Academics
The University of Maine at Farmington has been ranked among the top schools in the liberal arts and comprehensive college categories by U.S. News & World Report in its "America's Best Colleges" College and university rankings for 14 consecutive years (1997–2010). The University has a 15:1 student/faculty ratio and an average class size of 19.
UMF offers majors in Art, Arts Administration, Biology, Business Economics, Community Health Education, Community Heath Education - school health education concentration, Computer Science, Creative Writing, Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Special Education, Elementary Education, English, Environmental Planning and Policy, Environmental Science, Geology, Geology/Chemistry, Geology/Geography, Geography, History, International Studies, Mathematics, Music/Arts, Philosophy/Religion, Political Science, Psychology, Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation Administration, Secondary Education (with concentrations in Biology, English, Language Arts, Mathematics, Mathematics/Computer Science, Physical Science, Science, Social Science), Sociology/Anthropology, Special Education (with concentrations in Emotional Disturbance, Learning Disabilities, Mental Retardation), Theater, and Women's & Gender Studies. With the approval of the Arts and Sciences Committee, students may choose to design their own academic program through Interdisciplinary Studies or an Individualized Major. It also offers a unique Certificate Program in Ski Industries (available to students in any major). UMF programs in education are nationally accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
In January 2008, the University announced they plan to offer a Masters of Science in Education graduate degree program. It will allow students to focus in one of four concentrations: Educational Technology, Literature and Literacy, School Administration or one designed by the participant. The University started to accept applications as it awaited approval by New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). NEASC approved the initial degree offering on June 4, 2008.
Billing itself as “the liberal arts college” of the University of Maine System, UMF is known for stimulating creative student projects such as a "Drag-a-thon" by senior art student Tim Berry, who in Spring 2009 walked roughly 300 miles (480 km) in very, very big dress — something akin to a bright pink southern belle ball gown — from the University of Southern Maine in Portland to UMaine Farmington, then to Orono, ending up at UM Presque Isle. The walk was Berry's senior project, the culmination of public art installations he's done over his time at UMF, and also a fund raiser to support United Way. The project was designed to explore stereotypes and other misconceptions and confront them with something as universal as the spirit of giving. In Berry's words: "What does one do when they have to choose between donating to a worthy charity or holding onto the idea that drag queens are immoral?" The last time Berry tried to tackle the issue of prejudice through art and charity, he dressed up as “let them eat cake” Marie Antoinette (on a seesaw) for a student art project, and raised about $1,000 plus a pile of canned food donations for charity.
Penelope Schwartz Robinson, UMF professor of English was selected from about 350 qualified applicants as a Literary Arts Fellow of the Maine Arts Commission for 2009, and presented her work at an awards showcase at the Bangor Opera House on November 21, 2008. Her alternately funny and sad collection of essays, Slippery Men, recounts the tough, quirky lives of Mainers — and folks from other places — in calm, exacting, poetic detail. The book, which garnered her the Stonecoast Book Prize, lifted her into the short list of great Maine writers. In addition to her book, her essays have appeared in numerous literary magazines, and have been heard on both Maine Public Radio and National Public Radio. The University of Maine at Farmington arts program was also responsible for a flag display that involved placing American Flag-like piece on the floor of the student center. There was a mild uproar on campus concerning the event and the administrations support of the artists' first amendment rights to use the flag in any manner of expression she chose to. "Disgrace at UMF"
Read more about this topic: University Of Maine At Farmington
Famous quotes containing the word academics:
“Our first line of defense in raising children with values is modeling good behavior ourselves. This is critical. How will our kids learn tolerance for others if our hearts are filled with hate? Learn compassion if we are indifferent? Perceive academics as important if soccer practice is a higher priority than homework?”
—Fred G. Gosman (20th century)
“Almost all scholarly research carries practical and political implications. Better that we should spell these out ourselves than leave that task to people with a vested interest in stressing only some of the implications and falsifying others. The idea that academics should remain “above the fray” only gives ideologues license to misuse our work.”
—Stephanie Coontz (b. 1944)