Faculty at the University of Southern Maine said they are "gravely concerned" by an announcement this week that the school is eliminating five positions.
In a letter released on Tuesday, USM President Jacqueline Edmondson said the school is discontinuing its Russell Scholars program, which offers smaller classes and academic mentoring to some first-year and transfer students.
Both the director and associate director positions of the program will be eliminated. The school is also letting go of its directors of advising, graduate students, and student engagement and leadership.
Edmondson said the cuts were made as the school looked at "how to balance the priorities of the university and evaluate re-allocation of funds." She said the intent of the moves is to "position the University toward future growth."
In a statement shared on Wednesday, the executive committee of the USM Faculty Senate said that the loss of those positions will "significantly disrupt the operation of essential units within USM." The faculty representatives said that while they've worked to maintain a constructive relationship with administration, they are "profoundly troubled" that the decision was made without consulting the Faculty Senate.
Mike Cauvel, an economics professor and president-elect of the USM chapter of the Associated Faculties of the Universities of Maine, said that none of the staff who lost their jobs were members of the faculty union, but that the cuts represent a big loss for the university.
"I think we're losing positions that brought big value to our students and help faculty in the work that they did and [I am] curious to see what the plan is going to be for how that work is going to get done now."
Cauvel said that he has felt "cautiously optimistic" as administrators had been able to avoid layoffs in the midst of a difficult budget situation.
"But I think there's more cause for concern with this latest news," he said. "I would also say that, from my own perspective, I don't lay the blame, really, at the hands of the local university leaders at USM." Cauvel said the bigger issue is that tuition and state appropriations towards the university system haven't kept up with inflation, which he said make it difficult to provide a quality education.
The cuts come as the University of Maine System has faced significant financial headwinds in recent years. The system has said its financial picture appears to be improving but acknowledged continued enrollment challenges.
A USM spokesperson said that the cuts are "not layoffs" but the elimination of five positions.
For disclosure, Professor Cauvel is married to Maine Public reporter Nicole Ogrysko.
