The University of Maine Faculty Senate, on Nov. 19, fought to resolve confusion about student record form terms that break from what professors have used in the past. The senate also discussed the burden of cutting $5.3 million from its current budget and whether it will mean increased student tuition.

Sen. James McClymer said he was somewhat annoyed by new student record forms that replace the word "major" with "plan."

Sen. Stuart Marrs said the change was because "plan" is the term used in MaineStreet, so the student record forms were changed to maintain consistency.

"That does seem to be an absurd position - you can't change words on a computer screen," McClymer said with a hint of sarcasm.

Marrs said it's possible to change the terms in MaineStreet, but only with a consensus agreement from the seven University of Maine campuses.

Sue Hunter, associate provost, said part of the problem was the PeopleSoft software.

"We can't necessarily make changes in every screen because we don't have a way of programming it," Hunter said.

Senate President Dianne Hoff said she preferred to use "more recognizable" language.

"I just think it's more appropriate to use terms that aren't corporate, but that are more academic," Hoff said.

The 2010 budget impacts, following President Kennedy's announcement of Gov. Baldacci's $5.3 million curtailment order on Nov 19, was discussed.

"There's still a huge reduction from the current year's budget … and we have to produce our 2010 budget by that base amount. There's a lot of pain yet to come," Kennedy said.

The $5.3 million will be taken out of UMaine's 2009 budget and the resulting amount will be used as the template for the 2010 fiscal year - the "base amount."

Student Government representative Nate Wilde asked whether tuition will rise because of the curtailment.

"[There is] really no forecast, no firm number right now. We expect some tuition increase, but what that number is is anybody's guess right now," Kennedy said.

James McClymer posed a question about getting federal money to assist financially hurt universities such as UMaine.

"Ooh, a bailout," Hoff said.

Kennedy said there has been a request from the system level about getting part of the government's $700 billion bailout, but that there hasn't been much receptivity from the people handing out the money.

Board of Trustees representative Robert Rice said the proposed budget for the next biennium is sitting at 4 percent more than this year.

"We've been told no way that that's going to happen," Rice said.

Rice also announced the implementation of a new campus violence policy defining procedures for on-campus reports and reports to the university of off-campus problems. The new policy is an extension of the previous one.

Enrollment has decreased by 94 students to 11,818 and the system has sent the state a $60 million bond request for building refurbishment and other things, which, if approved, will be sent to voters for final confirmation.

The University Environment Committee said it was meeting with Facilities Management to work with it regarding better energy-building on campus.

Wilde said undergraduate Student Government senators are willing to serve on Faculty Senate committees if faculty members want them.

The senate passed a motion to create the Program Creation and Reorganization Review Committee. The committee will review proposals for creation and reorganization of academic programs.

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