ORONO, Maine — Charles Slavin, the man at the helm of the University of Maine’s honors program for the past 15 years, died unexpectedly but peacefully at his home on Monday morning, according to the university.
The 58-year-old mathematician was a jack of many trades who affected the lives of many who passed through the honors program over the years, according to Honors College graduate and state Rep. Emily Cain, D-Orono.
“At heart, he was a student of philosophy and history” who sought to understand society, arts and sports, not just numbers.
“Charlie was really my first friend at the University of Maine,” Cain said.
Cain joined the honors program at UMaine in 1998, largely because of Slavin’s support and encouragement to do so, she said. She graduated from the program in 2002, the same year Slavin successfully transitioned the program into an Honors College.
“Charlie took the work he did here very seriously and very personally,” Cain said.
“Charlie Slavin was one of our most highly regarded colleagues, campus leaders and dear friends,” said UMaine President Paul Ferguson. “All of us who knew Charlie were enriched by his love of life, his love of family and — for us in the academy — his love of scholarship. Although we will deeply miss our daily interactions with him, his presence and impact will be felt for decades to come.”
Susan Hunter, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, said Slavin was a beloved figure on campus.
“He was absolutely dedicated to the mission of the University of Maine and the Honors College,” Hunter said. “He will be sorely missed by his students and his colleagues.”
“His legacy is the thousands of student lives he’s changed over the years, including mine,” Cain said.
Cain now works in the Honors College as the coordinator of advancement.
Slavin’s advocacy and passion for the program were significant contributors to her decision to help the college in her own way, she said.
Cain said Slavin seldom dressed in traditional university professor fashion.
“I think probably four times a year, Charlie wore a tie,” Cain said with a chuckle, “and usually because someone made him.”
Cain said she will miss his “silly side,” which always came out when he was with his family or teaching his youngest son, Sam, to play hockey.
Slavin received a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in mathematics from Princeton University in 1976 and a master’s and doctorate in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin in 1980 and 1984, respectively.
Slavin is survived by his wife, Nancy Hall, an associate professor of communication sciences and disorders, and his children.
Charlie, the world is truly a better place for having had you in it, even if only for a short while. Thank you for everything, you really have touched the lives of many! Peace be with you, wherever you are.
A true loss for the University of Maine community. Condolences to his loved ones!
Nothing at all against Emily Cain, but this article is very heavily focused on her….please do a follow-up article that talks about Charlie, where he’s been in his life, where he taught, who he was, not about Ms. Cain.
Agreed. He was an amazing man and really does deserve a story about himself. I may not agree with all of his views, but he always pushed us to challenge ourselves, our perspectives, and points of view. I hope this doesn’t become about (D) vs (R).
Why should it become a political football?
Wow. As someone who knew Charlie and knows Emily, I can tell you that this has absolutely nothing to do with politics. They could have interviewed anyone that knew Charlie, and Emily is well spoken and was very close with him. There were absolutely no political topics covered here. A dditionally, as she is so well known among the community here, and specifically the honors college, it makes sense that she would be in a position to speak about Charlie’s influence on her life, because so many people personally know her.
Please do NOT inject false meaning into my words. I am an Emily Cain supporter so this has NOTHING to do with her or with politics. I feel the article focuses too much on her….and it would not matter if the “her” in this case was an honors student named Betty Boop”…..and not enough on Charlie. I want to read about what influenced HIM in his younger years, where else he taught, who he was. The article tells me much more about another person than it does Charlie. That is MY ONLY POINT. Don’t make it into something else.
I bet Nikita is affiliated with UMaine somehow, only in that it reminds me of the type of rebuttal I’d get from some student or employee. What they like to do is put words into your mouth that you never actually said and then argue those words back at you as if you said them in order to discredit what you actually said.
I would love to hear more the lives he has touched. My son for one is a very bright man with autism. When my son was having a problem Charlie stepped right up and looked into the issue for us. He was a someone you could walk right up to and start a conversation, as I did and feel very comfortable. He will be missed by the program, the staff and the students. I am glad that he spent his time touching the lives of so many students.
I have to agree…
I think it’s remarkable and worth noting that the Honors College Charlie helped to create graduated its largest class this year. I’m glad he was able to see that…. and proud to have been a part of it. I feel honored to have had him put that medallion around my neck. RIP Charlie!
Charlie Slavin worked to build the Honors program into the Honors college at UMaine. He went above and beyond the duties of a professor and administrator, often staying on campus late into the evening to attend lectures, films, and presentations with students. He attended as many honors defenses as he could every year, and was a joyful advocate for excellence in education. He was supportive, inquisitive, and passionate about learning. When I was accepted at the University of Maine, I was not invited into the Honors program, but I showed up and knocked on Charlie’s door — and he let me in. And that has made all the difference so far. This is a very sad day for the UMaine community and public education in the State of Maine. My thoughts and prayers go out to Charlie’s family and friends.
“I’m sure she had lots of close ties at UMO” … did you even read the article? It is plainly obvious. Cain is a graduate of the honors program and now works for it! She didn’t “shoehorn” herself into the article, the reporter probably interviewed her because she was one of Prof. Slavin’s students and continued to work with him. You might not like Cain’s politics, but your complaints about the article are just off the mark.
A great loss to UMaine. Charlie did so much to bring lots of smart students to UMaine who, without the Honors College, might well have gone elsewhere. Emily Cain graduated Phi Beta Kappa from UMaine and was an Honors College participant. That accounts for her being hired by Charlie. Her being a State Rep did not mean that her appointment was a political one. It was, however, President Peter Hoff’s idea to expand the respected but limited Honors Program into an Honors College with its own residence hall and classrooms and to hire some more instructors. Typically, once President Bob Kennedy “replaced” the man who had hired him as Provost, Kennedy claimed exclusive credit for the Honors College. No one dared challenged that myth.
Deepest condolences to the family and many, many friends of Professor Charlie Slavin, my friend and highly regarded colleague. Charlie was a wonderful man, a true scholar, teacher, mentor, and genuinely fine human being. He will be sorely missed on campus and doubtless well beyond the Orono campus. It is simply not possible to reckon the full impact of his positive and beneficial influence on campus, not only in the lives of legions of Honors students, but also on his colleagues on the faculty and in the University’s administration. Rest in peace, our esteemed colleague and friend.
James W. Warhola
Professor and Chairman,
Department of Political Science
The University of Maine
Thank you for this tribute, Jim.
Truly, Charlie will be much missed. His energy and commitment were amazing. He accomplished much and touched many. The University of Maine and the state it serves have suffered a real loss. To his family, our deepest condolences.
Thanks, Jim. I couldn’t have put it any better. Charlie was such an integral part of the University of Maine and the Honors College, and a warm, generous, and thoughtful human being. He will be missed immeasurably by all those who knew him. My heartfelt condolences to Charlie’s family.
Read past the line. Get over it. Honor the man.
Sad news. I never met the man but his legacy of program and outstanding alumni speak well of him.
I just can’t believe it…..a man so full of life now gone and at 58….very sad, very scary.
I had Charlie as an undergraduate and I became interested in Math because of him. We had many friendly debates about many issues and I was always impressed by his debating abilities. He had a way of challenging me to look at an issue from another angle. I am really shocked to hear this news as I saw him not too long ago and…well I’m at a loss for words. Rest in peace Charlie.
Charlie did so many great things for countless students, and inspired and encouraged everyone who met him. I was always impressed at how well he remembered names, remembered faces, and how he worked hard to keep the Honors College thriving. For those of us who graduated, he was the face of UMaine Honors; his successor will have some very big Crocs to fill, as Charlie rarely wore shoes. Rest in Peace, Charlie; you are missed.
I knew Charlie years ago, when I played a bit of volleyball on the UM Club team which he coached; and we played together on a men’s team that traveled around Maine paying in tournaments here and there.
What a great guy. So sad to hear of his sudden passing at such a young age.
I say it again – what a great guy.
Charlie was a great guy–helpful, encouraging, cheerful, intelligent, hard-working, loving husband and father. I really enjoyed working with him and will miss him so much. UM will never be the same. Charlie’s work to create the Honors College is a wonderful legacy. My condolences to his family. Rest in peace, Charlie.
Charlie, my friend, I am so sorry that you are gone. My thoughts and prayers are with your family. What sustains me is the knowledge that your family and friends always knew how much you loved and cared for them; that thousands of students were personally welcomed, inspired, and encouraged by you; and that the Honors College that you championed has come to embody the ideal of a liberal education. You fostered this environment in which students and professors alike were challenged to become better thinkers, writers, researchers and teachers. My hope and our challenge, is that the Honors tradition that you strengthened and shaped will continue to flourish at the University of Maine.
François G. Amar
Chair, Department of Chemistry
and Faculty of the Honors College
University of Maine
Just let it go.
I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt here and assume that you are overwrought about the loss of Charlie. You and I are virtually always on the same side of an issue, both liberal and I believe fair-minded. Your name-calling and character assassination toward me is uncalled for and totally off the mark. Since this should be about Charlie Slavin and his contributions to the University of Maine and the students he supported, I’m going to leave it at that and end my remarks with a salute to him and condolences to his family. I still hope to read more about his remarkable life in other articles and, I assume, his forthcoming obituary. He will be a tough act to follow and will leave a huge hole in our educational mission.
Hang in there DogFreak some of us understand logic, reason, and objective opinions. Not all of us are wrapped up in subjective, illogical, and irrational argumentation. But I would drop it if I were you only in that those of us that are intelligent and mature enough to completely understand and agree with you without you needing to say more. However there are going to be both ignoramuses and instigators that are going to enjoy fueling this by attempting to keep you talking. These people you can NOT pose logic with. They either do understand you and get a rise out of provoking you or perhaps they are simply illogical people with overly subjective ideals about what you are technically saying. In either case these types will always keep giving people little jabs and pokes to get you to try and defend your side. But in doing so they are both trying to make you say something you will regret and/or just trying to make you talk so much that they can now accuse you of talking too much and say more little jabs such as “just let it go” or “why do you care” or “stop obsessing”. This will only take up your time as it wastes away the glucose in your brain. Now I’m not telling you to ‘drop it’ but I am suggesting it as an option. Believe me I’ve been right were you are before. You can say 1 thing and the readers for some reason twist it into something completely different than what you technically and objectively said.
SpruceDweller: That was a very strange attack and totally uncalled for. I just graduated from UMaine and Mr. Slavin was responsible for bringing Robbert Kenner, the filmmaker for Food Inc. to campus. I remember approaching him at another event he coordinated to let him know how important it was that speakers like Kenner are given the floor at UMaine and thanked him for providing a forum for him to do so. He made an impression on me and ever since then I’ve been wanting to know more about him. I hoped this article would provide that opportunity. I don’t know who Emily Cain is, I’m just a UMaine alum with an interest in Mr. Slavin’s life, but I agree with DogFreak – this article should have been more about him, because it was his death. I’m not sure how making a comment on how the focus should be on the deceased is narcissistic, political, or any of the other puzzling words you used to describe a succinct and accurate comment made by DogFreak. I’m floored by how mean your reply is and also wonder if you have some kind of personal attachment to this article (did you write it or something?). I don’t like to attack people, but some of the words you used in your response I think would be better suited for self-description, and any apology should definitely come from you. There’s a reason the rules say “keep it civil”… clearly you’re not interested in doing that. Constructive criticism of an article’s content is part of what makes these forums worth following – unprovoked attacks are not.
I never had any classes with Professor Slavin when I attended the University of Maine, I always remembered seeing him around the Memorial Union. He always had a smile and a kind word, didn’t matter if he knew you or not. He was one of those people that you could always pick him out of a crowd. He will definitely be missed.
Charlie, we will miss you here. What a sad time for us here at the Honors College. My heartfelt condolences go out to Nancy and Sam, and to all the students and faculty who knew and loved Charlie. Let’s be thankful for all Charlie has done to make life here at UMaine so full of opportunity and scholarly engagement.
Sarah Harlan-Haughey
CLAS-Honors Preceptor of English
University of Maine
I’ll miss seeing him walking or riding his bike in all weather. He died peacefully, I hope so. Some day I may envy him very much.