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FREE Monday, February 11, 2012 • Vol. 131, No. 16 mainecampus.com The Maine Campus Student shadows as UMPD distpatcher Editorial: UMaine SE on close watch Cosgrove signs 3-year extension Second-year Patrick Vallaincourt has Page A9 Issues with Student Entertainment could Page A6 Longtime UMaine football coach to Page B3 an interesting job at UMaine police. have been prevented with better planning stay in current position until 2016 Student Entertainment committed UCU, Orono team to fxing $13,000 defcit up to help develop Spring concert not out of the question, but demand will need to be high Derrick Rossignol and “overall cost,” according just Student Entertainment. mated that value of the talent downtown area News Editor to Helmke. The task of having “Across the board, at all that we brought in last semes- three larger shows in one se- venues, ticket sales have been ter,” according to Helmke. After it was announced dur- mester was also a contributing down,” she said. “Even at the “I think that there was a bit Credit Union to build headquarters ing the Jan. 29 University of factor, according to Goode. Collins Center for the Arts, of a disconnect in that maybe Maine General Student Senate “It’s not normally feasible in ticket sales have been down we needed to take some more By Jesse Scardina However, the plot of land itself meeting that Student Entertain- a semester,” Goode said. “Nor- from what they’ve been in the time evaluating and then, as Editor In Chief isn’t large enough for the growth ment had a $13,000 defcit, mally, three big shows would past.” an organization, take some the UCU would be looking for. Student Body Vice President be over the course of the year, When asked what factors more time in building in more For the better part of two de- Soon, talks opened with Orono, Sam Helmke and […] communica- cades, the town of Orono has been mainly because of its goal of de- Vice President of tion,” Helmke said. stumped on how to advance its veloping downtown and because Student Entertain- “[Former VPSE Joe downtown region and incorporate it owned the parking lot directly ment Sarah Goode “Pat” Nabozny] did more promotion of the University next to the UCU’s new plot of have confrmed that it that way, too. He of Maine — to which many of the land. a spring concert is went with it, but he town’s residents have a stake in. “This is almost like a 50-50 still possible, de- consulted a little While the UMaine campus is just partnership because we both own spite the previous bit. There was more a mile over the Penobscot River, land,” said Orono Town Plan- implications that it communication, and for a stranger entering Orono for ner Evan Richert. “We wanted would be unlikely. I feel we took a step the frst time, UMaine could be to help somebody develop it, we “Sarah is work- back from that.” 100 miles away for all they know. didn’t know who or what at the ing diligently to see Talking about the To change that, the town and time. We thought it was a blessing if there is something co-headlining Mike the University Credit Union have when [UCU] said they wanted to. for Student Enter- Birbiglia and Mi- forged a partnership over the last We were looking for a reference tainment because chael Ian Black com- few years to help spur downtown building — something that will we know it’s key edy show on Oct. 24, development. become a landmark in time. “ to the students,” 2012, Helmke said It all started in 2009, when the The town of Orono owns the Helmke said. “A big that lack of perform- longstanding Katahdin Building, parking lot across the street from portion of college er recognition was a on the corner of Main Street and the post offce as well as the is, you want to go to contributing factor Bennoch Road, burnt down. Pre- Treadwell building, which will be a concert; you want to low attendance for viously used as a bank, tavern, torn down for additional parking. to see a speaker that show — only 230 post offce and apartments, the The green apartment building on with some gravitas. tickets were sold. Katahdin building had rich histo- Main Street was also bought by But it’s tough right “If you knew ry, and it’s removal left open some the town and will be demolished now because we’re about them, you ac- prime real estate in downtown. for the development. a little hamstrung in tually might have Soon after, the UCU bought the money depart- been in the minor- the land the Katahdin building sat Three elements to the proj- ment. But if there is File photo ity in this case,” he on, in hopes of eventually enter- ect something we deem One of the main problems for Student Entertainment’s defcit was the lack of ticket sales for said. “They’re pretty ing downtown. According to Walsh, there are will be successful, their three shows last semester, including comedians Michael Ian Black and Mike Birbiglia prominent, but [they “The old Katahdin building three main components going into we feel that we can don’t have] the name had a presence. It was right on the development that are seen to and should [put on a show].” but [Former Vice President of have been contributing to low recognition that someone like the corner of the street,”said UCU help both the UCU and the down- Helmke continued, saying, Student Entertainment Jon Al- ticket sales, Goode and Helmke [comedian Daniel] Tosh had president Matt Walsh. ““We’ve town area. The frst is a plaza that “At this point, if a show is go- len, who booked the shows cited student apathy. when he sold out a few years had an interest in having a down- ing to be put on […] it should during the summer] expected “I feel that students are be- ago.” town presence.” See UCU on A4 be a no-brainer that someone’s sales to be higher.” coming increasingly apathetic The Collins Center for the going to want to come to this “It was probably over ambi- because of lack of credible tal- Arts was flled to capacity show.” tious to try to do it in one se- ent and frequency of appealing when Tosh performed on Oct. Helmke added that a poten- mester,” Helmke said. “I’m not events on campus,” Helmke 28, 2010. tial show could feature anything “You have to walk that fne from a musical performance to “At this point if a show is going to be put on line between getting up-and- a guest speaker. coming talent and someone “It would be something that [...] it should be a no-brainer that someone’s who’s prominent and has that is a minimal cost to the stu- going to want to come to this show.” name recognition,” he added. dents, as well, because ticket Goode and Helmke also prices have been high this past mentioned diffculties in ad- year,” Goode said. “I feel like Sam Helmke vertising shows as a reason for that is another cause of [why] Student Body Vice President low attendance. students [are] not coming out “It’s tough to market around to an event, because they don’t here because you have the want to pay $25 or $30 for a looking to throw anyone under wrote in an email. “Students FirstClass blurbs, but every- ticket.” the bus, but it was probably are going to turn out for qual- body writes it off as spam,” One of the factors cited as too much for one semester, and ity not quantity and that for me Helmke said. a contributor to the defcit was that’s where [the defcit] hap- was one of the critical issues “You can only spend so low ticket sales for on-campus pened.” leading to the lack of success much on posters because print- Courtesy photo shows, along with “talent not Goode pointed out that a last semester.” ing costs are very expensive,” A projected design of the University Credit Union headquarters and being as attractive as it was drop in ticket sales for on-cam- However, “[Student Enter- plaza, which is slated to be at the corner of Main Street and Ben- thought to be by the division” pus events affected more than tainment] may have overesti- See Student Ent. on A3 noch road in downtown Orono. UMSG allocates funds, elects positions By Liam Nee at the beginning of the meet- and evaluation for both months, was previously recognized in Maine. senate representative after being Staff Reporter ing for around 10 minutes. The VPSO Porter and the Commit- March last year. UMaine Rota- UMaine Rotaract plans to use nominated by a fellow senator group sang a mashup “One Last tee for Student Organizations ract was also named Most Out- the funds awarded by UMSG, minutes before the election be- During their Feb.