PORTLAND, Maine — New University of Maine System Chancellor James H. Page said Thursday morning he plans to make the system “more aligned, more nimble, more innovative and more accountable.”
UMS faculty members hope Page, who teaches philosophy at the flagship Orono campus, can help turn around relations between the faculty and administration because of his classroom pedigree. The faculty’s union, the Associated Faculties of the University of Maine System, has been without a settled contract for eight months amid what have at times been contentious negotiations.
Page, 59, was introduced to the news media after a nearly 40-minute private meeting of the board of trustees’ executive committee in the Wishcamper Center at the University of Southern Maine, during which the panel voted unanimously to appoint him to the post. Page, CEO of James W. Sewall Co. in Old Town and an adjunct associate professor of philosophy at the University of Maine, will start work as chancellor March 20. His annual salary will be $277,500.
A representative of system faculty members, who are scheduled to meet with UMS contract negotiators in two more mediation sessions over the next two weeks, applauded the selection of a chancellor with experience teaching in the system. Ed Collum — a USM sociology professor and president of the campus’s branch of the union — said he hopes Page will be sympathetic to the faculty and bring “transparency and leadership” to the position.
The trustees chose Page over finalists Rebecca Wyke, the system’s current vice chancellor for finance and administration, and former University of Arizona executive vice president and provost Meredith Hay. Page will replace Richard Pattenaude, who announced plans to retire from the chancellorship last May.
“Dr. Page’s experience both in academic settings and running a multimillion-dollar business made him an ideal candidate,” board chairwoman Michelle Hood told reporters Thursday.
Hood said Page’s diverse background bridging business and education prime him to implement the trustees’ recently recalibrated goals, which involve development of postsecondary programs that are more responsive to business and work force needs in the state.
Page, the first Maine native and system alumnus to be named the University of Maine System chancellor, said he would not discuss details of any changes he might propose to the system, but acknowledged priorities on making the UMS campuses more affordable to students and more focused on educational excellence.
He also recognized the budget constraints facing the state and the system.
“I’m not going to get into specifics, but how do we allocate our resources to meet both of those goals?” Page posed.
Page said his academic background is in analytical philosophy, a subject that is transferable to his business work and his new post.
“It’s essentially very complex problem solving,” he said. “It’s actually very content-neutral.”
The new chancellor said he plans to tour the state early in his tenure, building relationships with government and industry leaders to ensure the system’s seven campuses are plugged in to economic development and job market trends.
“I want the university system to be front [and] center in all the discussions going on in those areas,” he said.
Collum, who welcomed Page to the position during the morning press conference on behalf of the faculty, told reporters after the event he “ranked [Page’s] candidacy the highest” of the three applicants.
Collum said the faculty union and system administration remain at loggerheads over proposed salary figures in the next contract. He said faculty members accepted no cost-of-living pay adjustments in their previous pact and are now calling for such increases, while system finance officials have said 0.5 percent annual wage increases are all the university campuses can afford in the current economy.
Collum said he hopes Page allows more faculty involvement in system-level budgeting.
“We are pleased to see a Ph.D. faculty member taking over the chancellor’s office, someone who has experience being a faculty member in the system,” he said.
“Jimmy” Page ? No way…..lol
Here is where real savings can be realized. Eliminate the chancellors position. Would never miss it. Consolidate the presidents also. Why couldn’t one president serve UMPI and UMFK? The times call for it.
Why can’t LeePage run ’em in his spare time?
*Why can’t LePage run in his spare time?
Just a Joke Job.
277k? seriously? for doing what exactly? no way the salary should be this high, especially when the university system is strapped for cash and students tuitions/fees seem to be increasing like mad. wonder how the ADJUCT philosophy professor–and full time businessman–would justify that one…
$277k is a bargain if Page can successfully address the problems you have identified in your post.
And one man will change this how? These are systemic problems that range from Sallie Mae “student” loans all the way down to dining services. I hope you’re right but I highly doubt he will have any significant impact on the university system.
As a philosophy professor I am curious to know how Mr. Page would justify this salary given the hardships that most families today face. Just one of the good ole boys if you ask me.
Old Greek saying, “The fish smells first at the head”. In this case, I’m excited that someone with Page’s background will provide thoughtful leadership and experienced management.
Yes, as in every successful enterprise (Apple, Microsoft, GE under Jack Welch, etc, etc), the right person at the “head” made huge differences… unlike the historic inability to impact academics by the scribe class.
Apple: Steve Jobs was pretty much a nut job–belittling, erratic, and of course the “distortion field”. Microsoft: Gates didn’t care about the product, just stole stuff from Apple, was a businessman not a leader. (And Balmer really is a nut job.) These are multinational corporations now. Granted when they first started Jobs and Gates were very influential. But now both companies are doing fine with new leaders. The University of Maine system is by no means a startup—one man will not change anything. I’m willing to guess you have some relation to the Sawyer business given your name, and if so, don’t you think you’re a bit biased?
If you mean I’m biased about Page… I’ve never met the man.
If you mean the rather successful business I built up over thirty years from next to nothing, who took enough care of my 250 employees to enjoy a 5% turnover rate among highly-motivated and emmpowered truck drivers and mechanics, who’s philanthrophy was second only to Steven King’s in the Bangor area, who was squeezed out of business by the likes of King John Martin and Prince John Baldacci, and forced to sell to a publicly-traded corporation from away, which screwed the citzens of Maine in collaboration with that same Prince John Baldacci via the Rape of Juniper Ridge… that would be me.
Yeah, one person CAN make a HUGE difference in any institution; by being an Entrepreneur, a Governor, or a Chancellor.
I’d guess two out of three doing the right thing is as good as it gets.
I am pleased they hired a Maine person, if someone gets the 277k it should stay in Maine
University of Maine Fails Data Test
http://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/university-of-maine-fails-data-test
Perspective please:
Chancellor salaries-
U of Tenn: $372,000
Kansas $450,000
Florida $350,000
New Hampshire $280,000
Tennesee $ 305,000
I wanted to include the poorest states as well-
Mississippi $220,000 (2007 info)
Alabama $537,000
Arkansas $465,000
Kentucky $340,000+
and our children are suppose to afford to go to college?
For those of us who feared that Rebecca Wyke would become Chancellor, this is welcome news. Her public appearances at both UMaine and USouthern Maine revealed someone who who knew nothing about lots of basic facts and developments outside of her office suite in Bangor. The real waste is not Page’s salary but her $165,000. She is at once ignorant and arrogant. For example, she knew nothing about Orono’s many international students–claiming that all were athletes (hardly true), knew nothing about student financial aid, and treated all questions in a rude manner. She should be fired. But she’ll stay on in order to oppose any pay raises for System employees, as she has done for years now, claiming that the System’s millions in reserve funds can’t be touched. Page, thank God, has a real doctorate–not the weekend one Wyke is working on–and is at once a fine teacher and a fine corporate leader.
277k that is absurd and GROSS. UMS you disgust me to the max!!!! My alma mater!!!
Probably quite a jump from his CEO job.
Have you seen what non-profit (read tax-exempt) institutions are paying around Maine these days?
Check MaineBiz’s annual posting of hospital CEO’s, CFO’s, other College/University presidents, and medical specialists for a real surprise.
Quite a few enjoy packages in the $1 Million range each year.
Some of them are up there. I think it sometimes depends on the level of those beneath them.
Not really, he is not only CEO of J.W. Sewall, he owns it.
Jim Page is the right person for the position. Native Mainer who understands Maine culture, UM grad, succesful business executive, familiar with academia and a good listener. Maine taxpayers should be pleased he was willing to trade his private sector position for his new public sector challenge.
You are so Right On.
Page’s appointment was (hopefully) a stroke of genius!
I wonder if Maine is onto something here by hiring a Maine-rooted person, just like Dr. Robert Clark at Husson was raised in Maine with local family ties.
Go get ’em Jim!
He deserves it. Look he has a doctorate degree. Those guys went and got an education so they could land these jobs. No one stopped any of us from doing the same, it was our choice. Is it a waste of money by the University system, absolutely. BTW, the politics in those jobs alone is enough to warrant the salary.
The unions run the UMS system, anyways. So it doesn’t make a bit of difference who they chose.
That’s a big claim. How about giving us three evidentiary examples? One?