Former Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy picked to lead UMaine System
Courtesy / University of Maine System
Former Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has been named the next chancellor of the University of Maine System. He will succeed James H. Page after his retirement on June 30.
Former Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy will succeed James H. Page as chancellor of the University of Maine System when he retires on June 30 following the unanimous green light from the Sytem's Board of Trustees, it was announced on Thursday.
The move, which was announced this morning, follows more than a year of succession planning that included a multi-year "declaration of strategic priorities" and a nationwide search for a leader.
On July 1, Malloy will become the UMaine System's 13th chancellor since its formation in 1968. The board formally introduced Maine’s new chancellor during a break today’s annual Title IX training for university leaders in Orono.
Malloy will earn an annual salary of $350,000, officials said.
“Dan Malloy is an executive leader and public servant committed to taking on complex change initiatives and getting the job done,” said UMS Board of Trustees chair James Erwin in a news release emailed to Mainebiz ahead of the announcement in Orono. “As governor he delivered reforms and structural changes to state government that were not always popular, and certainly not expedient, but that advanced the long-term interest of his state and its citizens."
Erwin added that the strategic priorities adoped in September and Malloy's selection "are clear indications of the board’s resolve to expedite our One University reforms."
“Under Dan’s leadership we will help lead Maine’s response to our workforce shortage and skills gap by connecting more of what we teach directly to a job, by reaching more adult learners and other Mainers underserved by higher education and lifting their Maine-career aspirations, and by continuously including new approaches to what we teach and how we teach it to meet the competitive challenges of today’s higher education marketplace," he said.
Malloy's 22 years in public service consist of eight years as Connecticut's governor and 14 years as mayor of Stamford, Conn. The two-term governor was first elected in 2010 and won reelection in 2014. He choose not to seek reelection in 2018.
As governor he helped create 124,000 private-sector jobs and reduced the state government and prioritized the state’s long-term fiscal health through structural reform, according to the UMaine System news release.
Other accomplishments during his term in office include agreements with the state bargaining unit that saved taxpayers $40 billion and replenishing Connecticut's "rainy-day fund" to more than $2 billion.
“My time in electoral politics is over, but I am still passionate about providing public service leadership that matters,” Malloy said in the release.
He added: “Maine has set a national example for public higher education reform, and I am eager to work with the board, the presidents, faculty, staff, and university supporters to build on this progress for Maine’s learners."
Following today's public introduction in Orono, Malloy is scheduled to travel to Augusta with Chancellor James Page to meet with leaders from the Maine Community College System, the business community and the State House.
On Friday, he is to have breakfast with students and staff at the University of Maine at Augusta on Friday and tour the Veterans' Academic Center. Later in the morning he will visit with nursing students and student government leaders at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.
Maine Community College System's reaction
David Daigler, president of the Maine Community College System, issued a statement this morning welcoming Malloy as the next chancellor of the University of Maine System.
“I look forward to working with Chancellor Malloy in his new role, building on the collaborative and innovative work between our two systems that has been a hallmark of Chancellor Page’s tenure,” he said. “Our partnership with the university system is critical for developing new and better ways to enhance the educational and economic health of our state.”
He also paid tribute to Page as he gets ready to step down as chancellor.
“Jim has been a valued and thoughtful colleague in developing Maine’s higher education landscape, deepening the ties between our systems to the benefit of Maine students looking to expand their learning opportunities,” Daigler said.
Daigler said leaders of the university and community college systems in Maine work closely to offer a breadth of educational and job training options for Maine’s people. In recent years, he noted, the university and community college systems have implemented a comprehensive and far reaching transfer agreement that is designed to reduce college costs for Maine students and speed their time to degree completion.
Next steps for Malloy
Malloy plans to return to Maine throughout June to meet with university leaders and stakeholders before taking up his new post.
"The board’s 'Strategic Priorities' sets expectations and direction for our work," he said in today's news release. " We have to act with urgency — Maine’s workforce challenges grow larger by the day. Decisions will come fast, but they will be informed. I will be devoting many of my first days to visiting the campuses. I want to meet with new colleagues, hear from students, and see first-hand how our universities are serving the people and communities of Maine.
Malloy is the current Rappaport Distinguished Visiting Professor at Boston College Law School and taught undergraduate political science for 12 semesters as an adjunct professor at the University of Connecticut. He holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science a sociology from Boston College and is a graduate of Boston College Law School.
He was also a member of the local Board of Education in Stamford.
“Dan Malloy understands what higher education means for the future of a state and its people and is willing to put himself on the line to ensure that that future is bright,” Charles Hewett, executive director of the Institute for Digital Engineering and Life Sciences and former executive vice president and COO at Jackson Laboratory, said in the UMaine System news release.
Sam Collins, a UMaine System trustee and chairman of the search committee, added: “We have made great progress under Chancellor Page’s leadership. We needed to be sure our leadership succession planning and national search for a new chancellor produced a leader with the experience and skills to continue and expedite our progress. The board unanimously endorsed Dan’s appointment because he understands what is at stake for Maine. We also agreed that while a chancellorship is a nonpartisan appointment, many of the leadership attributes that contributed to Dan’s success in elected office will be important to his work in the University of Maine System.”
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