UPDATE From: President Richard L. Pattenaude
Number 1, September2003
> Breakfast Turnout Strong
> USM Ranked Among Top Colleges in Northeast
> USM Leads Statewide Alcohol Prevention Plan
> Final Semester of Parking Squeeze
> Homecoming 2003
> In My Travels
It was truly gratifying to look out over the crowd at the
All-Employee Breakfast on Aug. 29th and see so many friendly
faces. Equally pleasing to welcome so many new faculty members
and staff to USM. Nearly 800 employees attended the breakfast
-- our largest such gathering to date -- and I was glad we
were able to fully include classified and professional staff
as well. We have a big institutional agenda for the coming
year, but I am confident we can harness our collective experience
and creativity to begin mapping out new academic and operational
models that will define the next phase in our history. Many
thanks to those who worked so hard to make the breakfast happen;
it was a great way to begin the academic year.
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USM Rated Among Top Northeastern Colleges
USM made the grade as one of six top Maine schools in the
Princeton Review's newly published, "The Best Northeastern
Colleges: 135 Great Schools to Consider." The guide selected
colleges based on their national and regional reputation,
academic excellence, and anonymous student surveys, selecting
those "we feel stand out as academically excellent institutions
of higher learning."
Anonymous quotes from USM students about the quality of their
experience here spoke volumes. About the student body, one
student said: the large number of nontraditional students
can "make for an eye-opening and awesome experience for those
just coming out of high school." Students also praised USM's
academic environment. One transfer student was quoted as saying,
"for the price, I am still amazed at the quality of education
and positive learning environment that this university provides."
To view USM's listing in the online version of the guide,
visit: www.princetonreview.com/college/research/profiles/.
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Thanks in part to Paul Dexter's leadership in alcohol prevention
and education at USM's Counseling Services, the University
has been chosen to lead a statewide initiative to reduce high-risk
drinking and violent behavior among college students in Maine.
Paul was our representative in a coalition of nine Maine colleges
that applied for and won a $190,899 federal grant to address
this important safety issue on campuses across the state.
Among its components, the two-year grant provides funds for
each partner school to strengthen enforcement policies, address
off-campus student drinking, and develop an online screening
and intervention tool. A statewide campus coordinator will
be located at USM, with the project director housed at the
Maine Office of Substance Abuse in Augusta. Paul has done
an excellent job of controlling alcohol abuse on our campuses
and IÍm very pleased that he is helping to move USM to the
forefront statewide on this issue.
^top
Rome wasn't built in a day, as they say, and neither was
USM's new parking garage -- but we're getting close to the
final stretch. Crews have been busy all summer installing
the garage's pre-cast sections and will spend the remainder
of the fall on finish work. The garage opens in January and
will accommodate 1,200 cars -- a gain of about 600 parking
spots for the Portland campus.
A reminder: Only those who pay the enhanced parking fee will
have card access to the garage; all others will pay an hourly
fee. That was the agreement with students when they voted
to impose a transportation fee on themselves. Non-represented
employees are already paying the higher fee -- as promised
to students. We have all suffered with the parking problem
for years; the solution, unfortunately, is not free. Few things
are. For more information on USM parking, visit www.usm.maine.edu/parking.
^top
This year's Homecoming, Sept. 18-20, looks to be among the
most memorable events of our 125th anniversary year, as it
coincides with Family and Friends Weekend. Rodney Mondor has
spearheaded the event, working with staff from Student Life,
Alumni Relations, Athletics, and all departments and colleges
to put together an amazingly varied schedule of events. Homecoming
2003 will include food, music, sports, art, dance, receptions,
and campus tours. There's a lot of sweat equity involved in
this event, given budget constraints, so anything you can
do to help would be appreciated.
It's particularly important that faculty and staff make an
effort to connect with students, parents, alumni and members
of the community, and I urge you to participate in or attend
your department's Open House. Our 30,000 alumni are an increasingly
important support network for USM; Homecoming 2003 is one
of our biggest opportunities to thank them for all they do.
For a schedule of events, visit: www.usm.maine.edu/anniversary.
To volunteer, contact Rodney at X4555.
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In My Travels
As I leaned into one of the cars at the College Avenue entrance
to Gorham last week to welcome an incoming student, the father
behind the wheel puffed with pride: "My daughter is in the
back seat," he said. "She'll be a freshman this fall. She's
studying psychology." In the back, his daughter grinned with
a mixture of excitement and tension. It's a scene that is
played over and over at USM and one that never ceases to fill
me with joy. Younger students are playing an increasingly
important role in campus life. All of our dorms are filled
-- 1,350 students living in Gorham and nearly 300 students
at Portland Hall on Congress Street. Although a majority of
our students are commuters, it's important to identify and
support those USM students who are experiencing their first
time away from home. They are excited and unsure about what
their college experience will be, and we need to be sure to
help them feel at home here.
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