This week I changed my research project by narrowing it to one institution, the University of Southern Maine. I have contacted Susan Feiner, someone who is connected to the college. In addition, I have reached out to contacts who may have a connection to the school in other departments to provide a different viewpoint. These contacts include, my parents as they are alumni of the University, friends who have lived in the area for a long time, and a couple of current students. I am hoping to hear back from these contacts soon. In regard to collecting data, Susan Feiner sent links in the NY Times about the layoffs occurring at USM and I have started to look through other sources as this is a hot topic in Maine.
The changes being made at USM have been highly publicized which allows me to make some assumptions. It appears the new administration has implemented business like changes. This is shown through down-sizing departments and layoffs. I think it’ll be very interesting to hear different perspectives on why the college is making such changes and the implications it is having on students and faculty.
I am now waiting to hear back from the contacts I have reached out to which will allow me to create a plan of attack moving forward. We are looking into IRB approval. Lastly, I intend to make an interview protocol to follow when meeting with contacts. I will continue to look for news articles about the transformation of USM. I am going to try and expand to national news sites too.
This is very good. I think it will be interesting to look at one single institution and discuss neoliberal transformation in education. While waiting to hear from your contacts, you should start doing library research on the connection between neoliberalism and education. When you search for sources, do not limit yourself to “neoliberalism” as a key word. Some of the other key words that you could use are “managerialism,” “marketization,” and “commodification.”
Let me know if you have any questions.