Building for Tomorrow

Helping Students Shape Their Futures

2011 Major Initiatives

UMF celebrated the 20-year anniversary of the UMF-Beijing University of Technology Exchange Program. UMF continues to be the only university in the University of Maine System that offers Mandarin for academic credit. In the future, UMF aspires to build on its partnerships with its friends from China, UMS colleagues, the Maine state government, kindergarten through grade 12 public education and Maine organizations and businesses to increase its role as a center to promote the study of Mandarin and Chinese culture.

In the face of Maine’s changing economy, UMF teamed with the Maine Department of Labor Center for Workforce Research and Information to create the Maine Futures Institute with the goal of achieving greater alignment between Maine’s educational system and the labor market and to develop new strategies to help guide young people into rewarding employment and careers.

Thanks to the active participation and expertise of healthcare industry leaders and state partners, UMF developed an innovative interdisciplinary program providing both the business and technical skills students need to pursue careers in health information technology, health care management, health data analysis and informatics.

To better meet the needs of early childhood educators throughout the state and beyond, UMF launched a new Master of Science in Education – Early Childhood degree program. As the only master’s program in early childhood education offered solely by a Maine institution, it features online, face-to-face and blended courses.

UMF launched the Partnership for Civic Advancement. UMF collaborate with civic partners to develop dynamic student leadership programs and expand student internship opportunities, research projects, and community service initiatives. creating outside-the-classroom, experiential learning opportunities for its students, while serving workforce and community needs throughout Maine.

The groundbreaking of the new Emery Community Arts Center in April 2010 was made possible by a $5 million gift. Emery, which opened in September 2011, joined  Nordica Auditorium, Alumni Theater and the UMF Art Gallery creating an impressive arts complex, offering creative opportunities and strong economic benefits to western Maine.

Continuing philanthropy helped the Michael D. Wilson Undergraduate Research Program support more than 100 students since its inception five years ago. The program underwrites students’ investigative research, providing a strong foundation for the highest level of student scholarship at the undergraduate level.

Student Success at UMF

A national survey recently released shows compelling evidence that UMF has shown steady improvement over the past five years in the quality of undergraduate education, as measured by its students. The 2009 report from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), Assessment for Improvement: Tracking Student Engagement Over Time, provides diagnostic, comparative information about effective educational practices at participating colleges and universities.

In the report, which is sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, five key areas of educational quality are measured: 1) Level of Academic Challenge, 2) Active and Collaborative Learning, 3) Student-Faculty Interaction, 4) Enriching Educational Experiences, and 5) Supportive Campus Environment.

According to the findings, UMF seniors scored higher than their peers in three of the indices—Level of Academic Challenge, Enriching Educational Experiences, and Supportive Campus Environment. In comparison to students at other COPLAC universities and at all colleges and universities that participated, UMF students, by senior year, have written more papers, made more class presentations, and are more likely to have participated in internships and community-based projects.

• By their senior year, 70% of UMF students have participated in some form of practicum, internship, field experience, co-op, or clinical assignment.
• By their senior year, 68% of UMF students have participated in community service or volunteer work.

UMF’s Prepares for the Future

Here in Farmington, we are making significant progress in securing the future of our unique mission as Maine’s public liberal arts college. Our Strategic Plan continues to help us move forward clearly and quickly. All decisions position the University for the long term, with a focus on efficiency, mission, strong recruitment, retention, and revenue generation. A combination of cuts, shifts in internal investments, and significant restructuring will position UMF for a sustainable future with enduring attention to excellence in student learning. In the past year, I’ve focused on structural changes to make UMF even more efficient and ultimately strengthen the cohesiveness of our liberal arts experience.

What does all this mean? UMF has positioned itself for a strong future. We are moving forward with new initiatives while we stop doing things we can’t afford anymore. We are a major economic force for all of Maine, and of course for our region. Our impact on the local economy was recently calculated at about 22 million dollars per year, including goods and services purchased by us and by all our employees who live here, but also including service to the community by faculty, staff and students. Arguably, though, it is our graduates who stay in Maine who have the big long-term impact that needs to be recognized and supported.

Spirit of Leadership & Innovation

The spirit of leadership and innovation is a tradition at University of Maine at Farmington. At UMF, new ideas take root. In our classrooms, in our laboratories, on our athletic fields, and on our performing arts stages, we awaken new student interests and abilities. We are continually changing, adapting to new demands and needs. Our eye is on strategic priorities to strengthen UMF and the undergraduate student experience.

In 2012, our faculty and staff will focus on the continued implementation of our Strategic Plan, raising the performance bar once again. We will continue to work with alumni and friends to invite their support for the work ahead. Here are examples of UMF’s positive results in two key areas: student success and philanthropic support.

UMF’s recent four and six-year graduation rates are the highest in the University of Maine System. What does this mean? UMF graduates accomplish their goals and enter the workforce or graduate school with university degrees in hand, in a timely fashion, and with an outstanding undergraduate preparation.

Within UMF’s peer group, the 25 members of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges, our graduation rates place us in the upper tier: 9th in 4-year rates; 6th in 6-year. Research shows that retention and graduation rates are due to students’ engagement in the full academic enterprise.

Our retention rates for first year to second year have increased from 70% to 75%. Our return rate (spring to fall) for all non-graduating matriculated students is holding steady at 84% despite downturns in the economy and increases in tuition.