Strategic Reenvisioning - Office of the President

University of Maine Strategic Re-envisioning

What would UMaine look like

if we were designing it today?

The challenges facing higher education are unprecedented — from demographic shifts and economic pressures to a changing global landscape.

Opportunities abound as well, from rapid technological advances to the interconnectedness of society.

These challenges and opportunities demand a bold rethinking of our role and organization, which leverages our great foundational strengths.

Our university-wide strategic re-envisioning process will set the course for a dynamic and sustainable future for the University of Maine:

Over the next nine months, this institution-wide effort to develop recommendations for a re-envisioned university will ensure we are positioned to educate for tomorrow, prepare the leaders and innovators of the future, and fulfill our land grant responsibilities.
This effort also must ensure we reach and maintain a balanced budget, are well-positioned for a competitive enrollment environment that is inclusive of a wide range of audiences, and are prepared to meet upcoming challenges and opportunities.
Together, we will ensure that UMaine remains a leader in teaching, research and public engagement to meet the changing needs of Maine and beyond.

As we make progress toward the planning involved with this initiative, we will provide updates here for consideration. Please return here for updates based on the timeline provided below.

Read President Ferrini-Mundy’s introduction letter

Strategic Outcomes

Re-assess and optimize our academic, research, community-serving, and organizational structures to ensure relevance, anticipate societal needs and sustain strenghts.

Create innovative, interdisciplinary environments fostering learner success by integrating our academic, research, and community engagement endeavors.

Enhance our commitment to inclusivity and provide enriching experiences across all modalities of interaction.

Develop new models for leading and administration with consideration toward our commitments to efficiency, transparency, and participatory decision-making.

Timeline

The strategic re-envisioning process will unfold in three phases, with each phase designed to build upon insight and input from our community:

Reflection and
Re-envisioning

April–June 2024

University leadership will gather input through workshops, stakeholder meetings, and review of prior strategic plans. This phase will culminate in a synthesized report of our discussions and potential scenarios for the future.

Prioritizing and Assessing

July–September 2024

Based on the outcomes of the initial phase, we will refine our ideas and align them with practical steps and budget considerations for initial implementation in fiscal year 2026.

Refining and Executing

October 2024–February 2025

The final phase will focus on detailed planning and broad community engagement to communicate the initiatives that will commence in fiscal year 2026.

How to Get Involved

Your insights and experiences are invaluable as we shape the future of our university.

Together, we have the opportunity to redefine what a public university can and should be. This effort towards re-envisioning the future is an important opportunity and responsibility and, done collaboratively, will position us as we advance our mission to be a leader in education, research, and community engagement.

We will be in touch with more information about how you can be involved with workshops, stakeholder meetings, and review of prior strategic plans.

Get involved