Joan Ferrini-Mundy, the 21st president of the University of Maine and vice chancellor for Research and Innovation, delivered her annual State of the University Address on March 7 at Minsky Recital Hall. In the speech, Ferrini-Mundy described recent UMaine accomplishments, governmental impacts and future improvements that are underway.
Ferrini-Mundy announced that UMaine was reaffirmed by the American Counsel in Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in its standing as an R1 top-tier research university this spring, and expressed enthusiasm for the historical $320 million grant from the Harold Alfond Foundation. She acknowledged specific groups with representatives present, such as the UMaine Graduate Workers Union (UMGWU), the Undergraduate Student Government, the Graduate Student Government and the Faculty Senate.
Ferrini-Mundy also spoke of the current sense of uncertainty and stress during a time of global unrest, shifting political landscapes, debates about individual rights, and economic standings. While students and faculty wonder about the future of UMaine under the current presidential administration, Ferrini-Mundy expressed that UMS leaders are actively seeking clarity as well.
Ferrini-Mundy emphasized that UMaine stands firm in its values, with a “commitment to freedom of speech, and academic and personal freedoms, to opportunity, inclusion and nondiscrimination in all that we do, and to respecting and supporting our community regardless of their background.” She insisted that navigating governmental changes requires thoughtfulness, dialogue and action to respond strategically and comply with law.
Ferrini-Mundy also offered historical context about the founding of UMaine in 1865. The institution was established as part of a larger national movement to democratize academia, making higher education accessible to everyone, as opposed to only the elite. The continued mission is to create new opportunities that “serve people of Maine and beyond by providing opportunity, education and economic mobility to those who sought it,” she explained.
“The framing of past, present and future is particularly relevant to this moment in UMaine history. Revisiting the past gives us perspective, and also [helps us] to realize that this university has had significant challenges over its 160 years. We’ve worked through them, our predecessors have worked through them. Examining and assessing the present…What we do now shapes what is yet to come,” said Ferrini-Mundy.
A total of 152 RLE course sections were offered for nearly 2000 participating students. She shared that the fall-to-fall retention rate going into 2023 was 77%. In Fall 2023 to Spring 2024, 81 faculty and staff-members were directly involved in supporting 742 first-year students. The retention rate then increased to 83.4%.
Student success teams were also established to provide guidance. There are currently early alert systems for instructors to identify students who may be struggling in a particular course. Other administrative measures to address the wider student experience include meaningful investments in health and wellness, the expansion of Student Life, a Residence Life curriculum and an increase in first-year engagement with Career Center.
A First Destination survey offered to graduates within six months of leaving UMaine assessed career efforts. Of the alumnus who filled it out following the 2023-24 academic year, 94% are either employed, pursuing further education or volunteering. Of those employed, 74% are working in fields such as engineering, healthcare and education. 24% of students continued in areas related to majors. About 80% of students from Maine remained in state for employment and 27% of students from out of state also stayed.
A total of 14 groups were established to lead planning efforts involving the Strategic Re-Envisioning (SRE) of UMaine. Academic portfolio review and research portfolio review groups are identifying areas for more effective collaboration between colleges and research centers.
“The goal of SRE is not just to improve what already exists. It is to fundamentally rethink how we deliver education, how we support students, all students, how we conduct research on what our areas of strength can be, how we derive the greatest value from the University’s diverse brainpower and resources and how we serve the state of Maine and beyond,” said Ferrini-Mundy.
In terms of the physical conditions of the Orono campus, there is $1 billion in deferred infrastructure maintenance. Over 60% of academic and research buildings, and 79% of residential buildings are more than 50 years old. E&G funds and project-specific donor funds are being used to improve these facilities across campus.
Ferrini-Mundy referred to the $170 million grant to Athletics from the Harold Alfond Foundation and other donors to renovate the Alfond Arena as a “transformative investment.” Other facility improvements include the New Balance Track and Field and Soccer Complex and the Morse Arena. She also commended the cumulative GPA of UMaine athletes, which is currently above 3.0.
Ferrini Mundy described these plans, along with the renovation of Boardman Hall and Whittier Farms’ incoming robotic milking facility as the “largest period of new construction in our history.”
The opening of Hotel Ursa in 2024 marked the official restoration of Colburn and Holmes Halls. Furthermore, campus construction of the GEM 50,000 square-foot facility began last year, which exemplifies UMaine’s commitment to being learner-centered R1 university. Ferrini-Mundy thanked the financial support of UMS and UMaine Foundation donors, governor of state legislature, tax payers, congressional delegation and other federal policy makers, faculty members, staff and campus leaders.
Ferrini-Mundy also highlighted that new degree programs were recently introduced for Fall 2025, such as a BS in criminal justice, a BS in computer science and business, and an online engineering doctorate in engineering technology. They will join the existing eight graduate certificate programs and 41 master’s programs. There is also a concentration in animal and veterinary sciences program now that has a pre-veterenary bioscience medical microbiology concentration and a new PhD concentration was introduced in special education. In terms of online programs, there are new graduate certificates in advanced library and media specialists, athletic administration and teacher leadership. Some approved new minors include game and design development, sports communication, sports technology, tourism, hospitality and outdoor recreation.
These degrees and concentrations and minors are meant to produce relevant learning opportunities as we continue to be a university that’s focused on fostering learner success.
Since Jan. 20, there has been a shift in federal policies related to funding, and domestic and international students and faculty. Ferrini-Mundy ensures carefulness and practicality in navigating new executive guidelines with the guidance of elected representatives at a federal and state-level, and legal counsel. A Federal Action Stakeholder Team (FAST) meets three times a week to review new federal actions. Similarly, a Grants Review Team meets daily to analyze communications from federal funding agencies. The Ad Hoc Communications Team is responsible for planning clear and timely responses.
Ferrini-Mundy shared that she met with other public land grant university presidents to compare strategies. She is grateful to Senator Susan Collins for persuading the U.S. Department of Commerce to restore the federal sea grant at UMaine. Ferrini-Mundy directed students to the UMS Federal Transition Updates webpage.
The final announcements were that Maine Impact Week will take place April 7 through 11, and Dean of Students Robert Dana, who retired in January, will serve as the 2025 Undergraduate Commencement speaker. Committees remain working on final award decisions for graduation.
Throughout the State of the University speech, several members of UMGWU held up posters and handed out informational pamphlets to shed light on increasing concerns about the future for international graduate workers at UMaine. With this negotiation, UMGWU is not asking for an increase in programming for international graduate workers, but rather a guarantee that resources will remain, or at least the ability to bargain if changes are implemented. Em Sowles, a graduate student in the physics department, helped to lead this demonstration at the Minsky Recital Hall.
“We’ve made a lot of great progress on our contract, but one of the sticking points has been around international grad worker rights and protections. Where we’re at right now, is the University system is refusing the last issue that we need to agree upon to reach an agreement on that article, which is around programming for international grad workers, and making sure there’s a commitment to continue that programming,” said Sowles.
Peter Howe, a PhD student in the School of Forest Resources, was another participant who shared a similar sentiment.
“These are issues that international graduate workers will continue to be speaking up about because these are their livelihoods on the line,” said Howe. “Particularly, with the Trump Administration really threatening a lot of protections and resources that are available to international grad workers, that need will only be growing more acute by the day.”
