UMaine is re-envisioning its future. Faculty concerns are 'palpable.'

ORONO, Maine — The elected body that represents professors at the University of Maine in Orono received an anonymous email on Aug. 11.

The email to the Faculty Senate, which said it was sent by “Concerned UMaine Profs,” criticized how the university was undergoing a process that it had started in 2024 to rethink UMaine’s future and address budget shortfalls.

The letter argued ongoing strategic planning had not been transparent and questioned whether the university was focusing too heavily on evaluating academic programs based on the revenue they generate.

Attached was a list, which the sender said was obtained through a records request from the university, that ranked academic programs based on metrics such as student enrollment and growth potential.

“[H]ave we completely lost our valu