Deciding to move off campus

There are certainly many pros and cons for living off campus. Living on campus, you have the luxury of waking up 10 minutes before you have to go to class. You can return back to your dorm throughout the day, and your friends either live close by or come to campus often. You don’t have to own a car, you don’t have to cook for yourself, and, probably best of all, you don’t have to work.

Then again, if dorm life was for everyone then everyone would be doing it. Moving off campus, you have the potential to save a lot of money and the freedom of having “your own” place. You can cook and eat whatever and whenever you want. Apartments are much more spacious than dormitories, and usually far more attractive, too.

Of course, with all the benefits comes added responsibility as well. By moving off campus, expect to have more bills to pay – and a way to pay them, as well as a way to get to school. Like a dorm, you probably will live with a roommate, too. Unlike a dorm, however, you are stuck with him or her until the lease runs out, and a lot more is at stake here than your mental health – if your roommate flakes on the bills or bails on the lease, he or she has the potential to screw your checkbook, your credit, or worse, your ability to get another apartment.

So I know that I want to get out of here

If you do decide to move out, there are many different resources available to you. The Student Affairs office compiles a database of places for rent which is available both in paper form at the Information Desk in Memorial Union and online (www.umess.maine.edu/housing). On FirstClass, there is also a folder (Campus Connections > Auctions and Enterprise > Roommates and Apartments) in which landlords and tenants post listings. In addition, you can find listings of apartments in the Bangor Daily News classified section, and at this time of year there are many postings on billboards around campus, as well.

Of course, not all apartments are created equal, and not all off-campus living situations necessarily need be apartments either. Maybe you want something more like Orchard Hills or Talmar Woods, which is closer to dormitory-style housing by virtue of its proximity to campus and building construction. Another option is renting out a room, either in an individual’s house or in a fraternity house. If you can rally together enough friends, you might want to consider renting a whole house.

It’s a good idea to start watching apartment listings at least two months before you need a place to live in order to get a good idea of the market. If you are looking for a place before you come back for the fall, many recommend scoping out the market now.

“The market is becoming more competitive,” said FirstClass Roommates and Apartments administrator Walter Hilenski. “There have been more people jumping into the market in the past two years that are trying to actually provide decent housing as compared to what it was when I looked around three years ago.”

About a month before you plan to move, you should start contacting landlords and viewing the property. Renting an apartment should “be a mutual fact-finding mission,” said Danny Williams, landlord and owner of Hubbard Farms in Orono.

“A student should not be afraid to research the landlord, the property or the management company,” Williams said.

Not all apartments are created equal

Not all apartments are created equal, and they certainly don’t all cost the same. You might be able to find a great deal in Milford, but you will also have to drive farther to campus and to go shopping, or out to dinner. Likewise, you might find a great deal close to campus, but you have to haul all your laundry to a Laundromat.

“The price really varies, depending on how close you want to live to campus,” Hilenski said. “As you get closer to campus, the price has a tendency to get higher. And even then, the rent price can vary greatly with how many people are occupying the apartment.”

According to Hilenski, the going rate for a single-occupancy apartment advertised on FirstClass can go as high as $500-$600, but if you are willing to share a flat with someone then it can go under $300 per person.

If you can be flexible about the location, then look at the kinds of amenities that the apartment has to offer. What utilities do you have to pay for on top of your rent? Most landlords require you pay for your own electricity and telephone. Ask if heat is included when you speak with the landlord – it can end up costing more than $100 per month on top of what you will already be paying for rent, making what would seem like a good deal could actually be pretty crappy.

After the bills are settled, look at what else is going for the apartment: Is there a washer or a dryer? Dishwasher? Porch? Hardwood floors? Bathtub? How old are the appliances? When is the last time the walls were painted? Can you have pets? Is there parking for visitors? It is definitely worth it to look at several different apartments to measure the quality of each one before you make your decision. An apartment might be listed as a three-bedroom, but if the third bedroom isn’t even big enough to fit a twin-size mattress and a bureau, don’t count on your third person living happily there.

A foot in the door

If you want to save money, you’ll need to get roommates. Choose them carefully. There’s a saying that goes, “great friends make bad roommates,” and nothing can turn a friendship sour like an incompatible living situation. These are people with whom you will have to share your living space – and, as it follows, your food, utilities, phone, transportation and patience. Talk with each other about your expectations before you commit to living together.

Once you pick a place, most landlords require all tenants to go through an application process, including providing references. If you don’t have references from previous landlords, you can use a personal or work reference, or, even better, a reference from your resident assistant or resident director. Another biggie that landlords look at is your ability to pay rent.

“Tenants should be prepared if they are students to say that their parents or helping them, or that they have a full time job,” Williams said. “Landlords want to make sure that students or any tenants have the ability to pay rent.”

“It is also a big plus if a parent accompanies a potential student tenant, especially a first-time renter,” Hunter Properties Investments owner Mark Hunter said. “That shows a landlord that there is parental support and guidance behind the tenant.”

Some landlords require a lease of their tenants as well, which can range anywhere from three months to a year. If you plan to be away for the summer, you may be struggling to pay three months of rent or to find someone to sublet your apartment. If you think that this will be difficult for you, or if you have reservations about the apartment, don’t rush into signing a lease.

“If the apartment or landlord seems sketchy, find another place,” Hilenski said. “While there have been a large improvement on housing in the past two years, there are still landlords out there who will take your money and not improve their apartments.”

Once you sign the lease, stay educated as a tenant. Pine Tree Legal Assistance offers a guide to tenants’ rights, which is available on their Web site (www.ptla.org). If you have trouble with your landlord, you can report their actions in the FirstClass folder as well as the Office of Student Affairs which lists off-campus housing.

“The key to having a positive rental experience requires that first-time tenants do their homework and understand the responsibility they are taking on,” Hunter said. “Renting brings a few new responsibilities. Being on your own, especially for the first time, can add to the complexity of life on top of the huge academic stresses inherent in college life.”

The Univeristy of Maine is currently facing dire financial times.

During an open forum yesterday, UMaine interim provost John Mahon said the university is facing a $3 million budget deficit.

While rising education expenses and ever-climbing energy and utlility costs have had a hand in the deficit, the biggest culprit is in Augusta.

The Maine Legislature has failed to increase university funding enough to keep up with rising costs. In the past three years alone, UMaine has been forced to trim a total of $11 million from its budget.

Unless the House and Senate pull through with some miracle 11th-hour funding, the university will be forced to make additional cuts, at the expense of the quality of education, or make up the difference by tuition increases.

Actions speak louder than words, and it is quite evident that the representatives and senators do not place a high priority on UMaine.

Class lectures on your iPod

Maine Business School professor Wayne Ingalls has taken technology to a new level in his classroom.

By enabling his lectures to be downloaded on an iPod, students can learn about accounting while on the go.

While not meant to replace class attendance but rather supplement it, the to-go lectures are a valuable tool for students who miss a point during class or are ill and unable to attend.

Why does the technology craze have to stop at class lectures? The medium can be used to make UMaine athletic events and concerts accessible to students and alums around the globe. Imagine being in California and being able to download the Black Bear hockey game onto your iPod.

As the state’s flagship university, UMaine has always been on the cutting edge of technology. Now, the university has a chance to take a professor’s idea and expand upon it. The winners in the end will be UMaine students and alumni.

Each row (horizontal line) must have numbers 1-9 in any order but each digit can only appear once.

Each column (vertical line) must have numbers 1-9 in any order but each digit can only appear once.

Each 3×3 box must have numbers 1-9 in any order but each digit can only appear once.

There is only one correct answer.

Visit www.mainecampus.com for the answer.

As the host of “Politically Indirect,” which airs on Tuesdays from 6-8 p.m. on WMEB, senior has given listeners another way to think about the political issues that are on the forefront.

“Politics is good to know about and is good for me to not be involved with directly,” Groce said.

Growing up in Union, Groce had what he liked to call a ‘love-hate’ relationship with politics.

Always intrigued by what went on around him, at times he would get flustered and upset when it came to learning more about the issues.

While reading about and watching the ongoing battle of conservatives vs. liberals, it was his ears that eventually led to future University of Maine students doing all the talking.

As a child, one of Groce’s biggest musical influences was Public Enemy. “It was Rage Against the Machine and a Public Enemy album that made me really open up my eyes to see what music can do,” Groce said. “‘Fear of a Black Planet’ is an amazing album, the beats are revolutionary and the subjects had such passion because I never heard people talk about those things before.”

From the sounds of “Fight the Power” to “Sleep Now in the Fire” by Rage Against the Machine, Groce had the idea to flirt with mixing politics with music as a chance to inform the community about what’s going on.

Two years ago, Groce went to the offices of WMEB and presented the idea of his radio show. Although his idea was liked by the station’s management, they wanted him to find an indirect way of expressing a viewpoint, instead of turning a music show into a talk show.

It was at that point that he came up with the idea for the name of his show, “Politically Indirect.”

Since that time, Groce has gone on to play the sounds of traditional music activists such as Bob Marley and Immortal Techinque. He also plays groups like The Beastie Boys and The Roots. This format has brought him everything from criticism to praise.

Besides getting different opinions, the show has captured somewhat of a cult following. One listener even made Groce brownies. Another has gone so far as to record the show every Tuesday.

“I get phone calls and many of them are from the older generations,” Groce said. “I have had 70-year old ladies to young people listen and they have even come down to thank me.”

“People are invested into this show because it’s not about hearing their favorite artists, but something they actually believe in.”

“The Kenro Izu exhibit, Sacred Places, that we’re also featuring at this time is monochromatic, very distant and soulful,” said Wally Mason, UMMA curator. “I wanted to have an exhibit with lots of color and lots of different ideas going on all at once.”

Indeed, the exhibit is varied. It features works from well-known artists such as Pablo Picasso to less prominent artists, like Robert Gordy. Gordy was an American artist from New Orleans, who died from AIDS in the eighties. The portrait featured in “81 Heads” titled “Head,” an abstract lithograph featuring the head of a man, was the last print he made.

“He signed that print on his deathbed,” Mason noted.

Upon entering the Zillman gallery adjacent to the UMMA lobby where the majority of the exhibit is included, one is inundated by the collection of portraits featured. This was intentional.

“Again, because the Kenro Izu exhibit is so sparse, we wanted to overwhelm in this exhibit,” said Mason.

The most prominent portrait in the gallery was a Picasso. The large Picasso, titled “Jacqueline in a Straw Hat,” portrays a head with a yellow hat in the abstract manner one would expect from a Picasso. It is a standout because of its size and obvious creator.

Each portrait juxtaposes the next and taking the time to focus on each can give the viewer a variable of stories. Tucked in the bottom corner of the third wall was a surrealist portrait by British artist David Hockney titled “Celia with Guest.” Hockney portrays Celia’s head as a canvas with two full-lashed eyes and a luscious heart-shaped mouth. Her guest is a black stick figure sitting on blue points that vaguely resemble a chair. The portrait is deceptively simple and offers so much in a small space.

Another standout piece in the collection was Andy Warhol’s “Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli.” In this piece, Warhol “changed the context of the Renaissance to contemporary times,” Mason noted. “It makes it more appealing for young people.” The famous Botticelli portrait was made into a silk screen by Warhol and then he changed the colors. Most striking is the fact that the Venus is black instead of white in Warhol’s reproduction.

The inspiration for the set up of portraits of the gallery walls was that of someone’s home, where pictures of friends and family crowd the hallway or stairway. “I wanted to put together work that was disparate in content to show that there are as many ways to see a person as there are artists to portray them.” The result is a fresh and adventurous look at the pieces already in the museum’s collection.

The free-for-all negotiations that occurred in the off season consisted of trading away seven players: Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell, Guillermo Mota, Luis Castillo, Carlos Delgado, Paul Lo Duca and Juan Pierre. Of those seven players, six were either starters in the field or in the starting pitching rotation. On top of that, the Marlins lost five players to free agency: A.J. Burnett, Juan Encarnacion, Alex Gonzalez, Antonio Alfonseca and Todd Jones. Similarly, of those five players, three were either starters in the field or in the starting pitching rotation. According to the www.baseball-almanac.com’s listing of the 2005 Florida Marlins opening day roster, after all the moves, they have officially lost eight of their nine opening day starters.

In an interview, Gary Gillette, columnist for www.espn.com and editor of the 2006 ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia, said, “It’s disgraceful, but every club had the opportunity to feed from the Marlins trough.” He wasn’t surprised as he immediately made reference to their past actions. “They did the same thing in 1998. It’s less common in the modern era, but this kind of thing was routine before free agency.” Fellow analyst Jayson Stark, who also works as a columnist for www.espn.com and appears on ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight” and ESPN Radio, expressed similar disgust in an e-mail interview. “I understand what the Marlins are doing and why they’re doing it. But it’s embarrassing to the sport to have a team that’s so non-competitive in a division as high-profile as the NL East.”

One thing that may be of interest is that of the 12 players they lost, eight of them ended up in the AL. Gillette doesn’t feel that this has stacked the AL because, as mentioned before, everyone did have the chance to get the players. Of the teams who obtained Marlins players, he believes that, “the Red Sox probably benefited the most, albeit their tactics were absolutely ruthless.” Gillette was referring to the habit of a large market team like the Red Sox using its money to lean on smaller teams. The Boston Red Sox received three players, one of which was traded away in a later deal. Among those players is the 2003 World Series MVP, Josh Beckett. Making the deal so appealing for the Marlins was the absorption, by the Red Sox, of third baseman Mike Lowell’s behemoth contract; he is due to receive $9 million this season.

Disagreeing on the topic, Stark said, “The team that benefited most from their moves was the Mets, because they got 25 percent of their starting lineup out of them in Carlos Delgado and Paul Lo Duca. The Red Sox, though, are right behind, with Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell. I’d rate the sum contribution of Delgado and Lo Duca higher over the long haul.”

Another notable recipient was the Minnesota Twins, which traded for Gold Glove second baseman Luis Castillo. When asked about the potential positives of the Toronto Blue Jays signing of pitcher A.J. Burnett, Gillette said, “They paid such a huge price that even with a good season from him, they might not have benefited that greatly from the signing.” He also noted that past and present elbow issues could be a concern for the club.

While few agree with what the Marlins did, some still have faith in the organization. Hall of Fame baseball reporter Peter Gammons recently published an article declaring that the organization is building a pennant contender. With a roster that, according to www.espn.com, only has four players who are 30 or older; it may be hard to see things from Gammon’s point of view. Gillette said of the new Marlins, “I do think there is more talent with the Marlins than most people think.” But he was quick to add that it is still “premature to say the Marlins are building a contender.” It is easy to see why dreams of pennants are still several years down the road since the Marlins’ two star players, Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera are a combined 47 years old, which is the age of New York Mets first baseman Julio Franco.

In an interesting twist, the Marlins’ off-season moves have spurred conversation of something that many people consider has long been missing from baseball: a minimum payroll. As of right now, the Florida Marlins’ payroll is just below $15 million. Stark said of their miniscule payroll, “The Yankees employ six players who make more money by themselves than the Marlins’ whole team will make. And this team will take in more than $50 million before it sells a ticket this year, in revenue sharing, national TV money, national and satellite radio revenue, and Central Fund payouts. So I can’t see how the sport can justify allowing this to happen in an age of revenue sharing.”

Stark also added that, “You can’t ask the Yankees to pay $100 million a year in revenue sharing and luxury tax without requiring that teams on the receiving end use the money to keep their major-league team competitive. That’s the whole point!”

While nothing is expected to happen if things stay as they are, Gillette said he believed that, “If the Marlins trade Willis or Cabrera, there will be a movement.” The prospect of such a trade is not only feasible, it is considered by some to be probable due to the money that each player will likely demand after this season.

The Florida Marlins currently sit at 5-11, in last place in their division. Their trades and free agent let-downs have left most scratching their heads. It can be said that this type of activity is bad for baseball, but the true deciding factor will be where the organization goes from here. Are they destined to stand atop of the NL as pennant champions or shall they be banished to the depths of the NL East? Only time will tell.

National Volunteer Week dates back to 1974 when President Richard Nixon signed an executive order establishing an annual celebration for volunteering.

Since then, every president has honored a week for volunteer service.

The Black Bear Volunteers participate in National Volunteer Week every year.

This will be the fifth year for Lynette Dexter, coordinator of the program.

“Every year we have events during the week then an awards ceremony at the end of the week,” said Dexter.

The theme for this year is “volunteers work wonders,” focusing on thanking those who have volunteered their time while getting more people involved.

The Black Bear Volunteers have asked student organizations to get involved with different events during the week.

“We have all kinds of stuff planned,” said Dexter.

On Monday volunteers like Stephanie Guillemette, a second-year member of the Black Bear Volunteer Program, had dinner at the Ronald McDonald House.

Asked why she chose to volunteer Guillemette said, “It’s the right thing to do. It is also such an amazing feeling to know that you helped someone and made an impact in their life.”

There will also be a showing of “Invisible Children,” a documentary about the humanitarian crisis in northern Uganda at 6:30 p.m. in 100 Donald P. Corbett as well as a free dinner for students in the Wilson Center tonight.

Volunteers will go to Bangor’s Powerhouse Teen Center, a support program on Friday at 7 p.m. and will participate in the Orono Land Trust Clean Up from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

Volunteer Appreciation Night will wrap up National Volunteer Week here in Orono in the Bodwell Lounge at the Maine Center for the Arts on Sunday.

Five awards will be given out to students, faculty members, staff, volunteers, the Greek service house and others to show recognition of participation in community service.

It is truly amazing that 12 letters can bring about complete chaos and ignorance. For example: abortions. Pro-choice advocates say “It’s about a woman’s right to choose;” whereas pro-life advocates say “It’s about a baby’s right to live.” Most people form an opinion on one side or the other, but is it a true opinion?

I fall into the lonely position of neutral. I can’t say that I’m pro-choice, but I’m not exactly pro-life either. I’m stuck in the middle with my conscience and my morals-and we are quite happy here.

Abortions should be circumstantial. There is no way to create an absolute law; it doesn’t have to be illegal or legal, and there are always exceptions to everything. There are certain situations that people can get into that cannot be prevented. On the other hand, there are situations that are preventable but no effort is made to do so.

Women and men should be held accountable for their actions. In this country we are held accountable if we rob a bank, commit a violent crime or even cross the road without being in a crosswalk, so why aren’t we held accountable for having sex and becoming pregnant?

Accountability: That is the simple solution to the never-ending argument over the legality of abortions. If you do something you should be held accountable for it, including having sex. Don’t get me wrong though. Like I said, there are exceptions to everything.

If a woman is raped and becomes pregnant, she did not make the choice to have sex and therefore should not be held accountable for the pregnancy.

A close friend of mine, Nicole, was in a long-term relationship with her boyfriend, Steve, when she became pregnant. Nicole and Steve never used protection when having sex because they had been together for so long. Neither Nicole nor Steve took any precautions against pregnancy. Nicole was about to start her final year of college when she found out she was pregnant. She decided to put off college and have the baby, even though she knew how hard it would be. She held herself accountable for her actions.

Don’t get me wrong, women aren’t the only ones who should be held accountable for their actions regarding pregnancy; after all, they didn’t crawl up on themselves and get pregnant. But this is where it comes down to women’s rights. What about the men involved?

Is it a woman’s right to deny a man his child? I don’t think so. If a man wants to keep the child and raise it – with or without the help of the woman involved – he should be able to.

I know a couple, Paula and Jason; they have been married for six years. Paula has never wanted children, but Jason did. Despite his desire for children he stayed with Paula because he loved her. Although Paula was using birth control she became pregnant. Jason was excited at the thought of having a child, but Paula wasn’t. Paula aborted the baby and told Jason that she miscarried. Is that fair? No. He had a hand in making that baby and he should have had a hand in the decision to abort.

Women are often blinded by the term “women’s rights,” and I as a woman can relate. The fact of the matter is a man has just as much of a right to a child as a woman does. Men and women alike should be held accountable for their actions.

Amanda Levesque is currently raising a family of sea monkeys.

“One dollar to pie this man in the face,” shouted Travis Bourassa through a megaphone outside the Union in the early afternoon on Tuesday. At his side was Andrew Eldridge, grinning and ready, despite his clothes and plastic bib being saturated with chocolate and vanilla pie.

The WMEB-sponsored event started with lukewarm enthusiasm, perhaps to lack of knowledge about the event. However, the event raised over $100 and became busy by the end of the afternoon. The proceeds will go to the Powerhouse Teen Center.

In addition to pies in the faces of UMaine students, WMEB DJs, and Maine Campus staff, there was a raffle to win the chance to pie Dean of Students Dr. Robert Dana and UMaine men’s hockey coach Tim Whitehead. Raffle tickets were $1 each or $5 for six tickets. The raffle will continue through Tuesday, and tickets are available in the reception area of WMEB in the basement of the Union. WMEB will also have a booth set up in the Union on Monday and Tuesday from noon – 4 p.m., where tickets and free frisbees, buttons and bottle openers will be offered.

Dr. Dana and Coach Whitehead will be ceremoniously pied on Maine Day at the afternoon barbeque. Keep an eye out for further times and announcements.