Staff Writer
With two University of Maine campuses and several other university outlets in Aroostook County, the state’s primary higher education system is one of the region’s largest employers, according to UM Chancellor Richard L. Pattenaude. The system’s top executive spoke last week at the weekly Rotary Club meeting in Caribou.
Aroostook Republican photo/Debra Walsh
Richard L. Pattenaude, chancellor of the University of Maine system, makes a point last Wednesday while addressing the Caribou Rotary Club. The chancellor said that the university system has a great economic impact on the county as well as the entire state.
Overall, Maine’s university system has a $1.5 billion economic impact on the state, Pattenaude told Rotarians.
In Aroostook County, the impact is felt individually in central Aroostook County with a $48 million economic impact as a result of the University of Maine at Presque Isle. In the St. John Valley, the University of Maine at Fort Kent economic impact is estimated at $30 million according to the UMS Web site.
UMS officials have estimated that about $25 million was spent by UMPI, its employees and students in the area during fiscal year 2006. Total expenditures in the Fort Kent area are $15.6 million, according to the UMS Web site.
To illustrate the economic impact, Pattenaude said that a $1.7 million contract was awarded to A & L Construction Inc., of Presque Isle to renovate Folsom Hall at UMPI, which will save the university $150,000 in annual energy costs.
In addition to the two university campuses, the UMS executive also pointed to the University College in Houlton, the branches of the Cooperative Extension Service and the Aroostook Farm in Presque Isle as boosting the local economy.
Pattenaude also cited the services provided to the communities by the university students. The city of Presque Isle saved $15,000 with UMPI students conducted a satisfaction survey. Geographic information service technology was developed for the city at a savings, Pattenaude said.
The university also has a “brokering” function, the chancellor said, as seen by the creation of a master’s degree program implemented in the county using degree authority from the University of Southern Maine.
Pattenaude predicted that it would be a tough year regarding tuition. However, the system remains the least expensive land grant university in New England, Pattenaude said.
“But, it is a challenge,” he said.
In other system activity, Pattenaude said, the UMPI interim president, Donald Zillman, will be named the permanent executive for that campus, the chancellor said during his address.
