Letters: UM community: Prioritize this

Posted on March 29, 2010, at 1:39 a.m.

Cutting public administration is absurd choice

I hope the University of Maine decides not to completely cut the Department of Public Administration. You would think they would have pride in themselves for having the oldest program of the like in the country. Also, it is a relatively low-cost program compared to other majors; I wonder how much money this is actually going to save UMaine.

Competent government seems to be desperately needed at this time of such polarizing politics. Why would you cut the major that gives students practical training on actual policy? There’s a need for making government work, instead of just the philosophy and ideals.

Also, something that is more important to everybody is the diversity being cut out if this proposal goes through. The UMaine community wouldn’t be the same if they cut the cultural arts: languages, theater, music, etc.

Dustin Greenlaw

Student

APPWG report misses the mark

The recent report published by the Academic Program Prioritization Working Group has done more damage to the University of Maine than the cuts and changes it proposes ever will. No high school senior looking at any university who is considering not just the cutting of programs, but the elimination of an entire department, will feel confident and secure paying tuition to be there.

The greatest mistake of all was publishing this report suggesting cutting dozens of jobs without any mention of where the growth and development of programs at the university will happen. Where was the APPWG-esque group tasked with looking at growth?

This interim report will not inspire confidence in the employees of the university. A failing business that does nothing to aggressively detail the system for recovery and growth loses the confidence of its shareholders (the students) and inevitably falls into bankruptcy.

I fear this is the situation the APPWG report has placed UMaine in, by failing to look at opportunities for growth in our academics. The university has missed an enormous opportunity to rework our vision and energy toward the future; instead, APPWG has done nothing more than alienate current and prospective students and faculty, assuredly risking enrollment for next fall and years to come.

Nate Wildes

President, class of 2012

Student senator

Campus Currents: APPWG