UMPI president to step down next summer
Don Zillman
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — University of Maine at Presque Isle President Don Zillman has announced he will resign at the end of the 2011-12 academic year and return full time to academic pursuits. He has served as UMPI’s president since 2006.
The University of Maine System Board of Trustees had renewed Zillman’s contract to serve as UMPI’s president until June 30, 2013; however, Zillman has decided to step down after graduation in the spring, citing a number of reasons. The move will give him more flexibility to spend time with his family in New Mexico. It also will allow him to return to his position as tenured Edward S. Godfrey professor of law at the University of Maine School of Law. His option to return to that position expires on June 30, 2012.
“This is a good time for new leadership at UMPI,” said Zillman.
Zillman has achieved much in his five years at the Presque Isle campus, including being part of the first wind turbine project at a Maine university, numerous campus upgrades, as well as bringing the campus and community closer together, through joint ventures such as the mapping of Presque Isle’s infrastructure through a collaborative effort between the city’s Public Works Department and UMPI’s GIS Lab. He’s also been instrumental in working with Northern Maine Community College President Tim Crowley to bring the two institutes of higher learning closer together, saw the benefit of having the Carleton Project housed on campus and has worked with the Maine School of Science and Mathematics on various projects.
In addition, Zillman has worked to attract international students — most recently looking to attract more students from China.
“We have accomplished much in troubled times over the last five years. We will do much more this year that we will be announcing soon. But much remains to be done under strong, new leadership,” said Zillman.
Zillman’s contributions aren’t limited to the university. He’s also served on a number of boards and committees and led several organizations, including serving as United Way of Aroostook’s president and ex-officio of LEADers Encouraging Aroostook Development.
The UMS Board of Trustees will review Zillman’s resignation during its Sept. 19 meeting. A search committee then will be formed to begin a national search during the 2011-12 academic year, with the successful candidate expected to begin work in the summer of 2012. The new president would come on board at the beginning of a new chancellor’s leadership at the University of Maine System.
Reflecting on his time at UMPI, Zillman said, “I have richly enjoyed working with the campus and the Aroostook County community during the past several years. What started as an emergency fill-in for two years has been the most rewarding and challenging work in my career. I will miss it greatly and look forward to staying connected with UMPI when I return to full-time teaching and academic research in Maine.”
