Belfast, Maine — The University of Maine System (UMS) Board of Trustees approved extending Chancellor Dannel Malloy’s contract by one year, from July 1, 2022–June 30, 2023, during its regular meeting July 11 at the University of Maine Hutchinson Center in Belfast.
Malloy, a former prosecutor, lawyer, mayor and two-term governor of Connecticut, was appointed to the role of chancellor for a three-year term on July 1, 2019. The board authorized the Chancellor Review Team to begin negotiations for a possible extension of his employment contract in May 2021. Taking up reappointment actions a year before a chancellor’s or president’s term ends is typical board practice. Malloy’s term was previously set to expire June 30, but a two-week extension was granted to allow trustees more time for review.
Trustees considered several aspects of Malloy’s performance as chancellor during the evaluation, including his work to establish a unified accreditation for all of Maine’s public universities, guide them through the COVID-19 pandemic, create the first UMS strategic plan in more than a decade and facilitate the UMS TRANSFORMS initiative that resulted from a $240 million investment in the System from the Harold Alfond Foundation, among other leadership decisions and accomplishments.
“The year will give the chancellor an opportunity to rebuild trust, increase transparency and sustain the momentum of needed change that he has begun. The extension will also help us to maintain stability as we look to fill important leadership roles at several campuses and weather the current financial uncertainties we face,” said Chair Patricia “Trish” Riley.
“As a board, we share responsibility for the issues that have been identified and commit ourselves to increase trust and collaboration. Extending the chancellor’s contract is the best path to ensure that we make improvements, maintain progress and continue to meet Maine’s needs and provide an affordable, high-quality education to our students. As we begin this new chapter, the Board of Trustees stands with the chancellor, presidents, faculty, staff, students and all who make UMS what it is and commit to working together to assure success in the year ahead.”
Malloy agreed to these terms of his contract extension and to forgo his 2022 bonus and a salary increase in 2023, notwithstanding the 3% cost of living adjustment all UMS management receives, in light of recent events.
“I am sorry for the turmoil my mistakes have created for Maine’s public universities in recent months, and especially that they have distracted from the incredible accomplishments of our students, faculty and staff,” Malloy said. “I want to thank the Board of Trustees for the opportunity to continue to serve as chancellor of the University of Maine System. I am truly humbled by their unanimous vote for me today, and by the experience of the past three months. As we rise together to meet the challenges and changes ahead, I am committed to building trust and transparency, and enhancing communication and collaboration with trustees, our world-class faculty, staff and students, the Legislature, employer community and other stakeholders whose inclusion and insight will only make our System stronger.”
Statements from Riley and Malloy regarding the board’s vote to extend the chancellor’s contract are on the UMS website.
Earlier in the meeting, Riley and other board members discussed strategies for improving engagement between trustees and students and faculty representatives.
The Academic and Student Affairs Committee plans to extend its discussion time with faculty and student representatives to allow greater opportunity to talk about items of mutual interest. The Finance, Facilities & Technology Committee is exploring ways to involve student and faculty representatives in meeting discussions. The Strategic Planning Committee, a new standing committee established by the board to replace the existing Ad Hoc Committee on Strategic Planning, will include faculty, student and president representatives.
Riley says the board has been working with faculty representatives and the UMS Faculty Governance Council to devise more strategies for facilitating discussion between trustees and faculty and determining common interest between both parties. Trustees will meet with student representatives once they return to their respective campuses in the fall. Additionally, the board began a new initiative to involve a faculty representative to sit with trustees during its regular meetings and participate in discussions on various matters. Matthew Bampton, a faculty representative from the University of Southern Maine, sat with trustees at the Monday meeting.
A list of actions taken by the board during the Monday meeting is online.