It is Time to Fund Maine’s Future and Invest in Our Universities
Now more than ever, we need the state to increase funding for the UMaine System. Put simply, our state’s financial support for the UMaine System has decline precipitously over decades and in recent years the state appropriation and tuition have not kept pace with inflation. This has left our campuses with horrible options, including underpaying staff, cutting programs, laying off employees, and cuts through attrition. This needs to change.
Our University System is an economic driver for our state. Not only do our universities bring cutting-edge research and much-needed innovation to our state, but they also prepare students for careers and lives as well-rounded, well-educated citizens of our great state.
We need the state to recognize the important role the universities play by funding us appropriately. We need the Legislature to hear your stories, and the impact underfunding has on you, your programs and departments, and your students.
Please write a personal email to legislators on the Education Appropriations Committee. Using the email tool on this page, your email will go to every member of the Legislature’s Education and Appropriations Committees. These two committees will play a pivotal role in our effort and must be persuaded if we are going to be successful.
Tell them what underfunding has meant for you and your students.
We highly recommend that you stress the need to ensure that state funding goes as close to the student as possible and is not siphoned off by the central office.
We encourage you to underscore the need for wages for support staff to increase so staff in the UMaine System are not working full time and yet qualifying for public benefits, such as food stamps and/or other public services.
