PORTLAND, Maine - Passions ran high on the Portland campus of the University of Southern Maine today, as more than 100 protesting students disrupted a meeting of the University System board of trustees.
Summoned by drums and whistles, and undeterred by the driving rain, the students staged a "walkout" from their classes and gathered outside Payson Hall at noon. They were there to protest USM's recent decision to eliminate five programs and lay off 25 faculty - something which the administration says needs to be done to close a projected $16 million budget gap.
Among the demonstrators was independent state Rep. Ben Chipman, who represents the district where the campus is located. He says university administrators were too hasty in their decision last month to make the cuts.
"And I would hope and ask them to hold off on making more cuts until we see what we can do in the Legislature this spring and get some increase in the state budget for the system," Chipman said, "and, hopefully, that will mean an increase in funding for USM."
Undergraduate Meaghan Lasala says the students are calling on the University of Maine trustees to reverse the latest round of cuts, "until transparency is re-instated and they start collaborating again with students and faculty, that they instate a moratorium on cuts until those things happen."
To deliver their message in person, the students walked the short distance to the Sullivan Gymnasium, where the trustees had gathered for a board meeting. Chanting "Invest in USM," the crowd marched into the hall, interrupting the trustees' lunch break. Amid shouts and heckles, Board Chair Sam Collins addressed the crowd.
"First of all, I would be concerned if you weren't here, because that would show your lack of passion," Collins said.
USM president David Flanagan also spoke out, saying he shared their aim of investing in USM, but said it was also important to balance the budget.
"We need to invest in USM, we need to help students who are broke, we need to provide an affordable - affordable! - accessible, quality education. We need to respect one another," Flanagan said.
The board meeting was then adjourned for about half an hour, during which time student protestors occupied board members' seats and continued their protest. Trustees were supposed to be getting an update of the financial picture for fiscal year 2014 during their meeting, which re-convened after lunch, a little later than expected.