At the doors of my constituents in Deering, the issue that comes up more than any other is the rolling tragedy unfolding at the University of Southern Maine. Faculty, staff, students and members of the public are all worried about the future of their university.

Recent and proposed cuts at USM have been draconian and disproportionate to those taking place at other campuses. We hear about widespread faculty layoffs coming later this fall, and it’s painful to reflect on what our region will lose when so much experience and specialized knowledge leaves the area. A reservoir of talent will be drained and dispersed, at great cost to our state.

Although I’ve never worked there, I’ve had the privilege of working with USM faculty members for over 15 years. I’m continually impressed by the excellence of their scholarship, the quality of their teaching and their devotion to their work. Maine derives great benefit from them.

While there is no doubt that USM’s fiscal crisis is real, and that USM tomorrow will be different from USM today, I worry about cuts being made now that will hamstring the university in the future.

Appropriately, we hear a lot about the urgency of workforce development. But just as tomorrow’s workers need specific skills and training, they also must be able to navigate complexity, make decisions in the gray areas and use an understanding of history to avoid making yesterday’s mistakes again.

For that (and for a host of other reasons), we need broad education, and that’s where great teachers and great universities are essential. For that, we need a viable USM. I hope that those who are charged with balancing the budget will keep the long view in mind.

Rep. Erik C. Jorgensen

D-Portland

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