Building a new UMaine System

I remain puzzled and disappointed by how a relatively small number of University of Maine System faculty members are reacting to the system’s revised strategic plan.

It would appear that those faculty members are not aware of the modifications that we trustees adopted Sept. 20 – modifications that in large part were based on six months of input from faculty, staff, students, and community representatives across the state.

But unfortunately, the reactions to which I refer seem based on self-interests and a desire to maintain the status quo, despite clear evidence that doing so will erode the quality, value and affordability of our public universities. As a public trustee, I feel compelled to correct the myths and misrepresentations that a small number of people continue to repeat.

. The university system is committed to expanding, not reducing, access to higher education in Maine. The strategic plan addresses this in two ways: by shifting the focus of our resources to supporting high quality four-year and graduate-level degree programs beyond just UMaine and the University of Southern Maine (USM); and by working with the state’s community college system to ensure that Maine residents have access to quality, affordable two-year associate-degree programs. It will be a gradual and careful process; we will start to transfer most of our two-year programs and responsibilities to the community colleges only after those schools have the space and resources to handle the demand.

This particular point seems to have been ignored by some critics of the university plan. As a result, they have created unfounded fear, frustration and confusion among current and prospective students. As we have stated repeatedly, the transfer of associate programs will be gradual and will not occur until the community colleges are ready and able to handle them.

. Maine cannot afford to have two competing systems of higher education. University System Chancellor Joseph Westphal has shown tremendous leadership in helping create an atmosphere in which our universities and community colleges partner to meet the educational and economic needs of our state. The working relationship that he and Community College System president John Fitzsimmons have formed is one of the most positive developments to occur in years. Together they are partnering to reduce duplication of programs, services, and costs while protecting and enhancing quality, accessibility, and affordability.

. New opportunities exist for the university system to use technology to improve the quality, affordability and accessibility of university-level education. Furthermore, new technologies can help reduce administrative costs, thus allowing university leaders to direct additional resources into priority areas. Some of these opportunities can be realized by allowing some services to be centralized while allowing front-line “customer services” – that is, the administrative functions that are best handled in a campus-based, face-to-face setting – to continue in a more effective manner. Decisions about exactly which services will be centralized will be made through a collaborative implementation process involving the affected faculty, staff, and leaders. The faculty would be doing their students, their universities, and themselves a great disservice by not taking an active role in determining the implementation plan.

. Changes must occur at the University of Maine at Augusta. Historically UMA has been the University System’s primary provider of associate-level degree programs. That university, along with USM, has provided most of services to adult and place-bound learners, and has jointly operated programs and services with USM at the Lewiston-Auburn Center campus. In light of concerns about UMA’s upcoming re-accreditation process, the trustees and Chancellor Westphal agree that the most effective, practical, and affordable way to serve the expanding needs of central Maine is 1) to merge UMA with USM so that they can share resources and expand upper-level offerings in the Augusta region; and 2) to partner with Kennebec Valley Community College of Fairfield by inviting it to create a satellite operation and offer two-year associate degree programs on the UMA campus. The result of the latter provision would ensure that associate degree programs remain available in Augusta as the transition takes place, and to provide continuity to those students who want to transfer into a university program from KVCC or another community college.

One would hope that as teachers and as taxpayers, the small number of faculty critics would recognize that the revised strategic plan is Maine’s best hope for building and sustaining high quality, affordable, and accessible programs and services. Confronted with a projected shortfall of $102 million by 2009 – created in part by unavoidable increases in operating costs – the university system trustees and chancellor had to take corrective action.

I believe it is in Maine’s best interests for faculty critics to set aside their personal interests and politics and instead do what so many of their peers have pledged – to commit to helping develop an implementation plan that will be practical, sustainable and successful.

James D. Mullen of Bangor is a member of the University of Maine System board of trustees and chairs its strategic planning steering committee.