Thanks so much for the memories
To the editor:
I write for one of the last times as President of the University of Maine at Presque Isle. On July 2, Linda Schott will become the 11th President in the 109-year history of UMPI. Linda’s excellence, energy, and judgment make her a superb choice to lead the campus in the challenging years ahead. I will miss the exciting work of leading UMPI greatly. But, family and professional considerations persuade me that this is the right time for a change of leadership.
I’ve been asked by local reporters to highlight the important developments of the last six years. I would identify five in no particular order of importance.
First, is the quality of the members of the faculty. When I first arrived in Maine 22 years ago, I sensed a large difference between the faculty at the University of Maine and at the smaller regional campuses. At least on the UMPI campus that gap has shrunk. UMPI faculty bring the same credentials as their UM counterparts (typically a doctoral degree from a strong university or its professional degree equivalent). UMPI faculty are engaged in writing books and articles, presenting papers at national programs, creating works of art, and receiving research grants for their works. Books and articles by UMPI faculty cover a breadth of topics from medical technology to special education to slavery to police practices to renewable energy to children’s literature to geology in Maine and China, etc., etc.
Second, is the way in which faculty members and professional staff members involve themselves collaboratively with the education of their students. My memories of my own undergraduate education at a superb public university were of large lectures and final exams. One-on-one connections with distinguished members of the faculty were rare. Much of the actual teaching was done by graduate students whose primary focus was their own education. That probably still characterizes most large public universities.
At UMPI, I have been delighted at the number of ways that our students work directly with faculty and staff in such projects as helping faculty with their own research, working with local business and community groups on public service projects, presenting papers at national conferences, and the like. Our annual University Day is a celebration of this “engaged learning.”
Third, is UMPI’s willingness to be bold and creative in its work. Our renewable energy initiatives — the wind power project, solar photovoltaic panels, the biomass boiler, and heat pumps – give our students the opportunity to learn about the great challenges of energy usage in the 21st century. They earned us Maine’s first recognition by the Second Nature Award of university leadership in the field. We were delighted when the University of Maine joined us as an honoree one year later. We hosted author Cathie Pelletier as she and her students (“engaged learning” again) produced a short film with Hollywood cinematographer Zoran Popovic. We were one of three Maine schools to receive a gift of 153 photographs from the legacy collection of renowned artist Andy Warhol. We recognized the historic year 1968 with a 40th anniversary presentation of lectures, discussions, and works of art.
Fourth, we treasure our connection with our community in so many ways. We are happy to lead, collaborate, or follow where others have taken the lead. We are active in the major economic development agencies, in partnerships with K-12 education, in the Chamber of Commerce, the United Way of Aroostook, the Rotary and Kiwanis clubs, in the Wintergreen Arts Center, the Nordic Heritage Club, and others. We have helped to advance new businesses and to advance the work of well-established ones.
Fifth, we have managed to do this during the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. We are recognized by the University of Maine System Office as the only campus that has balanced its budget every year and that has not had to seek assistance from System funds to get through hard economic years. This is unglamorous work. But, it is true to County values. It also allows us to offer the least expensive program of any Maine public university. High quality and low cost are compatible.
A wealth of new challenges will face President Schott with dollars at the top of the list. Please give her your support, your good ideas, and your prospects for further collaborations between campus and community. Linda Zillman and I look forward to helping with the work of “our” campus in whatever ways we can be useful. Thanks, so much, for the memories.
Don Zillman
outgoing UMPI president
