The University of Maine Student Government (UMSG) convened on Sept. 10 in the Bangor Room of the Memorial Union to kick off the 2024-25 academic year. Led by UMSG President Keegan Tripp and Vice President Memphis Peterson, the gathering marked the 15th meeting of the 45th session of the General Student Senate (GSS). Key moments included a presentation from UMaine alumni and Bangor Chair of Out of the Darkness Dominique Dispirito, the inauguration of new senators, executive reports, and committee nominations.
New Senator Inaugurations
After a brief land acknowledgment and roll call, the meeting began with the induction of two new senators into UMSG: Juliana Jolin from the College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences (ELHS) and Dylan DeMerchant from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS).
Guest Speaker
The meeting welcomed Dispirito, who discussed how her organization provides resources and support for suicide prevention in the Bangor area. She highlighted opportunities for the UMaine community to get involved, including the Out of the Darkness Walk at the Bangor Waterfront on Sept. 21 at 9 a.m.
“I graduated from UMaine in 22. I am a volunteer with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. AFSP’s mission is to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide. I’m a board member for the Maine chapter and chair of the Bangor Out of the Darkness walk,” Dominique shared.
She then described her journey with AFSP, saying, “I got involved when I saw a flier in my dorm hall. I lost my dad to suicide in 2015, and the program helped me connect to resources. It’s an epidemic that’s not theoretical—people we love can face suicidal ideation. It’s a serious issue.”
Dominique explained that AFSP is the largest national private funder of suicide prevention research and that she’s trained as a Talk Saves Lives presenter. She proposed offering the workshop at UMaine, explaining, “It’s a concise, 30 minute session that helps break down stigmas around suicide. I left feeling like I could actually do something if someone was in crisis.”
Regarding the upcoming walk, Dominique said, “Last year we broke records with 600 walkers and raised $45,000. This year, we’re hoping to surpass that, and UMaine students can make a big difference.”
For more information on the walk, meetings, or volunteering, Dominique can be reached at dominique.dispirito@gmail.com.
Executive Reports
President Tripp began executive reports by discussing recent developments in ongoing conversations about club storage space. He shared, “The next point [I have] is club storage, which was a big deal last year and during my campaign. This week, [twenty-seven] small storage lockers will be ordered…which will hopefully alleviate some burden of club storage.”
Tripp shared plans for larger off-campus storage, saying, “The university is dealing with a space situation that isn’t exactly forgiving.”
While the current budget doesn’t allow for on-campus storage units, he mentioned a cost-effective solution: off-campus units at $1,400 a year. He closed by expressing optimism about expanding off-campus storage and providing updates as the situation progresses.
Tripp’s final remarks addressed the closure of Estabrooke Hall and the temporary relocation of students. He shared, “I figured it would be the topic of the night…the housing situation on campus. Currently, there are 23 rooms that are tripled, which is 69 students. They have 109 students in temporary lounges, 10 undergraduates temporarily at Hotel Ursa, 20 permanently housed at Orchard Trails, and eight students still unassigned–though all were offered housing.”
Vice President Memphis Peterson shared that he has started reaching out to “various leaders in our community” to arrange presentations for the GSS. He mentioned contacting Dr. Sabrina DeTurk from the Honors College, stating, “In two weeks…Sabrina said she’d like to come speak on some sort of cultural revision process.”
He also mentioned that the meeting would include the first round of nominations for positions and chairships in the GSS. He concluded by saying, “I’m very excited to work with everyone here this year, and I’m excited to see what you all accomplish this year.”
Unfinished Business
The UMSG revisited unfinished business from the 44th session concerning whether to add a Student Mental Health Committee to the GSS. While the discussion was inconclusive, enough senators supported the motion to revisit the conversation at a later meeting. Several members of the Senate mentioned the committee’s relevance considering the night’s guest speaker, Dominique Dispirito. Others felt it was a strong idea given the stress and hardships students face throughout the academic year.
New Business
The first Fall ‘24 UMSG meeting concluded with the nomination of senators to lead and serve on various committees. A second round of nominations will take place next week. At that time, senators may rescind their offer to join the committee if they choose.
If you’re interested in attending the next UMSG meeting, stop by the Bangor Room of Memorial Union at 6 p.m. next Tuesday (9/17). If you’re unable to come in person, the UMSG Youtube channel uploads recordings of their weekly meetings here.
