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Six members of the University of Maine System’s chancellor’s Task Force sat back and listened to university members express their opinions and concerns Wednesday at 1 p.m in Wells Conference Center.
The system chancellor asked the Task Force to suggest more efficient ways for the University of Maine System to operate. The group has a June 2009 deadline.
“I think the primary purpose of this group was the perception that the University of Maine System was entering into an era where it was in danger of encountering what are called structural deficits. And the current projection is that with current trends, it’s now in the order of $42 million or more in the next four years, so something has to be done about that,” said David Flanagan, Chair of the Task Force. “The task force is going to consider addressing that through looking at structure and governance issues.”
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The group listened to commentary and suggestions from more than 15 community members – mostly faculty. Suggestions included eliminating one or more of the smaller universities in the system, aiding graduate studies and research and consolidating only the smaller universities’ services.
Pamela Dean, an alumna who works as the archivist in the Maine Folk Life Center on campus, described the Task Force’s assignment as “impossible.”
“I think you have been given an impossible task. I do not see any way you will find the means to cut or raise $40 million without closing campuses. I think it is very shortsighted to have limited your charge in this case, and I hope that that will be reconsidered,” Dean said.
Dean said having seven campuses might have once been necessary, when travel was difficult, but keeping them now is “unworkable and unneeded.”
“We are to the point of continuing to cut into muscle; we are not trimming fat anymore. Everything that can be trimmed, everything that can be delayed has been delayed. We have incredible backlogs of everything. We are losing faculty – we are losing the best faculty. We are going to be losing staff. This cannot continue. The State of Maine cannot let it continue. This is the most important thing the state supports. Without a good higher education system, the economy goes to hell. If we rule out at the beginning the hard choices, we are going to be left with some very unpleasant results.”
Cary Jenson, a faculty member in social work, said, “I can’t help but think that some significant restructuring, consolidation, streamlining of the system of seven campuses will give us the most bang for the buck.”
The Task Force’s Flanagan responded by saying the group can do only what was asked of it.
“The charge of this committee is to make best of the system that we have and not to change the fundamental structure of the seven campuses,” Flanagan said. “… We should respect the parameters of the assignment that we were given.”
Flanagan said he thinks there is room for significant, transformational change without eliminating the system’s seven-campus structure.
“I’d rather work constructively with the charge we have than invent a new one,” he said.
Associate professor of history, Liam Riordan, said, “this campus that is the centerpiece of the system has been operating on a very empty tank for at least a decade.”
Riordan expressed concern over Orono’s campus losing distinctiveness.
He was also concerned with representation on the Task Force.
“The fact that it doesn’t have a graduate student member, I think, is telling that that is not a priority. It is the kind of oversight that makes us worried about the future of our campus and the future of the system,” he said.
As he wrapped up his allotted three minutes at the lectern, Riordan gave the six members of the Task Force a sort of test.
“From my departmental point of view – a department I’m very proud to be a member of – in part because we’re the only Ph.D.-granting department in the humanities in the state of Maine. And my paranoia is such, my fear is such to expect that nobody on your Task Force knows which department I’m from. Thank you for your consideration.”
Riordan took his seat. Flanagan asked that he come back to the lectern.
“So?” Flanagan asked.
“So my paranoia is confirmed?” the associate professor said.
Task Force member and Riordan’s coworker, Robert Rice, eventually responded that he worked in the History Department.
Also at the discussion, the chair of the IT Council said she and her co-workers were given one month to provide insight to where the system’s technology should go. Gail Garthwait said this worried her.
“A plan we had been presented with looked at 17 positions in technology, information technology, around the campuses that will be morphed in some way ending up with six new positions that are intended to feed the PeopleSoft beast,” Garthwait said. “I think every person in here who has dealt with PeopleSoft is concerned with the black hole of money. We urge you that that may be an area to look at.”
JulieAnn Scott, a graduate student, expressed concern over cuts and asked the Task Force to remember UMaine’s mission as a university.
Student Sen. Nate Wildes asked for more transparency online to allow students to follow the actions the Task Force suggests to the chancellor and to think of making large changes.
“As you rework the system, take a comprehensive, from-scratch look at this and say what is the easiest way, what is the best way,” Wildes said. “… It’s really important to have that blank canvas approach. That is the only way students will be able to adapt to this at the speed we have to. I think if we continue patching things here and there, it will go nowhere.”
A 1957 graduate, James Varner, suggested asking for donations to help adjust budgetary issues.
“With regard for the $40 million projected loss for the University of Maine System in the next four years, we need to point out with a laser accuracy where the shortfalls are going to be in the budget, and we need to ask alumni to make special donations, among their regular membership fees,” Varner said.
Others in the town-hall style forum spoke about ways to centralize some campuses’ services, the lack of transparency of other parts of the restructuring process, how the system needs state funding and the positive effects of the system and UMaine to Maine’s economy.
To e-mail comments to the Task Force, write to taskforce@maine.edu.
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