"The senate also disagreed with a recommendation that would encourage students to spend the first two years of their secondary education at another UMS school or community college before transferring to UMaine."

What planet are these faculty living on? This concept is well practiced throughout the US. They've lost a great deal of credibility on this objection.

Why have they lost credibility on the issue of encouraging students to spend the first two years of their secondary education at another UMS school or community college? It is a fact that most students transferring to UMaine from other campuses or the community college system do struggle, and often fail, in the higher level courses at UMaine.

If true, Pegasus, that points to the inadequacy of the other programs, doesn't it? Inconsistency is unfortunately one of the only constants in the UMS, and is a function, as the task force has accurately pointed out, of the fact that the campuses compete with one another rather than complementing one another in symbiotic relationships. This points to a lack of leadership at the upper levels. Change, real change, is required if this dinosaur is expected to survive, and it is in the area of overall administration (of the system and of the campuses) that this change needs to start. Believe me, if you've ever attended a typical faculty meeting, you'll realize that faculty governance is a "consummation devoutly to be wished," but rarely practical. These babies need good parenting, and checks and balances need to be applied across the board from an objective point of view.

soothsayer: I could not have said it better myself.

Mainecommenter, there are just some things that aren't offered at the other institutions. During my freshman and sophomore years at UM, I was able to participate in biological research projects that worked with state and federal agencies and other non-university system colleges. That experience was extremely beneficial to me. UMaine is the research institution. Research is also expected for graduation in many majors. If I had attended any other system school, I would have lost out on that early opportunity and been behind my UM classmates. Nearly every major at UM has some type of research going on and they fully support lower-level undergrads participating in this experience.

Additionally, the UM curriculum, in many majors, is geared specifically towards the upper level courses. Similar courses at the other non-research institutions may be just as good, but may focus on material not as directly applicable to the upper level UM courses. Many of the UM undergrad programs are also geared towards preparing students for graduate school. Since there are fewer, if any, graduate programs at most of the other institutions in the system, you can't really expect them to incorporate grad-prep into their programs.

The faculty statement is correct and the situation is un-correctable unless you turn the other institutions into research facilities.

soothsayer, I have no problems with your comments and opinions. I am fully aware of the inadequacy of the other programs and fully realize as well that the institutions need leadership at the higher levels. It is unfortunate that the task force, or A TASK FORCE, could not consider reducing the number of campuses or perhaps redefine their missions within the system. And, just as a point of interest, I have attended many faculty meetings at the flagship university.

justmehere: I would agree that transfer of specialized courses would be difficult. However, most freshmen and sophmores take basic core courses. English 101 should not be above your average community college.

Thank you Pegasus. I think you are right on that the Task Force seems to have been somewhat hog-tied. I have only seen the structure and governance report as of yet, and will withhold overall comments until I've had a change to see the others. I reiterate: REAL change is absolutely necessary. It will never happen. I appreciate that meetings at the Flagship campus are probably more functional than the ones I've attended ad nauseum (at a small campus that, for now, shall remain nameless), where petty egos take over discussions, where certain faculty members NEVER SHOW UP (NOT hyperbole, really!), where committees work hard to make recommendations within their purview only to have individuals shoot down said recommendations with a cursory glance at the item at hand (because they are sure they know better), and the result of which is that nothing gets truly accomplished, serious issues are tabled again and again, and student success is completely lost in the ego-stroking self directed orgy of self. Just an observation. I'll shut up now.