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Now that the president of the United States has been chosen, it’s time to focus on another presidential decision: who will head up the University of Maine.
The committee that will choose the next UMaine president will be chaired by members of the board of trustees and Bangor-based business executive James D. Mullen.
Also on the committee are BOT members Margaret A. Wilson and Lyndel J. Wishcamper; faculty members Laura Cowan, Knud Hermansen and Susan Cobb, College of Education Dean Robert Cobb; UMaine staff members Robin Arnold and Mary Malone, UMaine Alumni Association Chair Bion Foster, board of visitors Chair H. Allen Fernald and UMaine student Ross Bartlett. UMaine policy dictates the composition of the committee.
“I am hoping to find a president that is first and foremost student-centered, who would be willing to listen to student concerns and act on them,” Bartlett said. “[The president] would also need to be able to be an administrator, meet with alumni and be good at public relations,” Bartlett said.
Student Government President Cortlynn Hepler recommended Bartlett, the only student on the committee. Bartlett is a senior financial economics major and the vice president of financial affairs for Student Government, Inc.
James D. Mullen, the committee chair, said the committee’s first task would be to choose a search firm. The search firm will talk to students, faculty and alumni to determine who would best suit the school. An advertisement will be put in the Chronicle of Higher Education, a weekly newsletter that circulates through the academic community.
“Anyone can nominate [people] by sending a letter and resume to the committee, in care of the chancellor in Bangor,” Mullen said.
Between the ad, nominations and the search firm’s pool, a total of 75 applicants should be available for the committee when they begin the process of choosing the next president. This number will shrink to about seven or eight applicants who will be interviewed in person. The top three names from this list will be released to the public. Those three will then interact with people on campus, and the committee will choose a candidate from these three to recommend to Chancellor Joseph Westphal, the overseer of the University of Maine System.
The question on the mind of most members within the university community is whether or not interim President Robert Kennedy is a likely candidate.
“It’s hard to tell at this point. Usually an interim president who is already on staff is not a candidate for the job, since it would discourage outside offers from people who would consider it a done deal,” Mullen said.
This president will replace Peter S. Hoff, who stepped down last August after seven years as president. Hoff took office Aug. 1, 1997 and was the 17th president of the University of Maine.
“We hope to have a person selected by late winter so they can be on board by June,” Mullen said.
Bangor Daily News