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University of Maine

The University of Maine (UMaine) is a public land-grant research university in Orono, Maine. It was established in 1865 as the land-grant college of Maine and is the flagship university of the University of Maine System. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".

With an enrollment of approximately 11,500 students, UMaine is the state's largest college or university. The University of Maine's athletic teams, nicknamed the Black Bears, are Maine's only Division I athletics program. Maine's men's ice hockey team has won two national championships.

History

The University of Maine was founded in 1862 as a function of the Morrill Act, signed by President Abraham Lincoln. Established in 1865 as the Maine State College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts, the college opened on September 21, 1868, and changed its name to the University of Maine in 1897.

By 1871, curricula had been organized in Agriculture, Engineering, and electives. The Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station was founded as a division of the university in 1887. Gradually the university developed the Colleges of Life Sciences and Agriculture (later to include the School of Forest Resources and the School of Human Development), Engineering and Science, and Arts and Sciences. In 1912 the Maine Cooperative Extension, which offers field educational programs for both adults and youths, was initiated. The School of Education was established in 1930 and received college status in 1958. The School of Business Administration was formed in 1958 and was granted college status in 1965. Women have been admitted into all curricula since 1872. The first master's degree was conferred in 1881; the first doctor's degree in 1960. Since 1923 there has been a separate graduate school.

Near the end of the 19th century, the university expanded its curriculum to place greater emphasis on liberal arts. As a result of this shift, faculty hired during the early 20th century included Caroline Colvin, chair of the history department and the nation's first woman to head a major university department.

In 1906, The Senior Skull Honor Society was founded to "publicly recognize, formally reward, and continually promote outstanding leadership and scholarship, and exemplary citizenship within the University of Maine community."

On April 16, 1925, 80 women met in Balentine Hall — faculty, alumnae, and undergraduate representatives — to plan a pledging of members to an inaugural honorary organization. This organization was called "The All Maine Women" because only those women closely connected with the University of Maine were elected as members. On April 22, 1925, the new members were inducted into the honor society.

When the University of Maine System was incorporated, in 1968, the school was renamed by the legislature over the objections of the faculty to the University of Maine at Orono (known informally as "U.M.O."). This was changed back to the University of Maine in 1986, when the "U.M.O." moniker was also abandoned and replaced officially with "UMaine" as the informal title with which to reference the Orono campus.

Organization and administration
The University of Maine is the flagship of the University of Maine System. The president of the university is Joan Ferrini-Mundy. The senior administration governs cooperatively with the chancellor of the University of Maine system, Dannel Malloy, and the sixteen members of the University of Maine Board of Trustees (of which fifteen are appointed by the governor of Maine and one is the current Maine state commissioner of education). The Board of Trustees has full legal responsibility and authority for the university system. It appoints the chancellor and each university president, approves the establishment and elimination of academic programs, confers tenure on faculty members, and sets tuition rates and operating budgets.

UMaine is also one of a handful of colleges in the United States whose Student Government is incorporated. Student Government was formed in 1978 and incorporated in 1987. It is classified as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. It consists of a legislative branch, which passes resolutions, and an executive branch, which helps organize on-campus entertainment and guest speakers, works with new and existing student organizations, and performs other duties. Other organizations fall under the umbrella of Student Government Inc., including representative boards, community associations, and many other student groups. The Maine Campus, the student newspaper, is also incorporated and does not operate under or receive money from student government.

Location and layout

Situated on Marsh Island, between the Penobscot and Stillwater rivers, the University of Maine is the nation's only land grant university (other than the University of Hawaiʻi) on an island. Occupying the small city of Orono, population ~9,500, the 660 acre campus has an enrollment (2012–2013) of 10,901 students. The campus has thirty-seven academic buildings, thirty administrative buildings, eighteen residence halls, eighteen specific laboratory facilities, fourteen Greek life houses, ten sports facilities, five museums, two dining facilities, two convenience stores, a student union, a cafe, a pub, an 87,000 sqft state of the art recreation and fitness center, and a 200'x200' air supported athletic/recreational dome.

In 1867, the university rejected a campus plan by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed Central Park in New York City and the White House grounds in Washington, D.C. The plan's broad concepts, including the Front Lawn, were nevertheless adopted during the school's first fifty years, and were oriented toward the Stillwater River. A second master plan was produced in 1932 by Carl Rust Parker of the Olmsted Brothers firm, which reoriented the campus center to the Mall, an open grassy area between the Raymond H. Fogler Library and the Memorial Gym. The Mall is further bordered by one residence and five academic halls.

The campus is essentially divided into three sections (northern, southern, and hilltop), all of which are near or border the Mall. The northern section includes many of the athletic facilities, including the Alfond Arena (basketball, hockey), Morse Field at the Alfond Sports Stadium (football, track and field), Larry Mahaney Diamond (baseball), Kessock Field (softball), the Field Hockey Complex (field hockey), and the Mahaney athletic/recreational dome. Other buildings on the northern section include the Cutler Health Center, two administrative halls, three residence halls, and multiple academic halls.

The southern section of campus includes the Memorial Student Union, the Maynard F. Jordan Observatory, Lengyel Gymnasium and Athletic Field, the Buchanan Alumni House, as well as multiple administrative, residence, and academic halls. The recently renovated Collins Center for the Arts is also on the southern part of campus, and not only provides the Hutchins Concert Hall, a 1,435-seat venue for performing artists from around the world, but also houses the Hudson Museum, known for its contemporary Native American art, as well as displays that are culturally specific to the indigenous people of Maine. The Hilltop section of campus is populated largely with residence halls but also includes the 7 acre Lyle E. Littlefield Ornamental Gardens, as well as academic and recreational facilities. The campus is also designated as an arboretum.

The pre-1915 core of the campus, covering its earliest period of development, was listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978; this was expanded to include the second major phase of development (through the end of World War II) in 2010.

Ambulance Service

The University of Maine operates the "University Volunteer Ambulance Corps," an Ambulance service fully licensed by the State of Maine. The service is operated by students and staff of the university. UVAC's ambulances are available to respond to emergencies on campus and can also provide mutual aid to many surrounding towns and agencies. The service ensures a licensed Emergency Medical Technician is sent on every call. The service has two ambulances both equipped to provide Paramedic Level care. UVAC responds to approximately 500 calls per school year.

Greek life
Greek life has existed at the University of Maine since 1874. Approximately 14% of University of Maine undergraduates are members of Greek letter organizations.

Fraternities

 * Alpha Delta
 * Alpha Gamma Rho
 * Alpha Sigma Phi
 * Alpha Tau Omega
 * Beta Theta Pi
 * Delta Tau Delta
 * Iota Nu Kappa
 * Kappa Kappa Psi
 * Kappa Sigma
 * Lambda Chi Alpha
 * Phi Gamma Delta
 * Phi Kappa Sigma
 * Pi Kappa Phi
 * Sigma Chi
 * Sigma Pi
 * Sigma Phi Epsilon
 * Tau Kappa Epsilon
 * Theta Chi

Sororities

 * Alpha Omicron Pi
 * Alpha Phi
 * Chi Omega
 * Delta Delta Delta
 * Delta Phi Epsilon
 * Delta Zeta
 * Phi Mu
 * Pi Beta Phi

Sustainability
The University of Maine is one of 16 colleges and universities listed in Princeton Review's "Green Honor Roll" (2011). Several of the nation's leading research universities, including Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Oregon State, Arizona State and the University of Washington are also on that prestigious list, as are Harvard and Northeastern. Recognizing schools for their commitment to sustainability, the Green Honor Roll lists only those 16 institutions that received the highest possible score on The Princeton Review green rating. The guide lauds UMaine for its recycling programs, green-certified buildings and free shuttle bus service. It also notes the fact UMaine has a sustainability coordinator, a sustainability council, and "Eco Reps" in its residence halls.

University of Maine has a sustainability council made up of students, faculty, administrators, staff and a full-time sustainability coordinator. A green loan fund provides capital for energy efficiency and renewable energy investments. The university has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2040, and two residential-scale solar thermal systems are in place on Nutting Hall and Sebec House. The University of Maine composts food scraps from dining facilities, and York Dining Hall has gone trayless to reduce waste. For all new campus construction, LEED Silver standards are required. The Blue Bike program refurbishes abandoned bikes and rents them to students free of charge, providing a means of alternative transportation on and around-campus.

Dining services
The campus has two dining halls, Hilltop and York, and the Bear's Den Café & Pub in Memorial Union. Wells Dining Hall closed in fall 2022 due to a decrease in student enrollment. In fall 2023, the university deployed robots called Kiwibots to deliver food to students across campus. The Black Bear Exchange is the campus food pantry open three days a week. The pantry is supported by the Good Shepherd Food Bank, donations, and food drives.

In 2022, the university signed a contract to outsource campus dining services to Sodexo beginning on July 1, 2023. Sodexo provides food service at Maine's six other public universities. The deal requires Sodexo to pay the university a $3 million signing bonus and invest $7 million in dining hall improvements. Sodexo announced that it would add to the campus a food truck, a coffee shop and an autonomous market located in the Wells Dining Hall. In 2024, the high number of student and parent complaints about the poor quality of the food led the university to form weekly focus groups of students. Students complained of undercooked meat and the lack of options for pescatarians. The dining halls began stocking its fresh fruit bars all day.

In 2016, after the university was asked to offer more vegan choices by a student group, the university dining halls switched from using a conventional mayonnaise to using an egg-free, vegan mayonnaise, and food services department officials said it helped the university lower the campus environmental footprint.

The Maine Campus
Founded in 1875, The Maine Campus is a weekly newspaper produced by students. It covers university and Town of Orono events. The Campus is a direct-funded student organization and is not under the purview of student government. Stephen King wrote a weekly column for the Campus in the 1970s and also published short stories such as Slade in the newspaper.

Academics
The University of Maine offers more than 90 undergraduate major programs organized in five colleges: the College of Education and Human Development; the College of Engineering; the Honors College; the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; and the College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences. UMaine also is home to one of the nation's oldest honors programs, now called the Honors College. The Honors College offers academically qualified students an opportunity for intensive, interdisciplinary study. Students are invited to become part of the Honors College during the admissions review process. UMaine also offers a wide array of graduate programs, including more than seventy master's degree programs and thirty doctorate programs.

The University of Maine is one of only a handful of institutions to offer a combined developmental/clinical PhD to students accepted into their clinical psychology PhD program, as well as advanced degrees with distinct concentrations in developmental psychology, social psychology, cognitive psychology, and behavioral neuroscience. The University of Maine has a strong commitment to developing the next generation of neuroscience researchers and educators, thus along with offering a PhD in psychological science with a concentration in behavioral neuroscience, they also offer a neuroscience concentration for PhD students studying biomedical science.

It is the only institution in Maine ranked as a national university in the U.S. News & World Report annual rankings. U.S. News categorizes UMaine as an institution that offers "a full range of undergraduate majors, master's, and doctoral degrees."

UMaine is one of only four institutions in Maine (along with Bowdoin, Bates, and Colby) accredited to award membership into the Phi Beta Kappa honor society.

The university is also the birthplace of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society, recognizing high academic achievement across all disciplines.

The Raymond H. Fogler Library is the largest in Maine and serves as one of its intellectual hubs, attracting scholars, professors, and researchers from around the state. A collection of rare and ancient manuscripts, as well as about two million government publications, augment the university's collection. The Special Collections Unit includes the Stephen King (author and UMaine alumnus) papers, which attract researchers from across the globe.

UMaine hosts the Intensive English Institute, an English as a second language program designed to help students develop their English language skills for success in school, business, and social communication. Due to budget cuts during the COVID-19 pandemic, the IEI was discontinued as of May 31, 2020.

The University of Maine is also home to the Maine Business School, the largest business school in the state. Paris-based international educational consulting organization Eduniversal has included the Maine Business School at the University of Maine among its selection of 1,000 of the world's best business schools, ranking it as an "excellent business school-nationally strong and/or with continental links." In 2011, U.S. News & World Report ranked the Maine Business School among the nation's best business colleges

The Canadian-American Center, an institution that focuses on Canadian-American studies is based at the University of Maine.

Accreditation
The University of Maine is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, and programmatically accredited by other accreditors including the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, the American Chemical Society, the American Dietetic Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the Computing Sciences Accreditation Board, the Council for the Advancement of Educator Preparation, the Council on Social Work Education, the National Association of Schools of Music, the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration, the Society of American Foresters, and the Society of Wood Science and Technology.

Admissions
The fall 2018 admissions data are as follows:

Enrollment
In the fall of 2020, the university's enrollment consisted of:

 * 8,870 undergraduate degree-seeking students
 * 595 undergraduate non-degree students
 * 2,121 graduate degree-seeking students
 * 155 graduate non-degree students
 * 9,110 full-time students
 * 2,631 part-time students

Research
The University of Maine is one of the National Science Foundation's top 100 public universities for research. In FY10, UMaine exceeded $100 million in external expenditures for research, 86% of which was federal funding. Leading sectors of the university in generating external support are advanced materials, marine sciences, climate change, environmental studies, forestry, precision manufacturing, and aquaculture. Undergraduate research is a priority at UMaine, and in 2008, the Center for Undergraduate Research was established to connect students with faculty projects that suit their interests.

UMaine Advanced Structures and Composites Center
The UMaine Advanced Structures and Composites Center, founded in 1996 with support from the National Science Foundation, provides research, education, and economic development encompassing material sciences, manufacturing and engineering of composites and structures. The center's research and development projects have included the VolturnUS 1:8, composite arch bridge system, and the Modular Ballistic Protection System (MBPS).

The center is the leading member of the DeepCwind Consortium, whose mission is to establish the State of Maine as a national leader in deepwater offshore wind technology.

Multisensory Interactive Media Lab
Founded in 2018, the Multisensory Interactive Media Lab (MIM Lab) is moving into an era of ‘Internet of Everything,’ in which everything and everyone will be digitally embedded and connected. In the MIM Lab of the University of Maine, academic researchers develop novel enabling technologies to explore the immense potential for the communication of our experiences – shifting focus from the current age of information towards a new age of experience. Many of their research works try to answer a fundamental question “How can we move beyond traditional visual- and auditory-based digital interfaces to form immersive sensory rich interactions in the context of real-world, augmented or virtual experiences?”.

UMaine Deepwater Offshore Wind Test Site at Monhegan Island
The University of Maine was granted an ocean energy demonstration site through state legislation in 2009. The site, known as the UMaine Deepwater Offshore Wind Test Site, is available for use by commercial and non-commercial entities in partnership with the university to research and develop ocean energy devices, such as floating wind turbines or wave energy converters.

Forest Land Resources
The University of Maine is responsible for over 14000 acre of land across Maine which is used for research and recreation. Among the most prominent are: Aroostook Farm, (Presque Isle, Maine); Bear Brook Watershed, (Hancock County, Maine); Dwight B. Demeritt Forest, (Orono, Maine / Old Town, Maine); Fay Hyland Bog, (Orono / Veazie, Maine); and Hirundo Wildlife Refuge, (Old Town, Maine).

Bureau of Labor Education
The Bureau of Labor Education at the University of Maine in August 1966 with funds appropriated by the Maine Legislature. Its mission is to ensure that “appropriate and specialized educational programs (be made) available to members of the Maine labor force, both organized and unorganized.” Historian Charles Scontras has been affiliated with the BLE since its founding with his first book being published also in 1966.

Climate Change Institute
The University of Maine Climate Change Institute dates to 1973 and the founding of the Institute for Quaternary Studies. In 2002, it was renamed. Polar explorer, climate scientist, and glaciologist Paul Mayewski is the institute's director.

The institute has made numerous scientific discoveries, including mapping the difference between climate during the Ice Age and during modern times, connecting acid rain to human causes in the 1980s, and finding that the climate can change abruptly through analysis of ice core samples from Greenland.

The institute maintains the Climate Reanalyzer, a website that provides data visualization tools based on climate and weather datasets from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other meteorological organizations.

Athletics

The University of Maine participates in the NCAA's Division I level, and is a member of the Coastal Athletic Association for football, Hockey East for ice hockey, and the America East Conference for all other sports. The school has won two national championships, both in men's ice hockey. In 1993, they defeated Lake Superior State University 5–4 behind a third period hat trick by Jim Montgomery. In 1999, they defeated rival University of New Hampshire 3–2 in overtime on a goal by Marcus Gustafsson.

In 1965, the football team competed in the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando, Florida against East Carolina. They were beaten in the game 31–0, but remain the only team from Maine to compete in a bowl contest. In the 2018 season they went to the FCS Semifinal, eventually losing to Eastern Washington.

The baseball team has participated in seven College World Series, six of them under coach John Winkin between 1976 and 1986, and one under Jack Butterfield in 1964. The Black Bears achieved two third-place finishes in 1964 and 1982.

Although the official fight song of UMaine is "For Maine", the school's main spirit song is the better-known "Maine Stein Song". Written by Lincoln Colcord (words) and E. A. Fenstad (music), the tune rose to fame when singer Rudy Vallée arranged the current version. Vallee attended Maine from 1921 to 1922 before transferring to Yale, and his popularity helped make the song a national favorite. To this day, the "Stein Song" remains the only college fight song to ever reach number one on the pop charts, achieving this distinction in 1930. According to College Fight Songs: An Annotated Anthology, by Studwell and Schueneman, the "Stein Song" is one of the very best fight songs of all time.

In addition to varsity athletics, the university offers many club sports through its Campus Recreation department. Sport clubs represent UMaine by competing against teams and clubs from other universities and colleges. National governing bodies for each club provide competition guidelines and league structure.

Sport clubs are student-led and student-administered. Each has a budget that is run through Campus Recreation, which in part funds nearly all clubs. Clubs are eligible for funding through Campus Recreation after they have been active for at least one year and have a membership minimum of ten members. Current club sports include alpine skiing, baseball, crew, cricket, cycling, fastpitch softball, field hockey, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, Nordic skiing, roller hockey, rugby, shotokan karate, soccer, tennis, table tennis, tackle football, ultimate, and volleyball.

title: University of Maine


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Max Burckhard

Max Burckhard (14 July 1854, Korneuburg, Lower Austria - 16 March 1912, Vienna) was director of the Burgtheater, Vienna, from 1890 to 1898.

Vita
Max Burckhard, a lawyer, was the artistic director of the Burgtheater when it opened as the “Neue Haus am Ring” on 12 May 1890. He remained director until 1898. He introduced Sunday matinees at a reduced cost to widen the theatre's potential audience. He later remarked that the less wealthy audiences were the most "critically acute". As director, he remodeled the auditorium in the spring and summer of 1897, and introduced contemporary drama by Henrik Ibsen, Gerhart Hauptmann, Arthur Schnitzler, Hugo von Hofmannsthal to the Viennese audience as well as Austrian classics of Ludwig Anzengruber and Ferdinand Raimund. He hired such famous actors as Adele Sandrock, Otto Treßler, Hedwig Bleibtreu, and Josef Kainz but was pressured to resign after having "aroused the displeasure of the Christian Social Party".

title: Max Burckhard


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Rodrigues

Rodrigues (Île Rodrigues ; Creole: Rodrig) is a 108 km2 autonomous outer island of the Republic of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, about 560 km east of Mauritius. It is part of the Mascarene Islands, which include Mauritius and Réunion. Like Agaléga, Rodrigues is a constituent island of the Republic of Mauritius, under the Constitution of Mauritius and still remains, as explicitly defined by the same Constitution, part of the Sovereignty of Mauritius, together with the following islands: "Agalega, Tromelin, Cargados Carajos (Saint Brandon), Chagos Archipelago ... Diego Garcia and other islands included in the State of Mauritius".

Rodrigues is of volcanic origin and is surrounded by coral reef, and some tiny uninhabited islands lie just off its coast. The island used to be the tenth District of Mauritius; it gained autonomous status on 10 December 2002, and is governed by the Rodrigues Regional Assembly. The capital of the island is Port Mathurin. The islands of Rodrigues, Agaléga and Saint Brandon form part of the larger territory of the Republic of Mauritius.

Its inhabitants are Mauritian citizens. , the island's population was about 41,669, according to Statistics Mauritius. Most of the inhabitants are of African descent. Its economy is based mainly on fishing, farming, handicraft and a developing tourism sector.

Etymology and history
Rodrigues was named after Portuguese explorer Diogo Rodrigues, who first came upon the uninhabited island in 1528, under direction of Portuguese Viceroy Pedro Mascarenhas (namesake of the Mascarene Islands). Many maps also describe it as Diego Roiz. From the 10th century, Arabs are known to have visited the Mascarene Islands. The Cantino planisphere of c. 1500 and some other contemporary maps clearly show the three islands of the Mascarenes as Dina Arobi (or Harobi), Dina Margabin and Dina Moraze. These are apparently corrupted transliterations or transcriptions of the Arabic ديفا هاراب Diva Harab ("Desert Island"), ديفا مغربين Diva Maghrebin ("Western Island") and ديفا ماشريق Diva Mashriq ("Eastern Island"). While the second clearly refers to Réunion, sources disagree about which of the other is Mauritius and which one Rodrigues, which are both to the east of Réunion and arranged in a somewhat stylised way on these maps. However, even in its original state, Rodrigues had some karst, while Mauritius even after suffering 500 years of deforestation can by no means be called "desert" even in a colloquial sense.

The island was located again in February 1507. Part of the fleet of Afonso de Albuquerque and Tristão da Cunha, Diogo Fernandes Pereira's ship Cisne (Swan) spotted Réunion on 9 February after a cyclone had diverted their course forcing them to go around Madagascar, unlike the rest of the fleet. It has also been opined that this was due to a navigational error by Afonso de Albuquerque. The other two islands were subsequently rediscovered. The initial name was Diogo Fernandes; Domingo Froiz was given as a name some years later, and by 1528 it had been again renamed after the Portuguese navigator Dom Diogo Rodrigues and has remained so since. The orthography has been less stable at first, with the name being transcribed Diogo Rodríguez (Spanish maps), Diego Roiz, Diego Ruys (Dutch maps) (or even Diego Ruy's Island), Dygarroys or Bygarroys. Some early French sources called it Île Marianne.

Due to the island lying far off the beaten track of seafarers at that time, it received few visits. From 1601, the Dutch began visiting the island somewhat more regularly for fresh supplies of food. In 1691, the Huguenot François Leguat and seven companions landed on the island, intending to set up a farming colony of Protestant refugees. Farming was not successful, but there was an abundance of tortoises, turtles, birds, fish and other seafood.

During the 18th century, several attempts were made by the French to develop the island. African slaves (ancestors of the present population) were brought to Rodrigues to develop stock-breeding and farming. In 1735 a permanent French settlement was established, subordinated to Île Bourbon.

In 1809, after a brief battle with the French, British troops took possession of Rodrigues. After British occupation, slavery was eventually abolished in 1834. By 1843, the population had declined to a low of 250.

In 1883, the eruption of the Indonesian volcano Krakatoa was heard at Rodrigues Island and it remains the furthest point, at almost 4800 km, at which the explosion was heard. The sound was described as "the roar of heavy guns". Naval ships were ordered to investigate as it was feared the sound was due to a ship in distress firing its guns. The noise remains the loudest sound in recorded history.

In September 1897, solo sailor Joshua Slocum spent eight days on the island. He would later write, "At Rodriguez one may now find every convenience for filling pure and wholesome water in any quantity. Governor Roberts having built a reservoir in the hills, above the village, and laid pipes to the jetty, where, at the time of my visit, there were five and a half feet at high tide. In former years well-water was used, and more or less sickness occurred from it. Beef may be had in any quantity on the island, and at a moderate price. Sweet potatoes were plentiful and cheap; the large sack of them that I bought there for about four shillings kept unusually well. I simply stored them in the sloop's dry hold. Of fruits, pomegranates were most plentiful; for two shillings I obtained a large sack of them, as many as a donkey could pack from the orchard, which, by the way, was planted by nature herself."

Early in 1968, HMS Cambrian, which was part of the Beira Patrol following the Unilateral Declaration of Independence of Rhodesia, was diverted to Rodrigues to quell a reported uprising by some of the populace. The uprising consisted of a number of individuals who had been arrested by the local authorities for breaking into a warehouse and appropriating a supply of sweet potatoes. Other locals went to the authorities and by violence released the arrested persons. At this point, it is believed that the authorities requested assistance which was provided by HMS Cambrian. On her early morning arrival, the ship's 4.5" guns were fired (with blanks, it is believed) and an armed landing party was provided. This resulted in the offenders being rounded up and imprisoned again.

Geography
Rodrigues is a volcanic island rising from a ridge along the edge of the Mascarene Plateau. The tectonically active Rodrigues Triple Point lies on the sea-floor nearby. Rodrigues is only 1.5 million years old, even if the plateau under the lagoon surrounding Rodrigues may be much more ancient than the island. Over time Rodrigues has developed a unique environment, including many endemic species.

Rodrigues is situated about 560 km to the east of Mauritius. It is about 18 km long and 6.5 km wide with an area of 108 km2. The shape is that of a whale back with a central ridge and deep cut valleys. The island is hilly with a central spine culminating in the highest peak, Mountain Limon at 398 m. Rodrigues is the only Mascarene island with extensive limestone deposits and caves. A large fringing reef surrounds the island forming a lagoon within which lie eighteen small islets.

The coral reef of Rodrigues is of particular interest as it is self-seeding – it receives no coral zooplankton from elsewhere. This has led to an overall species-poor but highly adapted ecosystem. A species of coral, two species of Pomacentrus damselfish and many species of crustaceans are found only on Rodrigues' reefs.

Climate
The isolation and location of the island give a microclimate specific to Rodrigues, with two seasons. Rodrigues enjoys a mild tropical maritime climate with persistent trade winds blowing throughout the year. Mean summer temperature is 25.9 C and mean winter temperature is around 22.3 C. The temperature difference between summer and winter is 3.6 °C. January to March are the hottest months and August is the coolest month. The wettest month is February; September and October are the driest months. The climate is hotter and drier than in Mauritius. Cyclones may arise from November to April, and Rodrigues is more often hit than Mauritius.

Biodiversity

Rodrigues was characterised by endemic plant and animal species in abundance, but since the seventeenth century much of its biodiversity has been eradicated. The island was home to such now-extinct endemic species of birds as the Rodrigues solitaire (Pezophaps solitaria) and the Rodrigues night heron (Nycticorax megacephalus). An endemic species of bat, the Rodrigues flying fox, is currently listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List. There are two remaining endemic bird species: the Rodrigues fody and the Rodrigues warbler, both are listed as near threatened.

To restore some forest areas, Grande Montagne, Anse Quitor (with neighbouring François Leguat Giant Tortoise Reserve) and two islets, Île aux Sables and Île aux Cocos have been declared nature reserves (under the Forest and Reserves Act 1983). Endangered plants on the reserves include Zanthoxylum paniculatum, Polyscias rodriguesiana, Badula balfouriana, and Gouania leguatii.

Government and politics
The island of Rodrigues is a constituency of the Republic of Mauritius and is dependent on the latter. However, on 20 November 2001, the Mauritius National Assembly unanimously adopted two laws giving Rodrigues its autonomy, creating a decentralised government system. This new legislation has allowed the implementation of a regional assembly in Rodrigues constituting 18 members and an executive council headed by a Chief Commissioner. The council meets every week to make decisions, draw up laws and manage the budget. The Chief Commissioner has the main task of informing the Mauritian Prime Minister of the management of the island's concerns. The last election of the Rodriguan Regional Assembly was held on 27 February 2022. The Alliance (UPR/MIR/PSMD/FPR ) party was the winner and obtained nine seats, while the Organisation du Peuple de Rodrigues (OPR) obtained eight. The President acts as head of state and the Chief Commissioner as head of government on Rodrigues. The current chief commissioner is Roussety Johnson and the Chief Executive of Rodrigues is Pierre Louis Jean Claude.

Electoral regions
The island includes six electoral regions: La Ferme (Region 1), Marechal (Region 2), Saint Gabriel (Region 3), Baie aux Huitres (Region 4), Port Mathurin (Region 5) and Grande Montagne (Region 6). Rodrigues Regional Assembly election are held every five years.

Zones
Rodrigues is divided into 14 municipalities or zones. For statistical purposes, the zones are further subdivided into a total of 182 localities. The zones have between a minimum of six localities (La Ferme) and maximum of 22 (the capital Port Mathurin).

Demographics
The population estimate (as of 18 November 2022) for the island of Rodrigues was 43,650. The main religion is Christianity, dominated by Roman Catholicism with small minorities of other Christian branches, as well as Jehovah's Witnesses, and there are also Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists. Most of the inhabitants are of African descent and there is a minority of mixed-race peoples, descendants of the first European settlers.

The main language is Rodriguan Creole, but English and French are most used as the languages of government administration, the courts and business. Rodriguan Creole is very similar to Mauritian Creole, though some words are pronounced differently. People born in Rodrigues island are called Rodriguans.

Education
The education system in Rodrigues is similar to that throughout the rest of Mauritius. The government provides free education to students up to the tertiary level. Education is taught mainly in English.

Transportation
Rodrigues is served by Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport in Plane Corail, with regular flights to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport in Plaisance.

Economy
The economy of Rodrigues is mostly dependent on Mauritius. The main sources of income and economic activity are tourism, fishing, agriculture (especially of onions, garlic and chilli), and animal rearing. The handicraft industry has proven to be beneficial to the economy of the island. However, the income derived from the export of sea products, cattle, and food crops is smaller than the costs of imported products, creating a deficit. It has a special relationship with English-speaking countries, such as England in the United Kingdom, Australia and Ireland.

As of 2020, Gross National Income per capita was approximately $16,400.

Culture
Cultural awakening which occurred at the end of the 1970s allowed the construction and consolidation of the cultural identity of Rodrigues through the development of these various elements, which form the base of the culture of every nation: food, music, and crafts

Music and folklore
The traditional music of the island is known as Sega Tambour. The music has an accentuated beat, usually accompanied by an accordion, clapping and the use of improvised percussion instruments like bamboo. The folk dance music is similar to polkas, quadrilles, waltzes and Scottish reels.

Cuisine
Rodrigues cuisine consists of dishes from local products: fruit, vegetables, seafood (fish, octopus, crab, shrimp, lobster) and meat. National dishes include sausages with kreolinės, rougaille sauce, octopus with curry, kono-kono (a shellfish) salad and Rodrigues cake.

Sports
The most common sport in Rodrigues is association football. There are local competitions almost throughout the year and in specific competitions, the winning team travels to Mauritius for sport exchange. Volleyball is also popular. There is also a public swimming pool at Marechal, a village located in the center of the island, and a stadium at Camp Du Rois in the region of Port Mathurin.

Museum
In 2010, plans were developed by Bernard Eric Typhis Degtyarenko for a private museum on the island, centred on the restoration of the yacht Admiral Nevelskoi. The hull of the yacht, belonging to the Maritime State University in Vladivostok, Russia, had been found drifting off Rodrigues in 1997 and brought ashore.

Sustainability
Since 2014, Rodrigues Island has been proactive in environmental conservation, banning plastic bags to safeguard its marine and terrestrial biodiversity. Building on this success and with positive reception from the community, the island extended its eco-friendly measures by prohibiting single-use polystyrene food containers four years later, garnering global acclaim. These efforts complement various initiatives dedicated to preserving the island's unique ecosystem.

Crucial among these initiatives is the establishment of reserves, notably the Grande Montagne Nature Reserve at the island's center, harboring indigenous fauna and flora. The reserve is vital for monitoring endemic plants such as the 'café maron' and 'bois blan,' as well as unique bird species like the Rodriguan Warbler and Rodriguan Fody.

On the western part of Rodrigues, the Francois Leguat Giant Tortoises Reserve and Cave contribute to the rehabilitation of tortoises, including the riadata and Aldabra species. Since 2006, the reserve has been a stalwart in tortoise conservation, now housing over 5,000 tortoises within its 20 hectares.

'Ile aux Cocos,' another reserve, serves as a protected habitat for seabirds. Through guided tours, visitors gain insights into the destination's preservation efforts. Additionally, a sponsorship campaign for reptiles is available at the reserve.

Even during the challenging times of the COVID-19 crisis, the island exhibited resilience. The local government, along with tourism sector workers, contributed to environmental protection. From cleaning hiking paths to restoring islets, these collective efforts upheld Rodrigues' commitment to conservation.

Tourists played a pivotal role through the Tourism Livelihood Scheme, providing immediate positive impacts. Continuing its ecological journey, Rodrigues Island aims to launch the 'One Tree, One Tourist, and One Child' project in 2023. This visionary initiative entails planting a tree for every traveler, nurtured by local children. Serving as a model for active involvement in environmental protection, this project fosters an enduring ecological mindset among both tourists and locals, ensuring the ongoing conservation of Rodrigues' unique environment for generations to come.

Notable people

 * Marie Christiane Agathe, politician

title: Rodrigues


text:
Wikipedia talk:Articles for deletion/Archive 10

Archive of "should this page be renamed to proposed deletions?"

There is currently no vote taking place. Suggestions are being taken. Options are being considered. Alternatives are being pondered. Please do not attempt to start a vote without prior discussion and rough consensus on the length of such a vote, how it will be counted, what all the candidates are, and so forth. Especially don't start a vote if we don't even agree that we need it.

However, please feel free to comment.

Proposals

 * votes for deletion (IE, status quo)
 * Proposed deletions
 * Requests for deletion
 * Consensus for deletion
 * Problem pages
 * Deletion votes and requests
 * pages to be deleted
 * Nominations for deletion
 * Pages for deletion
 * Editorial decisions because that's how it's really used...:)
 * Deletion decisions
 * Purposeless pages
 * Deletions
 * or Deletion
 * Votes to keep articles - reverses the deletionist connotation -- users will feel much less bitten if their article "lost a vote to be kept" than if it "was deleted".

On a lighter note, perhaps Votes for retention? Retention: Involuntary withholding of bodily wastes or secretions that are normally eliminated. Ha ha, only serious.

We may also want to change images for deletion, redirects for deletion, and lists for deletion.

History
The title of the "Votes for deletion" is a relic of the time when there was software-supported "voting" software on Wikipedia. Of other similar pages, (Votes for NPOVing, Votes for rewriting, etc), Votes for Deletion (VfD) is the only one still at its old title.

Issues

 * As VfD is not meant to be about votes, perhaps the title should not include the word 'votes'?
 * As less than half the pages here get deleted, perhaps it is misleading to have the word deletion in the title?
 * Can we reflect how the page is actually used, and has been used in the past?
 * Does anyone actually care enough to change it?
 * Would it be nice to keep the "fD" theme?
 * Can we distinguish this page from pages needing attention and other such pages?
 * "Requests" implies that you are asking someone (perhaps the community at large?) - is this good or bad?

Discussion
The "Votes for deletion" page has, as far as I know, always been called that, but I always thought it was just a name. --Oliver P. 09:02, 29 Oct 2003 (UTC)

30 Oct 2003 (UTC)

If there is a Votes for Deletion page, it implies an actual vote be recorded and used as a measure for deletion. Fuzheado 03:12, 5 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * We can move the page to Requests for deletion, if you like - I've already said I think that would be a better name and would better reflect how the page has worked in the past. --Camembert

Suggestions have been made, at Wikipedia talk:Deletion policy and other places, that this page be renamed. Some suggest that VfD is not meant to be about votes, so the title should not include the word 'votes'. As less than half the pages here get deleted, perhaps it is also misleading to have the word deletion in the title. So, does anyone actually care enough to change it? And if so, what name should replace it? Angela 18:25, 11 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * I have no problem with VfD, but if it must change, then it would be nice to keep the "fD" theme so RfD would be fine. Renaming it something like "Problem pages" would be bad, as it's already confusing enough with Cleanup, Pages neeeding attention, NPOV disputes, accuracy disputes, etc. Fuzheado 06:53, 12 Nov 2003 (UTC)
 * We definitely need something that says it's nominated for deletion. "Problem pages" would make it sound indistinct from "Pages needing attention" and half a dozen other Wikipedia:namespace pages, as Fuzheado mentioned, and would also sound confusingly like "Problem Users", which will have Wikipedians thinking a page should go on Problem Pages for the same reason a user would go on "Problem Users". "Consensus for deletion" is a much better possibility -- it emphasizes that we're trying to achieve consensus. Wiwaxia 02:27, 14 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * People bring pages here for deletion. If there's a problem, they go to Talk. So "Deletion" should be in the title. I'm not so strong about "vote". Maybe "Deletion votes and requests". --Menchi 07:03, 12 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * I like the current title. "Requests" implies that you are asking someone. Maximus Rex 07:07, 12 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * You're asking the community. :) Martin 19:08, 12 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * How about Proposed deletions? Morwen 19:09, 12 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * I like that best so far. Daniel Quinlan 02:39, Nov 14, 2003 (UTC)
 * Ditto. Requests for deletion is also good. Martin 23:43, 14 Nov 2003 (UTC)
 * Agreed. However, if it's too hard to move the page, it may not be worth the effort.  But at the same time, I do believe it would be more accurate.  Frazzydee 15:44, 22 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * Or, taking a "glass half full" approach, Votes for Retention? -- Finlay McWalter 03:07, 14 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * Well, that would give a different spin on the meaning of the page. retention: Involuntary withholding of bodily wastes or secretions that are normally eliminated.  Daniel Quinlan 03:12, Nov 14, 2003 (UTC)

 * I think if we rename this Votes for retention we should rename Vandalism in progress to Ministry of Peace and Problem users to Ministry of Love ;) I like both Proposed deletions and Requests for deletion more than the current title. I'd be happy with either. --Camembert

 * Problem users -> Special users -- Finlay McWalter 14:11, 14 Nov 2003 (UTC)

Proposed deletions looks like it has enough support for a move, but I'm going to be cautious here. Two reasons: For these reasons, I really don't want a move war here. Any suggestions for how to proceed? I'm tempted to create Wikipedia talk:Votes for deletion/title, move this discussion here, and advertise it at the top of VfD and on the village pump. Thoughts? Martin 19:26, 16 Nov 2003 (UTC)
 * 1) Moving a page with lots of page history takes a fair amount of time, judging from the village pump move
 * 2) This page is heavily linked from a number of places, so there's lots of spadework to be done changing boilerplate, documentation, etc.

 * I think that's a good idea. And it should be left at least another week to make sure everyone knows about it first. My only objection is that the abbreviation PD isn't as nice as VfD. :) Angela

 * Sounds good to me. A note to the en mailing list might be in order as well. Good luck with it... --Camembert

 * I would support such a move. -- Cyan 19:38, 21 Nov 2003 (UTC)

Re the name of the page. A couple of questions -

1. What is the page about? Deletions.

2. How are decisions taken? By voting.

Ipso facto, the name should be Votes for Deletion. Not nominations as the page is not voting on whether to nominate pages, as there is no nomination for deletions, simply putting them here is a nomination. What is the problem with stating what this page is about, voting on deletions? Is stating honestly what the page is about such a problem? FearÉIREANN 23:44, 21 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * As noted above, some people consider that the way VfD currently works is not a case of lots of people voting, but rather a case of lots of people expressing opinions. Martin 23:53, 21 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * Some don't like the notion of voting. It is hoped this may placate them. Angela

So, Martin could you clarify:

 * 1) Do votes decide whether articles are deleted or not? Yes or No.
 * 2) Does Wikipedia operate a voting methodology whereby a certain percentage of those voting vote for deletion before an article is deleted? Yes or No.
 * 3) Are articles which achieve this weighted majority for deletion deleted?
 * 4) Are articles which fail to achieve this weighted majority deleted?
 * 5) Are articles where the majority vote to keep deleted?
 * 6) Are articles where the weighted majority to delete kept? FearÉIREANN 00:33, 22 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * Sorry, I know you were asking Martin, but I hope you don't mind me giving my answers as well.

 * 1) No. Say 9 people voted 'delete' and then one person who has done a complete rewrite comes and says 'keep, I've rewritten it', I might keep it, despite the appearance of 90% in opposition. Similarly, if there is a clear policy on something (like the redirects policy), votes are relatively meaningless.
 * 2) Officially 66%, but there's much more to it than that. Rough consensus is the alternative
 * 3) Not always. It depends on what the arguments against deletion are, and to some degree, who is making those arguments.
 * 4) Rarely if ever. 66% is pretty low anyway, and I haven't noticed any being deleted with a lower percentage than this
 * 5) No.
 * 6) Yes, frequently. Usually because the article has changed over the voting period, but also for other reasons.

 * Angela 00:49, 22 Nov 2003 (UTC)

Your "yes or no" is a false dichotomy and your questions suffer the have you stopped beating your wife problem. I will answer in my own way.

1: Opinions expressed on VfD are one component in deciding whether articles are deleted. Edits made to the article in question are another factor. Our pre-existing policies, particularly those with near unanimous support, are another. Edits to related talk pages are another. Opinions expressed on the mailing list are another. It is not the case, in general, that opinions expressed on VfD alone decide. It is also not the case, in general, that opinions expressed on VfD are irrelevant.

2: Wikipedia operates according to sysop judgement of "rough consensus". Some sysops choose to use a vote-like methodology to help them reach a judgement of rough consensus. Some sysops may choose to rely solely on a vote-like methodology, though I don't know of any that do. Some sysops choose to use other means of determining or obtaining rough consensus.

I believe your questions 3-6 are answered by my above answers. Martin 00:54, 22 Nov 2003 (UTC)

Come on Martin, be realistic. Or maybe you'd prefer the accurate title Votes for proposed and possible deletions, unless a sysop doesn't do a deletion or the article is rewritten or we can get a consensus developed that makes the article salvageable, in which the case the article won't get deleted. God help us if you ever took over Coca Cola - you'd probably rename it Coke - the soft drink not made from coca but from a secret recipe that we are damned not going to tell you the ingredients of. Or took control of the US constitution - George W. Bush would become President who was outvoted in the popular vote but got elected thanks to the Supreme Court and because of who his Daddy was, Bush. And going by the AKFD fiaso, a page on Bush would probably have 500 redirects and 900 talk pages about deleting the talk pages, along with a link to the Votes for proposed and possible deletions, unless a sysop doesn't do a deletion or the article is rewritten or we can get a consensus developed that makes the article salvageable, in which the case the article won't get deleted page. Please Martin find something useful to do besides this renaming nonsense. :-) FearÉIREANN 00:31, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * I'll try to be simple: Votes for deletion is a misleading title because pages are not deleted on the basis of votes. That's a simple fact. Now, forgetting all about the AKFD business and your problems with Fraulein Dice, how is Proposed deletions worse than the current title? --Camembert

Fraulein? I thought it was Frau!!! :-) One word: immediacy. Anyone who has ever tried to get decisions taken in businesses, academia or whereever knows that the single worst thing you can do is describe the process in indecisive language. Proposed deletions embodies that. Votes for Deletion suggests an immediate, ungoing decision that could be taken any time so you'd better get your ass there quickly if you want to influence it. Proposed works as a "neutralising qualifier" that suggests 'lets have a chat about a proposal which may or may not happen.' Do that and the next question will be, 'so what's the rush in deleting things in five or seven days if we are only discussing a proposal? 'What's the rush in going to the page if they are only discussing a proposal'. Using 'proposed' as a qualifier makes the page sound like a slow-moving, ambing along talk-fest. If you want to stop the page becoming a long drawn-out talkfest, you need (i) a decisive methodology for reaching decisions, (ii) a regular clear-out of candidates from the page, (iii) a nomenclature that spurs people to action, not makes it sound like a 'lets bore ourselves to death by going around in circles' page. Decisive naming encourages newbies to visit. Dulled qualifier language will simply make it sound like something to avoid unless you are a real wikipediholic who needs an anti-depressant. FearÉIREANN 00:54, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * But "Votes for deletion" makes it sound like voting is the process through which decisions are made. "Proposed deletions" might be dull, but at least it's accurate and non-controversial (yes, I know controversy is fun, but it's better avoided here, I think). I suppose one way to combine snappiness, accuracy, and lack of controversy would be to simply call it Deletions. Actually, I quite like that... --Camembert 01:07, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC) (PS "Frau" sounds too severe, but it seems I should've gone with "Herr" anyway :)

 * I wish I'd never mentioned the idea. How about we just redirect Proposed deletions to VfD so that the anti-vote people can pretend it's called that and link to that if they prefer? Angela 00:44, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * But the problem is that it is called Votes for deletion, and that makes people think decisions are made on the basis of votes, and - well, you've said it yourself - they're not. Proposed deletions ought to be something everybody can agree on: it very simply sums up what the page is about without any potentially misleading mention of the V word. Can anybody enlighten me as to why the move would be a Bad Thing? --Camembert

Actually, you're right: I do have well-publicised complaints about the UK's first past the post system, and if they'd only listen to me at the voting station... ;-) I wonder if pages to be deleted would be sufficiently immediate? -- Martin (because Fraulein Lucinda ain't here)

 * Pages to be deleted works for me too (it has an air of inevitability about it, but it's not a big problem). --Camembert

Oooh. That would be 100 times worse. That suggests they are going to be deleted -> decision taken -> why bother going to page. Votes sells immediacy, sells 'something is happening that you may want to be a part of'. BTW Martin, only joking on the Frau stuff. I know you are a herr. (Anyway, until a few months ago my hair was longer than yours. Na na na na na! :-) FearÉIREANN 01:17, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * I agree with Jtdirl that Pages to be deleted is completely wrong. They are not pages to be deleted. They are pages to be discussed pending possible deletion. It would make no sense to list something on pages to be deleted when over half of the pages on the list are not deleted. Angela 01:21, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC)

Yeah well, biology isn't destiny. I withdraw my suggestion then - it was only a thought. Martin 01:32, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC)

Out of curiosity: can you envisage supporting any name that didn't have the word "vote" in it, Jtdirl? How are you with Requests for deletion, for example? --Camembert

Re: supporting any name that didn't have the word "vote" in it - if you can find a word that has the equivalent impact in terms of selling the message 'decisions are being made here. If you want to influence them, come here immediately' by all means. But requests, like proposed, like possible, like maybe, like might just etc etc are all neutralising qualifiers that undermine the impact of the page's importance and so make it less likely rather than more likely that newbies will want to visit them. What you want to make this page dynamic and impactful is a title containing a hook. Votes is a classic hook word that makes a newbie notice and think "jeez. This looks important/interesting. I'd better look at this". I know if I when I joined wikipedia saw a Requests for deletion page I wouldn't have gone near it unless I was bored, as it would seem to be some minor technical page, not as it happens a page that decides the fate of people's work on wikipedia. But Votes for Deletion was sufficiently important looking, and offered me in the name the implication that I could participate, meaning that it was one of the first places to grab my attention by raising a whole range of questions: ' votes? who votes? Deletion you mean they vote to delete things here? Jeez, I'd better take a look at this. It looks damned important.' Neutral qualified titles would have produced a yawn and left me thoroughly disinterested. FearÉIREANN 03:29, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * I disagree with you for several reasons. For one thing, I don't really believe that the word "vote" is going to be such a crowd-puller. Maybe if the page has a more "neutral" ("boring" if you like) title, new users won't get to it as quickly, but I can't see it being delayed by much, and once they know it's there they know it's there, and it doesn't matter what it's called. For another, I don't see why getting as many people as possible to the page is such a great thing anyway. Of course, if it was an actual vote you'd want a lot of participants, but it's not. People who care about a specific article under discussion are probably going to see the boilerplate put on the article itself. What's the point in getting a lot of users if all they're going to do is chirp "keep" or "delete"? And even if it is desireable to get people to the page, I don't think it's a good idea to do it by lying. It's all very well calling it "Votes for deletion" because votes are exciting (apparently), but decisions aren't really made on the basis of votes, so it's a bit of a con. If all you want is a lot of eyeballs, call the page "Wikipedia:FREE SEX!!!". But I really do think that an accurate title, free of potentially misleading talk of "voting" is more important. I'm not sure we're going to agree on this one, you know... --Camembert

Given that people cast votes on the page, and those votes may decide the fate of an article, how exactly is votes misleading. When they get there they can then read the methodology of voting, the percentage requirement, the length of time a page must be on for, who deletes, how consensus may be built to salvage an otherwise destined to be deleted article, etc. Votes is perfectly accurate. That is what the central core of the page is about, votes. FearÉIREANN 04:13, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * Because as is explained above, "votes" are not the sole criteria for deciding to keep or delete a page, and often have no bearing on the decision at all. I'm just repeating myself now. --Camembert
 * Funny how you don't want to have to repeat yourself, but you demand that I do the same on the real VfD page. RickK 04:27, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * Yes, hilarious. --Camembert

Oh! I didn't realise that this had turned into a serious discussion. I know I was moaning about the name before, but I thought that was just me... Okay, I like Requests for deletion most of all, I think. No, wait - Deletionist/inclusionist battleground... ;) -- Oliver P. 03:09, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * Oh, never serious Oliver, never serious. :) Martin 03:10, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC)

OK, we've got Images for deletion. Why not Pages for deletion (if that suffers from the same problem as "Pages to be deleted", then surely "Images for deletion" should be moved as well). --Camembert

Pages to be deleted is probably the worst possible idea imaginable. It states categorically that it is about pages to be deleted. Angela has already shot down that dreadful name - ". . . Pages to be deleted is completely wrong. They are not pages to be deleted. They are pages to be discussed pending possible deletion. It would make no sense to list something on pages to be deleted when over half of the pages on the list are not deleted. Angela  Angela is 100% right. It would be a disastrous name. FearÉIREANN 04:13, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * For god's sake, man, I'm not on about "Pages to be deleted", I'm on about "Pages for deletion" in parallel with "Images for deletion". --Camembert

You are joking, Cam!!! (What were you smoking tonight? :-) ) Pages for deletion sounds simply like a list of those waiting to be deleted, having been already been approved for deletion (ie, waiting for some sysop with time on his/her hands to come along and dump them). You have a problem with Votes for Deletion when the name is 100% accurate (the page is about casting votes on deletion) yet you propose a name that is 100% misleading as better??? Weird. I'd leave the wacky tobacky to one side from now on. :-) FearÉIREANN 04:34, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * Right, so where do you want to move Images for deletion? --Camembert

Well, Votes for deletion/images would be an idea. Or Votes for deletion (images) But Images for deletion is blatently POV as it presumes, as it says itself, images for deletion. Votes for deletion presumes a participative debate and vote, following the rules, which include a threshhold vote, a specified voting period, and the evolution of a consensus on the salvage of rewrite. Its quite obvious, really. FearÉIREANN 04:50, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * NPOV applies to articles, not Wikipedia policies. Martin 18:00, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * A voting policy has been proposed at deletion policy, but it's not without controversy, and I for one oppose it. We've got to be clear about this: as things stand, there's nothing in the deletion policy or in the deletion guidelines for administrators about threshold votes or anything like that (unless I'm missing something, which I may be). --Camembert

 * Em . . . where have you been Cam? Sysops have been following a deletion threshhold for weeks now (I think it is something like 2/3rds. And they have been following a policy of restricting who may vote to stop 'sockpuppets' (people creating phoney 'new' users for no other reason than to vote to keep their article), by requiring a minimum number of edits threshhold also. Oh dear. Were you having a Rip Van Winkle moment? :-) FearÉIREANN 17:48, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * Stop being sarcastic, James, it doesn't help. Camembert is quite correct that we don't have a voting policy. See deletion policy. Some sysops have been following a deletion threshold of 2/3rds. Under our policy of "rough consensus", they are entitled to do so. Martin 18:00, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * Or, to put it a different way: if I ever start deleting pages from VfD again (which I keep threatening to do, but probably never will), I won't be using a 2/3 majority rule, and that will be fine according to present policy. If sysops are deleting articles by vote (and they're not, not all the time anyway), that's just a quirk brought about by whoever happens to be doing deletions at the moment. --Camembert

 * The fact that people do vote can't be ignored, but this isn't a reason to base the page name on it. Votes are one part of it, but there is a lot more to it than that and I would sincerely hope no-one is deleting based on votes alone. You need to take into account the article, as well it's history and how it's changed since it was listed on VfD, the arguments for and against, the current policies, who is voting and where their biases lie- are their votes made in good faith? Are they actually trying to vote according to what is best for Wikipedia or according to some other reason? If the article has changed since it was listed - did people vote before the article was changed? How have people voted in the past on similar articles? etc etc. It isn't all about a simple 2/3 vote, though it is somewhat easier to report that as the reason for deletion rather than trying to explain a dozen underlying reasons for the decision.

 * I don't really mind whether the page has votes in the title or not. The only thing that should be avoided is any suggestion that deletion is going to occur, because in many cases, it won't. If we avoid that, perhaps people will stop complaining so much about pages being listed here inappropriately. The name should reflect that the listing is only a suggestion for deletion. It doesn't necessarily mean your page is beyond all hope; it just means that one person listing it can't see the potential in it. I also disagree with Jtdirl that we need to get people rushing to the page. VfD is already overcrowded with plenty enough comments being made about the articles listed there. And if some newbie doesn't bother going to the page because they don't see the importance of it – it isn't the end of the world. They can list their page on VfU and state that they didn't realise they had to go VfD. There is no need to try and entice them there through the choice of a name-grabbing title.

 * Angela 07:19, 24 Nov 2003 (UTC)

I don't like the subpage notation - it's all too computer-sciency. "Normal" people (I've occasionally met some) see a slash as an "either/or" thing. How about Requests for deletion of images? Or is that too long-winded? Requests for image deletion...? "Voting" is inaccurate for all sorts of reasons already discussed (for example, because you can't have a proper vote on pages which are changing all the time). I like "requests", because it lends an air of politeness to the whole thing, which will hopefully rub off on people who spend too much time there fighting... And yes, I am including myself in that... -- Oliver P. 06:26, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * In that light, how about page that may sort of discuss articles in a non-judgmental manner with a view to making them nicer. Is that nice enough? :-) I'm 100% opposed to requests it makes it sound like a group of elderly nuns at dinner looking to pass the salt to each other. This is supposed to an encyclopædia. This page is supposed to be about the deletion or otherwise of substandard articles. That presupposes an effective methodology. It presupposes a degree of professionalism. Users of this page summarise their opinions by votes. How those votes are totting up shapes debate and attitude. As votes are central to the page's working, elementary logic implies that Votes for deletion is a perfectly logical, perfectly accurate, perfecty correct name. Requests as one of the sort of 'neutralising qualifiers' that professional organisations run a mile from in this case, is a non-starter. FearÉIREANN 17:48, 23 Nov 2003 (UTC)

Are you ever just 99% opposed to anything, James? ;) My opinion is that making the page seem like a virtual ballot box leads people to glance at articles, say "keep" or "delete" and then go away again, without really thinking of more constructive ways of dealing with problems. I'm sure that how the votes tot up does shape debate and attitude, at least for me. The more votes that are cast without meaningful reasons attached, the more annoyed I become! Votes are not central to the page's working; in my opinion they only get in the way of useful discussion. When I make a decision on whether or not I think something should be deleted, I read the arguments for both sides and use those arguments to inform my decision. The cries of "keep" and "delete" accompanying them are not much more than background noise. -- Oliver P. 00:40, 24 Nov 2003 (UTC)

 * I agree with Oliver (just in case anybody hadn't already worked that out). --Camembert

My two eurocents.
Hmm. How about Deletion decisions? Snappy, alliterative, no-nonsense definitively put. (I can see a jokey line though, but I'll spare you, lest you be prejudiced unduly.) -- Cimon Avaro on a pogostick 07:56, Nov 24, 2003 (UTC)

I believe you have identified the crux of the issue, Angela, when you say that this is a discussion about pages to be discussed pending possible deletion. A quick acronymity brings us to P2BDPPD, which is not only short 'n' snappy, but trendy too, and even if it does bear some resemblance to a Bronx cheer, that may remind us all not to take this too seriously.

Okay, I'll be good now. I see a couple of ways of dealing with this. One is to recognise that what Wiki is really doing here is putting an article on trial, with sysops acting as jury. The rest of us know we will be allowed our two cents worth, euro or othewise, for either the prosecution or the defense, but we also know we know we have no vote. And while people might not be willing to get up from in front of their computers to visit "Proposed Suggestions for Possible Deletion, Maybe," they'd be in like a dirty shirt for "Pages on Trial." (And PoT might be a secret draw for some...)

Alternatively, Wiki already has a polling mechanism in place, and no one seriously expects their input to be anything more than, well, input. As the page header says, "Polls are not the same as voting, so the results are not necessarily binding (this is especially true when the result is not a supermajority - at least 75%). However polls are often useful in the process of consensus finding when regular discussion is no longer able to make clear what the opinions of users are." Therefore, the sysops may still conduct their business without feeling "voting pressure."

Hope this helps. Denni 04:44, 2004 Feb 17 (UTC)

 * Thank you for your comments Denni. The new system described at Deletion requests which will be trialled soon will hopefully solve some of these problems as it separates the comments from the votes. Angela. 12:42, Feb 18, 2004 (UTC)

I know this discussion is several months stale, but I didn't see Articles for deletion as one of the title suggestions. It would maintain the "for deletion" standard (WP:CFD, WP:IFD, WP:RFD), and it wouldn't mention the word "vote" in the title, either. • Benc • 09:01, 15 Aug 2004 (UTC)

Keep the Current Name
"Votes for deletion" is perfectly sufficient for the subject. It's clear, it's concise. Leave it alone. Should it be renamed, however, I agree with the several respondents above requesting that the word "deletion" be retained in the name. PedanticallySpeaking 14:45, Sep 1, 2004 (UTC)


text:
Talk:Suctoria

cell parts are: mitochondria, cytoplasm, vacuoles, haptocysts, tentacles, (2) nuclei, cell membrane, (rough and smooth) endoplasmic reticulums, golgi complex....

This article's inaccurate: a suctoria is the place students eat on campus. orthogonal 22:01, 17 Nov 2003 (UTC)

title: Talk:Suctoria


text:
Treaty of Westminster

Treaty of Westminster may refer to:

 * Treaty of Westminster (1153), also known as the Treaty of Wallingford
 * Treaty of Westminster (1462), also known as the Treaty of Westminster-Ardtornish
 * Treaty of Westminster (1511), an alliance during the War of the League of Cambrai
 * Treaty of Westminster (1527), an alliance during the War of the League of Cognac
 * Treaty of Westminster (1654), ending the First Anglo-Dutch War
 * Triple Alliance (1668), concluded in Westminster between Sweden, the General States and Great Britain
 * Treaty of Westminster (1674), ending the Third Anglo-Dutch War
 * Treaty of Westminster (1756), establishing neutrality between Great Britain and Prussia
 * The Statute of Westminster 1931, which transformed the British Empire into the British Commonwealth of Nations, is sometimes referred to (particularly in the former dominions) as a "Treaty" of Westminster

title: Treaty of Westminster