The proposal to reorganize the University of Maine System may look fine on paper but it will take a lot of hard work by those within the system to move the plan from concept to reality.

That was the consensus view of the university presidents, faculty, students and public officials reached Friday, one day after the plan was released.

Most of those contacted said that while they were still digesting the plan’s implications, it appeared to present a positive solution to a difficult problem.

While many voiced support for the plan and indicated they were committed to making the transition from document to real thing, a state legislator whose district expected to lose its learning centers reacted by submitting legislation aimed at eliminating the UMS chancellor’s position and the UMS board of trustees.

Rep. Joseph Clark, D-Millinocket, said he had been thinking about filing his legislation for years, and that the release of the reorganization plan was the last straw. Clark said the East Millinocket and Milo learning centers were “packed” with laid-off millworkers undergoing retraining and were providing a needed service to their communities.

“I want to work to keep those centers,” Clark said Friday. “I want to eliminate the chancellor’s office and I’ve had this in mind for eight years. That office is a waste of money and now’s as good a time as any to get rid of it.”

Clark said the bill would have to be approved by the Legislative Council before it could be addressed by the Legislature. The council, which is made up of legislative leaders, is next scheduled to meet April 6.

The draft plan calls for reorganizing the seven universities into four, moving all two-year programs to the community college system, and enhancing the prominence of the flagship campus in Orono.

Consolidation has been one of the driving policies of Gov. John Baldacci, and spokesman Lee Umphrey said the governor believed the UMS plan was a move in the right direction. Umphrey said Baldacci supported the proposal because “it addresses the same concerns and has the common goal of consolidation and efficiencies. He sees it as a complement for what he’s been talking about.”

Under the plan, the Machias, Fort Kent and Presque Isle campuses would become the University of Northern Maine. The University of Maine at Augusta would become part of the University of Southern Maine, and the University of Maine at Farmington would remain untouched. The future of University College in Bangor remains up in the air, but the university system programs offered through outreach centers in Calais, East Millinocket and Dover-Foxcroft would be eliminated. The centers, however, will continue being operated by the Maine Community College System.

Responding to inquiries, Joyce Hedlund, president of Eastern Maine Community College, clarified on Friday that the learning centers in East Millinocket (Katahdin Region Higher Education Center) and Dover-Foxcroft (Penquis Higher Education Center) are part of EMCC’s outreach effort and would not be closed.

“While Eastern Maine Community College is responsible for determining their operation, the university can choose to discontinue their courses in those centers, withdraw financial support for student services, and eliminate them as receiving sites for [interactive television] classes,” Hedlund wrote in an e-mail.

She added that EMCC would continue its involvement with and support of the centers.

Reacting to the overall strategic plan on Friday, UM President Peter S. Hoff said, “We are of course generally pleased that the plan recognizes the central role of the University of Maine as the flagship and central research facility. It’s really a reaffirming of the university’s central mission. We are ready to move forward and we’re really excited for our role in the university system.”

Dale Humphrey, professor of civil engineering at UM and faculty representative to the UMS board of trustees, said the plan was “long overdue” and “right on the money.” Humphrey noted that the present system had become too costly and cumbersome for a state with 1.3 million people. He said the UM faculty’s initial reaction was that they were prepared to make it work.

“We really needed to reorganize in another way so we could give the state more bang for its buck,” said Humphrey. “We realize a lot of discussion has to happen but we like what we see today. We want to see this work in the big picture because we think it’s good for the state.”

Richard Cost, president of the University of Maine at Fort Kent described the reorganization as an issue that was “appropriate to raise and discuss. The biggest challenge for me and the state of Maine should be: Here is what we do that works really well; and how do we preserve that while bringing down the cost of operating the state university system?”

UMFK Board of Visitors Chairman Jim Thibodeau called the plan “a bold vision for the future of higher education in Maine. It’s a big impact on the system in northern Maine in particular. I’m sure a lot of discussion will come, and a lot needs to be discussed. We need to keep an open mind to see where this takes us.”

Nancy Hensel, outgoing president at University of Maine at Presque Isle, said, “The potential of the plan could be very promising and strengthen all three campuses. The process is critical and we need to see that campuses are involved in the process. This is a draft plan and there will be a lot of discussion on campus and in the community.”

The possible ramifications of the proposed changes for athletic programs at the Fort Kent, Presque Isle and Machias campuses have not been discussed, according to a UMS official.

Specific issues involving athletics are not expected to be worked out until the implementation phase of the reorganization plan begins.

University of Southern Maine spokesman Bob Caswell gave unqualified support for the plan and expressed confidence that the merger of the northern campuses could be accomplished.

Caswell suggested that USM could serve as a model for the other campuses because USM already administers three separate campuses in Portland, Gorham and Lewiston. He said adding the management of UMA to USM should not prove difficult.

“Having other campuses report to us is something we’re very attuned to,” said Caswell. “The chancellor and the trustees deserve credit for a bold plan and we certainly will work to make it a success if it is adopted. For years people have questioned whether the university system was organized as efficiently as it could be. It makes sense to take a hard look at what needs to be done and what is in the best interest of the taxpayers and the University of Maine students.”

University of Maine at Augusta president Charles Lyons said that while he was initially tempted to “circle the wagons” when he learned management of UMA would be turned over to USM, he determined that the proposal would expand UMA programs and provide it with a mission and funding stream that was often found lacking in the past.

“To be able to bring that to the people of central Maine is something that I don’t think we can deprive the city of. I really look forward to it,” said Lyons.

In a letter to the UMA community, Lyons noted, “If we were to mount a major battle to permit us to remain a free-standing institution, I see only one result. I believe, frankly, that we would lose that battle. There is simply far, far too much political will in Maine to face the fiscal realities in which we find ourselves now and in the future and to make the hard decisions it will take to let us emerge from these economic doldrums.”

Lyons said that the move statewide is to consolidate services and that the merger between UMA and USM “addresses head-on this need to consolidate.”

Ben Meiklejohn, USM student representative to the UMS board of trustees, said that while “none of the real details of the plan have been revealed,” he believed the proposal was a “bold step in the right direction.”

Meiklejohn said he had been “urging” reorganization since he was a student at Orono in the mid-1990s. He said his major concern was that student government and faculty representatives retain an “equitable voice” on the trustees board when changing from seven to four universities.

“How are we going to make up for that loss of influence?” asked Meiklejohn. “Maybe they could be given a vote. … There are challenges, but I don’t think any of the challenges would necessarily preclude this from happening in a positive way.”

Ron Mosley, professor at the University of Maine at Machias and head of the 1,300-member Association of Faculty of the University of Maine, said he was unable to “speak to the large range of concerns” the faculty may have because it was too early in the process and faculty members were excluded from the planning discussions.

“It’s still a concept plan and instead of being cut out of the process we hope it is opened up to us,” said Mosley “We just want to help this university that we have devoted our careers to. We are the ones closest to the people of the university and we want to be a part of this process.”

NEWS staffer Beurmond Banville contributed to this report.