Following a six hour meeting, the University Maine board voted 9 to 2 to cut two academic programs at the University of Southern Maine.
The board gave the nod to a cost-saving administration plan to axe Undergraduate French and Applied Medical Sciences from the school's curriculum.
But the meeting drew significant public comment from those opposed to the cuts. "I am struck by the irony that you wish nothing more than to create a Metropolitan University and ignore the entire meaning behind what a metropolis is," said USM alumnus James Fazuko. "A metropolis is a mother city, it is defined by its populace and diversity and your very first move to create a diverse city is to eliminate foreign languages."
But USM president David Flanagan told the board the cuts are painful- but necessary. "We believe that this course of action is the best available alternative for the university, its students and community it serves because it will preserve the greatest number of majors and courses at the cost over the longest term." said Flanagan.
The administration says the targeted programs are losing money. The cuts are part of a bigger plan to shave $6 million dollars from the cash-strapped university’s budget, which is part of a bigger University of Maine System shortfall.
But critics claim USM's figures are flawed, in some cases wrong, and don't take certain things into account, such as grant money received for some of the programs.