Presidential Update – SRE and Interim Measures — Nov. 22

Dear Colleagues,

I write to provide an update on the Strategic Re-envisioning (SRE) initiative, including the next steps, and to announce a strategic partial hiring pause as an interim measure. 

SRE Update

In May 2024 we launched the SRE initiative as a strategic planning initiative framed by the question, “What would UMaine look like if we were designing it today?” The objective of SRE was – and remains – to develop recommendations for a re-envisioned university through an inclusive process, relying on the creativity and strategic thinking of its participants, the majority of whom volunteered to take part. 

So far more than 180 members of the university community from UMaine and UMaine at Machias have served on one or more of the 14 theme committees. I am grateful for their participation and perspectives.

The SRE initiative is advancing well, with over 100 ideas compiled so far. The leadership team is synthesizing and prioritizing these insights to inform decisions that will shape UMaine’s future. 

Throughout November, two working groups have been meeting to consider new approaches to our activities and structure. One group has been focused on a review of the university’s current portfolio across academics, research, and innovation functions. The second has continued the discussion of what it means, and how it looks, for UMaine to be a learner-centered R1 university.

Both groups came together this week for a collaborative working session that resulted in initial proposals for initiatives, changes, and restructuring across the institution. After the Thanksgiving break, another group of faculty, staff, and students will continue to refine those initial ideas in order to present a set of approaches and options that will be shared with the campus community on the SRE web page and in a hybrid community “town hall” to be held at Memorial Union’s Bangor Room and virtually on December 13 at 9 a.m. 

Here is a working vision of our “charter” as it is emerging from efforts in the past months:

The University of Maine is a learner-centered Research 1 university committed to sustaining the health of our planet and growing inclusive communities. We are Maine’s land, sea and space grant university dedicated to defining tomorrow.

Together, we are working toward this vision for a “Learner-Focused R1” institution as we approach our 160th anniversary in 2025. 

The Current Context and Interim Measure

Thanks to university-wide efforts, many undertaken in partnership with the University of Maine System, we have realized several positive achievements in enrollment and retention in recent months and have also benefited from increased funding from State, federal and philanthropic partners in recent years. However, these positive developments must be tempered by financial and demographic realities, including increased costs in many areas, and our long-standing deferred maintenance issues. The efforts that all have undertaken in the past two years to find efficiencies and consider new revenues have led to great progress. To continue to reduce our structural budget gap will mean initiating some changes in FY25. Therefore, we must use the SRE process to both align and integrate our foci and operations while crafting a sustainable and balanced budget for the upcoming fiscal year. 

One short-term step we will take to provide flexibility for SRE implementation is a partial hiring pause. This will allow our SRE work and recommendations to continue and will give us time to address longer-term changes thoughtfully. The Office of Human Resources will share the guidelines for this hiring pause, including details about start and end dates and criteria for exceptions, with department heads early next week, via email. 

Exciting and challenging work continues to lie ahead of us as we give definition to our charter and pursue SRE’s guiding principles. Please share your questions and feedback by visiting this web form; doing so will help us both refine our efforts and develop a FAQ page for the university community.  

Thank you for your service to and support for our students, our colleagues, and the people of Maine, and for shaping the future of the University of Maine. 

Sincerely,

Joan Ferrini-Mundy, President
University of Maine and the University of Maine at Machias