In early February, a representative from the University of Maine System (UMS) confirmed that a renaming process was being considered for programs associated with former Maine Sen. George Mitchell, who received international backlash following his repeated mention in the Epstein Files. Recently, at a March 16 UMS Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting, the formation of a ‘Mitchell Naming Review Task Force’ was announced, which will be accepting public commentary through an online form as part of its review process. Submissions to the form will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24 and updates on decisions made by the task force will be provided as they become available.
On Feb. 6, UMS Chief External and Governmental Affairs Officer Samatha Warren shared in a written statement to the Maine Campus that following Mitchell’s Feb. 5 resignation from the Mitchell Institute, the university would “evaluate available and emerging information and make thoughtful decisions that reflect our values and serve the best interests of our students and the state” and added that UMS as a whole “strongly condemns sexual violence and exploitation.”
Former Sen. Mitchell served as a U.S. senator from Maine and is highly regarded by many for his diplomacy in brokering the 1998 Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland. He later founded the Mitchell Institute, which has awarded millions of dollars in scholarship funding to Maine students. Recently, however, Mitchell’s name appeared more than 300 times in documents unsealed by the Department of Justice related to Epstein.
According to Warren, the recent decision to form the task force and review programs affiliated with Mitchell was prompted by UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy and UMS Chancellor Dannel Malloy. The choice was also made in accordance with various sections in the UMS Board of Trustees (BoT) policy manual — including their Commemorative Naming or Renaming of Academic Units and Programs rule and Naming and Renaming of Physical Facilities rule.
The formal decision to begin the review process was first presented by task force member Leigh Saufley, who serves as President and Dean of the UMaine School of Law. At a public meeting of the UMS BoT on March 16, she shared that “on behalf of that task force, I am announcing that public comment will be received by the task force.”
In an email statement provided to the Maine Campus on March 17, Warren wrote that “in light of emerging information” the task force would “review and make recommendations regarding institutional naming and honors within the System associated with former U.S. Senator George Mitchell.” She also said that the task force will “carefully consider the commentary it receives.”
Warren shared that individuals interested in submitting comments can use this online form. The form will remain open for submissions until 5 p.m. on March 24, at which point, submissions will be sent to the ‘Mitchell Naming Task Review Force’ for review.
Warren clarified that answers submitted will remain anonymous, but that all feedback will be made publicly available as part of the task force’s report. Respondents must also indicate their relationship (if any) to the university on the form.The survey allows for answers up to 125 words long and also requests that respondents not include personally identifiable information.
In addition to public commentary gathered through the online form, Warren said that a request for comment was sent directly to faculty, staff and students affiliated with the Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions and with the UMaine administered Mitchell Peace Scholarship. Feedback garnered from these efforts will also be included as part of the task force’s report.
In an effort to assess public opinion ahead of comments published by the task force, third-year kinesiology and physical education student Mikayla Pollard, founder and President of UMaine’s sexual assault prevention club “It’s on Us,” was asked if she plans to provide commentary using the online form.
“Yes, I do plan to submit commentary, now that I know about it,” said Pollard. “I just do not want it [the programs] to be related to George Mitchell or the Epstein Files at all.”
Pollard suggested that the university consider renaming the Mitchell Peace Scholarship after more deserving individuals, such as UMaine’s first Black mathematics graduate, Beryl Warner Williams. In 2020, following a resolution passed by UMSG, a similar task force created by the UMaine President Office was established to evaluate if Clarence C. Little’s name should remain on a building, following controversy surrounding his advocacy for eugenics. The BoT later voted unanimously to remove Little’s name per the task force’s recommendation and renamed the building after Williams.
“It would be amazing if we could give him the recognition he deserves,” said Pollard. “I know we have a building named after him and that was renamed due to something similar.”
Pollard was also asked if she believes the student body and broader community were given enough time to respond to the task force’s request for public comment, given students are on Spring Break and answers are due the first Tuesday they return to campus.
“No, I do not, because we are all on Spring Break right now. And nobody is going to be looking at their emails during Spring Break. It’s due on March 24 and we get back on the 23rd,” said Pollard. “Everyone is bombarded with other projects.”
This story is developing and updates about any decisions made by the task force will be provided as they become available. Email news@mainecampus.com with relevant information.
