystal Macomber, “Crystal is such an amazing person. She always makes people smile! She’s a great friend and an amazing CA and I’m so proud of everything she’s doing!” Macomber texted friends to see who had submitted the compliment about her. All who responded denied having sent it in. “It feels really good that someone is noticing all the hard work that I am doing,” said Macomber. “Especially because one of my best friends didn’t submit the compliment.”
Faculty may also be featured on the page. Assistant Director of Upward Bound, Elyse Pratt-Ronco’s post on the page has the caption, “Elyse has done so much for me while I’ve been here at UMF, the grief group has saved me.”
While the UMF Compliments account want to be kept anonymous, close friends of the individual are aware of their identity as the account user. Those few people are asked to keep the identity under wraps.
Anyone who wants to submit a compliment can DM @umfcompliments on Instagram. Make sure to follow the profile to keep up on the positivity around campus.
Apr 19, 2019 | News |
By Audrey Carroll Contributing Writer
The museum not only focused on modern art– it also focused on ancient artifacts, too. (Photo by Emily Mokler)
Recently, Associate Professor of Art History and UMF Gallery Director Sarah Maline brought her Contemporary Art class, her World Film class and guests to the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston, MA. Entrance fees to the museum had been generously paid by a donor for Maine students and accompanying faculty.
Emma Pierce, a sophomore Visual Arts major and Graphic Design minor, felt as though the time flew by. “That museum is so big that you can get lost in it,” said Pierce.
Similarly, Emily Mokler, a senior Creative Writing major, and a guest on the trip was astounded by the vastness of the museum. “You could easily spend a couple of days in there, and still not see everything— it was that big,” said Mokler. “I feel like I saw maybe 10 percent of the place.”
Since the MFA is so large, it occupies artworks of all kinds. This ensures that any attendee is likely to find
This designer look has broken the boundaries of gender through fashion. (Photo by Emma Pierce)
an exhibit or a specific piece of artwork that captivates them. For Mokler, this exhibit was that of the Egyptian mummies. “There was this climate controlled room, where they had different mummies from ancient Egypt,” said Mokler, “and they had hieroglyphs from the tombs. . .They structured these rooms so that you could see them laid out, and you could still see the colors— you know, some red and some blue.”
For Pierce, the piece that captivated her was “The Postman” by Vincent Van Gogh. “First of all, Van Gogh is my man,” said Pierce. What struck her about “The Postman” is how one can see the paint coming off of the original canvas. “Because he used a lot of paint… it gives it [the painting] texture, and it also shows where he put the brush— which is surreal,” said Pierce. “It’s almost like you were there with him.”
Pierce’s acknowledgement of the details of the artwork at the MFA, details that one can only witness in person, is exactly why Professor Maline takes this trip with her classes every semester. “The MFA offers us a chance to experience ‘live art,’” said Professor Maline via email, “The opportunity to experience live art— in your own physical presence— is so important. Very different from seeing it onscreen or projected. You see scale, texture and color in a different way.”
Though the trip is always a fun success, Professor Maline often experiences a moment of anxiousness during the outing. “We always have one student lost— either at the MFA at closing time or at Quincy Market after dinner— thank goodness for cell phones,” said Maline, “20 years ago when I first ran this trip we didn’t all have cells, so it was very stressful.”
Upon returning home from the MFA, Professor Maline’s students will complete a critical analysis paper of an artwork that they viewed on the trip. For this assignment, students “describe [an artwork] very closely, analyze it, then compare it to another artwork that is related conceptually— though not necessarily culturally or temporally,” said Maline.
Pierce is writing her analysis essay on a piece from the exhibit “A Gender Bending Fashion Show.” This exhibit displayed geometrically oriented neon lights surrounding outfits created by a variety of designers that “challenge the rigid definitions of dress based on gender,” said Pierce. This piece was designed by Viktor&Rolf for Tilda Swinton— an actress who “has a gender non-conforming style,” said Pierce.
This trip is a fun and educational experience for all, especially for the students in Professor Maline’s classes. “I recommend this trip to the patient and the open-minded,” said Pierce, “I would recommend it if you’re willing to experience art in the most open way— otherwise you won’t be able to enjoy it as much.”
Even for guests, exploring the MFA and Quincy Market was interesting and relevant. The excursion to Boston alone offered a different atmosphere for students to escape to. “This trip is great if you want to experience a change of pace,” said Mokler.
The trip to the MFA is taken once a semester. To attend, a student may either enroll in a class taught by Professor Maline or pay a $30 travel fee at the Student Life office on campus to attend as a guest.
Apr 19, 2019 | Feature |
Ciera Miller Contributing Writer
On March 29, Lincoln Auditorium was bursting with laughter, and not just from UMF’s resident improv group, The Lawn Chair Pirates (LCP), but also from a special guest improv group, the Teachers Lounge Mafia (TLM). First on their own and then together, the groups fueled stomach splitting shenanigans the entire night.
Steffon Gales of LCP had worked previously with his Practicum teacher, Dan Ryder, in a earlier LCP/TLM collaboration, and Gales thought it might be fun to have one more performance with the TLM before graduating. Together, the two began planning and soon the night was born.
Members of both groups were eager for the collaboration. “They were all for it,” Gales said of LCP. Jeff Bailey and Kyla Wheeler of the Teachers Lounge Mafia expressed their own excitement. They’d only had one rehearsal before the performance, and although every improv group has their “own flavor, own vibes”, the two worked well together.
Audrey Keith, recently inducted into LCP, was nervous but she’d worked with Ryder before as he was one of her previous teachers, so she knew his brand of humor and appreciated it. “It’s a little weird to play ‘Sex is like…’ with my old teacher,” Keith said.
Even Neil Noilette knew the other group. “I play D&D with Jeff and my dad,” Noilette said, “so it made it easier.” Though he was a little wary as well. “If it’s not good,” Noilette said, “it’s 50% not our fault!”
But the performance was phenomenal, and 50% of it was LCP’s fault.
The first third of the show was designated to TLM, to introduce the crowd to a new kind of comedy. LCP agreed that the other group had a more experienced style as they have been doing improv for longer. TLM introduced their game “Clickable”, the exact opposite of LCP’s notorious game “Sniper”, and is incidentally where “Sniper” originated from.
“Yeah, one of the older members took ‘Clickable’, where you ask a person which character they want to know more about, and thought, ‘Hey, what if instead, you killed them?’” Wheeler said, laughing.
LCP were up to their own tricks in their third of the show. Memorably, Jeremy Tingdahl and Brock Bubat played ‘Nouner’, where the audience gave Tingdahl three nouns and he had to explain them all to Brock, who had to guess what they were. The first noun laid some heavy unhappiness on Michelle Obama’s school lunch policies, the second took Bubar to France where he’d forgotten what Paris was called and was convinced that Tingdahl’s arm was a baguette, and the third noun brought them to a mountain side where Tingdahl tried help Bubar understand that he wasn’t talking about goats, but about llamas. “Brock, they spit, like this,” Tingdahl had said, then acted it out.
The two groups melded well together. The way that Ryder and Eil Mowry held (and dropped) Simba at Pride Rock caused the audience to burst into laughter. Eli’s comment “Can’t we just get a new one?” struck a similar chord, followed by Ryder retrieving a new baby that seemed more like a zebra than a lion.
Keith survived playing “Sex is like…” with her former teacher, and it was just like he was another member of her improv group. In ‘The Dating Game’, Gales’ famous character Julian (a young boy going through puberty) found love with Bailey’s Shakira character, though Hailey Craig’s Captain Marvel and Phil Hobby’s kleptomaniac continuously eating nachos created some competition.
“There was no need to figure out the chemistry, it was just there,” Gales said. The groups expect to collaborate again in the future. Gales hopes, since it’s his last semester at the UMF, that LCP can continue to interact with the Farmington community after he leaves. “We are part of it,” Gales said, “so we should interact more in it.”
Gales’ last show is April 27 in Lincoln Auditorium. This show will also be the final LCP performance Nick D’Aleo and Jonas Maines as well. TLM will be performing on April 26 at Mount Blue high school.
Apr 19, 2019 | Feature |
By Darby Murnane & Emily Mokler Assistant Editor & Editor-in-Chief
The public forums provided a platform for discussion about the CMP powerline. (Photo by Emily Mokler)
Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) hosted a week-long collection of hearings and two public forums on the UMF campus to address the proposed Central Maine Power (CMP) transmission line during the first week of April. This project, the New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC), has been met with controversy from Maine residents as both those for and against the project have voiced concern over how the state’s actions will impact the course of climate change.
The transmission, according to The Portland Press Herald, will run 145 miles from the Canadian border just north of route 27 to Lewiston, ME, and approximately 50-55 miles of this would be newly constructed lines, the remaining distance consisting of existing lines that would be widened by 75-150 feet. Electricity generated by Quebec Hydropower would be carried to Massachusetts via the NECEC to aid MA. in meeting state green-energy standards. The transmission line is set to run directly through Farmington.
Many Mainers came forward during the public forums on April 2 and 4 to argue in favor of the line and implored the DEP panel members to take timely and productive steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Speakers often cited the estimated 12 years the world has to take proactive steps in reversing climate change before it is too late.
The project is also meant to provide economic benefits to Mainers as workers will be needed for construction. Matt Marks, CEO of Associated General Contractors of Maine (ACG) spoke at the April 6 forum on behalf of his company to argue for the NECEC job opportunities, stating that AGC had lost 10,000 workers in recent recessions. “More than 5200 megawatts of oil, coal, and nuclear power plants will be retired from from 2013-2022. And another 5000 megawatts of coal and oil fire generation could retire in a couple years,” Marks said. “We need to replace these plants and 1200 megawatts of clean, reliable hydropower delivered to Lewiston, maine will be the region’s largest source of electricity from clean energy.”
Conversely, those speaking against the NECEC expressed fear that environmental damage and greenhouse gas emitted by the construction of the line will outweigh the proposed benefits. As an estimated 50-55 miles of land would be cleared to make way for the transmission line, environmentalist opponents argue that the deforestation and carbon dioxide (CO2) released from clear-cut vegetation essentially cancels out what CO2 is meant to be eliminated by the NECEC.
Tom Saviello, a former Maine Senator, also spoke at the April 6 forum, adding to the environmental debate with his expertise in forestry, having earned a Phd in Forest Resources from University of Maine. “One tree can absorb as much carbon a year that a car produces while driving 26,000 miles. Over the course of a life, a single tree can absorb one ton of carbon dioxide,” Saviello said. “So if we take the 55 miles of the corridor, that’s 150 feet wide and the rest 70 feet wide, we’ll cut a lot of trees which will equate to about 800,000 pounds of car carbon emissions.”
There was some discrepancy among speakers about how many trees would actually be cut as many in favor of the line argued that the supposedly pristine wilderness through which the line would run is already crossed by access roads, as well as stretches of working forests such as logging ground. Yet those against the line noted that logged forests are able to regrow, whereas land home to transmissions line are routinely sprayed with herbicides to keep vegetation at bay.
As Saviello testified before the DEP panel, he also commented on Maine’s legal responsibility in addressing climate via environmental law, stating, “We set goals for Maine, not New England. So I do suggest this part of the law should be addressed as part of the site location permit for [NECEC] can be issued.”
