Why doesn’t Scarborough have a branch campus of the University of Maine?

Kidding!

It sometimes seems if most every other Maine town or city has one.

Rule of life: Things generally get bigger, not smaller.

People, when given the chance to ask for stuff, tend to ask for more stuff, not less.

So it goes with the University of Maine system.

Some background, but first – full disclosure.

I am a public school brat. High school diploma from 04074. Then UMO, and then USM Law School. I love it all like a favorite uncle who has a drinking problem.

When I was in the Legislature from l984-88, the university started to grow. And grow and grow. I remember being on bus tours with “economic development specialists” all over the state with a bunch of legislators. Each place we went in Maine’s l6 counties, there seemed to be talk of a need for a campus of the University of Maine system.

And how could I argue? Hadn’t I gotten a job and a life due to two degrees from this institution?

York County wanted a UM presence, and got one.

Lewiston-Auburn wanted to become more of a UM “player,”and became one.

Fort Kent’s campus seemed to get stronger and stronger – and better funded (House Speaker was from Eagle Lake, and had been some sort of professor at various times at the campus. UMFK people were not stupid).

This is the good news.

Bad news is the money, the “pie,” never really got bigger. The Legislature, which provided much of the funding to make the UM system operate (in addition to tuition from students), never developed much of an appetite to increase funds, even though the number of campuses or programs seemed to be increasing.

I remember talking with the baseball and basketball coaches at UMO in the l990s. Money was always a problem. The sports teams were always scraping.

I was on a couple admissions or alumni-magazine committees in the l990s and early 2000s. I would drive up to the Orono campus. It always looked kind of bleak. Utilitarian. Lots of building, construction, but it seemed designed to GET money, not the result of HAVING money. Know what I mean (e.g. no pretty shrubbery or lawns or statues; just more buildings crammed in to serve already-paying students).

USM has been in the news much the past year. Many budget problems. Faculty layoffs threatened. Academic programs axed.

Now David Flanagan has agreed to come in for a year as interim president.

His approach, I think, will be to work with the head of the UM system and say, “Guys, this is a great place and system, but it has gotten out of hand. We have to start from scratch and take a look at everything. What can UM be, and where? What campuses should offer what programs and services? And what campuses will have to be asked to specialize?”

Flanagan was right-hand man to former Governor Joseph Brennan. He was head of CMP for a while. He is a good guy, but all business. Hard-headed. Will try to set up a campus that will use the money the state is willing to provide in the best way possible. Not oozing warmth and fuzziness?

The UM system is probably going to have to go through one of those “re-inventions” of itself much like music stars like Madonna, or troubled actors like Robert Downey Jr. or Rob Lowe have gone through.

Are we there emotionally yet? Or are we still into get, get, get rather than give back, give back, give back?

Dan Warren is a lawyer in Scarborough. He can be reached by private Facebook message at the Jones & Warren page, or by email at jonesandwarren@gmail.com.