Assignment 9-1

Student Senate Holds Open Forum to Discuss Cuts


Orono--- University of Maine Student Senate held an open forum type meeting last Tuesday in order to give students the opportunity to voice their opinions about the proposed budget cuts that would mostly affect the modern language program, as well as the music and departments.

The 20% budget cut forced on the university would lead to the modern languages program, women’s studies program, and public administration to be cut completely, while some of the other departments within the liberal arts college would be condensed. Also, some of the engineering degrees would be combined. This massive cut has students, both current and prospective students worried.
University singers lead the meeting off by singing some selections, and the French club followed them by giving a short presentation, all in French, as to why their program is significant and should not be cut. The most powerful of all of the speakers though were the students by far. Around 20-30 students got up individually, with a five minute limit, and were able to state his or her case for not cutting a particular program.

Out of these speakers, one that really touched the crowd was a young man who attends the university under the arts program. The gentleman was not a stereotypical arts student as one might think of one. He stated how he was raised in northern Maine, was a staunch republican, and about his service in the military. His personality did not fit the average arts student, but he touched the crowd with his testimony. “To take away the arts would take away a part of my life” the student said.

After all of the student opinions, the senate unanimously passed a resolution written by UMaine student Katie Hess, which was essentially a sentiment by the students against the proposed cuts. This may do relatively little in the eyes of the administration, which has to make cuts somewhere in order to comply with orders, student voice at the university showed how strong it really was.

The deans of the colleges, the Provost, and the President of UMaine attended this meeting, but did not speak and did not take questions. They were there to simply oversee the meeting and listen to the voice of the students of the university.