On behalf of the University of Maine System Board of Trustees and Chancellor James Page, I want to thank University of Maine President Susan Hunter for agreeing to extend her tenure at the flagship university for an additional year through June 30, 2017.

The extension ensures continuity and proven Maine leadership at the university as our seven campuses across our state work together to achieve efficiencies and leverage resources as we implement our One University Initiative.

As both a great champion for UMaine and a respected collaborator on the statewide university leadership team, President Hunter will continue to play a very important role in shaping the future of public higher education in Maine.

In its May 26 story regarding the extension, this paper labeled President Hunter an “acting” president, potentially causing readers to reach the false conclusion that President Hunter is a placeholder or figurehead. That is absolutely not the case.

Susan Hunter has spent nearly three decades at the University of Maine. Upon her appointment to the presidency last June, the chancellor and the Board of Trustees entrusted President Hunter with all the authority and expectations customarily practiced by the office holder, those powers prescribed in Maine law, and the responsibilities enumerated in Section 204 of our Polices and Procedures manual.

While her recently extended appointment is for a finite term, President Hunter is not holding her office until a new leader can be found. As we anticipated a year ago, President Hunter has exercised the powers and influence of her office to lead to the benefit of her students and the state. And we are absolutely grateful that she has agreed to extend her service for another year.

Samuel Collins

board chair, University of Maine System

Bangor


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