Undergraduate Catalog 2009-2010
Academic Support Services
The University offers students a wide range of academic support services to facilitate and enhance their education. The breadth of these services is designed to accommodate the needs of a diverse student population.
Academic Advising
Following initial advising and registration, students, during their first semester at the University, are assigned a permanent advisor within their academic department. Students are encouraged to maintain close contact with their department advisor once this assignment has been made.
For certain students, however, the assignment of a permanent Department advisor is not appropriate. For such students the following arrangements are made.
Students who have not declared a major are provided academic advising by professional academic advisors in Advising Services. An academic advisor assists the student in the development of educational goals and the selection of an appropriate major. Students should be ready to declare a major before completing 60 credits of coursework at the University.
Students admitted to GO are provided academic advising through this academic success and support program. Academic advisors from Advising Services advise students during the period they complete required coursework. The academic advisor will work with students to develop an individual academic support plan. Upon completion of the requirements of the academic support plan, the student is transitioned from GO and assigned an advisor in his or her major department.
Non-matriculated students are students who are enrolled in courses at the University on a space available basis and who have not applied for admission. They are advised by the Advising Services staff.
The USM Early Study–Aspirations Program offers opportunities for high school students to take college courses to enrich their high school experience. The program is designed to help students supplement, not supplant, the academic program of the high school. Home-schooled students are also accepted. Academic requirements must be met, and permission from high school and parent(s) is expected. Financial assistance is available. For more information visit www.usm.maine.edu/advising/earlystudy or call (207) 780-4040.
Students who have questions regarding general academic policies and procedures, as well as about other aspects of University programs, are encouraged to contact Advising Services in Payson Smith Hall on the Portland campus (780-4040), in Upton Hall on the Gorham campus (780-5652), and in Enrollment Services at Lewiston-Auburn College in Lewiston (753-6500).
University Libraries
The University Libraries provide a full range of services in person and virtually via the Libraries’ Web site at library.usm.maine.edu. The Library staff is dedicated to supporting student success and has an active information literacy program to assist students with finding, analyzing, and using information.
In Portland, the Albert Brenner Glickman Family Library is located at the corner of Forest Avenue and Bedford Street, with its new entrance facing University Commons. The Gorham Library and Information Commons is located in Bailey Hall. The Lewiston-Auburn College Library and Commons is located in the center of the Lewiston-Auburn College building. During fall and spring semesters, the Portland and Gorham libraries are open seven days a week for 96 hours. The Lewiston-Auburn College Library is open Monday-Saturday for a total of 62.5 hours. The Libraries offer a wide range of services, both in person and virtually through the Web site. Services include circulation, course reserves, information and research assistance, instruction in using library resources, Internet and database searching, and interlibrary loan. For full information on the Libraries’ resources and services, visit the Web site at library.usm.maine.edu.
The collection of the USM Libraries contains 1.5 million items, including access to a large number of electronic information resources, over 200 databases and 27,000 electronic journals; approximately 450,000 print volumes; 3,000 subscriptions to print periodicals, journals, newspapers, and yearbooks; over 785,000 microforms; more than 130,000 state and U.S. government documents; and over 4,000 DVDs and videotapes. Included in the Library’s special collections is the Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education, the only separately established history of cartography library in northern New England. The cartographic collections contain fine examples of original maps, atlases, geographies, and globes spanning the years 1475 to the present. The original materials of some 60,000 maps are augmented by a 4,000-volume reference collection of related works. The USM Libraries also includes the Special Collections Department which consists of a rare books and manuscripts collection, the University Archives, and the Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine, which includes the African American, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender, and the Judaica Collections. The rare book collections include textbooks, movable books, children’s literature, American political history from the 17th to the 20th centuries, and a book history collection that spans five centuries with books from Medici Italy to American 20th-century fine press.
Supplementing these collections are the more than one million print titles held in the libraries of the other campuses of the University of Maine System, along with the Maine State Library, the state’s Law and Legislative Reference Library, and the Bangor Public Library. The holdings of these libraries are available to the USM community through the easily accessed online catalog and our interlibrary lending system. MaineCat brings the collections of many Maine academic, public, and special libraries into one catalog, and is also accessible online. Holdings of MaineCat libraries, which include collections from public and college libraries, are available through online request to the USM community. The Libraries offer a variety of individual and group study spaces, over 150 student computers, and wireless access for USM students, faculty, and staff.
Computing Services
The Computing Services departments provide a variety of technology support services to students, faculty, and staff at the University.
Computer labs for general student use are located on the Gorham, Lewiston-Auburn, and Portland campuses and in the University Libraries. The computer labs have Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh computer systems, and academic software applications. Black and white or color printing is available for a nominal fee using the USM Card. Computer classrooms are available on all three campuses for class activity periods.
Resident students are provided an Internet connection in each room as part of their room package. The ResNet program, located in Bailey Hall, Gorham, assists with setup and maintenance of the resident student computers on a walk-in and appointment basis. A walk-in and call-in Helpdesk, located in Luther Bonney Hall, Portland, assists all faculty, staff, and students with computer problems, including some common University login, e-mail, and Internet problems. Assistance can be requested by phone at 780-4029, by e-mail at helpdesk@usm.maine.edu, or on the Web at www.usm.maine.edu/computing. The Campus Computer Store, located in Luther Bonney Hall, Portland, sells computers and accessories at educational discount rates to faculty, staff, and students. In addition discounted high speed Internet service from Time Warner is available to faculty, staff, and students.
More information about any of the services offered by Computing Services can be found at www.usm.maine.edu/computing, 780-4029, or e-mail to helpdesk@usm.maine.edu.
Instructional Technology and Media Services
The Instructional Technology and Media Services (ITMS) Department provides classroom and instructional technology support for the academic programs of the University. This support includes group or individual sessions on instructional applications of technology in Portland, Gorham, or Lewiston-Auburn.
Other services include the delivery and maintenance of classroom equipment on all three campuses. The Department maintains a collection of nonprint materials, with electronic listings available on the USM Web site (www.usm.maine.edu/itms). ITMS staff are available to help with the rental of materials for classroom use.
Offices are located at 232 Luther Bonney Hall in Portland, (207) 780-4280, 3 Bailey Hall in Gorham, (207) 780-5356, and LAC Library Commons in Lewiston-Auburn, (207) 753-6540.
Academic Assessment
The Office of Academic Assessment coordinates the administration of various testing programs, such as USM’s Mathematics Placement Program (e.g., Accuplacer Math Tests) for incoming and transfer students, in addition to certification and national tests for graduating students (e.g., Miller Analogies Test, GRE Subject Tests, LSAT, PRAXIS, and others). Students are encouraged to contact the office for further information at 253 Luther Bonney Hall, Portland campus and visit our Web site for test registration and schedules at www.usm.maine.edu/assessment.
The Office also conducts student assessment studies and student surveys, assists departments in evaluating courses and programs, develops tests and assessment instruments, and provides technical support to the faculty.
Support for Students with Disabilities
The Office of Support for Students with Disabilities (OSSD) provides a wide range of services to qualified students with sensory, mobility, physical, psychological, cognitive, learning and attention disabilities enrolled in USM credit and noncredit bearing courses and programs. Contact OSSD for information regarding particular needs. Documentation may be required. The office is located in 242 Luther Bonney Hall, Portland; 207-780-4706 or TTY 207-780-4395 or visit our Web site: www.usm.maine.edu/ossd.
