This week I interviewed Susan Feiner. More recently, Susan was painted as a rogue professor after she offered a ‘pop up’ course to student for credit. The court would entail traveling to DC to urge Senator Collins to not confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. The USM President made a public comment apologizing her behalf for violating school policy. The President noted, “Feiner promoted a class that furthered her political agenda”. However, this decision is one that comes from out of retirement which means she is not covered by the Union. This article also noted Feiner activity during the financial turmoil in 2014 at USM as she wrote many editorials. This is what we discussed during our interview. She is known for speaking her truth at USM and advocating for things she believes in.
Susan provided me with internal details and an interesting viewpoint. Here is a snapshot at our conversation:
What is your connection to USM?
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- I was a tenured full professor—economics & womens and gender studies
- 23 years
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Have you noticed any changes at USM recently? Over past 5, 10, 15 years?
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- Continued hallowing out of faculty, retired, not being replaced, faculty who left for other reasons not being replaced, ranks of adjunct & part time kept increasing and increasing?
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If so, why do you think they occurred?
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- Financial decisions, level of UMaine system & board of trustees… IMO the board is made up of pretty much business people… (look into) lawyers, heads of advocacy groups, didn’t not embrace public higher education
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For what purpose?
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- I don’t think there was a financial crisis, the University deliberately chose to take money out of accounts & stick into savings accounts… not available for daily use… They created their own financial crisis
- 200 million dollars in that savings account & still have it today
- Crying poverty even though their net position hasn’t changed
- UMaine system goes into accounts and takes money back
- They don’t have their own checking account, when you pay tutition it goes to the system itself so they control everyones budgets
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Our conversation lasted approximately 20 minutes. She made it very clear that USM was being discriminated against due to its location, students, and type of institution. In addition, the Board played a large role in establishing the financial crisis and then acted on it. I feel like this interview verified the neoliberal ideology being used at USM during the financial crisis.
I am still trying to coordinate an interview with a student from 2014 however, have not been able to set up a time to chat yet. I hope to do that before the end of this week.
Annotated Bib:
Herald, Susan Feiner Special to the Press. 2018. “Maine Voices: I’m the so-Called Rogue Professor. USM Was My Rogue Adjudicator.” Press Herald. Retrieved April 23, 2019 (https://www.pressherald.com/2018/10/23/maine-voices-im-the-so-called-rogue-professor-usm-was-my-rogue-adjudicator/).
This Portland Press Herald article is solely about Susan Feiner who was painted as the rogue Professor. The article, written by Feiner, tells the story of how the University failed to recognize the responsibility Susan took for her actions. She claims the University undermined its own integrity instead of her—which is exactly what they claimed. This article provides background on Susan and the way she navigates campus and controversial topics. I think this article gives her greater credibility and reliability as a source of information. She is involved in national and campus wide politics.
Writer, Noel K. Gallagher Staff. 2014. “USM Protesters Rally in Portland to Reject Cuts, Layoffs.” Press Herald. Retrieved April 23, 2019 (https://www.pressherald.com/2014/04/10/usm_protesters_rally_to_reject_program_cuts__layoffs_/).
On April 10, 2014 a story was released in the Portland Press Herald that described the 200 person protest and rally that occurred in Monument Square in Portland. The activists were protesting the cut backs and lay-offs seen at USM. Many protestors who spoke claimed the financial crisis was manufactured by the University system. Although I found this article prior to talking with Susan, the data in this article mirror what Susan stated in our interview. I think This news article can provide a community perspective and illustrate the emotions being felt on campus given the passion studets and faculty had to rally and protest at this time.
Comments:
It looks like your interview with Susan went well. That’s great.
As for your sources, I cannot remember now but do you have any sources about corporatization of education in general? let me know if you want to talk to me about this.