About 200 people gathered to oppose proposed cuts and demand their right to public higher education.
Noel K. Gallagher
Noel Gallagher covers K-12 and higher education issues statewide. Her stories are a mix of breaking news and trend stories. In recent years, they’ve ranged from why college costs so much, the launch of the state’s first charter schools, how a school welcomed a transgender student and why Maine schools have a hard time finding teachers. She’s enough of a news nerd to enjoy sitting through legislative education committee meetings and hours-long school board meetings so you don’t have to.
The Maine Press Association has honored Noel’s work, but she says she writes for the readers, in the firm belief that an informed citizenry is key to a healthy democracy.
Noel is a California native who has worked at wire services, online websites and newspapers across the country. She was in Washington D.C. during the early Clinton years, covering AIDS activism in 1990s San Francisco, documenting the business of wine in Sonoma County and riding out the boom and bust cycle of the early Internet era in early 2000s Silicon Valley. She arrived in Maine at the beginning of the recession and wrote quite a bit about the downturn here.
In her free time, Noel writes the occasional cookbook review, spends an inordinate amount of time at the Portland Public Library and hangs out with her three fabulous kids and wonderful husband. She is not a former member of the band Oasis.
Portland schools save on health care but budget still goes up
Health costs drop $500,000. The budget is 3.6 percent higher.
UMaine law school cuts three library positions
The cuts come in response to a $36 million funding shortfall in the University of Maine System.
Faculty cutbacks mobilize USM student movement
USM student organizers have kept up a relentless drumbeat of protests unlike anything in recent memory.
Portland leaders voice support for USM, but stop short of denouncing cuts
Mayor Brennan and others say they want to help maintain USM’s ties to the community, and support a long-lasting, ‘robust’ university.
Portland sixth-graders to watch film, participate in international project
‘I Am Eleven’ is part of the Portland Children’s Film Festival and includes interviews with 11-year-olds in 15 countries.
USM restores recreation and leisure studies program
The major had been one of four academic programs due to be eliminated as part of systemwide budget cuts.
University of Maine announces $10 million in budget cuts
No faculty layoffs or program cuts are called for in the savings plan.
Rejected Maine virtual school asks for reconsideration
Three charter commission members agree the proposal should get another chance, and a decision could come Tuesday.
Crisis at USM manufactured or real? Here’s a deeper look
Critics want to use reserve funds to save USM programs. University officials say the funds are spoken for, and deny the system is top-heavy with administrators.