06/02/17 James Page, Chancellor University of Maine System

(Photo L-R: Bob Martin, Chancellor Jim Page and President Laura Young.)

On Friday, University of Maine System Chancellor Jim Page said that the “State of Maine cannot be successful without a successful university system, and a successful University of Southern Maine is needed by the system.” He acknowledged that things have been difficult at USM, but the turnaround started by David Flanagan and continued by Glenn Cummings and his team has reshaped the school. “I think we’re there; with the changes inculcated, we’ve turned the corner.”

Chancellor Page reported that applications to USM were up 14 percent over the previous year. “We’re seeing the same kind of growth at Orono,” he added.

One of the key concerns faced by the university system is workforce development. Page pointed to dismal statistics predicting decreases in the number of people available to work. “Economic forecasts indicate that between now and 2012, we will lose 15 percent of our workforce, and our population is not growing fast enough to provide replacements.” Moreover, he added, “sixty to sixty-five percent of jobs now require a two-year, or increasingly, a four-year degree.”

“We need to provide an education to everyone sixteen to sixty who wants one,” he said. “Nothing is more important.” Page pointed to one employment area that is critical to Maine’s older population, nursing. “The Maine Nursing Action Coalition predicts that there will be 3,200 vacancies in nursing jobs by 2025, so we’re working hard to create a plan to fill those jobs.”

Page said that the system needs a clear view of what employers need and want in employees. “If you own or work for a business, what are your workforce needs? How can we help?” He said that the creation of the “One University for All of Maine,” was an effort to break down silos within the system so it could become more responsive. “For example, we discovered that we were not turning out as many computer science and information technology grads as business needed, and we were requiring courses that businesses said weren’t necessary. So, we changed the requirement for calculus and substituted statistics, which was a change employers wanted to get them the graduates they needed.” As a result, Page said that the completion rates for matriculating students increased. “We will be responsive to those kinds of needs.”

In response to questions, Page indicated that USM was embarking on an $80-million fund raising effort, which would be more obvious in the months ahead. He also acknowledged the growth in transfers from the state’s community college system to the four-year schools and the success of easing requirements to allow students to start their degree in the community colleges and then attend the system’s universities. “The key is advising students to make sure they are satisfying prerequisites, but it saves them a lot of money in tuition.”