About our fund
Students for #USMFuture is a student-run coalition that formed in response to the faculty layoffs and program eliminations proposed by the University of Southern Maine administration in the Spring of 2014. From the beginning, we have recognized that the budget cuts at USM are part of a nationwide crisis in public higher education— a crisis rooted in profound underfunding, ballooning administrative costs, and the steady encroachment of corporate interests. We continue to respond to these draconian measures with big-picture thinking. We want creative responses to the University of Maine System's budget troubles, solutions that guarantee the students' human right to education and employees' rights to dignified working conditions and shared governance.
Because the administration has repeatedly failed to involve all stakeholders in a transparent budgeting process, we are taking matters into our own hands. These funds will help us to hold administrators accountable, and to put forth a different vision for the University of Southern Maine's future.
All of the money raised will go towards these three projects:
1) Financing an independent audit of System and USM finances and generating a cash-flow statement for the University of Southern Maine. Our aim is to bring fresh and objective eyes to the need for directing more funding to the System’s core educational mission;
2) Investigating conflicts of interest, rule-bending, and lack of oversight in system operations — not to engage in “gotcha!” finger-pointing, but simply to bring system operations into light during this time of restructuring; and
3) Engaging an attorney to investigate potential legal avenues — finding means to preserve USM’s incredible assets, protect students’ rights and to stop the wholesale dismantling of our school. We’re specifically interested in legal remedies for decisions which abridge USM’s contracts with students.
Our goal is to raise these funds by November 15th, the date that the Board of Trustees will next meet at the University of Southern Maine campus.
The Impact
We as students have been devoting countless hours to push back against austerity on our campus, on top of our jobs, families, and studies. These funds will help us amplify our efforts. All money raised will have a direct impact on the future of USM. If we raise more than $10,000, all proceeds will still go directly to these three projects. Extra funds raised will help us cover the fees of online fundraising and will help us do more thorough and extensive work for the long haul.
Other Ways You Can Help
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