TimesTalk
The NY Times has partnered with the American Democracy Project to bring a College Readership Program to ADP campuses. TimesTalk is part of UMA's commitment to the American Democracy Project.
What is TimesTalk? 
TimesTalk is a current events discussion program. Sessions are held biweekly, and all interested students, staff, and faculty are encouraged to attend. At each session we discuss a different issue; our schedule for this semester, including the session facilitator, is listed below. The sessions last about one hour, and during that time we discuss recent NY Times articles that relate to the given topic.
Twenty-five copies of the NY Times are delivered to each campus daily, allowing students convenient access to "the paper of record." The papers are available for classes, service-learning projects, and to keep up with current events. The program TimesTalk is the cornerstone of our College Readership Program, and an integral part of UMA's American Democracy Project.
Each TimesTalk session is led by a volunteer facilitator who chooses the topic he or she would like to discuss. Facilitators can be students, staff, or faculty, and everyone is invited to the discussions.
Bangor: All TimesTalk sessions will be held at 12:00 in Huskins Lounge.
| Date | Subject | Facilitator |
| 1/29 | Presidential Politics | Melissa Cormier |
| 2/12 | African American culture | Charles Green, Duncan Kaonga |
| 2/26 | Outsourcing | TBD |
| 3/11 | Immigration | TBD |
| 4/8 | Popular Culture | TBD |
| 4/22 | Wrap up | TBD |
Augusta: All TimesTalk sessions will be held in the STC lounge at 12:00.
| Date | Subject | Facilitator |
| 1/31 | Presidential Politics | TBD |
| 2/14 | African American culture | TBD |
| 2/28 | Outsourcing | TBD |
| 3/13 | Immigration | TBD |
| 4/10 | Popular Culture | TBD |
| 4/24 | Wrap up | TBD |
For each discussion the facilitator will choose two particular articles on which to focus, and links to those articles will be posted on this web page. Copies of the articles will also be available in the OCE on each campus.
The purpose of TimesTalk is to create discussions where there is a free exchange of ideas. We hope for diverse opinions. A TimesTalk discussion is not the place to convert others to our point of view, but to share ideas. Please keep this in mind when someone voices an opinion with which you disagree.
TimesTalk Guidelines
- Read the two articles selected by the facilitator so that you can participate in the discussion.
- Pay attention to other articles or stories in the news that are related to the seesion's topic in order to promote a broader discussion.
- Be respectful of others' opinions. Although you may disagree, do not attack the person. They have the same right to share their opinions as you do.
- Participate. The more participation, the more engaging the discussion will be.
- The facilitator is there to guide the discussion. Please follow his or her lead.
- Please fill out the suggestion card at the end of the session. We need your ideas to make TimesTalk the type of event students want on campus.
- Try to make connections between the TimesTalk discussions and discusssions that are taking place in your classes.
Facilitator Guidelines -- coming soon