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A news conference with the newly appointed chancellor for the University of Maine System, Joseph Westphal, was held on Tuesday at the system’s office in Bangor.
Jim Mullen, chair of the Board of Trustees, began his introduction of Westphal by stating why the board unanimously voted for Westphal as the next UMS Chancellor.
“Obviously he has legislative experience. He has managed some very large, complex organizations – we have a pretty large, complex organization in the UMS,” Mullen said. “He has a wonderful collaborative style. He has a very solid academic background. And we thought in challenging times it would be nice to have someone with a fresh outlook and a fresh perspective.”
Westphal commented on how “excited, enthusiastic, happy and honored” he is to have been chosen as the new UMS chancellor. He was also emphatic about the fact that, contrary to what some believe, the state and the system will pull through the difficult times.
“Maine is not a state in crisis,” he said. “The system is not a system in crisis.”
Westphal said his predecessors, Terrence J. MacTaggart, the former chancellor and Donald L. McDowell, the interim chancellor have done an excellent job.
“They got us out of the one-yard line and onto the 50-yard line and now it’s time for successive chancellors to make a touchdown and move this team forward,” he said.
In moving UMS forward, Westphal said the chancellor works closely with the presidents of each campus, the BOT and the executive and legislative branches of Maine government as the chief administrative and education officer of UMS.
“The work of the board and the chancellor is in essence to develop strategy and to create a vision for the future,” Westphal said.
He noted that the New England region is currently facing some challenges and more competition in the area of higher education.
“We need to be able to say the University of Maine, wherever that University of Maine is in this state, is competitive,” Westphal said.
He explained that the world has changed to favor higher education.
“More and more people are looking for life-long learning,” he said. “There are some great challenges and some great things to do and we are and can be at the forefront of all those things.”
Westphal’s outlook for the future is bright.
“This region can be vibrant,” he said. “It can be incredibly exciting and I want to be a part of that leadership.”
He also looks forward to his four grown children visiting him here. Westphal is positive he and his wife will have fun together working with the people of Maine.
Westphal spent the rest of the day Tuesday in Augusta in scheduled meetings with Gov. Angus King, legislators and with J. Duke Albanese, Maine education commissioner, and Maine Technical College System President John Fitzsimmons. He is planning to return to Maine no later than the beginning of March for another visit.
Bangor Daily News