UMS: system and change

Several articles have appeared in the Bangor Daily News in recent weeks concerning the University of Maine System restructuring proposal with many of them focusing on the system faculty’s disapproval. As a private citizen not privy to the inner workings of the campuses or the development of the system’s proposal, I would nevertheless applaud any change that streamlines management, increases effectiveness of instruction and maintains the highest academic standards.

Maine is a very large, rural state with a small population that desires many services. A sound education system pre-kindergarten through adult is one that is essential for a productive state. To date emphasis as reported is one of managerial and financial change and realigning the organizational chart.

Three degrees from UM and 30 years as a teacher and administrator lead me to believe that the proposal should address other issues as well.

First is the misnomer of referring to the University of Maine organization as a system. A real system is comprised of individual functioning components integrated into one entity charged with a primary mission. This is currently lacking.

An example of this is the ongoing resistance among campuses to the transfer of credits. Credits cannot be transferred unless the course on both campuses is exactly alike. High schools, however, routinely accept credits from other schools for courses without comparing content. This is based on a concept espoused by the state known as standard curriculum. One stumbling block has been the system’s faculty who believe that automatically transfer credits infringe on their “right” of academic freedom to teach what they wish.

A second issue is the often times cloudy responsibilities that have been assigned or assumed by the various campuses over the years. Each campus must have a clear mission that falls within the system mission as well as a division of responsibility. Campuses must not compete for academic programs or state population by establishing outreach centers close to those of another campus.

A third issue is turf protection. This issue has taken the form of complaints that the campuses will lose their traditional culture and that the system faculty should have a greater say in system operations (shared governance). Everyone should remember that the campuses belong to the system and the system belongs to the people.

While each campus does not reflect the culture of its locale, restructuring does not necessarily preclude a loss of identity. Shared governance is actually a concept that was introduced into public schools during the late 1970s. Like any innovation, it saw both good and bad implementation according to the process used. For the university system faculty to demand this concept now only reinforces its resistance to the overall restructuring proposal. If its is so good now, then why not two decades ago?

Interaction with pre-adolescent through adult students has led me to conclude that the state’s education system is fragmented. I propose my own restructuring plan. The state planners should take the UMS proposal and add to it. There are two post-secondary systems in the state, the university system and the community college system. I have had the opportunity to work closely with each and find real benefits to both. However, they are separate entities competing for the same dollars and often with duplicative missions and geographic overlap.

The Department of Education and Cultural Services should be reorganized. The appointed commissioner would have responsibility for all education statewide. The commissioner would have experience at both pre-kindergarten and post-secondary levels. There would be three main delivery systems; K-12 education with a state superintendent of schools, the community college system with its president and the university system with its chancellor. Only one state board of education needs to exist with membership adjusted as necessary. All administrative offices for education should be housed in Augusta. Combining the separate systems into one management organization will ensure the seamless format that the citizens deserve and demand.

Change for the sake of change is dangerous. Change that is planned with care and ensures and overall betterment for the consumer is needed.

Darrell Gilman, Ed.D., lives in Belfast.