BANGOR — The University of Maine System Board of Trustees reviewed a variety of presentations on Jan. 28 focused on several major board-directed initiatives, including an academic credit transfer plan to make it easier for students to move among Maine’s public universities and from the community colleges.
The transfer initiative is being led by University of Maine at Fort Kent President Wilson F. Hess, who provided an update on activities currently under way and those upcoming during the next few months. Hess noted that the nature of higher education has changed and so has the behavior of students — with many students attending three or four institutions before graduating. Hess added that the universities have not adapted to keep pace with the changes and this initiative will address those challenges.
“A systematic, transformative change process is necessary to address these and other formidable challenges,” Hess explained. “What we are proposing will be a fuller package for students to easily transfer among our institutions, with fewer barriers, less cost and less debt. Our goal is to embrace and expand existing best practices across the University System, as well as those from across the country.”
Four system-wide credit transfer best practices will be implemented to make it easier for students to move among Maine’s public universities: electronic communication tools, block transfer and general education common core courses, major (program-to-program) articulation, and adult and transfer degree completion.
Hess noted that in February the committee would move forward on a second part of the project which is negotiation of a credit transfer plan with the Maine Community College System. In addition, the University System will convene a system-wide workshop in the spring to develop shared general education outcomes using a common model.
An update presented to UMS trustees concerned the progress of Project Login, a major partnership between higher education and Maine businesses which will increase the number of computer science and information technology (IT) graduates. Labor surveys show that more than 800 job openings currently exist in Maine for computer science and IT professionals; by comparison in 2012, the system had just over 70 graduates in these disciplines.
“This is an incredibly important project — a model of public-private partnership,” noted Chancellor James H. Page. “We’ve worked with Maine businesses to identify their needs, worked to develop a plan which is responsive to these workforce needs, and we will increase our responsiveness and ability to provide graduates in these areas.”
Page added that Project Login will be used as a model for future teams to respond to other pressing workforce needs in Maine.
Other business conducted at the meeting included several presentations on additional trustee-directed initiatives:
• A comprehensive, system-wide plan to enhance baccalaureate degree attainment and completion by Maine adults who participate in campus-based classes or are served via distance education;
• An outcomes-based funding model for the universities; and
• A complete redesign of University IT statewide service delivery.
For more information, visit www.maine.edu.
