Dive Brief:
- Three academic programs are still facing the ax at the University of Southern Maine as a means to close a $14 million budget gap, despite months of protests by students and faculty.
- The USM programs to be cut are American and New England Studies, which has 57 majors; arts and humanities at the university’s Lewiston campus, with 61 majors; and geosciences, with 47 majors. USM has a total of 8,923 students.
- The expected program cuts, along with one final layoff to save $105,000, are the final pieces of USM President Theodora Kalikow's plan to save $2.5 million for the fiscal year beginning July 1.
Dive Insight:
USM’s budget for 2014-2015 is $134 million, and the gap was originally $14 million. The University of Maine System trustees gave $7 million in one-time emergency funds, and Kalikow made $4.5 million in cuts this spring, including laying off 26 staff, the Portland Press Herald reported. Next up: A $12.5 million gap in the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2015, which will mean more program cuts and layoffs. USM’s Faculty Senate had recommended more than $5 million in cuts, but many of them wouldn’t take effect in time for this year’s budget, so they will be considered for next year.
