UMPSA Members,
The University of Maine System (UMS) needs our help. State funding for UMS has drastically declined over the past decades, and recent appropriations haven’t kept pace with inflation. This has forced campuses to make difficult choices, including underpaying staff, cutting programs, laying off employees, and reducing staff through attrition. This situation is unsustainable and needs to change, which is why the Fund Maine’s Future organizing campaign with the Maine Education Association is so critical.
UMS is a vital economic engine for Maine. Our universities drive cutting-edge research and innovation and prepare students for successful careers and lives as engaged citizens. We must convince the state to recognize this crucial role by providing adequate higher education funding. Legislators need to hear directly from you about the impact of underfunding.
Here are two ways you can take action:
1. Attend the Fund Maine Future Lobby Day:
Join us in Augusta on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, to lobby legislators at the State House. Our collective voice is essential. While our Chancellor presents a rosy view of UMS, we need to share the boots-on-the-ground impact of chronic underfunding. Our unions will provide talking points to start, but please share your personal experiences as well.
- Date: Tuesday, March 18, 2025
- Time: 9am-2pm
- Lunch will be provided
- Mileage will be reimbursed
- Location: State House, Augusta (more details will be sent in advance of event)
2. Email Legislators on the Education Appropriations Committee:
Use the online email tool below to contact members of the Legislature’s Education and Appropriations Committees. These committees are critical to our funding efforts. Tell them specifically how underfunding has affected you, your programs, your department, and your students.
Key Talking Points for Both Lobby Day and Emails:
- Student Focus: Emphasize the need for increased state funding to support students directly to our individual campuses. We do not want additional funding to be siphoned off by the UMS Central Office. We need funds at our campuses to avoid future layoffs and program cuts.
- Fair Wages: Highlight the need for increased wages for staff, ensuring that UMS employees can earn a living wage without relying on second jobs or public assistance (i.e. food stamps and other social net programs).
We need every member’s participation in order to make a difference. Please take action today!
In solidarity,Neil Greenberg, UMPSA President
Sara Abronze, UMPSA Vice President