UMS trustees back bond proposals $130 million request to help with upgrades, research, development

BANGOR – University of Maine System trustees backed two capital improvement proposals on Monday totaling nearly $130 million.

The bond proposals, which would fund systemwide classroom and laboratory upgrades as well as enable improvements to research and development facilities at the Orono and southern Maine campuses, will be forwarded to Gov. John Baldacci and the 123rd Legislature for their consideration.

“These two reinvestment proposals will help improve the quality, safety, and efficiency of those universities for our faculty, staff, and students,” UMS Chancellor Terrence MacTaggart said at Monday’s board meeting.

The two-part, state-issued bond request would be broken down as follows:

. $62 million to be disbursed over three years for classroom, laboratory and educational technology renovations and improvements for the seven UMS universities and 11 outreach centers.

. $66 million for strategic improvements to research and development facilities at the University of Maine and southern Maine campuses. The money would be used to enhance the ability of the two sites to attract federal research funds and to match federal funds available for lab improvements and other facilities.

UMS is responsible for some 650 buildings at its universities, satellite campuses and research and outreach centers. The total replacement value is estimated at $2 billion and represents half of Maine’s total affiliated state properties, according to UMS.

In other meeting business, MacTaggart also gave an overview of Baldacci’s budget summary as it relates to UMS.

“It’s the best thing we’ve seen this century, but there’s also some sobering aspects,” he said.

Of the system’s entire $600 million budget, the state funds about 31 percent, with student fees, grants and contracts, and a small portion of miscellaneous funding making up the rest.

The state funds $187.4 million for salaries, wages and related benefits, and research and development costs.

The board of trustees requested last September that Baldacci increase that amount to $212.2 million for the 2008 fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2007. Baldacci’s proposed budget provides a portion of that request, bringing the state funding for those categories up to $194.7 million.

“There was some heavy lifting on his part,” MacTaggart said Monday.

MacTaggart said he expects “hot” debates in Augusta over the funding proposal in the next couple of months.

“We’re going to have to work hard, work smart, and work together with our collective bargaining agents,” he said. “This is a much better place to be than we have been in some time.”

UMS oversees the University of Maine in Orono; the University of Maine at Farmington; the University of Maine at Augusta, including University College of Bangor; the University of Maine at Machias; the University of Maine at Presque Isle; and the University of Southern Maine in Portland.

The next board meeting is scheduled for March 18-19 at the University of Maine at Farmington.