BANGOR, Maine — University of Maine System Chancellor James H. Page recently announced interim presidential appointments at the University of Maine at Augusta and the University of Maine at Fort Kent, along with a system-wide chief financial officer.
John Murphy, UMFK CFO, will also serve as interim president Murphy, who has served as an administrator at UMFK for more than 20 years and is a past interim leader of the university, has been appointed to fill a vacancy created by the scheduled retirement of President Wilson Hess.
Murphy will continue to maintain his financial management responsibilities; the dual appointment is expected to achieve $180,000 in one-time, annualized salary and benefits savings.
The national search for a new leader at the Fort Kent campus is underway and being chaired by UMS Board of Trustee Member Norman Fournier of Wallagrass. The search committee’s campus and community representatives are now being selected with an initial meeting of the full committee planned for later in July. The committee is expected to present final candidates to the UMS Board of Trustees in early 2016.
“I look forward to working with the faculty, staff, and community to ensure the continuation of the positive momentum we have established at UMFK,” Murphy said.
In Augusta, Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration and UMS Treasurer Rebecca Wyke is being temporarily assigned to the interim UMA presidency while a search for a permanent leader continues. Finalists are expected to be presented to trustees in November.
The Chancellor also announced that the University of Maine’s vice president for administration, Ryan Low, will become chief financial officer for the entire University of Maine System, directing statewide financial management as envisioned by the new unified finance and administrative model approved unanimously by trustees in May. The CFOs at the other six public universities will transition into chief business officer positions and report directly to Lowe.
