Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

lucidlilacdream t1_j97ndsb wrote

Besides what others have mentioned, having worked for the Umaine system, it seems like there is crap leadership within the university system as well as crap investment by Maine into the public universities. I think umaine will continue to hold on and get by rather than flourish.

Universities can bring a lot to an area. And, yes, I know New England has a declining rate of young people, but there are plenty of universities that are doing well across the country, and Maine has a high need for trained medical professionals especially with its aging population. There’s actually great opportunity here in that sense. It really feels like the umaine leadership sees that there are fewer young people in Maine and have just decided to give up, which is pretty depressing. So, I’m just not sure that Bangor will benefit from the college in the future unless the leadership changes and some actual vision is adopted.

22

Asterion724 t1_j97qlod wrote

The narrative about declining college-age students is only partly true, at least for the next few years. The decline in HS class sizes is being offset by increases in graduation rates. So the total number of HS grads isn't declining too much (yet). This will probably change by 2025 though, both as a national trend and in Maine. I was just doing some casual research on this topic lately, and was surprised it's not as dire as people seem to think.

Not disagreeing about all the missed potential it seems like there is with UMO, or the U Maine system in general.

15

ptmtp26 t1_j98zaz7 wrote

It’s a state university with a budget bigger than we can imagine, yet it’s facilities are poor and run down, of course it’s got poor leadership.

8

rofopp t1_j9adtx1 wrote

Mostly because anyone with real talent in administration takes the job as a resume builder for a real job in public education I. The Midwest.

3

otakugrey t1_j98rj7w wrote

> there is crap leadership within the university system

Why is crap leaders in school systems such a universal sentiment?

4

GoUBears t1_j99tzi0 wrote

So long as UMO isn’t targeted for significant disinvestment (like a chain of events that ends in USM Gorham as the state’s flagship), I give Bangor a shot at a thriving future. They just have to properly utilize their proximity and aim to retain graduates in a way that they haven’t since…the 1950s? A shrinking pool of low-budget, long-distance shoppers isn’t even close to a recipe for maintaining the status quo if the university withers.

While not a perfect comparison, I’d point to Macomb, Illinois, as a cautionary tale that’s currently unfolding. It has a smaller regional population base than Bangor, but it’s almost as isolated. It’s at the center of the Quad Cities, Peoria, and Springfield, each about 90 minutes away, and there’s only one slightly larger town in over three hours to its west. The state’s decision to shrink WIU’s budget was the equivalent of stating that they shouldn’t even be a blip on the map, and has already cost the area a third of its non-student population in the span of about six years. Needless to say, they’re still in free fall, with no end in sight, particularly if the free fall triggers a further reduction in WIU’s budget, which would likely be focused on their graduate schools, which have remained relatively unscathed so far.

3

lucidlilacdream t1_j9a4b82 wrote

The current state of UMO and all of the umaine schools is stagnant to declining. So, I just don’t see how it’s surrounding town can possibly benefit unless there is actual intentional growth of the university. In fact, we moved here from out of state and I have a high school aged kid. He has no interest in the Maine schools. Very few of his friends have interest in the maine schools. They lack resources compared to other state universities, that’s the problem. Why would they go there? Especially if they are mid to high achievers that will get scholarships to other state schools with more resources and thriving towns with more people their age?

Given the aging population here, Umaine and Maine should be investing in a medical school. You want people to stay in Bangor and fulfill the workforce needs? Get a good medical program going. It’s already an R1, but doing very little to build on that status. Heck, I had a friend who was told not to apply to their physics grad program by a physics professor that works there because of how bad the resources are, and they really want to stay in Maine for grad school.

Maybe it was better pre COVID though.

1

crowislanddive t1_j9ahed4 wrote

I agree, mostly but the Advanced Manufacturing program and the Materials lab are truly incredible.

3

GoUBears t1_j9a69ze wrote

Under-investment in public universities is rampant in New England thanks to the Ivies, NESCAC, and other quality private institutions. However, Maine has the short end of that stick, with three small schools totaling ~6k, 85% from out of state. Hopefully that will prompt an administration to prioritize enhancing UMO and USM sooner than later.

2

hike_me t1_j9gwqfz wrote

In the 70s or 80s there was a statewide referendum to borrow bond money to build a UMaine medical school in Bangor.

It failed.

1