University of Southern Maine
The University of Southern Maine (USM) is a multi-campus public urban comprehensive university and part of the University of Maine System. USM's three primary campuses are located in Portland, Gorham, and Lewiston. Originally founded as two separate universities (Gorham Normal School, University of Maine at Portland), the two state universities were combined in the 1980s to help streamline the public university system in Maine and eventually expanded by adding the Lewiston campus in 1988. The Portland Campus is home to the Edmund Muskie School of Public Service along with the Bio Sciences Research Institute and the University of Maine School of Law, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and the Osher Map Library. The Gorham campus, much more residential, is home to the College of Education and the School of Music. At Lewiston-Auburn, students experience a small, intimate campus, with a focus on interdisciplinary learning. Each campus maintains its own "atmosphere", and professionals from all campuses provide a world-class experience at this regional university.[1]
Among the seven units of the University of Maine System, USM had the highest total number of enrolled students at 10,974 as of the Fall 2005 semester, with an average age of 28.5.[2]
USM is among the “Best Northeastern Colleges,” according to The Princeton Review’s 2007 listings[3], and was also included in its 2007 edition of "America's Best Value Colleges."[4] The current president of USM is Dr. Selma Botman, who assumed the role on July 1, 2008 after serving as the Chief Academic Officer for the CUNY system in New York.[5] Former President Dr. Richard Pattenaude became chancellor of the University of Maine System on July 1, 2007.[6]
Mission statement
The mission statement of the university was amended by its Faculty Senate in November 2008, providing:
- "The University of Southern Maine, northern New England's outstanding public, regional, comprehensive university, is dedicated to providing students with a high quality, accessible, affordable education. Through its undergraduate, graduate and professional programs, USM faculty members educate future leaders in the liberal arts and sciences, engineering and technology, health and social services, education, business, law and public service. Distinguished for their teaching, research, scholarly publication and creative activity, the faculty are committed to fostering a spirit of critical inquiry and civic participation. USM embraces academic freedom for students, faculty, and staff, and advocates diversity in all aspects of its campus life and academic work. It supports sustainable development, environmental stewardship, and community involvement. As a center for discovery, scholarship and creativity, USM provides resources for the state, the nation, and the world."[7]
Campuses
Portland Campus
The main part of the campus consists entirely of non-residential buildings. Many department offices are located around the perimeter of the campus center in converted multi-story homes as well as in the major buildings. The primary academic areas of the Portland campus are Business, Nursing, History, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Math, English, Psychology, Media Studies, Modern and Classical Languages, and American and New England Studies.[8]
Gorham Campus
Gorham () is home to most of the University's dormitories and competitive athletic facilities. The primary academic areas residing in Gorham are industrial technologies, engineering, art, music, theater, counseling and education, anthropology, geography, environmental sciences, and geosciences.[9] Dorms located on the Gorham campus are listed below:
- Woodward Hall
- Dickey-Wood Hall
- Upton-Hastings Hall
- Anderson Hall
- Robie Andrews Hall
- Phillipi Hall
- New Residence Hall (completed fall of 2007)
Lewiston-Auburn Campus
()
The Lewiston-Auburn campus of the University of Southern Maine is the newest of the three campuses and has recently built and opened a new wing in order to accommodate its rapid growth. The college on this campus is known as Lewiston-Auburn College (USM LAC). USM LAC is committed to being a national leader in interdisciplinary education, serving as a resource for the community, providing an outstanding educational experience for its students through degree programs that are responsive to changing cultural and workplace demands and that are available to a non-traditional and diverse student body.[10]
Baccalaureate degree programs available at USM LAC are: Arts and Humanities, Leadership and Organizational Studies, Natural and Applied Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences and Occupational Therapy. An extension program in Industrial Technology from USM’s School of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology and extended programs in Nursing (BS & RN to BS) from USM’s College of Nursing and Health Professions are also offered at the Lewiston-Auburn campus. Master of Arts in Leadership and Master of Occupational Therapy degrees are offered exclusively at Lewiston-Auburn College. Additionally, USM’s College of Education and Human Development extends a master degree in Literacy to USM Lewiston-Auburn.[11]
Distance Learning locations
The University offers courses off-campus courses via Interactive Television at locations in Saco, Bath, and Sanford.[12]
University history
USM originated in 1878 as Gorham Normal School, later called Gorham State Teachers College and then simply Gorham State College. In 1969 that institution merged with the University of Maine at Portland (previously Portland Junior College) and became the University of Maine at Portland-Gorham (UMPG). The name was changed to University of Southern Maine in 1978. The Lewiston-Auburn campus was founded in 1988. USM is a major educational engine in the overall growth and development of economic, civic, and cultural life in southern Maine. USM offers baccalaureate and master's degree programs as well as doctoral programs in Public Policy, and School Psychology.[13]
Famous USM graduates
- Actor Tony Shalhoub (1977)
- Novelist Lois Lowry (1972)
- Research scientist Raymond Stevens (1986)
- Former president of the New York Times Walter Mattson (1953)
- British politician Kevan Jones
- Songwriter James R. Flynn (1974).
Student body presidents
- Joshua Chaisson (2005–2006)
- Andrew Bossie (2006–2007)
- AJ Chalifour (2007–2008)
- Benjamin Taylor (2008–2009)
- Jim Pushard (2009–2010)
Athletics
The college is an NCAA Division III school in the Little East Conference.
References
External links
Vorlage:Universities and colleges in Maine
- ↑ University of Southern Maine. "USM History and Mission." Accessed May 11, 2009.[[1]]
- ↑ Fact Book 2005-2006 (PDF). University of Southern Maine (USM). Accessed 2009-03-04.
- ↑ The Best Northeastern Colleges, 2007 Edition. 2006. Random House/Princeton Review, August 1, 2006.
- ↑ "Princeton Review Ranks USM Among the Best in the Northeast", September 28, 2006. press release. USM. Accessed 2009-03-04.
- ↑ University of Southern Maine. "President Botman Kicks Off Presidency and Academic Year on High Note." August 2008. Accessed May 11, 2009. [[2]]
- ↑ University of Southern Maine. “USM President Richard Pattenaude, Soon to be Chancellor of the UMaine System, ‘Worked Hard, Did Well, Had Fun.’" May 12, 2007. Accessed May 11, 2009. [[3]]
- ↑ University of Southern Maine, Faculty Senate. 2008. Minutes of the USM Faculty Senate Meeting, November 7, 2008. Portland, ME: University of Southern Maine Faculty Senate.
- ↑ University of Southern Maine. "Academic Programs." Accessed May 11, 2009. [[4]]
- ↑ University of Southern Maine. "Academic Programs." Accessed May 11, 2009. [[5]]
- ↑ University of Southern Maine. Lewiston-Auburn College." Accessed May 11, 2009. [[6]]
- ↑ University of Southern Maine. Lewiston-Auburn College." Accessed May 11, 2009. [[7]]
- ↑ "Off-Campus Courses." USM. Accessed 2009-03-04.
- ↑ University of Southern Maine. "USM History and Mission." Accessed May 11, 2009.[[8]]