Emily Baer

The Institute of Medicine outlines its strategic direction to advance human health and wellbeing in Maine and beyond. Its vision focuses on enhancing health-related research and delivery through university, research institution, and healthcare system partnerships. The mission is to develop transformative solutions through innovative research, education, and strategic collaborations. Key goals include advancing medicine and healthcare, elevating the University's prominence in health and life sciences, developing a national model for rural medicine, and securing external resources.

The committee meeting addressed adjustments to the FY21 budget, focusing on reductions and sustaining innovation, refining credit hour projections, adjusting for the loss of supplemental appropriation, realigning MEIF dollars to stabilize research, and planning for reductions in faculty and staff FTE and operating funds. Discussions also covered enrollment assumptions for both UMaine and UMM, strategies for working on enrollment and retention, anticipating changes in state appropriation, challenges for housing and dining, and methods to further reduce costs and increase revenues. The 'Define Tomorrow' strategic prioritization process was highlighted, along with research at UMaine, addressing losses and continuing growth, and steps to address the challenges faced by UMM, including the potential suspension of the athletics program and re-alignment as UMaine's coastal college.

This Research and Development Plan for The University of Maine System provides a strategic framework to expand R&D activities across its institutions and the state of Maine. It is structured around three core goals: making Maine the best state in the nation to live, work, and learn by 2030; establishing an innovation-driven Maine economy for the 21st century; and preparing a knowledge-and-innovation workforce for the state. The plan emphasizes increasing R&D investment, strengthening campus-specific expertise, enhancing federal funding competitiveness, fostering student engagement in research, and expanding partnerships with private and public sectors to drive economic prosperity and improve quality of life.

The meeting included discussion of student scholarship and research, recognition of student talent and spirit, and recognition of staff and programs for outstanding achievements. The Maine International Trade Center Service Provider of the Year award was given to UMaine SPIA, and Dr. Mayewski was ranked among top Earth scientists. The Presidential Awards Ceremony honored faculty and staff. New funding and success were achieved by faculty, including NSF CAREER Awards. Multi-year investments in research success are paying off, with the Department of Psychology receiving a $743K HRSA grant. First-year and transfer enrollment numbers were reviewed, including in-state, out-of-state, and international students. UMaine Machias' enrollment numbers were also discussed. Strategic growth and fiscal challenges were addressed, including a budget deficit and proposed solutions. The meeting also covered the Maine College of Engineering, Computing and Information Science (MCECIS), congressional funds, and new leadership searches.

This strategic re-envisioning outlines critical areas for improvement and opportunity, focusing on organizational efficiency and structure, faculty and staff support, student experience and success, strategic growth and development, financial sustainability, community engagement and outreach, innovation and adaptation, and sustainability and environmental impact. The plan aims to maximize resource utilization, enhance productivity, maintain high educational standards, ensure student retention, expand reach and impact, achieve financial stability, build strong community relationships, stay relevant in a changing landscape, and demonstrate environmental stewardship.