UPDATE From: President Richard L. Pattenaude
Number 9, May 2004
> Internal Support for Faculty and
Staff
> A Commencement Thanks
> Responsive To Regional Needs
> Trustees Approve Tuition and Fee Increases
> Continuing the Strategic Plan
Dialogue
> Professor Madeleine Giguere
In times of fiscal constraints, it's easy to lose sight of
the internal support we're able to generate for faculty and
staff. For example, earlier this spring, the College of Arts
and Sciences compiled a list of all CAS faculty and staff
whose work has been supported by financial awards from USM
sources. The sources include, but are not limited to, International
Travel Grants, the CAS Research and Creative Activity Fund,
Faculty Senate Awards and Faculty Senate Research Awards,
and the Provost Teaching Excellence Awards. The College announced
that more than $141,000 was awarded to 102 faculty and 10
classified and professional staff members. The talent and
commitment of our faculty and staff in all our schools and
colleges will be our greatest asset as we work toward our
goal of becoming a top-ranked, public, regional university.
Clearly, we need to recognize the sources of support already
in place for faculty and staff, and think creatively about
how to strengthen and expand that support.
^top
Many thanks to all of you who worked so hard to make our
2004 Commencement such a success. It's also important to commend
our faculty and staff, whose work and caring contribute so
much to the academic success of our students. I've received
a number of e-mails from members of the Commencement audience,
thanking us for a meaningful ceremony and for the quality
of a USM education. Commencement is a poignant reminder that
the personal growth and academic success of our students are
what this university is about.
^top
I'm constantly amazed at and proud of this university's deep
involvement in the region. I want to share with you three
recent examples. Late last month, Portland Public Schools
and our College of Education and Human Development signed
a "Partnership Compact for Professional Development."
The agreement extends our commitment to the largest public
school district in the state by developing new ways to support
continuous teacher development. Our College of Nursing and
Health Professions celebrated "Cover the Uninsured Week
2004" by dedicating the Sagamore Health Center, a partnership
of USM, Maine Medical Center, and Portland Public Housing
Authority. Sagamore Health Center provides health care to
residents of Portland's Sagamore Village, a public housing
community. Finally, we recently hosted the Southern Maine
Children's Water Festival. Some 800 5th and 6th graders attended
the daylong event on our Gorham campus which featured hands-on
activities to emphasize the protection and conservation of
water resources. It was co-sponsored by our Departments of
Geosciences, and Environmental Science and Policy, with the
support of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.
^top
You probably have heard or read about the increase in tuition
and fees approved by the University of Maine System Board
of Trustees. The system-wide increase in tuition and fees
averages 7.2 percent. USM's tuition and fees will increase
by 6.3 percent, or approximately $300 per year for a full-time,
in-state undergraduate. In addition, our room and board rates
will increase by 5 percent, or about $300 per year. Pressures
on state finances, combined with the University System's escalating
health care costs and increasing operational expenses, necessitated
the tuition and fee increases. A commitment to direct additional
funds to campus-based financial aid will lessen the impact
on our students. Despite the increase in tuition revenues,
we still face significant financial challenges. We estimate
that our costs in the upcoming fiscal year will exceed revenues
by about $1.2 million. Our plan, "Transforming USM,"
which we'll finalize over the summer, will address this structural
gap through a series of reallocations, streamlined processes
and investments in critical growth areas.
As a reminder, Chancellor Westphal has asked that the University
community continue the dialogue about the Strategic Plan.
I have invited the chairs of each of the senates to organize
an opportunity for individuals to share comments and suggestions
about the UMS Strategic Plan. Your senates will contact you
with dates and times of their meetings. Senate leaders will
compile and forward any comments to Chancellor Westphal through
my office by the June 30 deadline. I'm confident that the
intent of the draft System plan is to provide us with a clear
focus, not to impose limits. It's essential that we work closely
with the Chancellor and Trustees during the month of June
to refine the plan so that it reflects that intent. More information
on the plan is available at http://www.maine.edu/
^top
We were all saddened to learn of the death of Madeleine Giguere,
professor emerita of sociology. Madeleine, who died on May
13 in her hometown of Lewiston, was an internationally recognized
sociologist. She specialized in ethnic and women's issues
during a long and distinguished academic career. Her groundbreaking
demographic research documented the significance of the Franco-American
culture, and led to having ethnic heritage questions included
in U.S. Census surveys. Upon her retirement in 1990, she was
instrumental in establishing the Franco-American Heritage
Collection at Lewiston-Auburn College. The Reading Room at
the Franco-American Heritage Collection is named in her honor.
The Lewiston Sun Journal, in an editorial published shortly
before her retirement, reported, " ...the state of Maine
-- indeed all of New England -- is richer because of her work."
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