University of Southern Maine USM Digital Commons Free Press, The, 1971- Student Newspapers 10-27-2008 The Free Press Vol. 40, Issue No. 6, 10-27-2008 Matt Dodge University of Southern Maine Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/free_press Recommended Citation Dodge, Matt, "The Free Press Vol. 40, Issue No. 6, 10-27-2008" (2008). Free Press, The, 1971-. 66. https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/free_press/66 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Newspapers at USM Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Free Press, The, 1971- by an authorized administrator of USM Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. the free pressVolume 40, Issue No. 6 October 27, 2008 U S M A beginners guide to maybe voting this year >>page 5 Tina Smith takes on city hall >>page 3 • Debate rages at USM >>below We review W. & Other strange moments in political cinema >>page 11 Department Evaluation New reviews target student services Danica Koenig staff, faculty, and students to hear Sta Writer their thoughts and feedback. Marie Follayttar, a senior and Academic departments at USM Undergraduate student represen- must undergo a formal review tative to the Board of Trustees, every seven years, according to says that as a student advocate UMaine Board of Trustees policy. she has had many students share B MK / P E But there is no such requirement their diffi culties with some of the B MK / P E for non-academic departments. departments in question, espe- Democrat Tom Allen (Left) and Republican Susan Collins (Right), square off during the second It’s something University cially Advising Services. debate at USM in as many weeks. President Selma Botman is look- “I think the University needs ing to change. to re-examine the role and expec- The University has invited two tations of the advising process,” external consultants to review the Follayttar says, “and the role the Senate debate at Abromson following departments: Advising department plays in student suc- Services, Career Services, Early cess after graduation.” Allen goes on offensive to close gap as Nov 4th looms Student Success, Learning The overhaul is just one element Foundations, and Community of the Botman administration’s new strategic planning strategy, a their campaign or support their Service. Ma Dodge wide-ranging look at how every positions.” The consultants - Jayne Drake Executive Editor aspect of the University can be When asked about the growing of Temple University and Betsy improved to enhance students’ income gap in the U.S., the largest McCalla-Wriggins of Rowan Senator Susan Collins and experiences here at USM. since the Great Depression, the University - engaged each depart- Congressman Tom Allen squared Students aren’t the only ones to candidates took different tacks. ment in an abbreviated self-study, off in their tenth senatorial debate react positively to this evaluation Collins called the situation “very in the form of eight standard on Thursday, at USM’s Hannaford questions submitted to each de- Lecture Hall. troubling,” and emphasized prog- See E ress through education, referenc- partment director. The two con- The debate, moderated by sultants also met with department on page 3 MPBN’s Jennifer Rooks, fea- ing her support for federal Pell tured questions from the hosts, as grants for college students, as well as those culled from e-mail well as programs such as Upward submissions and video questions Bound. from Maine residents. Allen lambasted the incum- With just over two weeks left bent Senator for her support of before the election, and Allen ’01,’03, and ’06 tax breaks for trailing in the latest Rasmussen the “super-wealthy”, votes that poll by 13 percentage points, he felt exacerbated the wage gap Sarah Palin has “many admi- the Representative from Maine’s and was “fundamentally bad for rable qualities, I think Olympia 1st district was on the offensive, the middle class.” Snowe would have been a better asking the tough questions of Collins, who serves on John choice.” Collins and repeatedly trying to McCain’s Maine Leadership Both Allen and Collin’s have link her to the Bush administra- Team for the presidential election, carefully tweaked their campaign tion. condemned the McCain campaign platforms in recent weeks to in- When accused by Collins of for soliciting auto-calls around clude more talk of the nation’s engaging in harsh, class warfare Maine, in which a recorded mes- current economic woes. When rhetoric, Allen responded, “The sage stresses the connection be- asked for concrete proposals to only class warfare is Bush’s war tween Barack Obama and former handle the $10 trillion debt, Allen B MK / P E on the middle class.” Weather Underground member emphasized withdrawal from Bill Ayers. “This has no place Above left: A Tom Allen supporter rallies in front of Abromson When Collin’s was asked if Iraq, currently running a tab of Center on USM’s Portland campus. she regretted acting as co-chair in Maine politics,” said Collins $1.8 billion a week. It provided “I told them I thought they were for Bush’s 04 campaign, she an opening to tag the Bush ad- Above: Supporters of Democratic Senate candidate Tom Allen dismissed the issue as “typical,” a mistake, and I am disappoint- ministration as “the most fi scally ed.” Breaking further from the rally outside of the Abromson Center on USM’s Portland campus. adding “ it doesn’t mean we run Allen squared off with incumbent Republican Susan Collins for McCain campaign, she said that See D on page 7 while Vice Presidential candidate their second debate in two weeks. Addressing the Nalgene concern . page 3 e changing station . .page 11 C ‘08 . 4 P . 15 P . 6 INSIDE S . 16 A & E . 9 THISISSUE Sports career panel . .page 18 N US Cellular Ad See other PDF e Free Press | October 27, 2008 3 N From E on page 1 USM Undergrad process; the departments them- selves are expressing enthusiasm for the opportunity to fi nd areas of eyes seat in city hall improvements. Beth Higgins, the Executive Director of Advising David O’Donnell The race is also lower on the an issue that was striking a chord and Academic Resources, wel- News Editor food chain in terms of media around the state, and for her per- coverage - there typically aren’t sonally. comed the chance to take a close many heated battles and lightning An out lesbian since it lead to look at her department. “I’m not a politician, I’m a rod issues. her discharge from the Army in “I think what it does is it allows community organizer,” says This year, however, Suslovic the late 1990s, Smith committed departments to really refl ect on City Council candidate Tina and Waxman have gotten plenty herself to rallying students against what they’re doing and ask how Smith, as fellow candidates and of attention for their squabbles an attempt by religious conserva- can we really improve for stu- voters shuffl e past her on a rainy over the politics of developing tives to overturn, by referendum, dents,” Higgins says. Wednesday evening, after wrap- Portland’s pier; Waxman has a set of anti-discrimination laws citizen residence the right to vote But with any kind of evalua- ping up a lively election forum at worked as a “community liason” enacted by the state legislature in local elections, the League lays the North Star cafe in downtown tion, there is always an unnerv- for one of the losing bidders aimed at protecting gays and les- it out plainly. ing aspect for those having their Portland. “Her lack of experience with - Suslovic is pegging her as a bians. work put under careful observa- “I’m never going to be a politi- former lobbyist with confl icts of The Christian Civic League, a strategic planning, policy, and cian.” budgets would not make her an ef- tion and scrutiny. She says that’s interest. major proponent of the referen- where a department has to have a Smith is running for an at-large Suslovic and Waxman are both dum, portrayed it as a step toward fective advocate on the Council,” seat on Portland’s city council Democrats, with Suslovic sitting legalized gay marriage. reads the guide. certain “departmental and profes- that’s up for grabs next month. more to the margins of his party, That November, the referen- She doesn’t see it as a stab in sional confi dence” in itself. And it’s an uphill climb - not often siding with Greens and the dum failed and Smith fondly the back so much as indicative “The way that I look at it, if only does the race include an one Republican on the city coun- remembers the lively rallies of their more establishment turn; we’re doing what we think is our incumbent mayor, Ed Suslovic, cil. she helped put together at the their tendency to back Democrats best, knowing that we can always but a very credible candidacy But Smith, who admits she Portland campus. over Greens and independents improve, then why shouldn’t we from Dory Waxman, a local has admired Suslovic’s indepen- And while her work with “the was the subject of a few argu- want people to look at us?” She businesswoman who has served dent streak, still thinks it’s time league” sits high on the resume ments toward the end of her in- on a school committee, Bayside says. “And if they see something to clean house. The 31-year-old portion of her campaign litera- volvement.