PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The University of Maine at Presque Isle’s provost, Raymond Rice, will serve as the campus’s interim president, University of Maine System Chancellor James Page announced Tuesday.
The university’s current leader, Linda Schott, accepted a new job as president of Southern Oregon University earlier this month. She’ll start there before the next school year begins. The system hired Schott in 2012 after a national search that drew 77 applicants.
Rice, who also is an English professor, has been a faculty member at UMPI for 19 years.
“I look forward to working closely with our colleagues in Presque Isle and across the state to maintain our progress and service to Maine,” Rice said in a news release.
Rice oversaw the expansion of early college offerings at UMPI for students at the Maine School of Science and Mathematics in Limestone as well as local high schools. He also has contributed to Page’s One University push, co-chairing the committee that established a General Education Transfer agreement among the state’s public universities and community colleges, according to the release.
Rice’s one-year appointment begins July 16, and his salary will be $140,000, according to UMS spokesman Dan Demeritt. He’ll continue to serve as provost and vice president for academic and student affairs during that time.
Follow Nick McCrea on Twitter at @nmccrea213.