Maine is blessed with universities that have records of significant achievement. The seven campuses of the University of Maine System (UMS) together educated over 23,000 students (full-time equivalent) during the past year. But for good reason, in recent years public confidence in higher education throughout the nation has fallen. Half of the…

According to National Center for Education Statistics data, faculty wages in higher education have barely kept up with cost-of-living increases over the last several years. For support staff who work at the nation's colleges and universities, the situation is even bleaker. Wages are flat and, in some cases, have actually declined when accounting…

Out-of-state persons moving to Maine during the July through December period of either 1980 or 1983 were queried to determine why they chose Maine, what their levels of satisfaction were with life in Maine, and in what activities they participated or planned to participate. The majority of the 417 survey respondents were from large counties in the…

In 2006, it was determined that Maine's new community college system--off to a remarkably promising start--was already at a critical juncture: nearing or exceeding capacity in many of their most popular programs, straining facilities and the ability of staff to deliver high quality programs and services, and struggling to meet the demand of many…

In Maine and across the nation, increasing numbers of parents are choosing to educate their children at home, often illegally. The anarchistic home schooling movement springs from various motivations: religious views, pursuit of independent lifestyles, desire to spend more time with one's children, and others. Whatever their reasons, home…