BANGOR, Maine — The University of Maine System board of trustees passed a balanced budget for 2012-13 on Monday despite a $2.3 million reduction in the state appropriation, decreasing enrollment and the first freeze on in-state undergraduate tuition since 1987.
But “the current operating model will not be sustainable over time,” said Rebecca Wyke, the system’s vice chancellor for finance and administration.
The budget reflects nearly $529 million in expenses, about $5.4 million less than fiscal year 2011-12.
The universities will increase some student fees, mostly at the University of Maine School of Law and for graduate students. Room and board charges are rising by between $150 and $250 over the last fiscal year.
The University of Southern Maine’s room and board fees will decrease by $528 because USM is trying to draw more students into its residence halls.
Enrollment in the system is projected to continue to dip in the next school year, continuing recent trends. In 2007, the system had a student head count of 32,340, which had dropped to 30,080 by 2011, according to a fiscal year 2011-12 system enrollment report. State demographics indicate those numbers might not improve anytime soon.
Maine’s population of 15- to 24-year-olds is expected to decline by nearly 20 percent between 2010 and 2020, according to Wyke, adding that nearly half of all high school graduates don’t attend college.
Wyke and system Chancellor James Page have said the system needs to look to expand its distance education efforts, draw more adults and attract a higher percentage of Maine students to the state university system.
The system also faces the challenge of aging infrastructure, with 69 percent of its more than 650 buildings built more than 25 years ago. Many of those buildings are in need of significant maintenance but costs have been deferred and the backlog is adding up to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.
Meanwhile, university faculty unions continue to lobby for new contracts and salary increases.
Page said the system can’t expect to see more money anytime in the near future.
In 2008, the system got $6.2 million more from the state than it did this fiscal year.
“We have to change the way we approach these matters” and do more strategic planning rather than react to funding cuts and a dwindling demographic environment, Page said.
Page said the system needs to start:
• Aligning system funding with performance-based outcomes, which will include a review of performance-based funding models.
• Review administrative costs and structures at all levels of the system and reallocate savings from administration and infrastructure to campus faculty, research and public service efforts.
• Improving the college credit transfer process so students can transition more easily from one university system campus to another or from the community college system to the university system and vice versa.
There was little discussion of the budget on Monday because the Finance and Facilities Committee reviewed the budget in detail during a May 14 meeting.
In other business at Monday’s meeting, the board awarded Theodora Kalikow the title of president emerita at the University of Maine at Farmington. She is retiring from the presidency of that school on June 30.
University of Maine at Presque Isle President Donald Zillman also plans to step down in order to return to teaching. Michelle Hood, chairwoman of the board of trustees, read board resolutions thanking the two presidents for their years of service and listing the accomplishments of the universities while under their leadership.
“When you see a turtle on top of a fencepost, you know it didn’t get there by itself,” Kalikow said, borrowing a quote from a greeting card to acknowledge the board, UMF staff and students for helping her along the way.
The board also voted to demolish two buildings at the UMF campus and updated the system’s student code of conduct, which is required every three years.
The next meeting of the UMS board of trustees is scheduled for July 9 at the system office in Bangor.
The population of Maine is in the decline for the youth from15 to 24 year olds.
Average age is 42 years old for Mainers
Then why is the city of Bangor putting 100% of it’s development funds into downtown Bangor for the Pubs and Eateries that cater to the youth… You would think they would do the math and make places in the downtown Bangor for middle aged people where they would feel safe. thats where the money is. ……. Where did you say the farmers market was going to be this year??? How much money did the City spend accomodating them????
…perhaps they’re trying to attract youth to the area or give them a reason to stay?
To Eat and Drink and work for tips is a reason to stay…., it seems you might be right with the response you have gotten. Thanks for the insight. (-;
Exactly.
Well, what a surprise! Guess this is what happens when your primary focus is sustaining administrative salaries, dedication to appearances rather than substance, hiring and promoting cronies and friends, and a feudal attitude that guarantees these campuses will keep competing instead of complementing one another. This system has been seriously broken for years and will keep declining until something is done about it. Not the lip-service that has been paid, too. The last “study” was so full of double-speak gobbledeegook it was laughable. My Honor Roll, 4.0 GPA, child is looking at colleges now. What a shame that we can’t think of taking advantage of in-state tuition. We all deserve better than this system can offer.
Take another look because this system is capable of teaching well, efficiently and without private school-level expenses to the student. Send him/her to an upscale graduate school afterwards. All those schools will be using grad. ass’ts. for first two year education loads, so why do you think they will be better?
I went to UMO and have hired/fired lots of folks out of the biggies and the ivies, so, it’s always a matter of what you know, who you know and luck. Also, remember not to shoot the messenger on this one because Page is facing it squarely. Instead, vent on the prior folks (Patenaude and Baldacci, et al) who did a number politically on the system.
UMO doesn’t exist.
Do you really think anyone other than you cares one tiny little bit about whether it’s called the University of Maine, the University of Maine at Orono or UMO? The answer, in case you’re struggling with it, is no.
The “University of Maine” moniker was created to distinguish it from all the satellite “University of Maine at _____” campuses as the Flagship Campus.
Yes. But again, who cares?
Most people.
It’s a matter of YOUR opinion. Most companies don’t want to pay the salary to someone with a graduate degree and to blame anything of the such on P and B is only your opinion.
Perhaps you could tell us on what you base your assessment of the academic quality of education in the UMaine system. This 4.0 GPA student earned degrees at a prestigious private university as well as USM. I found most of USM’s instructors to be excellent. They exceeded my expectations of a public university, and I was well-prepared to enter the work force. But that’s my opinion based on my classroom experience.
You sound like a professor at UM.
Certainly: Nearly a decade of teaching experience in the system, two decades of experience at other “prestigious” private institutions, and even some high school teaching mixed in there, a long and successful private career in my chosen field, multiple projects funded by granting organizations in Maine and elsewhere, regular service to my community, and raising two motivated, intelligent, independent children. Of course there are good teachers in the system, and I congratulate you on making the most of your time at USM, but I stand by my observations which are all based on direct, personal experience in the classroom, serving on committees, and talking with students over my 35 year teaching career. It seems, too, that many agree with me, as my comments have received more “likes” here than any other post…by far. Thanks for asking.
Thank you for your response. I don’t think that all aspects of the university system are good; in fact, I have found my experience with administration to be absymal. One other point: Yes, your post has received many “likes.” Most posts that are negative regarding any taxpayer-funded program or agency usually receives a big round of applause on this site.
You’re quite welcome. To your point about the reason many agree: Characterizing my comments as “negative” and therefore drawing “applause” misses the point. I point out specific areas in which improvement is sorely needed. That is constructive criticism, which is necessary for any individual or institution to address in order to improve. My concern is that this system is not really interested in improving itself, but instead merely interested in maintaining the status quo in which those who are in power remain in power, including entrenched faculty who are too comfortable in their positions to risk “rocking the boat.” Where the focus is not “students first,” I’m going elsewhere. I wish it were otherwise, believe me.
A not even one protest from any of these UMS administrators of the $9,000,000 of annual taxpayer subsidies to the Maine Maritime Academy (twice the average per student) of which nearly 1/2 of the student body of 900 are from out of state who graduate and never look back.
That was Rosen and the appropriations committee that did that………….corporate WELFARE at it’s finest!!!
Was A time when only the brightest went to college. Now they cry because only 50% of high school kids go. As far as credit hours makes me think enrollment might me up just people taking less classes. About 1/2 of a percent less credit hours. Could be that now they take people with IQs in the lower 80s that they cannot compete full time . Is it really a decline in enrollment? or is it an outright lie.
What a cowardly way to express a decline in enrollment…why not just give the number of students year to year? What are they hiding?
Sounds kinda dicey.
Consolidate the campuses, UM for northern Maine and USM for southern Maine.
Consolidate into 6 schools:
Tier I/Flagship Research Institution:
The University of Maine
Tier II:
University of Southern Maine
Tier III:
Maine State College (UMA)
Farmington State College (UMF)
Aroostook State College (UMPI/UMFK)
Downeast State College (UMM)
Someone please call LePage and tell him if he wants to leave a legacy to Maine that he needs to hire dunbar2 for his next Education Commissioner ! This is the most objective and balanced reform plan that has been ever put out. The only thing missing is where do the Community College’s and Vo-Tech School’s go. That’s not that hard, given both Maine’s demonstrated need for Trade’s education and the now-realized truth that not every one wants to go to college.
Given how screwed up the education system is in Maine right now, this plan of dunbar2’s is almost the equivalent of The Ten Commandment’s in it’s potential impact, it’s simple application and, most importantly, it’s ability to be understood. It’s way past time that educational planning was done on a State-wide basis, both on subject and timing, so that our kid’s, and those coming from out of State, can know what Maine has to offer. Private college’s like Unity and Colby are free to do what they want as they are self-supporting. But State Universities and the supporting Community College’s are in drastic need of reform and even Paulie and Company, including both the Faculties and the State Legislature, can’t deny that. Dunbars2’s outline seems like a good place to start !
Community colleges, at least KVCC and SMCC are thriving and bursting at the seams with students seeking practical degrees—-which is exactly what the land grant colleges were tasked to do and drifted away.
Perhaps we should make KVCC and SMCC the dominant form of higher education…enough competing with B,B, & Colby.
Renaminig the problem? The State Colleges were, I believe, originally teachers colleges that were transformed into UMS probably to re-package their costs.
Sounds like we need more dormitories.
We’re graduating way too many young people from High School without basic compentency in Math and English. Then we send them to one of our Community Colleges or University System sites. Dial the numbers back and insist on quality, not quantity.
I disagree that all folks need to know Math!!!!! This is a money maker for a University. There are many professions that math is NEVER utilized. There is a certain way of thinking if you understand math. Not thinking this way and being tested for math is keeping many competent folks from pursuing their dreams. If one needs to be tested and know math, why not Art too? Obviously English is important, but math NOT so………….
Math is taught in pre school to 3 year olds. I hope you are kidding.
No, I’m not kidding. Why not test everyone in art, science and geography? Math does not have anything to do with most professions. Basic math yes, advanced …….not necessary!!
Page knows what he is talking about. His plan for moving forward is sound and will make a big difference. It won’t happen overnight but he is definitely headed in the right direction. All campuses need to buy into his plan. He is setting the stage for success. Thank God the system had this man in place.
Rebecca Wyke got her job without a search–as detailed in the John Christie and Naomi Shallit article of a couple of weeks ago–and earned $165,000 in mere base salary as of last year, maybe more now even as she blocks any payraises for faculty and ordinary staff. His appearances as a candidate for Chancellor at both Orono and USM were an embarrassment: she knew nothing about the campuses and instead of being humble, she was distressingly arrogant. I’d hope that Chancellor Page would fire her; but probably not.
Give him time, he appears to get it but it may be a clever camouflage.
She also gave a high-paying administrator’s job to, her buddy Chip Gavin, just like when she was commissioner of finance and administration under Baldacci, and before that when she was deputy secretary of state. Wyke has been a one person employment agency for Gavin for the past twenty years. Now, with system’s challenges of aging infrastructure, guess who’s in charge of facilities? Wyke’s buddy Gavin…the guy who tried to sell three state-owned houses to a prison warden under the table. Based upon past experience, don’t expect much now.
I think another $7,000,000 in pay hikes are in order. That will fix it.
Parents like UMaine;
Safe,
Affordable,
And no other place like the Maine people!
Yes we gave issues, bur doesn’t everyone and every place?
One of the most alarming aspects of the modern political era is that right leaning politicians have managed to convince poor and dumb or rural kids that getting educated is ‘elitist’ and somehow a bad idea. So they’re not going to college. The worst ones are hanging around thinking that they’re going to be hired to work in a paper factory or a shoe factory like their fathers. The rest of them are sticking with school, learning to ignore the right and going on with learning. God help this Country. Please.
That was the battle cry of the Santorum and Gingrich campaign’s. Look where it got them. Does every body WANT to go to college ? No and it would be arrogance to say they they all do. Do they have the capacity. Y-E-S and that’s what the K-12 educational system is supposed to encourage and develop. That these statistics show otherwise tells us all that the educational system is broke and needs a serious, and massive, overhaul with the end goal of geting the kid’s ready to function, and achieve their best, when they join to contribute to Maine or wherever they go. It also tells us that we as parent’s need to step up and get more involved with our kid’s when it comes to their school’s, their study’s and where they want to go in life. Educatiing isin’t just in the classroom. In a strange way, to quote Hillary, maybe ‘It does take a whole village’ to help our kids achive what they want for themselves.
Maybe they were thinking that the “poor and dumb” or “rural kids” could sell trinkets around some national park.
Oh please, while the left is teaching to protest, go on food stamps, SSD, the Country ows you everything ect… I have been retired as of 2002, I don’t have a degree, a degree is not always needed to get somewhere in life. My nephew make $38 and hour no degree hum.
they need to close UMFK or UMPI. There just are not enough students in Northern Maine to justify two campuses. Replace one with a distance learning center.
Time to cull the heard and consolidate campuses. Administrative costs and an aging infrastructure are getting too espensive. This can be done and they can still provide a quality education. They just have to want to do it.
Here we go. This is a prelude to an out and out attack to get more of our tax dollars.
This is no surprise to me. With the price of an education and the lack of jobs…………who would want to graduate with a school loan three times the size of their first mortgage with NO job????? Sounds like a bunch of smart folks to me.
However the boss says he is still ok with giving a raise.
Nobody has mentioned that the community college system received a huge chunk of money just about the time enrollment dropped at the U Maine campuses. Why is anyone surprised?
So now the campuses have fewer first and second year students, but when the community college students transfer to the four year colleges, those financially strained campuses are supposed to have faculty and resources to support the larger junior and senior classes.
What is portrayed as a failure of the U Maine system is actually just a testimony to the large number of students who enroll in the cheaper community colleges.
Unfortunately, when those students make the move to the four year colleges, the deficiencies in their community college education become a liability for those students and demand much remedial work and assistance from faculty to help them understand that while community colleges are a step further than high school, they don’t offer the depth or challenge that the four year colleges do.