UMaine trustees OK reorganization at Presque Isle campus

File Photo / Amber Waterman The University of Maine System Board of Trustees has approved a reorganization of the University of Maine at Presque Isle, a move that Chancellor James H. Page says will break down silos and create "greater organizational coherence."

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By Staff

Trustees of the University of Maine System approved a reorganization of the University of Maine at Presque Isle that involves merging two colleges and cutting some administrative positions.

In a one-page summary of the reorganization included among agenda items for the trustees’ meeting on Sunday, UMaine System Chancellor James Page reported that under the plan developed by UMPI, the colleges of professional programs and education would be merged. That would reduce UMPI’s current three colleges to two, with the college of arts and sciences remaining as its own entity.

“The new structure provides for greater organizational coherence and the minimization of potential unit silos,” Page wrote.

He added that the reorganization “supports cross-functional collaborations, maximizes the effectiveness of continuous systems improvement initiatives, potentially reduces administrative costs and reduces the number of director reports to the president and provost.”

The Portland Press Herald reported that UMPI’s reorganization will save almost $450,000 over five years from the elimination of two positions.

UMPI, with 1,326 students, is the second-smallest campus in the system and enrollment there has dropped 9.1% in the past five years, the newspaper reported.

Under the reorganization, the campus is eliminating the positions of campus operations officer and director of student success, which is estimated to save $447,708 over five years.

In his remarks to the trustees, UMPI President Ray Rice emphasized the college’s “special partnership” with the University of Maine at Fort Kent. The two campuses already share some back-office operations and partner on some academic programing, but are looking to expand their collaboration, Rice said.

In his summary about the reorganization, Page reported that the restructuring will enable UMPI to expand “collaborative positions and shared programming with other UMaine System institutions” — notably University of Maine at Fort Kent. The emphasis on collaboration will be overseen by the newly created position of executive vice president for collaboration and strategic alliances, which will report directly to both the UMPI and UMFK presidents.

The pilot position is funded through July 2018 and will be evaluated next spring to see if it will be continued beyond that date.