Office of the President
The 21st-Century USM
From: President Selma Botman
January 29, 2009
This is the third update of the new semester. As I noted in last week’s “The 21st Century USM,” I will be communicating more frequently as part of efforts to keep you better informed. Please don’t hesitate to contact me directly at president@usm.maine.edu.
Lifeline to Close this Summer
After much consideration, I have decided to eliminate Lifeline, effective July 31, 2009. This was a decision I did not make lightly because Lifeline - one of the region’s oldest and best-known community fitness programs - has been a valuable community resource for nearly 33 years. That is a testament to the dedication of a talented staff, a number of whom have worked here for many years. This decision affects 20 of our colleagues, five full-time and 15 part-time. The decision also affects more than 500 individual members, and 75 regional employers who take advantage of a range of workplace wellness services.
Lifeline will honor all existing memberships, and will accept new memberships, with an expiration date on or before July 31. As that date approaches, individual members will be invited to convert their memberships so that they can take advantage of the fitness center and other existing student fitness programs available in the Sullivan Gym.
Economic conditions dictate that we must decide on the future of other campus-based programs and services. These are not choices between poorly run, unneeded programs and programs of quality, but rather choices between what we can and cannot afford to do. The elimination of Lifeline will save some $200,000 annually.
There is no doubt that we will be expected to educate our students with fewer resources than we have today. It is our first and foremost responsibility to institute meaningful reorganizations and, when necessary, make cuts so that we protect and maintain our core academic mission. We cannot allow an infrastructure we can no longer afford to affect the quality of our academic offerings.
The Life of the University
I am pleased to report that Pulitzer Prize winning columnist, author and commentator Ellen Goodman has agreed to be our 2009 Commencement speaker. Her columns appear in some 375 newspapers, including the Boston Globe. Ellen fields countless requests for speaking engagements but readily agreed to join us on Saturday, May 16.
Final numbers will be available in mid-February but our spring 2009 undergrad enrollments continue to track ahead of the spring 2008 numbers. It is no coincidence that our staff in Advising, assisted by the offices of the deans and others throughout the schools and colleges, took the time to contact students and encouraged them to engage with advisors and register for classes. Thank you!
I was especially pleased to help celebrate the opening of the new entrance to the Glickman Family Library. The new entryway and arcade are part of a larger expansion nearing completion. In September of this year the Osher Map Library will open its new and expanded facility at the other end of the arcade. The new library entrance is a metaphor for the future of those we serve…it is a doorway to the future of the information era in which we all live. I encourage you to use it and the wonderful services provided by its staff.
