PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- A national academic organization has launched an investigation into cuts at the University of Southern Maine.
USM has eliminated 50 faculty positions as it works to close a $16 million budget gap and two academic programs. The American Association of University Professors is sending a team to try to meet with administrators. AAUP said it has tried to contact the administration to discuss the cuts for months. AAUP's Senior Program Officer Anita Levy said the situation at USM is one of the worst cases they have seen of major university changes without consulting faculty.
"Initiate a meaningful conversation with the faculty who are, after all, the heart and soul of the university, as to what the university should look like and what its academic offerings should be in order to best serve the students of Maine," said Levy.
University of Southern Maine spokesperson Chris Quint responded to the investigation in a statement that said the University had what to address the real and demonstrable financial needs at the university.
"The Trustees and decision makers at USM working together have followed all applicable University policies and procedures and the Collective Bargaining Agreement in order to fully provide for the fair and equitable treatment of tenured faculty. The role of the faculty has been fully respected in this process," he said.
On Monday President of USM David Flanagan said the 2016 Fiscal Budget cuts 14 staff/administrator positions, but will effectively close the $16 million budget gap. Including the 14 proposed eliminations, 160 positions have been affected, through retrenchments, retirements and cuts, according to university officials.
