UPDATE From: President Richard L. Pattenaude

Number 3, November 2005

November Election Roundup

Now that the final votes of the November 8 election ballot have been tabulated, I thought I would briefly summarize the impact of the election results on USM.

By now you are aware that the state law banning discrimination based on sexual orientation has been upheld. That law complements the University of Maine System policy prohibiting discrimination, including discrimination based on one's sexual preferences.

Question 4, the $20 million bond issue to stimulate economic growth and job creation, has passed. The package features $2 million for expansion of Lewiston-Auburn College--not only providing sorely needed instructional and meeting spaces, but also space that will serve as the central public resource for the College for ME-Androscoggin community campaign. This campaign aims to double the number of college graduates in Androscoggin County over the next 10 years.

The news is not positive on Question 6, however. The $9 million bond would have funded improvements throughout the Maine Community College System and the smaller campuses of the University of Maine System, and also helped fund construction of a center for USM's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) in Portland. With a margin of defeat of fewer than 2,400 votes, I do not view the result as a reflection of voters' opinions about public higher education. Rather, I believe many other factors may have influenced this outcome. Among them is the question's placement on the ballot (the last of five bond issues); use of vague wording that failed to link the question to economic development or to the $4-million dollar match; and a very tough fund-raising environment that limited the question's advertising budget.

Moving forward, I am confident that alternative sources of funding will be found because University Commons will play a critical role in providing the campus and region with access to educational and cultural resources.

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Task Force Recommendations for USM/UMA

Last week, the Task Force to Plan for Higher Education in the Kennebec Valley recommended against the merging of USM and UMA. As you may recall, this state task force was formed by Governor Baldacci to study the best way to provide higher education in the Kennebec Valley Region after the merger was put on hold last year. The Task Force Report now goes to the Governor and to the University of Maine System Board of Trustees for consideration.

Moving forward, USM still may look for ways to collaborate with UMA in the future, such as providing resources to help ensure that all people in Kennebec Valley have access to higher education at all levels, including graduate courses. In the short term, however, we will remain focused on implementation of Transforming USM (TUSM). For a review of this year's goals and the overall goals of this five-year plan, check out my comments from this year's Opening Breakfast or revisit the Transforming USM 2004-09 plan. Both documents are available on my Web site at: http://www.usm.maine.edu/pres.

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Important Messages from HR

Beginning soon, Human Resources periodically will be sending important information impacting all employees via e-mail only. This initiative is synchronized with the policy the University of Maine System has been following since the implementation of PeopleSoft. To ensure you will receive these important communications, your PeopleSoft account must be activated (if you normally input your time and/or leave through PeopleSoft, you already have done this). You also should ensure you are receiving your PeopleSoft e-mail through your primary business e-mail account. For more information on how to activate your PeopleSoft account and/or forward your PeopleSoft e-mail to your primary e- mail account, please visit the following Web site: http://usm.maine.edu/inforeporting/hr/intranet/emailforwarding.html.

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USM Athletics

As the winter sports season unfolds, I hope you will join me in supporting our students in athletic competition as well as in their classroom pursuits. Our women's basketball team is just one example of USM's success in the competitive arena. The team has earned a number one ranking in the Women's DIII News Preseason Top 25 poll and in the Little East Conference Preseason Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll. USM student-athletes also have made great strides in the classroom and the community. This past year, 108 USM student-athletes received honors as William B. Wise Scholar-Athletes, maintaining a 3.0 or better grade point average while participating in at least one varsity athletic program. The USM Athletic Department also has earned national recognition at the NCAA National Convention for outstanding service to the community for four consecutive years.

I am very proud of our athletic program, and I encourage you to show your support of our student-athletes by attending USM sporting events throughout the winter and spring seasons. Once again, the Department of Athletics & Recreation is offering each faculty member, staff member or retiree a complimentary season pass, good for admission to all regular season home contests (special tournaments and post-season play do not apply.) To receive your complimentary season pass, contact Mike Suesse at 228-8588 or e-mail msuesse@usm.maine.edu.

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New Tenant in Glickman Family Library

Over the years, USM has developed a strong partnership with many Maine nonprofit organizations by housing their offices within our campuses. Next month, a few new faces will be seen on the Portland campus as the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance (MWPA) relocates it's office to an office on the third floor of USM's Glickman Family Library. Although housed at USM, MWPA will retain its organizational independence, providing support to writers and literary arts toward its mission to enrich the cultural life of Maine. I hope you will join me in welcoming MWPA to campus.

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In Recognition

I am pleased to announce that USM has been named the 2005 runner up for the Eagle Feather Award for a non-profit business by Maine Businesses for Social Responsibility (MEBSR). The Eagle Feather Award honors Maine organizations that best exemplify MEBSR's vision of creating a new business climate of sustainable profitability by operating in a socially responsible and ethical manner. Award recipients also must demonstrate a strong commitment to quality of service, development of a healthy and productive workplace, and corporate citizenship and community involvement.

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