After about 10 years as president of various campuses in the University of Maine system, Scarborough resident Charlie Lyons will step down this summer, but plans on continuing his career in education.

Exactly what he will do is not clear at this point. Initially, Lyons was going to resume his teaching career at the University of Southern Maine following a one-year sabbatical. But now he is not too sure, because he is a finalist for the presidency at Keene State College, which is one of three campuses in the University of New Hampshire system.

Lyons said he is not sure how it will end, but said whatever happens he will be happy. He is looking forward to going to New Hampshire – where he was born – and use his years of experience to help make Keene State a better college. But he would be just as content going back to teaching, something that he did even while serving as president.

“I love it,” he said. “Some people tie flies, I teach. To this day I still can’t believe that I get paid to teach.”

Lyons is originally from Manchester, N.H., and moved to Madison, Maine, when he was 12. After graduating from Madison High School he attended St. Francis Xavier University, earned his master’s at the University of Hartford and his doctorate at Boston University, both in special education.

He returned to Maine in 1973 and began his more than 30-year career in the UMaine system by accepting an instructor position at USM, which was starting a special education program. He slowly moved up the ladder, becoming a tenured professor. In addition, held a number of positions in the system including department chairman, associate dean, executive director of the University of Maine’s System’s Office of Health Professions Education.

Lyons was president of three UMaine campuses. He was first selected as interim president of the University of Maine at Presque Isle and was the president at the University of Maine at Fort Kent for five years. He was chosen as the interim president at the University of Maine at Augusta in 2001 and became the permanent president in March 2002.

While Lyons’s profession has kept him moving throughout the state, he is proud to say that he has always kept his home base here in Scarborough, where he owns a house on Winnocks Neck. Even if he moves to New Hampshire, Lyons said he would keep his home here, although it may become a seasonal residence.

Lyons raised three children in the home and is now in the process of raising two adopted daughters who are 13 and 9. He said the children keep him active and when he comes home from work he does homework and attends ball games.

He has been just as active in town and on civic boards. He was on the Planning Board for several years and is currently an assistant football coach at Scarborough Middle School. He also is the chairman of the Long Creek Youth Development Center Board of Directors.

“When you live in a town like Scarborough it’s fun to be a part of it,” he said.

What has kept Lyons so active in the university system over the years is its ability to create opportunities for Mainers by giving them the chance to attend college, a chance that many families have never had. Lyons believes that providing higher education to Maine residents is the most important issue in keeping the state vibrant while attracting new industry here.

“The level of education of the workforce is critical,” he said. “College for me was an opportunity and college for my parents was a privilege, but today it is a necessity.”

During his tenure Lyons has presided over some large changes within the UMaine system. He is now in the process of helping the system consolidate UMA with USM, creating one of the largest public universities in New England. Lyons said it is a good move and will allow the Augusta campus to offer more courses and programs than it would have been able to offer as a single unit.

“We will be everything we said we wanted to be as a campus, but the price is the change of the letterhead,” he said.

Consolidating the campuses is a big move for the UMaine system, but Lyons does not consider one of his greatest accomplishments. Instead he cites the increasing enrollment at UMA and the formation of the architecture department at the campus.

He also lists “saving” the University of Maine at Fort Kent as one of his biggest achievements. He was sent there to in 1996 investigate if it was possible or even necessary to keep the college open. He learned that it was, and during his five years as president Lyons managed to increase enrollment by 40 percent. Today it remains the fastest growing campus in the UMaine system.

“The trick for us was marketing ourselves to students who were likely to choose us,” Lyons said.

With great opportunities now available and two young children at home Lyons is active and does not plan on slowing down anytime soon. In fact, he said thoughts of retirement have not even entered his head.

“I wouldn’t even think about it, I’m having way too much fun,” he said.

Charlie Lyons of Scarborough

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