University of Southern Maine
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Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (March 2007) |
| University of Southern Maine | |
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| Established: | 1878 |
| Type: | Public |
| President: | Joseph Wood |
| Students: | 10,974 |
| Location: | Gorham, Lewiston, Portland, Maine, USA |
| Campus: | Suburban |
| Mascot: | Husky  |
| Website: | usm.maine.edu |
The University of Southern Maine (USM) is a multi-campus public university and part of the University of Maine System. USM's three primary campuses are located in Portland, Gorham, and Lewiston. Originally founded as three separate universities (Gorham Normal School, University of Maine at Portland, Lewiston-Auburn College) the three state universities were combined in the 1980s and 1990's to streamline the public university system in Maine. The Portland Campus is home to the Muskie School of Public Service along with the Bio Sciences Research Institute and the University of Maine School of Law. The Gorham campus, much more residential is home to the College of Education and the School of Music. At Lewiston-Auburn, students experience a small campus similar to a community college, and, while course offerings are expanding, the focus on this campus is on the liberal arts. Each campus maintains its own "feel" and professionals from all campuses provide a world class experience at this highly regarded Regional University.
Among the seven units of the University of Maine System, USM has the highest total number of enrolled students at 10,974 as of the Fall 2005 semester, with an average age of 28.5.[1]
USM is among the “best Northeastern colleges,” according to The Princeton Review’s 2006 listings. The current president of USM is Joseph Wood. Dr. Selma Botman will assume the role of President on July 1, 2008 after serving as the Chief Academic Officer at for the CUNY system in New York. Former President Richard Pattenaude became chancellor of the University of Maine system July 1, 2007.
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[edit] Campuses
[edit] Portland Campus
The main part of the campus consists entirely of non-residential buildings. Many department offices are located around the perimeter of the campus center in converted multi-story homes as well as in the major buildings. The primary academic areas of the Portland campus are business, computer science, math, English, and Modern and Classical Languages.
There is also a dormitory within walking distance of the Portland campus named Portland Hall. It is a converted hotel, and also provides housing for Southern Maine Community College and Maine College of Art students.
At the end of the 2008 summer session, Portland Hall will be shut down; the University has sold the property to a private buyer. This will force many students to be displaced, or having to move to the Gorham campus or to a new student apartment complex opening in the Fall of 2008.
[edit] Gorham Campus
Gorham is home to most of the University's dormitories and athletic facilities. The primary academic areas residing in Gorham are industrial technologies, liberal arts, and geology. The dorms located on the Gorham campus are listed below:
- Woodward
- Dickey-Wood
- Upton-Hastings
- Anderson
- Robie Andrews
- Phillipi
- Upperclass Hall (temporary name) *completed fall of 2007* awaiting sponsor for naming.
[edit] Lewiston-Auburn Campus
The Lewiston-Auburn campus of the University of Southern Maine is the newest of the three campuses and has recently built and opened a new wing in order to accommodate its rapid growth. The college on this campus is known as Lewiston-Auburn College (USM LAC.) USM LAC is committed to being a national leader in interdisciplinary education, serving as a resource for the community, providing an outstanding educational experience for its students through degree programs that are responsive to changing cultural and workplace demands and that are available to a non-traditional and diverse student body. Baccalaureate degree programs available at USM LAC are: Arts and Humanities, Leadership and Organizational Studies, Natural and Applied Sciences, and Social and Behavioral Sciences.
The Collaborative Learning and School Success (CLASS) program offers an exciting and innovative opportunity in undergraduate elementary teacher education. CLASS is a 4.5 year professional development school (PDS) program which includes coursework in an academic major leading to a bachelor's degree in a liberal arts field, certification to teach in elementary and middle schools (K-8), and more than 30 credit hours toward a graduate degree. All required courses can be completed at USM LAC.
An extension program in Industrial Technology from USM’s School of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology and extended programs in Nursing (BS & RN to BS) from USM’s College of Nursing and Health Professions are also offered at the Lewiston-Auburn campus.
Master of Arts in Leadership and Master of Occupational Therapy degrees are offered exclusively at Lewiston-Auburn College. Additionally ,USM’s College of Education and Human Development extends a master degree in Literacy to USM Lewiston-Auburn.
[edit] Distance Learning Locations
The University offers courses off-campus courses via Interactive Television at locations in Saco, Bath, and Sanford[1]
[edit] University History
USM originated in 1878 as Gorham Normal School, later called Gorham State Teachers College and then simply Gorham State College. In 1969 that institution merged with the University of Maine at Portland (previously Portland Junior College) and became the University of Maine at Portland-Gorham (UMPG or "Po-Go U"). The name was changed to University of Southern Maine in 1978. The Lewiston-Auburn campus was founded in 1988. USM is a major educational engine in the overall growth and development of economic, civic, and cultural life in southern Maine. USM offers baccalaureate and master's degree programs as well as doctoral programs in Public Policy, and School Psychology.
[edit] Famous USM graduates
- Actor Tony Shalhoub (1977)
- Novelist Lois Lowry (1972)
- Research scientist Raymond Stevens (1986)
- Former president of the New York Times Walter Mattson (1953)
- British politician Kevan Jones
- Senior Vice President and CMO of Hartford Financial Jay Menario (1983).
- Singer and songwiter Rick Charette
[edit] Athletics
The college is an NCAA Division III school in the Little East Conference.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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