UPDATE From: President Richard L. Pattenaude
Number 7, March 2006
> Gorham Residence Hall Info Session this Wednesday, March 22
>Women’s Basketball Makes “Final Four”
>USM’s 126th Commencement
>One Step Closer to One Stop
>Betsy Sholl Nominated for Maine Poet Laureate
>Make Energy Conservation a Priority
>Updated Contact for Employment Services
>Kudos
Gorham Residence Hall Info Session this Wednesday
We have received final municipal approval for the new 296-bed residence hall to be located behind Bailey Hall on the Gorham campus. Groundbreaking has been set for April. The $21.5-million facility, designed by Harriman Associates of Auburn, will be financed with an internal revenue bond, payments of which will be generated through room fees. You will recall that Harriman also has designed the John Mitchell Center, the Field House, and Philippi Hall. Given their track record, I am certain this new facility will be one of which USM and the town of Gorham can be proud.
The residence hall will not generate new enrollments, but will service existing students, essentially allowing many commuter students to become on-campus residents. While the footprint of the facility will result in the loss of 153 parking spaces, 175 new spaces will be added in a parking lot adjacent to Dickey-Wood.
To learn more about the new residence hall and its impact on the Gorham campus, please plan to attend an informational session at 3:30 p.m., this Wednesday, March 22, in Room 10, Bailey Hall. All faculty, staff and students are encouraged to come with questions.
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Women’s Basketball Makes “Final Four”
Congratulations to the USM women’s basketball team and to Coach Gary Fifield for their stellar season that earned them a trip to the NCAA Division III Final Four, held last weekend, March 17-18, at Springfield College. Though we lost to Hope College in the national championship game, the Huskies ended the season with a remarkable 32-2 record. Last weekend’s trip to the Final Four was the Huskies' second-straight appearance in the national tournament, and fifth during head coach Gary Fifield's 19-year tenure. For game details, please visit http://www.usm.maine.edu/athletics/
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USM’s 126th Commencement
Warmer weather is just around the corner, and that means gearing up to celebrate USM’s 126th Commencement on Saturday, May 13. I encourage faculty and staff to save the date and join me and Provost Wood in honoring the graduating class of 2006 by marching in the academic procession at the Cumberland County Civic Center.
As you know, each year a committee comprised of faculty, staff and students chooses a graduating student to be the USM student commencement speaker. Please encourage graduating students to apply for this honor. Deadline for student submissions is Friday, March 24. For more information regarding the application process, visit: http://www.usm.maine.edu/destinationgraduation/CommencementSpeaker.htm
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One Step Closer to One Stop
USM continuously strives to expand and improve educational opportunities for students, which includes improvement of students’ experience in all aspects of university life. A new initiative in support of this goal is the development of campus one-stop service centers by Fall 2006. The short term calls for the creation of three, One-Stop offices, located in Payson Smith Hall in Portland, in Corthell Hall in Gorham, and at LAC. Each One-Stop office will integrate services related to student records and registration, financial aid and student finances and billing. We’ll keep you posted as this initiative progresses.
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Betsy Sholl Nominated for Maine Poet Laureate
Congratulations to USM Lecturer in English Betsy Sholl for receiving her recent nomination as Maine’s third poet laureate. Betsy’s nomination was presented to Gov. John Baldacci, who made the appointment at the opening of Maine Cultural Heritage Week on March 15. Betsy is the author of several award-winning books, including “The Red Line," winner of the 1991 Associated Writing Programs Award for Poetry, and "Don't Explain," winner of the 1997 Felix Pollak Prize in Poetry.
In Maine, the position poet laureate is an honorary position that holds a five-year appointment. I hope you will join me in congratulating Betsy on earning this most prestigious honor.
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Make Energy Conservation a Priority
Global warming, higher energy prices and lower budgets challenge us to make smart choices about energy resources. At USM, we need to do what we can to conserve resources.
Please turn off computers and printers at the end of each day and turn off lights and other services when they are not in use. For the remainder of this winter, lower your thermostats and pull down storm windows. If you have to open windows or storm windows when your workspace is too hot, Facilities Management can work with you to resolve overheating problems. Additionally, please close the windows at the end of the day.
Saving dollars is important. These efforts also will help USM reduce its environmental impact.
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Updated Contact for Employment Services
To keep you informed of changes that may affect your department, Human Resources asks you to please update your USM phone directory to reflect a new fax number for Employment Services. It is now 780-5136. The Payroll Office will continue to use 780-5554 as their fax number.
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Kudos
Earlier this month, three members of the USM community were honored at the state capitol by Maine Campus Compact for their exemplary work in civic engagement. Assistant Professor Michelle Vasquez-Jacobus of LAC was presented with the Donald Harward Faculty Award for Service-Learning Excellence. This award recognizes the accomplishments of three Maine faculty members for making public service an integral part of their curricula and advocating for service-learning. Additionally, USM students Andrew Bossie and Steffan Morin were honored with Maine Campus Compact's Student Heart and Soul Award for their exceptional leadership in promoting democracy within USM’s campuses and community. Great job!
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