Pete Bull
Number of articles: 7First article: September 16, 2016
Latest article: February 17, 2017
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ELECTION 2016 Maine issues: 4 key ballot referendums
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Professors pen letter to Trump on climate change in opposition to 'alternative facts'
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As off-campus housing numbers grow, students face new responsibilities
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College Houses scrap affiliate requirement, MacMillan House receives most applications
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Masque & Gown grips audience with "A Delicate Balance"
Longreads
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Maine issues: 4 key ballot referendums
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As off-campus housing numbers grow, students face new responsibilities
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Professors pen letter to Trump on climate change in opposition to 'alternative facts'
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Masque & Gown grips audience with "A Delicate Balance"
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College Houses scrap affiliate requirement, MacMillan House receives most applications
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College Houses scrap affiliate requirement, MacMillan House receives most applications
College House applications, which were due on Sunday, allowed students to apply to any house, regardless of their first-year affiliation.
Two-hundred and ninety students applied to live in College Houses this year, up from 270 last year, but still well short of the 341 students who applied in 2012. There are 201 living spaces available in the College House system, split among the eight houses.
MacMillan House received the most applications of any College House for the 2017-2018 academic year with 61. Baxter House was the second-most popular house, followed by Quinby House.
In previous years, students could only apply to live in a house if a member of their block was affiliated with that house as a first year. House affiliations are determined randomly by first-year floor, with the exception that all chem-free floors are automatically associated with Howell House.
Housing decisions will be announced in early April. The results are non-binding, meaning that students are not required to live in the house that they are accepted to, a departure from the policies of previous years.
Assistant Director of Residential Life (ResLife) Mariana Centeno was one of the people who administered change to the application and decision policy.
“One of the major reasons I decided to make that [change] is that you’re always struggling to make your block, which meant that sometimes people would end up blocking with people they didn’t really know because they just really wanted to live in Ladd,” said Centeno. “The benefit of the decision to allow people to move outside their affiliations is that it puts the power in the students to say where they want to live.”
Like in previous years, students were allowed to list houses they would like to live in beyond their first choice. But this year, ResLife will create a waiting list for each house, which could allow students to gain a spot in a house if other students decline.
“The waitlist is now more formalized will create a really robust round two,” Centeno said.
Rhianna Patel ’20 wants live in a College House for the shared living space.
“I like the camaraderie of a [first-year] floor, and from what I’ve heard from upperclassmen, if you choose to live in, say, Stowe Hall, you don’t interact with many people outside of your roommates,” Patel said.
Tessa Peterson ’20 said positive experiences with College Houses as a first year influenced her decision to apply.
“I participated in BOC Leadership Training in the fall, and a lot of my closest sophomore friends live in College Houses and have [had] a really positive experience there, so I felt very welcomed into the College House fold,” she said. “I enjoy the small insular community and living with my friends. There are drawbacks like the lack of privacy or the responsibility for the space, but otherwise I was able to see a lot of positives. Having a space to hold events and be a community ... was a pretty big deal for me.”
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Professors pen letter to Trump on climate change in opposition to 'alternative facts'
Two Bowdoin professors helped write a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to act on the issue of climate change. The letter, defending scientific fact, was ultimately signed by over 700 physics and astronomy professors at colleges and universities across the nation. It outlines three points—major areas of climate change scientific consensus—that its writers encourage the Trump administration to value in policy creation.
After Trump’s election in November, Paul Nakroshis, an associate professor of physics at the University of Southern Maine, contacted Mark Battle, associate professor of physics, about writing a letter. Battle then recruited Professor of Physics Madeleine Msall and the three contacted colleagues at every institution that offers an undergraduate physics degree.
“We decided to not just have it come from the National Academy of Sciences, but let’s have it come from people and communities all around the country,” Msall said. “There are small and big colleges all across the nation, and the people who teach there are connected to a set of community resources. We decided to use that platform to say, ‘Look: physics teachers, people who are at academic institutions, recognize the truth of this research and want it to be used in policy.’”
The letter argued three points central to climate science: “climate scientists have confirmed beyond any reasonable doubt that our planet is warmer now than it was in 1850,” “the human use of fossil fuels is driving this warming,” and “climate change is an economic and existential threat to our country and to human and animal life on our planet,” according to the letter.
“Our hope was that the administration would make use of the scientific information available to them to fuel infrastructure projects or carbon taxes,” Battle said.
The professors were concerned both by Trump’s individual rhetoric on climate change and the words of his close advisors. His nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Scott Pruitt, has said that climate science is “far from settled.”
However, Battle and Msall said the letter’s ultimate goal extends beyond the issue of climate change and relates to the larger question of the role of science in policy creation.
“It’s not just climate change—it’s about using good data with a breadth of understanding, not just arbitrary policy agendas that direct legislation,” Msall said.
“The Trump administration is cracking down on multiple areas that conduct research, not simply scientific, and essentially saying that only they have the answers. What we really want to put on the record is a strong sense for scientific consensus as a basis for directing government policy.”
Battle said he was concerned by Trump’s science-related actions in the president’s first few days in office, particularly the restriction placed on government agencies disseminating scientific information.
“I’m deeply disappointed by the action to remove all mention[s] of climate change from the White House website,” he said. “I’m also concerned with the decision to keep the five federal agencies that do the most work on issues of climate change from communicating with the press or social media, but instead to funnel their information through an appeals process. It’s not particularly unusual to have a directive for agencies to speak with one voice, but what is extraordinary is that it’s not a blanket order—it’s just the five agencies that are focused on climate change research.”
Wednesday, the Trump administration asked the EPA to take down its webpage about climate change.
“They seek to subordinate the importance of scientific facts to partisan issues,” Msall said.
In addition to the open letter, the professors have been tweeting from an account with the handle @Physics4Climate.
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Hatch Library to offer free 3D printing for recreational use
Beginning in December, Hatch Science Library will house a new resource for students: a fully equipped 3D printer. Printing will initially be free for a semester, after which a pricing model will be determined based on student use.
Traditionally, students at Bowdoin have only had access to 3D printing for academic purposes through specific art classes or indirectly through professors. However, the new 3D printer in Hatch will be available to all students for recreational use. Students must learn the basics of using the machine from Science Librarian Sue O’Dell.
“It is primarily for experimenters looking to experiment with new technology,” O’Dell said.
She stressed the importance of the machine as an avenue for inquisitive students to explore the capabilities of 3D printing. The printer does not serve a rigid academic purpose; it is intended to offer students a glimpse into a new generation of technology.
During the 3D-printing process, the printer itself is loaded with filament, which is then steadily molded by a precise nozzle on top of preceding layers to form the final product.
“It lays down an outline and builds on top,” O’Dell said. “It’s an additive process. It prints with supports, as it builds from the ground up.”
3D printers are capable of designing and producing unique objects, many of which would be impossible to create on any other machine. Some of the first objects printed on the new machine were chess pieces with an ornate swirl.
“These chess pieces can only be built by a 3D printer, “O’Dell said. “It requires the specific additive process to form these spiraling patterns.”
The Library and Information Technology (IT) partnered to make the acquisition possible.
Donald Detchou ’19 is excited about the prospect.
“I think it’s a fantastic idea in that I’ve never had the opportunity to use a 3D printer. As someone interested in the sciences, it’s a fun way to explore things I’m not comfortable with,” he said.
Most students would need instructions before they began printing.
“It sounds really cool!” said Connor Walsh ’18. “[But] I wouldn’t even know what to do with it.”
The Library will officially unveil the printer during the first week of December. O’Dell said President Clayton Rose will have the honor of making the first official print out.
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ELECTION 2016: Maine issues: 4 key ballot referendums
Q1: Should Maine legalize recreational marijuana?
If passed, Question 1 will allow individuals over the age of 21 to use and possess recreational marijuana. In addition, the measure would provide for the regulation of marijuana as an agricultural product, permitting licensed marijuana retail facilities and enacting a 10 percent sales tax.
Medical marijuana was first legalized in Maine in 1999. However, repeated attempts to legalize recreational marijuana within the state have been unsuccessful. This year, recreational marijuana measures will also appear on ballots in Arizona, California, Massachusetts and Nevada.
According to a poll by the Portland Press Herald in early October, 53 percent of Maine voters support the legalization of marijuana for recreational use.
What is the case for legalization?
Supporters of the measure, including Matt Schweich ’09, Director of State Campaigns for the Marijuana Policy Project, cite economic benefits such as increased tax revenue and creation of jobs. Schweich called the legalization of recreational marijuana a “social justice issue,” arguing that moving marijuana out of the unregulated market and into regulated business would work against drug-policing policies that disproportionately impact people of color.
Who opposes it?
Critics of the referendum argue that the measure does not include adequate preparations to regulate marijuana after it becomes legal. Maine Attorney General Janet Mills has argued that the phrasing of the law would also legalize the possession of marijuana by minors.
In a letter to the Portland Press Herald, Stephanie Anderson, district attorney of Cumberland County, argued that Question 1 would create a “profit-driven [marijuana] industry” in the midst of an already overwhelming substance abuse public health crisis. Furthermore, she wrote that the Department of Agriculture is not experienced enough to create an adequate regulatory system, and costs generated by the law will surpass the tax revenue it generates.
How would this impact Bowdoin students?
According to a 2013 survey conducted by the Orient, marijuana is the most commonly used drug on Bowdoin’s campus. The results showed that 58 percent of respondents had smoked marijuana “at least once to a few times” at Bowdoin, while 31 percent reported smoking “every month or two” or “weekly or more.” The survey found a slight increase in marijuana use on campus since a previous survey, distributed five semesters earlier.
Dean of Student Affairs Tim Foster declined to comment prior to the election on how and whether the College’s policy toward marijuana would change if the drug was legalized.
Q3: Should Maine require background checks for gun transfers between non-licensed dealers?
Question 3 asks Maine citizens if they want to require background checks before a sale or transfer of firearms between people who are not licensed dealers.
The law is aimed at further regulating the secondary gun market and stipulates that if neither party is licensed, they both must meet with a licensed dealer, who will conduct a background check on the transferee. Exceptions include if the firearm is used in emergency self-defense, if both parties are hunting or sport shooting together and if the transfer is to a family member.
Who supports Question 3?
The referendum is supported by political heavyweights, most notably former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whose nonprofit organization Everytown for Gun Safety has donated over $1.7 million to the cause.
At a debate on Question 3 held by Quinby House on October 27, Associate Professor of Government Jeffrey Selinger and Gary M. Pendy Professor of Social Sciences Jean Yarborough discussed the costs and benefits of the law. Selinger defended the referendum, hailing its sensibility.
“You don’t always know who you’re selling your gun to,” he said. “The law would just ask that all citizens follow basic regulations for a second sale too.”
Who opposes it?
Twelve of 16 Maine police chiefs as well as the vocal National Rifle Association oppose the referendum. The main argument from the opponents—some of whom are supporters of gun control themselves—is that the law is too difficult to implement and enforce. They claim that since Maine law already prohibits criminals from purchasing firearms, the only people affected by closing the gun show loophole are law-abiding citizens. Others believe that the law will not stop criminals from getting their hands on guns, so this regulation is unnecessary.
Gary M. Pendy Professor of Social Sciences Jean Yarborough, who argued in favor of a “No” vote, characterized the law more as an impediment at odds with Maine’s culture that a safety measure.
“If I want to lend my gun to a student who’s going hunting for a weekend, both the student and I would have to go through so many barriers if this referendum is enacted,” she said.
Q4: Should Maine raise the state minimum wage to $12 by 2020?
Question 4 presents an increase of the state minimum wage from $7.50 to $9 in 2017 and increasing by an additional dollar until 2020 when it would reach $12 per hour. The referendum will also increase the minimum tipped laborer wage from $3.75 to $5, increasing by $1 every year until 2024 when it equals the general minimum wage. The state statute would also insure that the minimum wage will continue to rise with fluctuations in the consumer price index, which measures the changes in prices of basic consumer goods and services.
Why raise the minimum wage?
Proponents of raising the minimum wage often point the concept of a “living wage”—the idea that people who work full time jobs ought to earn enough to support their families. Real wages, adjusted for inflation, have remained stagnant across the country in recent years.
“The minimum wage has fallen in real terms, or in inflation adjusted terms. If it was kept to where it was in the early 70s it would be up above $11 an hour,” said William D. Shipman Professor of Economics John Fitzgerald.
Higher wages translates to more expendable income for consumers, which can benefit businesses, as consumers with higher incomes buy more. Increasing the minimum wage might also decrease the number of workers and families dependent on public assistance.
What could go wrong?
The main complaints levied against raising the minimum wage focus on the loss of jobs, rise in prices of basic consumer goods and the impact on small businesses.
If businesses are forced to pay their employees more, companies with thin profit margins might hire less workers. Small businesses in particular would be affected. In 2015, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that over 500,000 jobs would be lost nationally if minimum wage was increased to $10.10.
Opponents also argue that businesses will respond to this wage increase by proportionately increasing prices, which in turn, deters consumers due to inflated costs. Furthermore, price increases could also negate the quality-of-life benefits that low-income earners would receive from higher wages.
How would this impact Bowdoin?
The law would not immediate impact Bowdoin students who work on-campus jobs—all student employees who are paid hourly already receive at least $9 per hour after the College restructured student pay at the beginning of this academic year.
The College, like all employers in the state, would be required to increase wages for hourly employees each year until 2020 in accordance with the law.
Q5: Should Maine institute Ranked Choice Voting?
Question 5 asks Mainers to consider implementing something that no state has done before: Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). By allowing voters to mark candidates on the ballot in order of preference rather than voting for one candidate, RCV would redistribute votes for last-place candidates until a majority is reached.
How does RCV work?
Voters would rank candidates for Maine elections for U.S. Senate, Congress, Governor, State Senate and State Representative in order of preference on the ballot; if no candidate receives an immediate majority, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. The votes of that candidate’s supporters then count for their second choice candidate. This process continues until a candidate earns the majority.
What are the arguments in favor?
Supporters of this bill—including the Maine Democratic Party, Libertarian Party of Maine, Maine Green Independent Party, the League of Women Voters of Maine and a number of individual Maine politicians—say that this system would eliminate the voting mentality of the “lesser of two evils” and ultimately create less negative and targeted campaigning. They argue a more broadly-liked candidate will be elected, rather than a candidate reaping the benefits of “the spoiler effect,” where the vote splits between two ideologically similar candidates, allowing a third candidate to win by plurality.
Current governor of Maine Paul LePage was elected into office because of split voting—62 percent of the population voted for another candidate—some opponents of RCV argue that the bill is an attempt to get LePage out of office. Out of the 11 last races for governor, nine winners were elected with less than 50 percent of voters; five of those winners were elected with less than 40 percent.
What are the arguments against?
Opponents of the bill—including LePage and a few other individual politicians—point out the cost, ineffectiveness and potential unconstitutionality of implementing RCV.
According to the Maine Office of Fiscal and Program Review, this bill would roughly cost between $600,000 and $800,000 per year for new equipment and necessary resources. Similar costs would persist over the years.
Opponents also worry that the new, “more complex” system of RCV would detract voters, particularly “young voters, African-Americans and those with low levels of education,” according to a Bangor Daily News editorial.
Maine Attorney General Janet Mills, as well as a number of other people, believes that the bill would be unconstitutional. In a March memo, Mills cited that the Maine constitution allows candidates to win by plurality (whereas RCV focuses on candidates winning by majority) and necessitates municipal officials to count votes, rather than a multiple-round, electronic tallying.
A number of other experts—including courts in four states—disagree with Mills, determining RCV constitutional since it maintains “one person, one vote” and fairly allows the candidate with the most votes to win.
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Masque & Gown grips audience with "A Delicate Balance"
Everything isn’t always as it seems in the living room of the plush and distinctly suburban house that sets the stage of Masque & Gown’s fall production, “A Delicate Balance.” The student-run group premiered the story of suburban life, domesticity and emotional anxiety last night in Memorial Hall’s Wish Theater.
Written by Edward Albee in 1966, the Pulitzer Prize-winning play focuses on the tenuous marriage between two suburbanites—Agnes and Tobias—and the conflict that ensues following the arrival of old friends and family. As much as the couple tries to preserve their uncommunicative yet seemingly peaceful marriage, these visits ultimately disrupt their balance and put the actions of the play into motion.
According to director Jack Arnholz ’19, the theatre troupe decided on Albee’s play because of its ability to convey a sense of surprise through the inner turmoil found in a banal, suburban world.
“The story was so unsettling,” Arnholz said. “The characters were so complicated and the mundane setting allowed its characters to stand out even more against the contrasting plot. Edward Albee is my favorite playwright, and when deciding which of his works to choose, I was shocked by ‘A Delicate Balance.’”
Although Arnholz felt that many Bowdoin students might at first feel distant from the suburbanite characters, he was hopeful that the story’s themes would ultimately feel familiar.
“It concerns the impact of what happens when you funnel up your emotions inside and cage the anxieties inside yourself for too long such that they eventually become realities,” he said. “It’s a very universal reality—when you don’t express yourself, you become paralyzed by those anxieties ... [The play’s] mission is for people to leave with a better respect for the importance of communication and openness in relationships.”
Arnholz has been working closely with his six-person cast for months in preparation for the shows this weekend, with the last few weeks consisting of six-hour rehearsals, four days a week.
According to Sydney Benjamin ’19, the small size of the cast and the intense rehearsals have both intensified the bonds between the cast and given the cast views of their characters that are more nuanced and intimate.
“It means that every combination of actors on stage has its own very clear dynamic, which is super helpful on stage because then you understand the other characters on stage so well,” said Benjamin.
“It’s been super intense, but also super rewarding to be working in such a small environment with such a close cast,” she added. “It’s helped me grow as an actress.”
Beyond rehearsal time, Arnholz has also enjoyed being able to sit down with each of them for long meals discussing the intricacies of their characters, a reality that was only made possible by the relatively small cast size. According to Arnholz, that dynamic contributed to even greater character development and ultimately a more gripping performance.
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Blowout win starts off women's rugby campaign
The women’s rugby team opened the season with a dominant 57-17 win over Molloy College in their first game since leaving the New England Small College Rugby Conference (NESCRC).
The team started the match off strong, gaining an advantage of 24-0 in the first half. However, the second half showed that the team could not grow complacent as Molloy came back after the intermission with three tries and a conversion to cut down the lead. From there, the Polar Bears were able to regain control and score 26 uncontested points to close out the game.
The team started mostly newer players because of scheduling conflicts, yet the lack of experience didn’t hold them back at all.
“Because so many returning players couldn’t make the game, we started many younger players,” said captain Cristina Lima ’17. “It proved a great opportunity, with the young squad scoring five tries within the first half.”
“It was a long way to go for such a young team, but it led the newer players to take command,” said Head Coach MaryBeth Mathews.
While the match proved the mettle of the team outside their previous conference, the challenge will be far steeper for the impending game against Saint Michael’s College this weekend. However, Mathews is undeterred.
“The expectations are the same. We have smart kids; they listen, work hard and learn quickly,” said Mathews. “I will admit, of all the seasons to leave a comfy conference for a more challenging one, it’s an interesting one due to the fact that we graduated so many seniors and two of our best players are abroad. Our team is young, but there is energy, camaraderie and enthusiasm. We will be challenged, but that’s why we’re here.”
The Polar Bears will take on Saint Michael’s at home tomorrow at 2 p.m.
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As off-campus housing numbers grow, students face new responsibilities
An increasing number of Bowdoin students are eschewing College housing. In 2010, six percent of students lived off-campus; that figure rose to seven percent in 2012 and nine percent last year. Although the College has not finished compiling enrollment data for this academic year, the trend has continued upward, according to Dean of Student Affairs Tim Foster.
While students cite the freedom, affordability and flexibility associated with being removed from campus regulations as reasons for living off-campus, incidents within the first few weeks of classes have also raised concerns about the consequences off-campus living for both the College and the town of Brunswick.
“I wanted to live off campus mainly because I’m sick of dorm life. Even freshman year, by the second semester. I was like, ‘this feels so sterile and contained,’” said Stephanie Sun ’18. Sun, who lives on the corner of Maine and Belmont Streets, began her search for an off-campus house last spring, beginning with Craigslist and the Bowdoin Classifieds. At the time, she lived in Burnett House.
“With the role that you take as somebody who lives in a College House and the responsibility that you take on, you become hyper aware of all these different rules that you have,” said Sun. She wanted to experience a different side of social life at Bowdoin by living off campus.
Living off campus removes some regulations from Bowdoin’s social scene. Off-campus parties are not registered. In the event of a disturbance, the Brunswick police—not campus security—are the first responders.
A day before the start of the fall semester classes, one student was transported from an off-campus residence. In an email to the student body on Wednesday, Director of Safety and Security Randy Nichols warned students that neighbors of the had been complaining about excessive noise, intoxicated students and litter.
Living off campus tasks students with taking greater responsibility for their own decisions—a challenge that many students embrace.
“There is something that feels so intimate but also very maturing about living in an off campus house,” said Hailey Beaman ’18, who signed the lease for her house during the spring of her sophomore year. “The bills are under my name, the lease falls under my name, so a lot of the responsibilities in terms of finances fall under my concern. In a way, I feel more like an adult, since I’ve learned all these things that I won’t have to learn [after] college.”
Several students expressed that living off campus provided them with valuable separation between the College and their non-academic lives.
“It’s nice for us to have a space for us that’s removed,” said Bo Bleckel ’18, who rents a house on Garrison Street from Professor of Economics Guillermo Herrera. “You can definitely go home and feel like you’re going home and that’s separate from school.”
Jesse Chung ’18, who lives with Bleckel, notes that while they do achieve a psychological distance between school and home being situated far from campus, they notice the physical distance as well.
“It definitely does make me value being much more centrally located like in the freshman bricks,” said Chung.
Beaman expressed that despite the physical distance, she still feels connected to campus.
“I still feel very connected to the social pulse of campus,” she said. “I do sometimes miss living in a College House with other people on the floor and having that dialogue in the bathroom, hallway or in the house, like a first-year dorm. It is coming at a good time because over the years I’ve sort of learned to recognize the value for myself in being alone and having a separation between living space and school.”
For some students, living off campus comes with financial benefits.
“[My apartment] is cheaper than campus housing. If you’re thinking about value in terms of the quality of the apartment then for the most part it’s greater than the value of a campus dorm in that the furniture is nicer and there was more space,” said Sun.
At the same time, some students were surprised by other costs that popped up.
“The cooking was mostly a financial adjustment ... I never realized how expensive it was,” said Beaman. “I had a lot of conversations on food security and access in the U.S. It was a thought provoking adjustment.”