University of Southern Maine USM Digital Commons Free Press, The, 1971- Student Newspapers 11-5-2012 The Free Press Vol 44 Issue 8, 11-05-2012 Kirsten Sylvain University of Southern Maine Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/free_press Recommended Citation Sylvain, Kirsten, "The Free Press Vol 44 Issue 8, 11-05-2012" (2012). Free Press, The, 1971-. 87. https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/free_press/87 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]. News Arts & Culture Perspectives Sports Community Election 2012 Smoker’s Professor builds criticism playgrounds Zumba ‘til you Maine Beer can’t Zumba 2 9 Week 14 18 no more 20 Vol. 44, Issue No. 8 the free press Nov. 5, 2012 University of Southern Maine Student Newspaper usmfreepress.org Death of system employee puts USM Students security under national attention speak After David Norton’s mother asked for a review, out on the university has begun to re-evaluate tobacco Kirsten Sylvain Editor-in-Chief ban USM was the target of many state and national news reports Kirsten Sylvain last week after the circumstanc- Editor-in-Chief es of the death of University of Maine System Communication With the pressure of the smoking Specialist David Norton were ban looming as January approach- made public. es, a small group of students is be- Following the initial article ginning to mobilize to stop it. published Monday of last week, The group, spear-headed by local newspapers around the state Freshman Jordana Avital, met last seized on the story, and shortly week and invited other students to after, national news sources began discuss the ban in a forum. The 15 to take an interest, including ABC or so students who attended were a News, NPR and the Washington mixture of smokers and nonsmok- Post. One story, published in the ers. At the forum students and lead- Portland Press Herald featured ers in campus health had the oppor- interviews with Norton’s mother, tunity to talk about the ban. Linda, beseeching the university Avital stressed the importance to take a better look at its secu- of the right to make the choice rity policies. The Free Press also and offered up more clearly desig- spoke to her. nated smoking areas as an alterna- She adamantly described her tive, claiming that as an incoming idea of a correction for USM se- freshman, she had no idea where to curity and safety policy, stating Kirsten Sylvain / Editor-in-Chief smoke when she fi rst came to USM. that she wants every offi ce to be The Science Building where David Norton was found in his office last month after suffering a major stroke. She also stressed that the policy is checked at least once per day. In creating an “us versus them” men- response to the great number of tality on campus. She is concerned offi ces at the university, she re- are.“There’s no such thing as im- upset, but I want change.” checked to make sure that the that students are unaware of the marked that she doesn’t care how possible. It just takes change,” she Linda Norton explained that fact that the ban is even happening, many offi ces they tell her there said. “They all agreed that I’m over the weekend an offi cer had See NORTON on page 5 saying that she has spoken with many students who believe that it is hearsay or rumor. Other students offered up their own objections. “One of the big- Professor and partner asked to pay gest issues is that you’re trying to alter a state of social belief, and it’s not ready to be altered,” said Cigna for cancer treatments student senator Andrew Kalloch. He is also concerned that while the university is trying to boost enroll- ment numbers, it might actually Board of Trustees acted to clarify disputed benefi ts end up pushing away prospective and current students with the new cision made this week by the board the treatment of MacKay’s stage 4 this would have happened if Cam- policy. “It’s a cultural issue, and I Nate Mooney of trustees ensures their money will battle with cancer. The letters con- eron and MacKay were married. News Assistant don’t think it’s the place of the in- remain their own. tinued to come. Cigna even called Cigna took over administration stitution,” he said. The couple was understandably the Maine Cancer Center and de- of the faculty health insurance Adriana Worthing, a senior psy- Professor of New England Stud- shocked a month ago when they got manded the return of their payment policy on Jan. 1 of this year after ies Ardis Cameron and her partner, chology major and smoker, also a letter from Cigna, the company for MacKay’s recent visits and a decision to do so by the Board expressed her concern for the safe- Nancy MacKay, didn’t have a spare that administers the UMaine fac- procedures. They asked for every of Trustees. Anthem had overseen hundred grand kicking around and ty of students going off campus at ulty health insurance, saying they penny they had paid for MacKay’s the policy for many years, and the night to fi nd a spot to smoke. David certainly not for something that owed over $90,000 for treatment treatment since Cigna had taken change to Cigna caused quite a their health insurance had covered Rubinoff, a junior nonsmoker and they thought was paid for. That control of administering the health stir. Cameron herself was an out- psychology major explained his without issue for the past two de- fi rst letter, according to Cameron, insurance for USM faculty, their spoken opponent. She had heard a main concern is the infringement cades. After a few months of frus- signaled the beginning of Cigna’s spouses and domestic partners just tration and confusion, though, a de- attempts to recover funds paid for a few months earlier. And none of See PARTNERS on page 5 See SMOKING on page 5 2 November 5, 2012 Election 2012 Angus King, Party (Ind.) Charlie Summers, R Candidates for: U.S. Senate Residence: Brunswick Residence: Scarborough Experience: Maine governor 1995-2003. Experience: State senator 1990-94. Secretary of state Aid to U.S. Sen. Bill Hathaway 1970s. 2010. • Pro-choice • No more bailouts • Reform Affordable Care Act • Reduce the defi cit, end reckless spending • Supports same-sex marriage • Repeal and replace Obamacare • Increase funding for education across the board • Develop the nation’s energy reserves to assure en- • Supporter of clean energy ergy independence • Tax reform • Create jobs and lower taxes • Reform the student loan industry • Create a better business climate in Maine to attract • Supports a gradual removal from Afghanistan new jobs Cynthia Dill, D Ian Dodge Ind./Libertarian Danny Dalton, Ind. Residence: Cape Elizabeth Residence: Harpswell Residence: Brunswick Experience: Cape Elizabeth town council in Experience: Tea Party Patriots Maine coordi- Experience: None 2005. State representative 2006-10. State Sen- nator and policy adviser and Former Young • Supports Education Vouchers ate 2011. Won Democratic U.S. Senate primary • Washington is too politicized in June. Republican Maine chairman. • No strings on Federal money for Educa- • Supports the Affordable Care Act • Limited government • Increase funding for education • Less regulation and less tax on business tion • Decrease defense spending and citizens • End abuse of eminent domain by govern- • End the Afghanistan war • Stronger defenses against illegal immi- ments • Supports federal decriminalization of Mari- gration • Too many visas for tech jobs juana • Legalize “natural drugs,” end war on • Crude oil tax for infrastructure • Supports same-sex marriage drugs • Pro-choice • Cut defense budget Chellie Pingree, D Barack Obama, D U.S. House, President 1st District • Create more domestic jobs in the manufacturing sec- Residence: North Haven tor Political Experience: Maine Senate 1992-2000. • Cut taxes for American workers while asking the Elected 2008 as U.S. representative for Maine’s wealthy to pay a little bit more 1st District and re-elected in 2010. • End the war in Afghanistan • End wars Iraq and Afghanistan • Focus government spending on rebuilding America’s • Build clean energy programs infrastructure • Expand the Affordable Care Act • End government subsidies for oil companies and • Fight for Maine manufacturing jobs instead invest in clean, domestic energy • Supports tax cuts for small businesses • Invest in education to create new and better opportu- nities for Americans • Expand health care access and lower costs for every- one Jon Courtney, R Mitt Romney, R Residence: Springvale • Create jobs in the energy sector by tapping into Experience: Maine House of Representatives, America’s natural resources 2003-2004. Maine Senate, 2005-12. Assistant • Open new trade markets for American goods and Senate minority leader, 2009-10. Senate majority services leader 2011-12. • Improve public schools and higher education • Favors smaller government and less regula- • Find new markets for American workers and prod- tion ucts • Opposes same-sex marriage • Strengthen our economic relationship with Latin • Opposes abortion America • Biggest concern is the economy • Cap Federal spending at twenty percent of GDP • Wants to work to repeal the Affordable Care • Replace the Affodable Care Act with cost controlling Act reforms November 5, 2012 News 3 System sees increases Even with recent in enrollment and online fi res, reports education credits show decrease in Jim Sheldon Staff Writer campus arson University of Maine System trustees will meet today to review Liam Beliveau increasing enrollment trends and Contributor continue to plan an expansion of sleeping – or any fi re,” he said.