* One of seven campuses in Maine's public university system, the 
  University of Southern Maine is the second-largest institution 
  of higher education in the state. 

* Created in 1970 by the merger of two state supported institutions under 
  the name University of Maine at Portland-Gorham, and renamed the 
  University of Southern Maine in 1978. Gorham State Teachers College 
  (1945) was founded as Western Maine Normal School in 1878, while the
  University of Maine at Portland (1957) was founded as Portland Junior 
  College in 1933.  Lewiston/Auburn College was created as the third 
  campus of the University of Southern Maine in 1988.

* USM has three campuses, one in the city of Portland (population 64,300) 
  one in the rural town of Gorham (population 11,856), and one in 
  Lewiston/Auburn population Lewiston:  39,757, and Auburn:  24,309). 

* USM has 1,262 regular employees: 345 Faculty, 464 Professional staff, 
  and 453 Classified staff. 

* Of the 330 full-time instructional faculty, 67% are tenured, 37.5% 
  are female, the average age is 48, and the average length of service 
  is 9 years.

* Approximately 1,460 course sections are offered each semester to both
  full-time and part-time students from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., 
  Monday-Friday, and 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.

* USM's 1998 fall enrollment of 10,462 accounted for 34.2% of all enrollees 
  in the University of Maine System.

* USM also offers summer and winter sessions: in summer 1998, 4,600 students chose from
  approximately 570 course selections; in winter 1998, 336 students chose from 28 courses.

* During 1997-98, 94,089 persons participated in 2,564 public service activities.

* The E & G Operating Budget for 1997-98 was $62,357,784. * 

* The University of Southern Maine is accredited by the New England 
  Association of Schools and Colleges. 

* As of 8/28/98 

* Enrollment in fall 1998 was 10,462, including 8,463 undergraduates 
  and 1,999 graduate/law students. 

* There are 4,857 full-time students (46.4%) and 5,605 part-time 
  students (53.6%) comprising a total of 6,385 full-time equivalent 
  (FTE) students. 

* Maine residents comprise 93.6% of the total enrollment, with 71.7%
  of these coming from Cumberland, York, and Androscoggin counties. 

* Women constitute the majority -- accounting for 61.1% of the total 
  enrollment. 

* The average age of all students is 28.8 years. 

* 78% of all enrollees are degree candidates. 

* There were 1,575 new students entering USM in the 1998 fall semester, 
  of which 918 were freshmen and 657 were transfer students. 

* Students living in dormitories number 1,178 or 11.3% of the total 
  student population. There are 931 living on the Gorham campus 
  and 247 living in Portland. 

* In 1998-99, 6,700 students were awarded financial aid; the average
  aid amount was $6,500. 

* Degrees conferred during 1997-98 totaled 1,286: 

          91   law
         282   masters
         842   baccalaureate
          71   associate

* The University of Southern Maine has 26,399 active alumni in all 
  fifty states and numerous foreign countries, which are led by
  Canada with 70, Japan, 11, Britian 8, Germany with 5, and France,
  Spain, and Australia with 3 each. 

* The University of Maine System is a state-wide, seven campus,
  public University chartered by the 104th Legislature "to develop,
  maintain, and support a cohesive structure of public higher
  education in the State of Maine." 

* The Board of Trustees, in consultation with the Chancellor, is the
  governing and planning body of the University of Maine System and
  has statutory responsibility for preparation and approval of the
  operating and capital budgets of the University of Maine System.
  In accordance with the Laws of the State of Maine, the Board of
  Trustees of the University of Maine System consists of sixteen
  members. Fourteen members are appointed by the Governor for
  five-year terms, and a student member is appointed for a two-year
  term. This is subject to review by the Joint Standing Committee on
  Education and confirmation by the Legislature. The Commissioner of
  Education serves as a voting member ex-officio. 

* The Trustees appoint a Chancellor to act as chief administrative
  and academic officer of the System and, on the nomination of the
  Chancellor, appoint campus Presidents to lead each campus. 

* The University of Maine System, created by statute in 1968, is tax
  exempt under Section 501 (C)(3) of the 1986 Internal Revenue Code
  and encompasses the State's seven public universities: the
  University of Maine in Orono, Maine's Land Grant and Sea Grant
  institution; the University of Southern Maine, a comprehensive
  urban university; four baccalaureate institutions -- the
  University of Maine at Farmington, the University of Maine at Fort
  Kent, the University of Maine at Machias, and the University of
  Maine at Presque Isle; and the state-wide community college mission, 
  the University of Maine at Augusta. 

* The University of Maine System occupies almost 1,300 acres of
  developed land with its facilities providing almost 7.7 million
  square feet of space; the replacement value of land and facilities
  is $1,172,180,148. The University has 40 dormitories with a
  capacity of 6,495 students. 

* The fall 1998 enrollment was 30,620 with: 

          17,021    full-time       and  13,599    part-time students 
          26,585    undergraduate   and   4,035    graduate students
          27,360    in-state        and   3,260    out-of-state students
          18,857    women           and  11,763    men

* There were 4,553 degrees awarded by the University of Maine
  System in 1997/98: 549 Associate; 3,095 Baccalaureate; 740
  Masters; 49 Doctoral; 29 Certificates of Advanced Study; and 88
  Jurisprudence degrees. 

* The University of Maine System employs 4,157 regular employees:
  1,275 Faculty; 1,270 Professional and Administrative staff; and
  1,612 Classified employees. 

* The E & G Operating Budget for 1998/99 is $249,575,234. 

* The average cost for a Maine student to attend the University is
  $11,561 including tuition, room and board, books, and personal
  expenses. The additional cost to the University is $7,522 per
  undergraduate student funded chiefly by the state appropriation. 

* The University of Maine System is accredited, at its seven institutions,
  by national, regional, and state agencies to provide
  academic program offerings in arts and sciences, education,
  agriculture, life sciences, engineering, forestry, legal
  education, and business. 

(Source: Office of Finance and Treasurer, University of Maine System) 
(Empoyee figures provided by Human Resources)