Before the convention, Minnesota police conducted preemptive raids on peaceful protesters in their homes, handcuffing them and seizing their property as evidence. At the convention, police sprayed mace at protesters and reporters who found themselves in the wrong place. Protesters were arrested in huge numbers, on charges of nothing more than “fire code violations,” and people who had no affiliation with the protesters were arrested regardless. People attending concerts at different venues were arrested on the same charges as protesters.

That is not to say there were not any protesters doing illegal things like destroying property, but the vast majority of protesters were acting peaceably. After this news flooded the Internet, another news item – a much scarier one -arrived on the blogosphere. Amy Goodman, host and producer of Democracy Now!, someone with press credentials and the right to be at the convention, was arrested along with two of her producers. Other reports of journalists being arrested and detained along with over 300 protesters trickled onto the Internet, which were later confirmed by the journalists themselves.

The implications of the actions of the police are far reaching. If journalists can be arrested for asking questions of the police at political events, then journalists are not free to do their jobs. The journalists who don’t cover this breach of conduct and allow it to happen without public knowledge are letting their institution be corrupted and letting the object of their story control where the story goes. The vast majority of stories written about the RNC had no mention of the protests, arrests or egregious violations of the First Amendment at all. Investigative journalism is now in danger; few people would be willing to risk arrest to get the story.

Personally, I haven’t trusted the major news networks for a long time. The mainstream media always makes the effort to balance a story, to make both sides seem equivalent, even if that is not the case. The dearth of reports about arrests at the Republican National Convention only reassured me of how right I was. It also told me how desperate the Republicans are, that they would resort to police state tactics to keep people from voicing concerns about their flawed perspective.

The Republicans had already been flustered by rescheduling their convention around Hurricane Gustav; they had to make sure everything else about the convention went as planned. They couldn’t tolerate any miscalculations or errors and thus had to prepare for any eventuality. The great proof of their plan to use the police to crush protesters was the fact that they had a $10 million insurance plan to cover lawsuits negotiated with St. Paul.

As Americans, we have the right to assemble. I fear that none of the arrested protesters or reporters will press charges against the city, state or convention for violating this right because it would be too expensive over what seems like not a big deal. As long as we tolerate this kind of abuse, the police will continue using these kinds of aggressive tactics to quell protests and ultimately silence the voice of reason. The people of St. Paul were the first victims this presidential cycle. I worry they won’t be the last.

###

Chelsea Ketchum is a sophomore political science major.

The Witter Center, consisting of the Witter, Rogers and Smith farms, encompasses approximately 360 acres of land in the Old Town area. Witter Farm used to be home to 90 dairy cows and heifers, 35 beef cattle, 32 Standardbred horses and a 20-ewe sheep flock, according to UMaine’s Web site. This year only the dairy cows and horses remain.

In the past year, all of the facility’s beef cattle and sheep flock have been sold. In addition, the number of horses has declined. Changes have left students with furrowed brows, wondering what lies in the future for the student and faculty-run farm.

The main reason for the recent downsizing is to deal with dramatic staff changes that took place over the summer. Last spring, the superintendent, assistant superintendent and the equine trainer were gone at the same time. The goal is to simplify things until the staff is more permanent, according to associate dean of the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture Dr. Alan Kezis.

“Because of the workload and staffing problems, let’s make it all simple and get it better organized … That doesn’t mean we might not grow over the future, but it was better to have new people coming into a little smaller, more efficiently run, simpler system than trying to come into a very complicated, multi-species situation,” said Dr. Fred Servello, associate director of Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station.

“Selling the 15 sheep and about 30 beef cows, calves and heifers in early summer generated some income in the short term and reduced the feed and housing costs associated with looking after animals. More importantly, it reduced the workload for the remaining staff so that the cows and horses could be looked after correctly with three fewer staff,” Department Chair of Animal and Veterinary Sciences Martin Stokes said.

In previous years, students could lease stalls at Witter Farm to board horses during the school year. This year, that is no longer an option. “At the present time, boarding is not available to students. The change was simply part of consolidating the farm back to its core areas,” said Crystal Sellars, livestock teaching coordinator for the Animal and Veterinary Sciences Department and livestock manager for the Witter Farm.

Many classes throughout the university visit the farm to complete labs, conduct research and have hands-on experiences with the animals and crops. UMADCOWS is a student group fully involved in the daily operation of the dairy sector of the farm. They engage in a year-long program that joins theory with practice. In addition, the equine program trains donated Standardbred horses, readying them to be sold as pleasure horses to families throughout Maine.

The revenue from the milk production and sale of horses goes back to the Witter Center to contribute to staff salaries and other operational expenses. The hay and corn crop contributes to the animals’ feed. In turn, the manure is used for the crops. “It’s a fully self-sufficient operation, except for the minors like bedding and the specialty grains that they have to buy from feed stores and that sort of thing,” Servello said.

Although fewer animals are permanently living on the farm, the ability to house beef cattle, sheep and more horses has not changed. The possibility is still there for future research projects.

“If we had the research project and the funding, the facilities are set . Nothing changed in terms of the buildings, the structure of them and the capability to house the type of animal groups,” Kezis said.

The rise in energy costs is also a factor in recent decisions. There are multiple ways energy costs affect farming.

“Just as the grocery costs increase, so have feed costs,” Servello said.

The bedding, hay and feed are all energy dependent in some way. “In contrast, the price of milk to the farmer is essentially fixed, so dairy producers are under increased economic pressure right now,” Stokes said.

In the past, beef cattle and sheep have not been self-supportive the way the dairy cows and horses have. Previously, the animals were used for small research projects and a couple labs per year. With the sheep and beef cattle gone, the university is using the opportunity to conduct labs on private farms, according to Servello.

Witter Farm’s focus has always been dairy operation and equine training. Students acquire skills at the farm that cannot be taught in a classroom. They learn how to “administer injections to cattle, perform a physical exam on a horse, make a rope halter, assist a cow giving birth, care for cattle and horses on a daily basis . the list could go on for pages,” Sellars said.

“[Witter Farm] provides hands-on experience with large animals that is extremely useful for pre-vet students as there is a national shortage of large animal vets. Having this experience has helped our students gain acceptance in the last ten years into vet schools all around the country and in Canada, Scotland, Australia and the Caribbean,” Stokes said.

The Witter Center is a critical component in many students’ education. In addition, hundreds of visitors, including busloads of children, are shown around Witter every year. Research is performed that generates scientific publications and information for dairy and equine producers, according to Stokes.

The number of students using the facility will expand if the recent trend continues. In the last 15 years, the undergraduate enrollment in animal and veterinary science has increased from about 80 to more than 200, Stokes said.

Kezis, Sellars, Servello and Stokes stressed that the future for Witter Farm looks good. It will continue to provide an increasing number of students with hands-on animal experiences.

“We’re thrilled about the size and quality of the new class,” said Robert Dana, dean of students. “It says volumes about how friendly UMaine is and how high-quality UMaine is.”

As a consequence of this first-year influx, the university has had to be creative in order to provide housing. Out of 2,173 first-year students, approximately 200 are reportedly living in converted study halls within first-year resident halls.

UMaine Director of Public Relations Joe Carr explained that remodeling projects at Colvin and Stodder Halls reduced the number of available rooms this semester. When those projects are complete, Carr said, the student housing situation will be significantly enhanced.

Faculty and students have mixed opinions on the overcrowding issue. “I absolutely love it!” said Jennifer Cornish, a first-year student residing in a lounge of Cumberland Hall. Cornish and others embraced the “roomy” atmosphere of the study halls.

The temporary housing, according to some students, provides a better social experience than regular rooms on campus. Some students leave their doors open to welcome and invite others into their rooms -sometimes to study and other times to socialize.

With all the bonuses that these temporarily provide, there are still a number of basic accommodations these rooms lack.

Inadequate furniture is an issue in these “suites.” At most, the three or four students who were put into each of these lounges are furnished with no more than two desks and two dressers to share, in comparison to one desk and one dresser per person in double rooms.

In the Oxford, Somerset and Knox resident halls, lounges are located in the middle of the building, leaving it without a window. Lounges in Androscoggin, Cumberland and Gannett Halls are located to the side of each building, but have large windows facing the main hallways.

In an attempt to fix the situation, thin layers of colored paper have been pasted over the glass to create some sense of privacy. Staff members measured windows and will soon equip the study halls with blinds.

Student complaints about the window problems include faint colorful glows from the hallway lights and unwanted amounts of noise early in the day and late at night.

“The lights go on and off at night,” Guy Landers said, noting the light switch for his room in Knox Hall located on the outside.

A number of students who live in the study lounges applied for housing later than suggested. “There was a sharp increase in housing requests as we moved toward September, and that is when it became clear that it would be difficult to satisfy all of those requests,” Carr said.

Despite some inconveniences, one disappointment with the lounges is that they will be temporary.

“We just really can’t settle in,” said James Crossland, a first-year resident of Cumberland Hall.

Notifications were sent via e-mail telling students they will move out of the lounge rooms and into actual resident rooms soon.

Relocation has begun for some living in lounges, while others are still waiting for their opportunity to move into a real room.

As of 2008, the university’s Health Services Review Committee began considering privatizing Cutler in an attempt to free up university funds and let students use private health insurance. UMaine originally hoped to select a contractor in May and have the company start in July.

The university accepted contractor bids Jan. 31. The HSRC has since examined them, trying to leave the students with improved services at no increased cost, according to vice president for administration and finance, Janet Waldron, and June Baldacci, director of purchasing and resource efficiency. Despite the delay, the university is still adamant about privatizing Cutler.

“We are continuing to make progress in what has turned out to be a complicated and time-consuming process,” said Steven Weinberger, assistant vice president for human resources.

UMaine required bidders to have access to laboratory facilities and provide appropriate student medication and pharmaceuticals, as well as after-hour, on-call services. Any changes in the services Cutler offers will depend on the contractor selected.

Part of the reason for the proposed privatization was Cutler’s limited services over breaks and the fact that it closes completely in July. Cutler cannot, at present, process claims from MaineCare or offer third-party billing options to students, except for prescriptions, since UMaine no longer has an on-campus pharmacy.

Cutler includes pharmaceutical services. The center’s pharmacist left the university at the end of February, but a partnership with Orono Pharmacy on Mill Street replaced the on-campus service March 1.

“It is the university’s expectation that once the contract is fully actualized, the selected contractor shall generate revenue for the university,” Baldacci said in April.

A campus-wide health services fee was considered as a method of meeting new costs because of the privatization, but the university will reject any plan that leaves its students with additional cost, according to Baldacci.

“This exercise is both complicated and detailed. We have completed our analysis of the proposals received. At the moment, we are further refining our thinking in order to generate a resolution of high quality,” Weinberger said.

The center serves 20 to 25 percent of the student body. UMaine spends approximately $1.4 million annually on Cutler, but including clinical costs, Cutler’s entire operation comes to $2.4 million, according to the committee in 2007.

A brief, updated last April by the university’s Bureau of Labor Education, outlines the risks of privatization. It stresses accountability, quality of services, employment impacts and violation of constitutional rights as the main concerns institutions like UMaine should consider before privatizing public services.

Miller is based in San Francisco and graduated from UCLA in 2004, where she worked with the artist John Baldessari, whose work Miller “re-mixed” for her piece at Lord Hall.

In her most recent work, Miller shadowed a private investigator on real cases, learning techniques of surveillance. After this phase of the project, she used what she had learned to track and observe San Francisco’s art collectors. The results were posted to her Web site, jillmiller.net.

Miller’s work deals with elements of performance and technology. In 2005, she exhibited a piece titled “Waiting for Bigfoot,” in which she camped in the woods of Northern California – “Big Foot Country,” while being viewed in an English gallery via Web cam.

Other works run to the risque – an infiltration of fetish sites, where Miller posed as “Cupcake,” an anonymous school girl, is capable of offending in theory only: nothing overtly sexual and no nudity was involved.

Miller is currently an instructor at the San Francisco Art Institute and the California College of Arts.

The exhibition at Lord Hall is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each weekday.

On Sept. 5, artist Christopher Michael Sullivan performed at the gallery. His piece involved cold-calling art investors to talk them into purchasing another work:dollar bills with his name printed over them.

For more information about the show, visit withoutbordersfest.org.

Allen said Gandhi identified himself as both a socialist and communist, declaring that he felt like “a blend of the two.”

He explained some of the inconsistencies in Gandhi’s ideas. Allen said the non-violent leader had conflicting views on capitalism and capital, and he criticized Gandhi’s plan to make the wealthy adopt socialism.

Gandhi preached non-violence and wrote that the upper class would need to give up their money and adopt socialism on their own. Allen thought Ghandi was naive to think socialism could be accepted without force of any kind.

“Why should the wealthy make a permanent choice to go down a level?” Allen asked.

Joseph Nabozny, a student attending the lecture, thought Allen’s criticism on some of Gandhi’s views added an interesting factor to the lecture.

“I think Gandhi’s conflicting ideology, as portrayed by Allen’s lecture, really gave it that dynamic aspect I wasn’t expecting to hear,” Nabozny said.

Although Allen was critical at first, he later detailed Gandhi’s strengths on his view of communism.

Allen explained Gandhi’s ends-by-means theory, his emphasis on morality and his analysis of violence as points that should be viewed by contemporary socialists as a model for modern socialism.

Gandhi’s theory of non-violence was a huge platform in his socialistic view. Allen said that though Gandhi was influenced by the likes of modern socialists like Leo Tolstoy, he felt that they were too accepting of violence as the means to get the end result of socialism.

Gandhi believed if you had to use unsavory means to establish socialism, it was not worth the effort.

Allen read passages about Gandhi’s reverence to morality and truth. Though Gandhi spoke extensively about God, truth was the foundation of his socialism.

“God is truth. Atheists don’t believe in God, but they do believe in truth,” Allen quoted. He explained that Gandhi believed morality had to be the foundation of a socialistic state.

“The hope is that these programs will invite the public into a low-pressure and highly educational lecture,” former UMaine Peace Action Committee President Jeffrey Hake said.

The “Controversy Series” will continue on Sept. 18 in the Bangor Room of the Memorial Union as professor Alex Grab will speak on going to war, with an emphasis on the Middle East.

-Michael Scott

Comedy is subjective; quality is quantifiable. Every year, “The Office” continues to set the benchmark for a consistently innovative, intelligent and hilarious alternative to the all-but-defunct primetime sitcom. Four new discs of Michael Scott and Dwight Schrute ridiculousness, Pam Beasley and Jim Halpert cutesiness and “that’s what she said” jokes are available with the tremendously rewatchable fourth season on DVD.

Although the season was marred by a Hollywood writers’ strike and held to only 14 episodes, the laughs and unanticipated storylines merit the price of a set with less content than seasons past. The season led off with four one-hour episodes, several of which spun out of control by their conclusions, but they proved the showrunners remain versatile and full of humor. It’s a true achievement in television to force an audience to shake their heads and mutter what an idiot the protagonist is – while sympathizing and returning on a weekly basis to spend a little more time with him.

The set’s total running time approaches seven hours, although the already lackluster amount of bonus features often border on disappointing. The deleted scenes miss more than they hit and the commentaries are guilty of hosting too many chatty, off-subject participants – none of whom are Steve Carell. Which isn’t to say that owners won’t be tempted to play certain bits again and again, such as Carell’s outrageous PSA on rabies. Remember, it truly is the silent killer, taking 4,000 lives every 1,000 years.

Grade: B+

Approved by the Board of Trustees, the four mandatory fees are paid by every student at the university. How much each student pays is dependent on a few factors, notably credit hours taken.

The priciest of these is the unified fee, which according to Bursar Dennis Casey is for “a lot of costs not directly associated with tuition – for example, the library, the Union, Student Records and so on.” The unified fee costs the average full-time undergraduate student $803 per semester.

Students’ fees are also paying for the new Student Recreation and Fitness Center built last year. Whether or not they actually use the facility, each UMaine student taking more than six credits will pay a recreation fee of $102 per semester.

“That money goes toward paying bonds the university borrowed to build the Rec. Center,” Casey said. For this fee, only classes taken on the University of Maine campus count toward the credits for determining the cost the student pays.

The only fee that is different for undergraduates and graduates is the activity fee. Undergraduates with six or more credits pay this, as do all enrolled graduates.

“That fee is for activities and locations for campus groups and is issued directly to the Student Government,” Casey said. Undergraduates pay a $45 activity fee per semester and graduate students pay $30.

The smallest of the four mandatory fees is the communications fee, paid by all students with six or more credits. “This covers things like ‘The Maine Campus’ newspaper and WMEB,” Casey said. All students pay $15 per semester.

Aside from the mandatory fees all students pay, some are paying other fees as well. Some colleges at the university, including the colleges of business and engineering, have class fees that vary with the amount of credits taken in classes within those colleges. Deans of fee-charging colleges must request these specific fees and state how the money will be used.

Having switched student billing from cards sent in the mail to splitting the information between Web DSIS and MaineStreet, this summer has caused many students to also receive the $100 late fee.

“I was bugged about the change in billing, because I was having to switch between MaineStreet and DSIS to find out what was going on,” said Ryan Labelle, fifth year computer science major.

Claire Strickland, director of budget, said, “I’ve heard of this problem and that several inappropriate additions have been removed from students’ bills.”

According to information given from its Web site, students at the University of New Hampshire have a variety of mandatory fees, many similar to UMaine’s. Students taking between nine and 20 credits pay $1,168 per semester in fees, while students with five to eight credits pay $584, and students at UNH with less than five credits only pay a $15 technology fee.

Vice President of Finance and Administration, Janet Waldron said, “I feel our fees are very reasonable and often lower than other institutions.”

“Students who feel they have an exception to a fee can appeal through the dean of their college through the retroactive appeals process,” Casey said.

If you feel you should not have to pay a mandatory fee, submit a statement to the dean of your college for consideration.

That was the advice that Al Larson of Veterans for Peace had for the crowd assembled for the peace rally at Paul Bunyan Park in Bangor Saturday, Sept. 13. Hundreds crowded around the gazebo to hear speakers and musicians and show their support for peace.

“By being here, you affirm that those waging war are not doing it in our names,” said Doug Allen, professor of philosophy at the University of Maine and the master of ceremonies for the rally.

Peace was not the only issue addressed at the rally on Saturday, but it was the most prevalent. Issues such as housing, health care, livable wage, education, justice, compassion and hope were also given a nod with signs hung around the gazebo where speakers and musicians took the mic.

The election season could not be forgotten at the rally. Supporters hoisted “Obama-Allen” signs.

After speaking on the connection between working-class people in America and those in Iraq, labor activist Katrina Bisheimer told the crowd, “We can change this disastrous course [in Iraq] by voting and holding our representatives accountable.”

Mary Trotochaud mentioned the coming elections. “We are in the middle of an election season, and it distresses me how little time of the discussion is about a war that is five years old.” Trotochaud has lived in the war-torn country and maintains contacts there to this day. “It will take our voices, and our coming together, to change the situation in Iraq.”

UMaine history student Hosain Aghamoosa spoke about U.S. foreign policy. He denounced the “military-industrial complex” as the true force driving policy. According to Aghamoosa, in Iraq and Afghanistan, “No amount of foreign soldiers will defeat a dislike of foreign soldiers. Something must be done before the region is made even more unstable.”

After the speeches and music, the crowd assembled behind Brooksville native Peter Baldwin’s large mobile drum. Baldwin led most of the attendees on a march toward the Hammond Street Church where WERU hosted a talk by Democracy Now! host and producer, Amy Goodman. The procession stretched for blocks and was subject to a few hecklers – and far more supportive “honks for peace” from drivers-by.

As the crowd reached the church, they were invited to listen to the Belfast chapter of Raging Grannies, an international group of elderly anti-war women. The Raging Grannies sang a few songs before everyone headed into the church to await Goodman’s arrival.

After a brief introduction from WERU staff, Goodman took the microphone at the church to a standing ovation. She first spoke about her recent arrest in St. Paul while covering the Republican National Convention.

While interviewing delegates inside the convention, Goodman had received a phone call telling her that two of her producers, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar, were being arrested. Goodman ran to the parking lot where it was happening and – as hundreds of thousands saw on YouTube – Goodman was arrested after asking police to free her colleagues. According to Goodman, she continued to show her press credentials and demanded to be released, only to have her credentials ripped off her neck by Secret Service agents.

“If you’d seen this, two men assailing a woman, you’d hope the police would be there to help, but this was the police.”

Goodman spoke at length about the implications of arresting journalists and the state of the media, saying, “when you arrest and silence journalists, you close the eyes and ears of democracy.”

According to Goodman, more than 40 journalists were arrested in St. Paul. She also lamented the same model that has led to journalists embedding with military units in Iraq, which she says is bad for democracy, is also starting to be the model used in cities across America.

“While we were being pushed back by police officers, Fox News was embedded with them,” Goodman related, bringing up another topic of the talk: The difference between independent media and corporate media.

She also mentioned the “pre-emptive raids” by St. Paul police officers on both the Glass Bead Collective and Eyewitness Collective, the money received by the city of St. Paul from the RNC for lawsuits against the city resulting from arrests outside the convention and what she sees as the general failure of the mainstream media to adequately serve the country. All of this, Goodman said, “has a chilling effect on democracy.”

“We need a media that covers power, not covers for power. We need a media that truly is the fourth estate, not for the state,” Goodman said.

At the end of her talk, Goodman stood in front of the microphone and received a standing ovation. “Democracy!” she said, with her fist in the air.

Fred Bailey, a Bangor resident and attendee of Goodman’s talk, said, “She’s been giving the same speech for a long time about the importance of independent media in times of war, but the examples just keep coming. We’re looking at a fascist movement here [in the U.S.], and they’re already in power. Amy Goodman helps fight that. I’m Sure.”

Quarterback Adam Farkes threw for only seven touchdowns last season while splitting time at the position. The Black Bears threw for only 11 passing touchdowns as a team and did not record their first until the fourth game of the season.

After an opening weekend loss at Iowa, UMaine rallied last weekend at Monmouth behind Farkes, who threw for three touchdowns.

On Saturday night, the Black Bear passing game took another step forward in their home opener.

Farkes threw for four first-half touchdowns, including two to Tyrell Jones. The Black Bears never looked back as they beat the Stony Brook Seawolves 28-13 at Alfond Stadium in front of a crowd of 6,425.

“A lot of guys were making big plays, especially guys like Tyrell,” said Farkes, who tied his career-high for touchdown passes in a season. “We’ve been saying since camp that our passing game has a lot of potential.”

Following a three-and-out on the opening drive of the game and a Stony Brook (1-2) touchdown, the Black Bears responded, scoring 28 of the game’s next 31 points.

Landis Williams gave UMaine (2-1) great field position on the next drive when he returned the kickoff 38 yards to the Black Bear 44. After two incomplete passes, Farkes dumped the ball off to Jhamal Fluellen for 28 yards and the first down.

Four plays later, the Black Bears were faced with a fourth-and-12 at the Stony Brook 30-yard line. Farkes connected with Jones for the first of his two touchdowns in the right corner of the endzone to tie the game.

The next Stony Brook drive ended after three plays when Jonathan Pirruccello forced a fumble by quarterback Dayne Hoffman and Jovan Belcher recovered it at the Stony Brook 26. That was one of four forced turnovers on the day.

“They played very well as a defensive front and linebacking corps,” said Stony Brook coach Chuck Priore of a defense that had 10 tackles for loss, including seven sacks. “They controlled the line of scrimmage against us, and that caused some real problems.”

On the next play from scrimmage, UMaine took the lead for good when Farkes found tight end Derek Buttles for a 26-yard touchdown.

After Stony Brook’s Luke Gaddis kicked a 32-yard field goal, Farkes threw his third touchdown midway through the second quarter when Williams caught a pass from three yards out to make it 21-10.

With 1:21 left in the first half, Farkes found Jones for a touchdown once again.

The sophomore wide receiver who is seeing his first extensive action this season made a diving grab in the left side of the end zone to make it 28-10.

“It was a little stop-and-go route and [the cornerback] bit, so I knew I had him,” said Jones, who caught his first two career touchdown passes. “The ball was a little bit inside, so I knew I had to make a big play.”

Jones led Black Bear receivers with three receptions for 73 yards.

In the second half, the UMaine offense was held scoreless, but Stony Brook’s offense was held in check as well, scoring only three points.

Coming into the game, the Seawolves rushing attack had averaged 233.5 rushing yards per game. On Saturday, the Black Bears held Stony Brook to just 72 yards rushing. Two-time Big South Freshman of the Week running back Edwin Gowins had just 37 yards on the ground.

“Once we were able to stop the run, we made them one-dimensional, and that’s when we got after them,” said Belcher who had eight tackles, including a sack. “We just played ‘Black Hole’ football.”

“They prepared hard and well all-week long,” said UMaine coach Jack Cosgrove. “I know they battled hard for 60 minutes.”

While the Stony Brook rushing attack struggled, Fluellen and the Black Bear running attack had some success, running for 181 yards.

Fluellen ran for 117 yards on 17 carries. The senior running back has rushed for over 100 yards in each of the team’s first three games.

On defense, the Black Bears were led in tackles by cornerback Lionel Nixon Jr. with 11 tackles. Junior college transfer Jonas Rousseau had three sacks for UMaine.

“They outplayed us, physically and emotionally,” added Priore.

Another bright spot for the Black Bears was taking care of the ball. For the second straight game, they did not commit a turnover. Farkes, whose 12-for-22 passing effort for 148 yards paced UMaine, has thrown seven touchdowns to zero interceptions over the last two games.

“We didn’t turn it over. We had a plus-four tonight which is real good,” Cosgrove said. “We make a big deal about that.”

Despite outperforming Stony Brook, Cosgrove believes the team has many areas to improve on, citing specifically the kicking game. Freshman placekicker Brian Harvey missed two field goals on the night, making it four consecutive he has missed.

The Black Bears open Colonial Athletic Association play next Saturday when they head south to play Richmond (2-1, 1-0 CAA). Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.