UM’s Hoff dispels rumors Strategic plan not cause of resignation

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BANGOR – University of Maine President Peter Hoff said Monday that his recent resignation was prompted by a desire to “take on new challenges,” and not by perceived discontent with a controversial restructuring plan.

While some people have speculated that he was asked to resign because he criticized the University of Maine System’s proposed strategic plan, Hoff pointed out that he never publicly denounced the plan.

He said he opted to resign effective Aug. 15 “on the basis of a complex set of factors.

“Ultimately, I decided my talents would be better used if I started thinking about a new phase in my career. I looked at the situation and I made a determination and I’m very pleased with it,” he said.

Hoff, 59, made his comments during a break at a meeting of the UMS board of trustees.

Also at the meeting, UMS Chancellor Joseph Westphal continued to praise Hoff for his contributions to UM and said he was pleased that the outgoing president would continue at UM as a member of the faculty.

Some professors also were on hand to address trustees, saying they were sorry to see Hoff’s presidency end. Robert Kennedy, executive vice president and provost, has been named interim president.

Hoff, president for the past seven years, has been working without a contract since August 2003. Westphal said the system was in the process of developing a new contract renewal process.

The chancellor also issued this spring his controversial plan for reorganizing the university system. The plan features consolidating campuses and eliminating two-year degree programs. It also calls for strengthening UM as the flagship campus.

Hoff, critical of Westphal’s analysis of the status of UM last spring, has applied for top positions at a number of institutions around the country. Most recently he was turned down for the head of the University of Nebraska System.

The apparent tension between the two administrators came to a head Friday when Hoff resigned from the UM presidency and accepted a nontenured professorship at 85 percent of his current salary.

Hoff, who was unavailable for comment last week, said Monday that he was “as committed to UMaine as anyone.”

He said that although he “occasionally heard concerns” about his numerous job searches as well as comments that the system was “looking for a different kind of president,” even today he remains largely in the dark about why his contract wasn’t renewed.

“If anybody had a problem with me, they never said what the problem was,” he said.

He said he realized that former Chancellor Terry MacTaggart, who hired him, and Westphal have different management styles and philosophies. While MacTaggart believed in giving campuses more opportunity to deal with their own problems, Westphal “believes in centralizing,” Hoff said.

Still, “anything that plays up huge disagreements between [Westphal] and me aren’t on target,” Hoff said.

He said he applied for other jobs because he was uncertain about his future with the system. Even though he received “glowing” verbal evaluations from both the chancellor and trustees, his contract hadn’t been renewed.

“That’s why I had to listen when good schools like Nebraska and Texas called,” Hoff said.

He said he was disheartened when people accused him of being “uncommitted” to the university.

“I’ve worked 24-7 for UM and I’d gladly do it again,” Hoff said.

Hoff described his relationship with Westphal as “generally cordial.”

“It certainly has not been characterized by disagreement or friction. We have extremely complementary skills which I believe could be the basis for extremely good teamwork,” he said.

After the trustees meeting Monday, Westphal denied any link between Hoff’s supposed resistance to the strategic plan and his resignation.

In fact, Hoff had praised the strategic plan during a March faculty senate meeting.

The chancellor said he wasn’t dissatisfied with Hoff’s performance and that there was no “personal conflict” between them.

Discussions about Hoff’s future began around a year ago, spurred by the president’s repeated searches for positions at other universities, the chancellor said.

“We began a series of discussions which required a decision to be made on his part to move on and on my part to bring on new leadership,” Westphal said.

During Monday’s meeting, the chancellor, repeating comments he made Friday in Hoff’s resignation announcement, praised the outgoing president for his accomplishments and contributions to UM and the system.

Faculty members attending the meeting, however, continued to accuse Westphal of committing an “abuse of power” and expressed anger toward the chancellor for the supposed decision to oust Hoff.

“The forced resignation of Peter Hoff is a real tragedy for our campus,” said Mary Ellen Symanski, UM assistant professor of nursing.

“I believer Chancellor Westphal is attempting to destroy the heart of the university,” Judy Kuhns-Hastings, UM associate professor of nursing, said. “As faculty we are strong and we are not finished addressing this injustice.”

Hoff said later however, that as a system research professor, he was looking forward to studying national issues such as the burgeoning cost of higher education and the low rate of college retention. He said he has been buoyed by the many people speaking up for him. The support has been “heartfelt and very meaningful to me,” he said.

“I’ve been thinking about how I’d spend the last 10 years of my career and exploring options. But my commitment always has been to UM and I’m glad it worked out that I can continue this commitment.”

Hoff said he enjoyed the day-to-day tasks of the president, even the mundane requirements such as making sure food was delivered to the campus and getting parking lots plowed.

“In some ways that was the best part of my job,” he said. “I enjoyed it because it was so comprehensive and miscellaneous. Now I’m looking forward to focusing on higher education issues.”