Revised UMS merger plan praised, panned

BANGOR – The University of Maine System’s revised reorganization plan released Friday received high marks for abandoning the merger of three campuses, but also criticism for continuing to recommend the merger of two others.

“They’ve come up with a solution that’s win-win,” said University of Maine at Fort Kent President Richard Cost, praising the proposal for recommending that UMFK form a consortium with the Presque Isle and Machias campuses instead of one northern Maine university as was stated in the first draft.

The final version of the strategic plan retains many key aspects of the original plan presented in March, such as gradually transferring associate’s degrees to the Maine Community College System; establishing clear roles and signature programs for each of the six universities; and allocating funds to each campus based on a set of performance measures.

But under the revised plan, a campus would be retained in Bangor; the 11 University College outreach centers would be aligned with one of the campuses; distance education would continue to be centralized at the system office; and faculty salaries would be increased to at least 90 percent of the national average.

“It’s going to achieve what the original plan wanted to – program quality and cost effectiveness – but it’s much better than it was because the board and the system responded to the public and faculty comments,” said William Shields, interim president at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.

But Kim-Anne Perkins, chair of UMPI’s faculty assembly, said although professors were pleased that their own campus would retain its independence, they were “dismayed” that the merger of University of Maine at Augusta and University of Southern Maine remained in the plan.

“When the faculty came out against merging it was about both mergers,” she said.

And University of Maine Professor Dana Humphrey, faculty representative to the UMS board of trustees, said while the system “did a pretty good job incorporating faculty recommendations” he was disappointed that the merger between USM and UMA was still on the table.

The plan, which is being proposed to enhance the quality of academic programs as well as to increase efficiency, is projected to save $12 million per year.

Although the plan is to be voted on by the full board of trustees on Sept. 20, faculty at the University of Maine at Augusta haven’t given up hope that the idea of the merger will be dropped.

UMA Professor Carol Kontos, faculty representative to the board of trustees, said Friday evening that professors have decided to contact legislators and write op-ed pieces for newspapers “to make a case” as to why the vote on the strategic plan – or at least on the merger – should be delayed.

While the strategic plan doesn’t need to be approved by the Legislature, “there are a lot of policy and budget issues related to the proposal that legislators need to understand,” she said.

University of Maine at Augusta President Charles Lyons said Friday afternoon that while he understands that people are “hurt, angry, and grief-stricken,” he continues to support the merger.

“If UMA on its own were to try to build a really first class baccalaureate and graduate institution, we would never see it in its lifetime given the economic realities we face. But to be able to become part of a university that already has all these things and that can transport them to central Maine – I don’t know how the 175,000 people in Greater Kennebec Valley can lose,” he said.

During a news conference Friday, UMS Chancellor Joseph Westphal said the plan was “a beginning of an effort to say to Maine and to our nation that we will have a ready and productive work force, that we will help meet the aspirations of our future generations and that we will prepare to provide the best education for all.”

People should stop thinking about how the plan affects them and instead consider how it will “impact future generations in Maine,” he said during an interview after the meeting.

USM President Richard Pattenaude said the plan will “significantly strengthen higher education in central and southern Maine.”

UMA does “important work and we will make sure we preserve all the good things they do as we work together to strengthen the university,” he said.

Other presidents endorsed the final plan for various reasons. Robert Kennedy, interim president at the University of Maine, was pleased that it called for name changes to the other campuses to “clarify” that UM is the flagship campus.

“I think symbolically that says an awful lot and recognizes our strengths in undergraduate and graduate education, research and public service,” he said.

And University of Maine at Farmington President Theodora Kalikow said the final version of the plan was “much improved” thanks to the addition of details about why change was needed and about how the university system and the Maine Community College System would work together to offer associate’s degrees.

“The whole package makes a lot more sense to people who aren’t in the middle of it like we are,” she said.

Once the plan is approved by the full board of trustees, a second phase of planning will be launched to define the necessary implementation steps, which will begin after the Legislature is briefed early next year.

Delaying a vote on the plan would be “the worst mistake,” Westphal said during an interview. “People in the state would look at us and say we’re not doing our jobs.”