March 28, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

UM system decisions

As an associate professor of business at the University of Maine, Machias (UMM), I would like to thank the Bangor Daily News for focusing in on the need to reform the current procedure used by the University of Maine System in budgeting and financing.

The distance betwen UMM and UMPI is as great or greater than the distance between UMM and UMA or between UMM and UMF. The distance between UMM and UMFK is as great or greater than the distance between UMM and USM. Therefore, I was surprised to read that only UMM, UMPI, and UMFK need to work together in sharing resources to provide more “economies of scale.”

For many years, CAPS (Computer And Data Processing Services) has provided excellent computer services for the entire UM system in regard to centralizing payroll and other administrative services. In fact, CAPS should stand for Central Administrative Computer Sevices. CAPS should be authorized to oversee all technology needs for the entire UM system and possibly the entire state (which is in dire need of improved technology).

For some reason UMA and-or the previous EdNet monopoly is or was allowed to be in charge of ITV. The entire state benefits by ITV and therefore, CAPS should be in charge of its delivery.

The UMaine system needs to decide which services would better serve Maine taxpayers and Maine students at the local campus level vs. the central level. Personally, I feel student services can meet the needs of Maine students better at the local campus level and some of the administrative services (such as CAPS and others) can meet the needs of Maine taxpayers better at the central level.

Increasing the UMaine system budget without improving the delivering system will not assist either students or taxpayers. We do not need a tri-campus effort, we need an entire UMaine system effort to better improve the education for students and taxpayers! What good is a system unless it works together? Richard C. Larson Current faculty vice president University of Maine at Machias


Have feedback? Want to know more? Send us ideas for follow-up stories.

comments for this post are closed

You may also like