The University of Southern Maine ”“ and the state’s public university system as a whole ”“ will not be viable and continue to attract the students needed to sustain itself without some major changes and a serious fundraising campaign.
Recently, the U.S. Department of Education reported that University of Southern Maine is one of the most expensive public colleges for in-state students in the country. It ranked 23rd for four-year colleges in the nation, at an annual net cost of about $18,177 per student. The net cost means the amount students paid after grants and scholarships.
In response, the school said it’s had a tuition freeze for the past three years for in-state students, but that’s just not good enough.
With a $14 million shortfall for the fiscal year that began July 1, USM had to use emergency funds, lay off more than two dozen staff members and accept voluntary retirements from faculty members just to close the gap, according to the Associated Press. On top of that, for the next fiscal year, the university is facing a $12.5 million shortfall and is expecting to make further cuts, according to the AP, including eliminating three programs, which drew protests from students last month.
Cuts, cuts and more cuts are simply not the answer here.
The answer needs to be fundraising, fundraising and more fundraising.
Funds not only need to be raised to keep the school functioning with a full and varied faculty with programs to match, but to keep costs reasonable for students. Maine already has a problem with retaining its young people, who often go out of state for college and then stay in those areas or move to larger cities to start their careers.
If the University of Southern Maine wants to remain competitive, it will need to launch a serious and successful campaign to grow its endowments and scholarships, which support students as well as capital projects and more.
It’s encouraging that the school will be seeking a new leader. Earlier this week, University of Maine System Chancellor James Page announced that interim president Theo Kalikow will wrap up her duties next week and then work out the remaining year on her contract as acting vice chancellor of the seven-school system, according to the AP.
Page said a search for a new president will commence in the fall, and it’s going to be an extremely important process and appointment. USM needs a visionary leader who is also a fundraising superstar, with the ability to get successful alumnus to reach deep into their pockets to support the school that helped them get their start ”“ as well as the graduates of more modest means who may not be able to make large donations, but can commit to regular contributions.
The University of Maine System needs to make some serious changes, to focus on students and lowering their costs, while offering quality degree programs that can compete with private colleges and universities. It needs to eliminate its reputation as a haven for former politicians who want to get out of government and make a hefty salary at the expense of students.
In 2012, The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting published an article that showed loopholes, waivers and personal and political connections led seven state officials into some of the highest paying non-teaching jobs in the state’s public university system. MCPIR reported that, excluding benefits, the annual payroll for the seven positions is $898,000.
According to the article, “For three jobs ”“ two of which oversee multimillion-dollar budgets ”“ the system hired the former state staffers directly into the higher education positions, meaning there was no customary search for the best-qualified people. Each of those job openings, which pay more than $100,000, were given emergency status that allowed the system to waive a policy that requires openings be advertised and a search conducted.”
The system also took some major flack for raises it gave out during periods of financial distress. In the same article, MCPIR reported that millions of dollars in discretionary pay raises were given “in recent years, while facing multimillion-dollar budget cuts.”
Although the chancellor has since been replaced and a new USM president will take the helm, it’s important that a change of attitude and mission is also adopted as the system moves into the future. The system’s main concern should always be what is best for its students. Part of that is keeping post-secondary education affordable, while offering the highest quality, competitive academic programs for Maine residents and out-of-staters looking to earn their degrees in this state.
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Today’s editorial was written by City Editor Robyn Burnham Rousseau on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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