Career programs

While the Dec. 15 article in the Bangor Daily News may reflect the discussion at the Dec. 14 Faculty Senate accurately, it does not reflect the action taken with respect to career programs accurately. That senate meeting was the last step in a procedure begun in November to evaluate the transfer of programs to the Community College of Maine. In the process, the Academic Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate held hearings in which the career programs’ chairpersons were invited to state their preference for affiliation and to answer questions concerning their programs. All career program chairpersons requested affiliation with the CCM. At the Faculty Senate meeting, that affiliation was “passed” without comment. A second paragraph quoted in the BDN about the career programs remaining with Orono until they are transferred to the CCM only reflects the status quo that, until the transfer can be made, we are still part of the University of Maine.

The absence of interest in the career programs evidenced by the Faculty Senate is not new. We have been performing community college functions on the Bangor campus for 24 years and providing associate degrees to returning, non-tradtiional and commuter students. While our students may not be discussed as examples of success in fulfilling the mission of a land-grant institution in the UM Faculty Senate, they are successful in the community. Legal technology alumni are the chiefs of the police departments of Bangor, Brewer, Old Town, Orono and Hampden. The human services program graduates are employed locally to provide direct service and management in nursing homes, substance abuse programs, child care centers, programs for people with mental illness, adolescent treatment centers and school programs for children with developmental disabilities. The dental health program provides dental services to 2,000 patients through its clinic with the support of area dentists. The students in the health information technology program enjoy a placement rate of nearly 100 percent to fill the need of health care organizations. The business management department performs a free income tax assistance program every year for low-income, elderly and student members of the community. Its graduates occupy management positions in a wide variety of locally owned enterprises.

These students and their community have benefited from the presence of a community college in Bangor for 24 years and will suffer a detriment if it leaves. The action of the Faculty Senate specifically allowed these programs to continue as part of an institution under an affiliation which specifically describes its function and service to the community. It acknowledged that the Liberal Studies Department serves a different student and has a function different from a community college and is one which would be better served in Orono. However, the career programs, one-half of the college, by the terms of the Faculty Senate recommendation, are remaining in Bangor and performing their functions. Mary Louis Kurr Bangor