He smokes the marijuana, the logic goes, so do not look to him as a hero. Because then, young children, you might smoke marijuana, and it will destroy your lives. Just like it did to Phelps, whose use of the drug delivered him into the seedy world of collecting gold medals in numbers so large that history itself is ashamed.

I’m no advocate of marijuana. I don’t smoke it, but I also don’t get whipped into a moral outrage if someone else does. It is about time our culture starts getting its facts straight: If so many of our role models have smoked pot, maybe pot is not the source of our wasted lives. Pot smokers can be standard cliches of yore – musicians, artists, writers. But they can also be presidents, athletes, academic whizzes, professors or CEOs.

Or they can be criminals. Which is the ultimate absurdity: we outlaw pot because it ruins lives, and we want to save those lives. So we imprison kids who get caught with it and ruin their lives before pot ever has the chance to.

As far as I can tell, the harm pot inflicts is limited to narrowing people’s social circles and conversational interests. That’s the true cost of pot smoking. That, and its seductive lure toward a lifestyle of humiliating CD collections and degrading wall tapestries. But to protect children from respecting Michael Phelps emphasizes our collective, paranoid delusions about the effects of marijuana. We should be embracing Phelps as direct proof that marijuana isn’t an impediment, that potheads can have interests beyond getting fried.

What about “those guys?” You know, the unemployed cousins watching hockey and smoking a turducken bong, going nowhere, doing nothing. Take the pot away and you’ll have an unemployed cousin watching hockey with a slightly better taste in music. Habits do not define us, decisions do. I’ve come across too many pot smokers making the same decisions I make to believe that pot impairs their ability to make those decisions.

What matters is personal responsibility. Personal responsibility is completely compatible with smoking ganja out of an apple. Can you push yourself to keep engaging with the world, instead of locking yourself up with a window fan and incense matches? If the answer is yes, then I don’t see why we need to make you a criminal. If the answer is no, then you probably don’t care about role models, because you are clinically depressed.

Culture teaches us to be terrified of the idea that problems take root inside of us. We forge identities through the outside world and our consumption of it, so it is tempting to believe our ills can stem from consuming the wrong things. This premise is untrue. No one smokes away his or her life’s purpose unless something inside of them is lost or damaged. They need help, not laws.

Perhaps Phelps can prove to potheads everywhere that they can smoke without making it the centerpiece of their lives. If we accept this, we may begin to judge people based on the values they bring to the world, rather than on the air they choose to breathe.

Eryk Salvaggio has never inhaled.

Public Safety received a report of suspected marijuana use from the Androscoggin Hall Resident Life staff at 12:04 a.m. on Feb. 3.

A female resident assistant confronted one of the male residents of the suspected room, and after a brief discussion, he shut the door. Police knocked, and when resident Samuel Harmon, 18, opened the door they could smell marijuana immediately. They asked for consent to search the room, and he refused.

Police then received a call from an RA outside the hall who observed the resident’s roommate, William Brown, 18, picking up a black bag from the ground underneath their dorm window. Brown said the bag might be his roommate’s, but he didn’t know. The bag contained more than an ounce and a half of marijuana and a marijuana pipe. Both residents denied ownership. One officer stood by and secured the room while the other one retrieved a search warrant. The officer returned with the warrant at 2:27 a.m., and they searched the room.

Inside a desk they found marijuana seeds, a small baggy of hashish and cigar blunts. They also found a marijuana pipe, two sets of digital scales and toilet paper rolls stuffed with dryer sheets – typically used to mask marijuana odor. By 8:49 a.m., the search was complete.

Police charged Harmon with furnishing of a scheduled Z drug and possession of drug paraphernalia. Brown was charged with hindering apprehension or prosecution and unlawful possession of a scheduled drug.

Innocent noise

A Balentine Hall RA conducting rounds on the second floor heard loud voices and music coming from a room at 1:04 a.m. on Feb. 8 and grew suspicious. She advised the residents to reduce the noise. After they closed the door, she heard bottles clinking and called Public Safety under suspicion they were drinking alcohol. The two female residents told the officers they had not been drinking and invited them into the room. The officers searched the room and found nothing.

Car confusion

An Ellsworth man attended the UMaine track meet on Feb. 7 and reported his vehicle stolen at 9:41 p.m. Officers arrived, and the man then remembered he did not bring his car. He brought his wife’s car, which was easily located.

Dome in danger

A student walking past Mahaney Dome observed a flame on the east side and called Public Safety at 7:19 p.m. on Feb. 9. Orono Fire Department responded and found the flame to be a normal part of the heating system.

Bye-Pod

An Oxford Hall student reported a lost $300 iPod on the lost and found FirstClass conference at 12:43 p.m. on Feb. 9. An RA found the iPod and placed it in the Oxford Hall lobby office, but it was stolen from the locked office before the student could retrieve it. The case is under investigation.

Looking for a fight

An Estabrooke Hall resident called police to report a possible argument between a male and female in front of the hall at 5:07 p.m. on Feb. 9. The resident described the individuals and gave a vague description of the vehicle they drove away in. Police were unable to find anyone matching their description in the area.

Crispy circuit

Corbett Hall staff pulled the fire alarm after observing a light malfunction followed by the smell of something burning on the third floor at 7:40 p.m. on Feb. 9. Orono Fire Department did not find fire, but an electrical circuit problem and called an electrician. The hall reopened at 8:12 p.m.

Late night bike ride

An off-campus student reported a stolen gray Columbia 21-speed bicycle at 1:48 a.m. on Feb. 9. On Feb. 6, he locked the frame and rim of the bike together but did not lock it to any secure fixture. He returned at 3 a.m. on Feb. 7 to find it missing. The case is under investigation.

Alfond pool

Police and Orono Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at Alfond Arena at 2:08 a.m. on Feb. 8. An officer found a ruptured exterior sprinkler pipe on the south side of the building, spilling water out onto the ground. They immediately shut off the building’s water and called trades people to work on the problem.

Such an action could result in all current bookstore employees losing their jobs.

“Outsourcing is talking about where you take something the university does and then you ask someone outside the university to provide that service. Many universities across the country are exploring that,” Pattenaude said in an on-campus discussion Feb. 9. “We look at it very carefully to ensure it is a wise decision, and as a result, we’ve done very little [so far]. It certainly will be something we’ll have to access.”

Little has been done so far, but the possibility of job loses has many people worried.

“I would be very upset with losing my job,” said Nathan Lavoie, a bookstore employee and third-year student. “I also know that the full-time staff actually care about the students and work hard to make sure we have the tools we need. Some of them have worked here for around 30 years, so they know the ins and outs of everything, and only want to help further provide for the students.”

According to the proposed plan, outsourcing the bookstore would include efforts that “can lead to additional outsourcing and inter-university contracting for services.”

“Bookstores are classic examples, and we’ll take a look at it, and if it makes sense, then we’ll see where we go with it. But this is going to be an evidence-driven conversation, which means that the business case has to make sense with reducing costs,” Pattenaude said.

Privatization may save the university money. What it will cost is yet to be determined.

According to Lavoie, the bookstore staff’s concern about students may disappear if the bookstore were outsourced.

“I know that the full-time staff that works within the textbook department tries extremely hard to keep cost down for students by getting a large portion of books used, and also by communicating with faculty and staff,” Lavoie said.

“Big commercial businesses might equal less care and concern for the actual student population at UMaine.”

Pattenaude promised these feelings of alarm would not go unnoticed.

“I accept the point that this document is not adequately robust about research and graduate students and it is being made very clear – I will take that message back particularly, and I know Sue will take it back to the Chief Academic Officers and make sure that that is not lost,” Pattenaude said.

Pattenaude emphasized that research will remain part of University of Maine’s mission.

“The task force, again, is going to look at and consider missions, and the outcome that I fully expect and that I will support is that we have to reinforce and strengthen the University of Maine as the primary research institution of this state,” Pattenaude said. “This state depends upon the health of this institution. It’s clear to the legislature; it’s clear to the governor; it’s very clear to the trustees; it’s clear to me.”

Audience members were not surprised that research was emphasized at the meeting.

“Research was a hot topic because it’s completely ignored in the plan, and that is because it is a plan for the system, and there is only one research university in the system, and that is the University of Maine,” said Mick Peterson, professor of mechanical engineering.

“I don’t have to agree with everything he says to respect that he’s in a very difficult position. I think he was frank and articulate and didn’t bulls—,” said professor of history Howard Segal.

Now that Smith is in the St. Louis Cardinals farm system, coach Steve Trimper will rely on a more-experienced squad to fill the hole in the lineup as the Black Bears prepare for the 2009 season.

“You don’t replace a guy like Curt,” said the fourth-year head coach whose team opens the season on Feb. 20 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. “What you do is try to get those guys a little bit better and fill up the spots through the lineup. We always relied on Curt. If Curt didn’t hit, we had a hard time winning a baseball game, because we had a lot of inexperienced young hitters.”

UMaine will return eight starters in the field, including senior center fielder and leadoff hitter Billy Cather (.328 batting average, 25 runs batted in, 15 stolen bases). Cather was drafted in the 33rd round by the Washington Nationals but opted to return for his final season.

Also returning is junior catcher and first baseman Myckie Lugbauer (.343, 5 home runs, 43 RBI), who was recently named a Louisville Slugger Third Team All-American.

“I think watching us play through the fall and into the spring, we lost a big bat [in Curt],” Trimper said. “Yet Myckie’s a year stronger and better from playing summer ball. Billy Cather also didn’t sign and came back, which was a huge thing. That would’ve been tough to replace those guys.”

Cather and Lugbauer aren’t the only key cogs in the returning lineup. In the infield, senior second baseman Danny Menendez (20 RBI, 10 SB), junior shortstop Tony Patane (.287, 3 HR, 33 RBI) and sophomore third baseman Jarrett Lukas (.319, 4 HR, 28 RBI) are back, as well as junior catcher Joe Mercurio (2 HR, 15 RBI). Sophomore Joey Martin (.286, 14 RBI) and redshirt freshman Justin Leisenheimer are expected to compete for time at first base and freshman infielder Kyle Stilphen will also contribute.

In the outfield, senior Kevin McAvoy (.301, 25 RBI) returns. McAvoy, the 2006 America East Rookie of the Year, will flank Cather along with either junior college transfer George Tager or freshman Taylor Lewis.

Despite the loss of Smith, Trimper plans to utilize the depth of this year’s team, something they lacked a year ago.

“What’s nice is that our hitters have now come a little more experienced from top to bottom,” he said. “There’s not much difference between our No. 1 and 2 hitters and our No. 7, 8 and 9. Your depth has changed so that your lineup is more balanced.”

Another advantage to the depth of UMaine’s batting order is the matchup problems they can create for opposing pitchers.

“The neat thing about our lineup is there are such great lefty-righty combinations that I have a complete lefty outfield and a complete righty outfield,” said Trimper, who also plans to rotate first basemen and catchers depending on the matchup.

Last season, inexperience and lack of depth in the pitching staff was exposed. The Black Bears relied on a rotation consisting of one sophomore and three freshmen.

This season, junior righthander Joe Miller (5-2, 3.93 earned runs against) will be the ace of the staff, and sophomores Kevin Scanlan (2-5, 3.74 ERA, 72 strikeouts) and Matt Jebb (2-5, 4.57 ERA, 64 K) return for their second season in the rotation. Sophomore righthander Kyle Benoit (3-1, 5.45 ERA, 44 K) was a part of the rotation last season, but will miss all of 2009 after undergoing elbow surgery.

“Our young pitchers broke down at the end as the season went on because they didn’t know what to expect. I knew we always had talent,” Trimper said of his young staff. “Now you have all those guys returning – not only a year older but a year better.”

Freshmen right-handers, Keith Bilodeau and AJ Bazdanes are impact rookies who are expected to compete for spots in the rotation.

Sophomore, Jimmy Cox (1-1, 2 saves) and juniors, Ryan Forrest (1 save) and Justin Latta (2-1) will anchor the bullpen.

“This year we have a lot more depth,” Forrest said. “Last year, we had a lot of freshmen pitching, and they’re a year older so they got a lot more experience. I think for the freshmen [this year], they have a lot of good arms so they can make a big impact for us too.”

The spring trip to Florida will be a learning experience for the first-year pitchers, something Trimper hopes will solidify the pitching staff heading into conference play.

“I think there’s a lot more depth, but just getting those guys to understand how to pitch and not just throw,” he said. “The whole plan is to get those kinks out on the Florida trip, which you play day in and day out.”

With newcomers contributing immediately both on the mound and in the lineup, many of the veteran players understand the importance of helping guide them along as they adjust to the collegiate game.

“We take everybody in with open arms,” said Lugbauer, who won America East Rookie of the Year in 2007. “Whenever they need some help, we just go out there and do whatever we can to help them out.”

While the Black Bears return most of their nucleus from a year ago, they hope to snap out of a rare season, where they finished with an overall record of 20-28-1 (8-15 AE) and more importantly, in last place in America East.

“Last year was a disappointment and it’s just got to be put behind you,” Lukas said. “As for me, I gained the experience last year and I’ll carry that over to this year and keep on growing.”

If the Black Bears can do just that and their younger players continue to evolve, Trimper will have UMaine back on top in the conference, something that the storied program has come accustomed to.

Maine ranks second to Vermont in number of New England small businesses, according to Jim McConnon, a University of Maine economics professor. The number of Maine’s small businesses, however, is declining.

McConnon said nearly 4,500 New England small businesses began between 2005 and 2006 – a 5 percent increase – whereas Maine experienced a 3.1 percent decrease.

Todd Gabe, an economics professor at UMaine, said small businesses are vulnerable to economic fluctuations.

“Economic health really depends on how the small businesses do,” Gabe said, “but the impact is on the growth of the economy. The health of a business comes from its vibrancy and growth.”

Maine is set to succeed in the “new economy,” according to the 2008 State New Economy Index. Maine is ranked 12th for attracting knowledge workers, seventh for entrepreneurial activity, 14th for online population – with 74 percent of residents connected to the Web – and fifth for alternative energy use, according to the 2008 State New Economy Index.

Maine is ripe with small businesses. McConnon said 89 percent of Maine businesses employ fewer than 20 people. Fifty-seven percent of Maine companies are micro-businesses that employ one to four people.

“Looking comparatively at the U.S., whose small business population is around 18 percent, Maine is doing well,” McConnon said.

Maine has “a lot going for it” in terms of small business, according to McConnon.

“It is the economic health that influences a business, but it also depends on the capital of the business,” McConnon said. “With the decline in major industries, Maine is increasing its micro-business index. These are businesses such as specialty foods, cabinet makers, people in arts, education consultants, etc.”

At the Foster Student Innovation Center on campus, Jesse Moriarity and Renee Kelly are counselors who help students interested in starting a business and gives them tools to run it successfully.

“A hugely important part to keeping a business afloat is to keep it fresh – stay unique,” Kelly said. “Networking is a constant process. Business owners need to ask who their customers are [and] who and what their competition is. You really need to narrow down your scope.”

Roberta Bradson, owner of the Ampersand store in Orono, said, “We’ve been maintaining rock bottom for about two years. We are a hands-on business, so if there is a problem we can address it directly.”

Bradson’s business and product turnovers have changed since the economic downturn.

“I’ve noticed a new trend. People are coming in here more for the little things like milk and bread versus buying all their groceries at a chain supermarket.”

Bradson said the economic climate is “looking up.”

Brooms with frayed bristles, discolored dusters, disinfectants, hand sanitizer, safety glasses, rubber gloves, toilet paper and spray bottles make up the smorgasbord of supplies and instruments that are the toolbox of the custodian.

Often glanced over or paid no heed at all, University of Maine custodians and their Rubbermaid carts roam the halls of more than 163 academic and administrative buildings to make sure they are clean for classes or work the next day. It is a job the custodians do not take lightly.

When UMaine implements its new strategy for avoiding budget deficits, some jobs may be cut. The threat of furlough days or layoffs is a possibility. Furlough days are unpaid vacation days.

Ben Young has been a custodian at UMaine for five years. In that time, he has driven 100 miles round trip from Woodville five days a week to come to Orono and clean.

And he’s struggling.

“Getting by is hard,” Young says while clutching his tall broom and putting the finishing touches on a classroom in Barrows Hall.

He sweeps the dust piles in an orderly fashion to minimize the time spent in each room.

“The way prices are right now, just being able to afford gas is tough. At this point we’ve started taking all the cans out of the garbage,” he says.

Young wears glasses accompanied by a rumpled salt and pepper beard and is outfitted in the custodian’s uniform – a dark navy blue shirt with the UMaine insignia over the left breast and blue jeans. Every day, he works from 4 p.m. to midnight – or often longer. He feels that the custodians are already stretched too thin to effectively handle their current duties.

Normally, three custodians are assigned to clean Barrows at night. Recently it has been only Young and one other man. This forces Young to pick up the slack.

“We spread ourselves out doing what we have to do. Eventually it all gets done, but it might not be as well done as it could be,” Young says. “We’re doing our part on cutting back this and that.”

According to Young, it takes more than an eight-hour shift to clean the building in the winter.

Custodian’s duties include cleaning offices, hallways, classrooms, bathrooms and stairs. In the winter, they are responsible for shoveling the walkways of their buildings.

The custodians at UMaine could be required to take one or more furlough days to cut costs in the short-term for the University of Maine System.

According to UMS Chancellor Richard Pattenaude at Monday’s town-meeting style discussion, furlough days will protect workers from layoffs.

“Through the curtailment and continuing decline of investment income, endowment income and some tightening up of enrollment, there are shortfalls that have to be attended to to balance this year’s budget . nobody wants to do this. We’re asking for furloughs because [the presidents and affected campuses] don’t want to have to turn to layoffs to balance this year’s budget. Furloughs give us some flexibility in the short term to make more strategic decisions,” Pattenaude said.

This reassurance doesn’t comfort Young, the breadwinner in his household. His wife is on medical disability, and the $300 he makes a week after withholdings isn’t easy to live on. Take some of that away with a furlough, and Young says it will be a “rough time.”

“We work our butts off as it is,” he says.

This is something he has been through before. Young formerly worked at the Old Town Mill for 21 years before he was laid off when it shut down in 2003. He then worked flagging at construction sites before coming to UMaine.

Memorial Union custodian Keith Shorey can relate. Shorey used to be a heavy equipment operator at a stud mill in Passadumkeag. He is able to keep things in perspective.

“I’ve been through it before, and I take it as it comes. When I first came to work here, I was making wages I made in 1990, so I had to make adjustments,” Shorey says.

Shorey can be seen around the Union when he comes in for work at 2 p.m. every weekday. His beard would make him a dead ringer for Santa Claus if it weren’t for the reddish brown hairs down his cheeks. He takes care of his daughter and mother, both of whom live with him.

“You always have to live within your means. That’s what everybody’s doing in today’s economy. Unfortunately that means no one is buying,” he says with a chuckle.

Shorey has a relaxed personality that allows him to succeed in the often-hectic Union.

“There’s something different to do everyday, and it keeps me busy,” Shorey says. “But that’s okay. Time goes by quicker. I really enjoy working here. I do wish they paid more sometimes, but what are you gonna do?”

According to David Fowler, executive custodian with Facilities Management, at this point the only thing left to do is wait for the unions represented at UMaine to vote on a course of action with regard to the furlough days.

“The unions have to vote, and it takes time to vote. Right now it’s too early and too hard to know what will happen. I’ve been here for 30 years, and I’ve seen this happen before. We always seem to get through it,” Fowler says.

Shorey is a member of the Teamsters Union Local 340 and hasn’t heard any updates from union representatives. According to Shorey, the union at his mill used to have meetings on-site. Meetings for Teamsters Local 340 are held in Portland.

“The only time we hear from the union is when we vote on something,” Shorey says.

Young is not represented by a union.

“I feel like I can’t afford it,” he says.

Fowler would rather not lose any employees on his staff.

“I wouldn’t want to lose anyone, but I don’t have any say. We would make sure it doesn’t affect services. We wouldn’t allow it to affect services,” Fowler said.

Shorey may be relaxed, but he is also realistic.

“The furlough days aren’t going to be a permanent solution to anything. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens. When there are things you can’t control, you have to move on. That’s something I’ve learned over the years,” he says.

Young continued to sweep and move desks back into a line. He cleans for the rest of the night and has more rooms to get to. He has no time right now to worry about getting laid off.

“I’ll worry about it once it happens. I’ll do what I have to do to find another job,” he says.

The room in Wells Conference Center was packed as Pattenaude spoke about his plan to make up for a $42 million shortfall. The shortfall takes into account a 6 percent tuition increase over the next four years.

“I believe that this institution is the healthiest institution in the system by far – by far – and it’s struggling,” Pattenaude said.

He stressed that the process of making the system more efficient would be transparent.

“We shouldn’t do anything unless it saves money, makes sense, and serves our students and our mission better. Does that mean it’s going to ask you to get out of your comfort zone? Well, it better.”

The chancellor said no decisions have been made yet. He has put together a task force which has one representative from each campus. When asked about the representation, and how it was not equal to the campus populations, he said, “The Board of Trustees and I are enormously aware of the value of this institution. If the University of Maine does not want something to happen it’s sort of foolish to think it would happen. Again, we don’t invest in stupid too often.”

The group of campus presidents and the chancellor’s office will make any final decisions.

“I think you have to trust the skill and the experience of your president, chief academic officer and chief financial officer. They are very, very powerful voices.”

The chancellor solicited questions on the subjects about the process, centralization, retaining campus identity and impact on employees.

“All I want to do in this plan is try to marry some system-wide savings with campus savings so we can get a multiplier effect. Let’s do things together and collaboratively where it makes sense and can save us money to take stress off the campus.”

The plan, “New Challenges, New Directions: Achieving Long-Term Sustainability” outlines centralizing purchasing and major bid contracts.

This action would include purchases such as “energy, bookstores, food services, fleet cards, vehicles, computer equipment, etc. This effort can lead to additional outsourcing and inter-university contracting for services,” it states.

Employment

University employees in the audience raised questions about furlough days, which unions have been bargaining with the Systems Office over.

“How I see the furlough situation going ahead, if people choose to participate – and remember, I can’t mandate a furlough. The only furloughs I can mandate are on chancellors, vice chancellors, presidents and vice presidents – I’ve already done that. They are already going to have furloughs. Presidents, vice chancellors, chancellor had no raise this year; they’ll have no raise next year – I’ve already done that.”

When asked why the classified group of employees were being asked to take furlough days as a cost-saving measure, Pattenaude explained that classified employees were short-notice.

“When things get very tight, that may become the direction we might have to have because of the ability to make shorter-term decisions. Nobody wants to do this,” he said.

“Furloughs give us some flexibility in the short term to make more strategic decisions. . Why lay someone off to balance this year’s budget when you’d really prefer to have that person here?”

Some employees were not happy with the situation.

Rosanna Libby, who works as an administrative assistant for the Department of Cooperative Forestry Research, said as a classified employee, she felt her union was more vulnerable to cuts than staff or faculty.

“Back in the fall, each president of each campus was told how much they had to reduce their budgets by. Why at that point weren’t they giving notice to faculty and professions that they were going to have to lay off and that would have given them time frame? Why wasn’t that thought of?” Libby said. “I think it’s because we’re just the easiest people to get to. We’re the lowest paid. I don’t know that they’re going to get the greatest savings from us. … This will only take care of things until July 1.”

After speaking at the General Student Senate Tuesday night, Robert Dana, the vice president for Student Affairs said, “for some people who are struggling to make ends meet, two days of lost pay will be a very hard road to hoe. It’s a hardship that they don’t need, they don’t want, they didn’t ask for. There’s no way around it: It’s a painful reality”

Tuition

Student Nate Wildes spoke about how his friends have had to leave UMaine because they could not afford to stay. He was upset about the tuition increases outlined in the chancellor’s plan.

“University of Maine sits about 50 percentile nationwide, right in the middle. … The institutions have been trying very hard to match tuition increases with financial aid increases,” Pattenaude said.

“I think we’re in for some very challenging times,” said Rebecca Wyke, vice chancellor of finance and administration.

Wyke said reduced appropriation of state money and lack of returns on investments have made for difficult times for the system.

“It’s reflecting people’s decisions about whether they can afford to actually continue their degree goals. My hope is that we’ll be successful as we move through this process because one of our major goals is, and certainly one of the most constraining factors, is how to hold tuition increases down,” Wyke said. “Last year we had a 10 percent increase essentially, and we heard how difficult that is for families. I have three kids in college, I know how difficult it is for families.”

Pattenaude said he has considered different strategies regarding tuition.

“The easy solution is the University of Vermont solution. It is called high tuition, high aid. A number of campuses across the nation are turning to that. … I want to avoid that. One of the reasons we are being so tough on cost here is to keep tuition down. That’s at the heart of this.”

The chancellor said the system gives away more federal aid than it receives from tuition income.

Information Technology

Some audience members raised concerns about centralizing Information Technology.

“I’ve suggested one model is that it [IT] move to a campus. Another model is, you divide it and pieces of it move where specialization exists. Another model is, it continues to be at the system level and has stronger coordination,” the chancellor said.

“I think we should have a single e-mail. E-mail has nothing to do with FirstClass. FirstClass? That’s your decision. You want it? Want to pay for it? Keep it. We would never ask you to give up FirstClass. But I hope you understand the cost. That’s a cost that you choose to bear.”

Pattenaude said he would like to have more communication with campus leadership to talk about future IT changes.

“We pushed a little too fast, a little too hard on IT without getting all of our information out there.” The chancellor said he wants to meet with leaders on campuses to make sure there’s an open discussion.

Pattenaude said that IT, specifically PeopleSoft, is not being utilized to its fullest. He said parts of PeopleSoft still have not been installed.

“We’re trying to get financial aid up and working and effective for the fall because were moving the whole financial aid system into this. The old financial aid system is beginning to crumble,” Pattenaude said.

The chancellor said he is “not crazy about PeopleSoft” because it has too much data entry at the desk level.

“The total installation cost [of PeopleSoft] so far I believe is $18 million, which is way below national average. The operating costs are several billion dollars a year. We have no choice. We cannot run an operation of 5,000 people without an integrated administrative database,” he said when asked about the possible removal of the program.

Reaction

Craig Mason, associate professor for education and human development, was unsatisfied with some of what Pattenaude said. “There was a lot of ‘trust me, trust me,’” Mason said. “There’s no checks and balances below the level of the presidents. That’s assuming a lot of independence on the part of the presidents.”

“I think a lot was unsaid. It seems that more is going on already than they [the chancellors office] want to acknowledge. There seems to be an agenda.”

President of Faculty Senate Dianne Hoff said she felt a lot of important concerns were raised.

“Of course you would always be able to dive more into the nitty gritty, it’s a balance,” Hoff said. “Did we get all the information we probably would have liked? Probably not, but I was very pleased with the turnout and its a great place to start.”

Student Nate Wildes posed two questions to the chancellor.

“It’s important that undergraduate and graduate students get and stay involved in the process the chancellor has laid out; everything from the reorganization of IT to the increases in student tuition – 6 percent per year – will directly affect our lives at students and residents on campus, so it’s important that our voices are heard loud and clear.” Wildes stated in an e-mail.

“The system office is not uncomfortable with feedback. How else do we improve?” the chancellor said.

The $15.1 million system-wide budget gap was a result of budget curtailment at the state level, accounting for $8.4 million, and investment losses, $6.7 million.

The remaining school with a budget shortfall is University of Maine Fort Kent, although it is possible the University of Southern Maine will encounter new financial difficulties.

“We made a conscious decision to shift the focus away from personnel reductions,” said Robert Caswell, a spokesperson for USM. By reducing purchases at the library, cutting back on maintenance and reducing the travel budget, USM was able to almost completely fill its $2.7 million gap. USM was facing the most severe gap, and would have suffered 70 of the 100 layoffs had the gap not been addressed.

According to Rebecca Wyke, a spokesperson for the system, “We have done a tremendous job finding alternatives” to laying off employees. There have been layoffs already that were in the pipeline before the furlough days were proposed, which would have blocked layoffs until July 1. There are already layoffs planned for fiscal years 2009 and 2010.

In addition, a number of senior staff at universities and at the system level have agreed to work five days without pay. These staff, including the chancellor, vice chancellors and presidents of all seven universities, will have one day’s worth of pay deducted from their paycheck each month from February until June. A number of senior staff both at the system level and at individual universities have come forward and offered to do the same.

Original article:University of Maine System Chancellor Richard Pattenaude and all the system union presidents agreed to withdraw proposals for furlough days, according to an e-mail sent to union members.

System and union officials are unable to comment due to negotiation laws, but a joint press released is expected later today. It is unknown if another agreement has been reached or if this will affect layoffs.

Furlough days, or unpaid vacation days, were originally proposed as a cost-cutting measure to prevent layoffs. The system is facing a $15 million budget gap, which it must close by June 30 of this year. Under the proposal, which would have saved an estimated $1.2 million, classified staff, such as custodians, would have been most affected because they are most likely to be laid off first. An earlier e-mail to members of COLT, a union representing classified staff, warned that if the proposal were to be rejected, up to 100 classified staff were likely to be laid off.

The proposal required every “regularly funded” classified and unrepresented professional employee take two furlough days before the end of the fiscal year. Unrepresented professional employees include deans, vice presidents and department directors. In addition, several senior system employees, including the chancellor and vice chancellors, and all seven presidents would be required to take five furlough days.

Some faculty members have spoken out against furlough days, saying that other options have not been fully explored. Other options include delaying cost of living increases and paychecks so they fall on the next fiscal year, which, although such actions would not solve the problem, would help buy time to find a better solution.

In an e-mail to union members, James Bradley, president of COLT, wrote, “In exchange for agreeing to the furlough days, UMS has agreed not to implement any further layoffs . between now and June 30.” If all three unions did not agree to furlough days and the proposal therefore did not pass, the system would lay off up to 100 staff members, mostly hourly employees.

According to Bradley, hourly employees require little to no severance pay and only four weeks’ notice, whereas professional staff, who are paid salary, require six-month notice and severance, and faculty can not be laid off before July 1.

“We simply have no choice but to accept the proposal,” Bradley said.

The system also agreed to offer early retirement to certain employees who have worked at least 20 years. It is unclear whether this agreement was affected.

At a press conference on Monday, Pattenaude addressed the issue of furlough days.

“Through the curtailment and continuing decline of investment income, endowment income and some tightening up of enrollment, there are shortfalls that have to be attended to balance this year’s budget . nobody wants to do this. We’re asking for furloughs because [the presidents and affected campuses] don’t want to have to turn to layoffs to balance this year’s budget. Furloughs give us some flexibility in the short term to make more strategic decisions,” Pattenaude said.

Heather Steeves and Dylan Riley contributed to this report.