Dear Colleagues,

As we approach the unofficial semester midpoint, with the beginning of Spring Break, I write to share my monthly message with some of the good news about February's accomplishments by our students, faculty and staff. February may have been a short month, but it was certainly jam-packed with exciting news.

I was pleased that the University of Maine System Board of Trustees selected President Rich Pattenaude to be the next chancellor. Rich emerged from an impressive field of candidates, and made a convincing case that he is the right person for this job. His knowledge of Maine, the System and, in fact, of UMaine, will serve him well as chancellor. I have worked closely with Rich in his role as USM's president, and I find him to be a most capable leader whose priorities focus on educating Maine people and working toward a brighter future for our state. I am confident that Rich understands and appreciates the enormous statewide impact of UMaine, and I believe that he will be a strong and effective partner in helping us achieve our goals.

As you know, all of Maine's public higher education institutions face serious budget challenges as we move toward the next fiscal year. Chancellor MacTaggart continues to lead the System's effort in making the case for increased funding for Maine's universities. His recent address to the Legislature, "Our Students Become Maine," outlined very clearly the broad and vital impact of UMaine and the other universities. You can read the text online at http://www.maine.edu/pdf/SOTUFinal.pdf.

I have been spending a good deal of my time speaking with Legislators about UMaine and our funding needs and I find that our message is very well-received. I encourage each of you to make contact with your legislators, and perhaps to share a personal story about how your work affects our students and our state. Those kinds of communications make a real difference, particularly as we head toward serious budget deliberations in the State House.

It is always good news when Maine achieves a top national ranking in a category related to economic development. It's even better when UMaine is a primary factor in reaching that level. That is the case in the Corporation for Enterprise Development's new state-by-state rankings for spinoff businesses, per state financial investment in R&D. The state has been hovering near the top of these rankings for a few years, but we have just recently reached the top. UMaine has a statewide leadership role, through the Office of Research and Economic Development, the Target Technology Incubator, the Student Innovation Center and other units, in developing the programs and connections that help people turn their ideas into reality. With great support from a variety of academic units, and because of the entrepreneurial spirit that exists in our community, UMaine people are taking advantage of those opportunities and creating the kinds of businesses that will help our state move forward. Congratulations to all who have played a role in helping Maine achieve this ranking.

The Student Innovation Center is just completing a busy week, serving as the local host of Entrepreneurship Week USA, which works to inspire young people to tap into their entrepreneurial capabilities. The center has hosted a variety of events which provide all kinds of information and support to those who are interested in capitalizing on their inventiveness. I also appreciate the participation of the College of Engineering; College of Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture; Advanced Engineered Wood Composites Center and the Forest Bioproducts Research Project in this important program.

Along similar lines, I want to congratulate Deb Neuman, director of UMaine's Target Technology Incubator. Deb has been named Maine and New England Small Business Journalist of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Association, for her outstanding work as host of the "Back to Business" radio program on WVOM and WABI. Deb is a tireless and articulate advocate for entrepreneurship, and her communications efforts are no doubt inspiring many people in our area to further develop their ideas and to become entrepreneurs.

Speaking of awards and recognitions, several UMaine individuals and groups have recently been recognized for their good work in various areas. Here is a sample:

- Philip Dunn, a faculty member in the School of Engineering Technology, has been named 2006 Citizen Engineer Award winner for Region 1 by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Nine regional awards are presented each year, for outstanding accomplishment in public service.

- Kathleen March of the UMaine Spanish faulty, has been selected as a Senior Fulbright Specialist, putting her in a select group of Fulbright Program experts who work in important consulting and professional collaboration roles related to academic specialty.

- Hal Borns, professor emeritus of glacial and quaternary geology, and Canadian-American Center Senior Cartographer Mike Hermann have received the top award in a national map design competition for the new Ice Age Trail Map and Guide, a beautiful piece unveiled last fall. The American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM) gave its Best of Category award in the Recreational/Travel Map Professional Division to the UMaine production.

- Students in UMaine's Sigma Pi Epsilon fraternity recently traveled to Massachusetts, where the organization received four regional awards, including the Northeast Chapter Home of the Year Award and recognition for having the highest grades among all UMaine fraternities.

- UMaine's great partner, the University of Maine Alumni Association, has also recently announced its 2007 award winners. Among those to be honored later this year are Col. William Smullen, a 1962 UMaine gradate and retired Army colonel who served as chief of staff to Colin Powell. Currently director of the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, Col Smullen will receive the Alumni Career Award, the alumni association's highest honor.

We were all delighted last week to host New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) President and CEO Evan Dobelle, for a series of announcements recognizing two UMaine programs for receiving NEBHE annual excellence awards. UMaine's Hutchinson Center in Belfast received the regional Robert J. McKenna Award for Program Excellence, while the Onward Program was selected for the State Merit Award Program for Maine. I congratulate the Hutchinson Center staff and Director Meg Malmberg, and Onward Program Director Jerry Ellis and his staff for these outstanding honors. It is also important to note the outstanding leadership of Division of Lifelong Learning Dean Bob White, who oversees both the Hutchinson Center and the Onward Program. NEBHE benefits greatly from the leadership provided by UMaine people. Mary Cathcart, senior policy fellow in the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, serves as chair of the organization's board of governors. Rep. Emily Cain (D-Orono), a member of the Honors College staff, serves as a member of that board.

UMaine was honored to hosts two U.S. diplomats with great expertise on the Middle East during a Feb. 13 Buchanan Alumni House forum, "The Middle East Conundrum: Diplomacy or Military Solution?" Ambassador Marcelle Wahba and retired Ambassador Philip Wilcox, Jr., now president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, made informative and insightful presentations before a full house, which included a great many UMaine students, plus a live audience watching on the Internet. This was the first public event hosted by UMaine's new School of Policy and International Affairs, and it can certainly be classified as being a big success.

Sen. Susan Collins and U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud also visited UMaine during February, for a demonstration event at UMaine's Advanced Engineered Wood Composites (AEWC) Center. The event featured the first public demonstration of the Modular Ballistic Production System, a UMaine-developed product that fits inside military tents to protect soldiers from mortar fragments and other dangers. UMaine engineers developed this technology in partnership with the U.S. Army, and the February event featured the shipment of the first completed kit to the Army, for use in Afghanistan. Using technology to protect those in harm's way is a high calling, and we can share in the pride of this outstanding work, much of which was done and led by students working under Prof. Habib Dagher, Larry Parent and others at AEWC. UMaine ingenuity also shows clearly, as the project was completed in half the anticipated time, at half the anticipated cost.

I was very pleased last week to accept a $50,000 incentive check from the Maine Public Utilities Commission's Efficiency Maine program, which works with institutions and businesses to promote energy conservation. UMaine is doing a lot to promote sustainability and environmental stewardship, and our partnership with Efficiency Maine on new campus lighting initiatives is a good example. These efforts are helping us save significant amounts of money, while reducing our negative impact on the environment. It is particularly notable that a great many students, staff, faculty and others are involved in these efforts. Given the great interest in our community, and the fact that we have researchers in areas like the Climate Change Institute and the Forest Bioproducts Research Project who are among the world's leaders in relevant fields of study, we can look forward to continuing to find new and innovative ways to pursue sustainability initiatives.

To help assure continued progress, I have recently signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. This pledge commits us to meeting certain targets and working toward what’s called “climate neutrality.” It is modeled after a similar pledge signed by mayors across the U.S., and I am pleased that UMaine is one of the first universities to join in this commitment.

The extraordinary level of activity in our arts community continues to enrich our community and draw positive public attention to UMaine.

The Department of Art has an active and high caliber exhibition program in the Lord Hall Gallery. This academic year's activities began in September with the Contemporary Artist Book exhibition (curated by Owen Smith and Walter Tisdale) that coordinated with a statewide print initiative. The Art Dept. also hosted a successful Student Capstone exhibition (with several hundred students, parents and friends attending opening night). Its current exhibition is Documentation: Photography as Witness. The current program is a national juried exhibition, developed by Prof. Michael Grillo, which helps bring national interest and attention to the quality of the department's gallery program.

The recent International Dance Festival, featuring UMaine's international students and others celebrating the cultures that make up our community, was an amazing success. The 1,600 seat Hutchins Concert Hall was nearly full, and the event was exceptionally well-received. Congratulations to co-organizers Senthil Socklingham and Jessica Bishop on a job very well done.

The musical comedy "Bat Boy" just completed a successful run at Hauck Auditorium. Director Marcia Douglas from the School of Performing Arts and a very talented cast and crew put countless hours into this ambitious production, and the result was another memorable series of performances featuring UMaine students. A preview story, focusing on lead actor and Iraq war veteran Jacob Cayouette, even made the front page of the Bangor Daily News. A show like this is an enormous undertaking, and we should all appreciate the hard work and exceptional creativity that go into staging an event of this nature.

Again this year, UMaine offered a series of important events as part of Black History Month and Human Rights Week programming. Lectures, discussions and a variety of other activities really serve to promote deeper understanding of history and important issues that affect all of us. This is the kind of activity that makes being part of a university community so interesting and valuable, helping all of us to continually grow in our understanding of the world around us. I appreciate the efforts of Dean of Students Robert Dana, along with Angel Loredo and Jose Cordero, in taking leadership roles in developing this important programming.

Last Sunday featured one of my favorite annual events, when we honored UMaine's student-athletes who have particularly performed well in the classroom. A record 249 varsity athletes were honored for achieving grade point averages of 3.0 or better. The number of student-athletes who achieve this recognition continues to grow, and that is thanks in large part to our faculty, our coaches and the academic support system that is built into the Dept. of Athletics. Special notice goes this year to Tal Shpaizer and Matt McGraw, the 2007 recipients of the M Club Dean Smith Awards, given to a female student-athlete and a male student-athlete who demonstrate outstanding academic and athletic achievement, along with citizenship and community service. It is interesting to note that Tal and Matt are both international students, with Tal coming to UMaine from Israel and Matt from Canada. It is wonderful to see these students receive kudos for keeping their studies at the forefront, and doing so well academically. It also serves to remind me that there are a great many other students who achieve similarly in the face of serious time constraints related to work and family commitments. UMaine's students are an inspiration to me, and we should all be proud of their efforts.

I also salute the UMaine athletic department, particularly Blake James and Ann Maxim, for putting together an outstanding series of events as part of the National Girls and Women in Sports Day celebration. It was a great opportunity to recognize the remarkable contributions women make to athletics programs, and to note their positive impact on young people. Keynote speaker Mariah Burton Nelson, a former professional basketball player, gave an inspirational talk demonstrating why she is such an outstanding role model for girls and women in sports. Many people in the greater community were able to participate this year, further extending the value of this important annual activity.

Finally this month, I would like to recognize Rodney Lajoie and his colleagues in UMaine's carpenter shop. They recently completed construction of a beautiful new oak display case in Alfond Arena, recognizing UMaine's connection to a National Guard unit serving in Iraq. Through Operation Community Support and the Maine Army National Guard, members of the unit let us know last fall that they were enjoying following the Black Bear hockey team and that they appreciated the "bragging rights" they gained over hockey fans from other states serving in the same area. They made up a poster and took a photo, with most of the members wearing UMaine caps, and sent it to us along with an American flag that had flown over their camp. Working with the UMaine athletics department, and with financial support from the Friends of Maine Hockey, Rodney and others created the display case that now serves to draw attention to the unit and its connections to UMaine. We are pleased that Black Bear hockey is important to these citizen-soldiers as they serve our country, and we hope that the upcoming playoffs will give them many more reasons to be proud of their home state and its university.


Sincerely,


Bob Kennedy
President