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AUGUSTA – By 2010, if current trends remain constant, Maine college students could be attending class in deteriorated buildings, paying one-and-a-half times the tuition than they are today and being taught by sub-par faculty, according to University of Maine System Chancellor Joseph Westphal in his State of Education Address to a joint session of the Maine Legislature in Augusta on Tuesday.
Westphal expressed concern for the effects of the significant lack of funding for the universities, citing a $20 million budget gap facing the system in the next two years. That gap is expected to swell to $120 million over the next five years.
The UMS currently educates 74 percent of all post-secondary students in Maine with an enrollment of 34,000. Westphal also noted that it is the largest magnet for federal, state and private sector research with over $145 million in grants and contracts.
“I am proud of what has been accomplished and what our faculty and staff do today across all campuses and regions of our state,” said Westphal. “But we cannot divorce the current state of our University System from the need to further develop and sustain it in the future.”
One of every nine adults in Maine is a graduate of the University System. That’s over 110,000 people.
According to the U.S. Census, Mainers with a four-year degree earn $10,000 more than the state’s high school graduates. Master’s degree holders make $16,000 more, while doctorate or professional-level alumni acquire incomes of $30,000 more.
“[The University System is] productive, innovative and reaching out to people of all ages,” Westphal said. “In many ways, things are going very well for our students and our universities. But in other ways, our universities are facing difficult challenges.”
One such obstacle is skyrocketing tuition, he said.
Westphal recounted the story of Hilarie Blunt, a seventh-grader from Hampden, whose father is a former student, and his close friend. He said the outlook for her future isn’t bright if she is to attend a Maine university.
“Five years from now, Hilarie might find that tuition here in Maine costs one-and-a-half times what it does today,” said Westphal. “The availability of state-supported student financial aid could remain flat and federal aid could actually decline, despite rising tuition, housing and transportation costs.
“That increase in tuition would have been unthinkable 15 years ago, when the state provided $2 of every $1 of tuition paid by students and their families.”
Currently, financial aid is not sufficient to support college students in Maine. Tuition and fees charged to students also subsidize greater proportions of financial aid, Westphal said.
“In essence, we are asking some students to pay the financial aid of others,” he said.
Rep. Robert Duplessie, assistant majority leader of the House, cited federal cuts of $300 million from Pell Grants and the elimination of Perkins grants as reasons for the current shortfall.
“Our officials in Maine have worked very hard to help education in Maine, but they’re going against an administration that has put its priorities in other areas like the military and industrial complex,” said Duplessie. “They have tried, though. The No Child Left Behind Act is a perfect example in which Washington has talked the talk but not walked the walk.”
House Majority Leader Glenn Cummings said appropriations to K-12 education is another reason for the lack of financial aid.
“K-12 takes up a huge chunk of the budget pie while higher education has been elbowed out a bit,” said Cummings. “That poses a major barrier to access to the American dream. The Legislature is going to have to make some tough decisions if that’s to change.”
Rep. Emily Cain, D-Orono, said K-12 doesn’t deserve cuts, however.
“You can’t cut education to fund education,” said Cain. “We need to find other ways to find the funding.”
In one such effort, Westphal proposed an $11 million increase in financial aid through a strategic five-year plan. The need-based aid increases will be implemented by fiscal year 2009.
Interim President Robert Kennedy said UMaine is doing its part to keep tuition low for students. If tuition does rise, he said universities will need to adjust to allow the best education possible.
In 2004, UMaine reached levels of $77 million in research expenditures, $13 million of which supported students in research and work-study programs.
“That is a win-win situation in many ways, since it not only helps support students with the cost of their education, but it provides invaluable work and research experience that will help them with their education and work after they leave the university,” said Kennedy.
Kennedy, who attended Tuesday’s address, also said a record $203 million was raised last year by organizations like the Alumni Association and Pulp and Paper Foundation. Most of the money from these endowment funds went to student scholarships.
Westphal also spoke on the deterioration of buildings on university campuses.
“Five years from now, you might visit a university campus and find several of its buildings lacking in functionality and aesthetics,” said Westphal. “The University System’s operating budget would be wholly insufficient to sustain the necessary renewal and modernization of its campuses while still maintaining basic operational costs.”
Kennedy said UMaine isn’t exempt from that dilemma either, and is working to fix it.
The current renovation agenda includes improvements to the art department in Lord Hall. Requests for funding currently pending comprise of plans to renovate the remainder of Aubert Hall, the Maine Center for the Arts and Fogler Library.
LD 198, a bill co-sponsored by Sen. Elizabeth Schneider, D-Orono, and Cain, will fund a $1.5 million digital library hosted by Fogler.
“With the aging population, it’s important to invest in our youth,” said Schneider. “Improving Fogler is one way to do that.”
Dean of University Libraries Joyce Rumery said she also submitted a proposal to the chancellor for a $26 million expansion to the library.
Besides the physical aspects of the University System’s shortcomings, Westphal also predicted a lack of quality educators.
“We could find ourselves without some of our best faculty members and staff. They could be lured away by better compensation offers from other universities and the private sector,” he said. “If these current trends remain constant, we could lack the resources necessary to replace or recruit additional faculty.”
In order to combat that, Westphal unveiled a $10.8 million faculty and staff compensation increase by 2009. The goal is to raise university incomes to 90 percent of the national average.
Another method the chancellor will use to improve salaries and boost the economy is to raise the money devoted to research and development to $25 million.
Duplessie agreed with the approach.
“Considering how much we contributed to research and development in the past, we can’t stop now,” said Duplessie. “By putting money into research and development, we’ve actually increased the money coming into the state, in some cases by as much as 15 times.”
In addition, Westphal voiced a need to increase the amount of men attending college.
“Currently, males are increasingly passing up opportunities to get an education,” said Westphal. “Instead, they are seeking the short-term benefits of under-skilled jobs and immediate personal rewards.”
Kennedy said the numbers at UMaine are considerably more equal than they are at the national level. According to Institutional Studies, UMaine consists of 4,247 female students compared to 4,150 males.
“But, in the first-year class, the females probably outnumber the males a little more than our student population as a whole,” said Kennedy.
In the conclusion of his address, Westphal reiterated the blueprints to restructure the University System that were adopted by the Board of Trustees in September 2004.
“It’s purposes were many: To find practical ways to enhance and sustain quality; to improve efficiency, cost-effectiveness and performance; and to enhance our ability to serve Maine and its people as a resource and partner,” said Westphal.
He said that while it will take years to implement the strategic plan, educational programs and services currently offered will continue.
One of the system-wide criticisms of the plan is its aim to increase the importance of the flagship campus in Orono.
“I think that’s vital in order to compete with other state universities,” said Schneider. “But it’s a divisive issue. Even a lot of faculty in Orono feel this will create resentment. Many would rather see the campuses work together and not necessarily focus just on the flagship campus.”
The chancellor pounded home his fears of a bleak outlook for the University System if something isn’t done first.
“Without serious public and private re-investment and partnerships, we will see the aspirations and achievements of Maine people held back,” said Westphal. “Today, we need a commitment to a new vision to insure that all Maine people have access to quality, affordable post-secondary education.”
