BANGOR – University of Maine System Vice Chancellor Elsa Nunez is stepping down from her position after three years to become president of Eastern Connecticut State University.

“It’s a new phase of my life,” she said during a telephone interview Thursday.

While becoming president of a college has been “a life’s dream,” Nunez said she has mixed feelings about leaving.

“Connecticut is a well-respected system, and I’m excited about the appointment and feel honored they selected me,” she said. “But I love my job in Maine. I’m so committed to the students. I’ve made good friends and established good relationships.”

Hired to help write the University of Maine System’s reorganization plan and begin the implementation process, Nunez recently worked to establish the first seven priorities under the new plan. Now, for the first time, the university system’s budget proposal will include these funding priorities.

“I feel proud about that,” she said.

With UMS Chancellor Joseph Westphal having announced his resignation last month, the top two leadership positions in the system will be open. Westphal, who leaves his post June 30, has said he will remain with the university system, conducting research and teaching.

Nunez will replace David G. Carter, who was president of ECSU for 17 years before being named chancellor of the Connecticut State University System last year. The system includes Eastern, Central, Western and Southern Connecticut state universities.

She will be the first female and first Latina president of the public liberal arts college of about 5,200 students in Willimantic, Conn. She plans to stay in Maine through the summer to help newly appointed Interim Chancellor Terrence MacTaggart ease into his new position and will take on her new duties in Connecticut at the end of August.

According to the Connecticut State University System’s Web site, Nunez’ starting salary will be $225,238. Her current salary at UMS is $168,859.

“I’m delighted for Elsa,” Westphal said. “I’m sorry she’s moving on from our standpoint because she’s done a great job. She’s been a great leader – very engaged in academic affairs. She made a great contribution and worked hard on the implementation process of the strategic plan. It’s a loss for us, but we’re very happy she’s reached this next milestone in her career.”

Nunez said she originally planned to remain with the university system for at least five years, but that since the chancellor is leaving it makes sense for her to step down as well.

“Usually the chancellor appoints a new vice chancellor, so in my mind, it’s a good time to transition out and allow a new team to come in place,” she said.

Nunez said she gained some valuable insight during her tenure in Maine. Most importantly, she learned “how to talk about strategic planning in a way that embraces the values of the entire community.

“We were successful to an extent, but if I had it to do over, I’d have had a longer process to involve the community at the beginning,” she said. “When we did implement the planning process, we were successful because it was a two-year process that everyone bought into.”

Nunez said she also knows more now about how to build consensus, listen and incorporate other people’s ideas. “I also learned how important it is to have good people who work as a team,” she said, referring to the campus presidents as well as the system office staff.

“Having a really strong team makes for a better experience personally, but it also helps the institution,” she said. “The system was stronger because the team was so strong.”

Before coming to Maine, Nunez served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass., and held similar jobs at Wheelock College and the City University of New York.

She is married to Richard Freeland, who will step down as president of Northeastern University at the end of the current academic year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.