UNIVERSITY OF MAINE at Fort Kent

Pleasant Street Fort Kent, Maine 04?43
207 - 834 - 3162

January 16, 1978

Mrs. Lucille Pelletier, Chairperson
UMFK Centennial Committee
University of Maine at Fort Kent
Fort Kent, Maine 04743

Dear Lucille:

Please extend my sincere congratulations to all concerned for the efforts being put forth in celebrating this centennial year. I do appreciate being invited to contribute to the booklet.

It is very tempting, at a time like this, to dwell on the achievements which have been part and parcel of the school's history over the last century. I'm sure, however, that this will be done by others more able than I in the use of the written word. I thought it might be of interest to those who might read the booklet over the coming years--probably during the bicentennial year of 2078--to learn what the concerns and problems were during the year 1978. I should point out that I have been away from UMFK since 1971. My observations are based on my experiences on another campus, with the assumption that the concerns are common to all of the campuses within the university system.

1. How do we make the merger work?

In May of 1968, UMFK became one of the components of a statewide university system. After a decade of operation, I think
it is fair to say that opinions vary over its success. Will
it live up to early expectations in the years to come?

2. What do we do about enrollment?

The stream of applicants gushing forth from Maine high schools during the 1960's has subsided. The effects of the "Baby-Boom" following World War II are no longer present. Those graduating from high school no longer see a college education as a "must": many choose two-year vocational and technical programs over the traditional four-year degree programs. Can new programs be developed, not only for recent high school graduates, but for the older adults? What will be done about admission standards? These are difficult problems which the university must face during the immediate future.

3. How can the image of the university be improved?

During' the 1960's, funding through legislative appropriations and bond issues made the expansion of the university possible. Recently this has changed. Operating budgets have been limited and public acceptance of bond issues has suffered.
In December of 1977, the public voted down a modest bond issue request for university construction.

So, these are some of the major problems in this year 1978. UMFK and its sister campuses have met and conquered problems before. I have every reason to believe that the same will be true during the next century.

Sincerely,
Joseph M.Fox