Hi, guys. If youve been wondering what USM students are doing on the Portland campus, see note from Meaghan LaSala below... Im a student organizer with Students for #USMFuture . Most of our organizing against the budget cuts this week has been Portland-centered. If you know of folks at LAC who would like to collaborate, I would love to connect with them. Im pasting our most recent newsletter, from last night, to give you a sense of what we are up to. Please let us know how we can better support USM-LAC! All the best, Meaghan LaSala Dear Students for #USMFuture On Monday afternoon we continued our relentless protest of the program eliminations and unjustified retrenchments of several of our faculty. As students and allied staff and faculty members, we object to the manner and the excuse for these retrenchments. On Monday, we planned to take to the seventh floor of the Umaine Law building just as we had on Friday, where we laid our concerns at the foot of the *shut* door to the Provosts office. Unfortunately we we barred from the building. We are so far removed from the upper levels of this University system that when we come looking for simple answers they handcuff doors shut. So in response, several hundred of us rallied, then occupied Woodbury Campus Center to continue to develop the goals of Students for #USMfuture. Six working groups were set up: Legislative, Letter Writing, Media & Messaging, Political Education, Research, and finally USM Outreach. These groups are working as part of a concerted effort to affect change on the current system in place over USM and the University of Maine System, which we all feel is not representing the best interests of our university. *The Legislative group* is collaborating with legislators. Stay tuned, and prepare to be excited. When things move forward we will need everybody to give their full support. More info coming Wednesday morning. *The letter Writing group* is working actively to petition people in power. Let them hear our story! They have a convenient letter writing tip sheet, and list of contacts. Located Here: https://docs.google/file/d/0BxB7Yxqq28FxV3l6MUtIa01CZXM/edit And a list of people whom you should contact: https://docs.google/file/d/0BxB7Yxqq28FxRWZHUmQtaXZfWHM/edit *The Media and Messaging group* had the fun idea to turn some of our slogans into easily digestible memes (informative, funny internet visuals). *The Research group *is gathering facts. It is beyond important that we are making fact based decisions on why we are protesting. When somebody approaches you and asks why is the financial crisis not real? You will have the knowledge to respond with They had a positive cash flow of 17million dollars in 2013. *The USM Outreach group* has been hard at work spreading our message to all of the USM students, and the extended university community. We want everybody to know why were are doing this, and how they can help. *Political education *is working on understanding our current crisis in the context of the national corporate war against public higher education. The committee is currently working to organize a coalition solidarity march with Greater Portland community groups to protest the devastating effects of austerity. *The march will take place on April 8th or 9th. * If you want to join any of these groups, contact usmfuture@gmail *Action Plan* Our current action plan is to gather as many students as possible to join the department meetings that each department on the chopping block will be having with their respective deans. Go to these meetings, sit and listen in for support. Show the administration that we value ALL of USMs majors. Cutting any of them is an affront to the integrity USM is supposed to stand for. Stay connected on the Students for #USMFuture facebook page for meeting updates. Geosciences meeting will be held Thursday(March 27) at 4:30PM. In room 223 of the John Mitchell Center(the building next to the ice arena) in Gorham. Recreation and Leisures meeting will be held at 1:00PM Thursday(March 27) in room #1 of the Payson Smith Hall. As soon as we know the details of the ANS and LAC meetings they will be posted too. Just remember, if you go to these meetings let the department faculty and students have their say, and do not be disruptive. We are there to show support. *Next stage* Plans are in the works. We are working towards a teach-in in the coming days. We will invite all students to show up and learn as much as possible about what is happening with our university, and what you can do to help. *UMO* Our fellow students at UMO not only stand with us in solidarity, they have begun to organize too. Students had their first organizing meeting on Tuesday, and will be joining Students for #USMFuture in Augusta on Wednesday to advocate for public higher education in Maine. In Solidarity, Students for #USMFuture -- Meaghan LaSala 350 Maine | Student Divestment Coordinator meaghan.lasala@gmail 973-862-7105 twitter: @meaghan_lasala
Posted on: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 00:11:01 +0000
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