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The University of Maine chancellor’s speech on Monday has drawn criticism from concerned community members for being too vague and lacking transparency. So far, it seems difficult to assess the chancellor’s plan for bridging the budget shortfall when no plan has been developed.
It is certainly understandable for tensions to be high when jobs and important programs are on the line. The chancellor’s approach to solving problems relied too heavily on calls to trust him and the team responsible for making those decisions.
We agree with chancellor Richard Pattenaude that it is too early to draw conclusions on a plan, and we appreciate promises of transparency. But the chancellor has a way to go toward ensuring skepticism doesn’t tip into cynicism. For example, the Faculty Senate posed criteria for their acceptance of any plan. The chancellor should have addressed that list more directly.
The chancellor expressed the sentiment that “if the University of Maine does not want something to happen, it’s sort of foolish to think it would happen. Again, we don’t invest in stupid too often.” While perhaps sincere, we need to see concrete means for accomplishing those goals. “Trust us” is not a concrete plan.
For example, the chancellor dismissed UMaine’s concerns that smaller schools are overrepresented by noting there are no “votes” in this process. Perhaps there should be, even if merely to advise and critique proposals and their impacts. The chancellor insists that UMaine will be weighed proportionate to its importance in the system, but we have no concrete assurance.
The chancellor should be applauded for his embrace of transparency. But those words must be supported by actions.
