AUGUSTA (AP) – The University of Maine System’s proposed strategic plan was panned once again, this time by professors at the Augusta campus who voiced concerns that nontraditional students would be given short shrift.

University of Maine at Augusta professors told University of Maine System officials Wednesday that the reorganization proposal appeared to be “punishing” the campus for being efficient, and that the community college system wasn’t ready to assume all the system’s two-year associate degrees.

They also said they couldn’t support the reorganization initiative because it seems to limit the selection of baccalaureate degrees to public and business administration programs and was crafted without enough public input.

Under the draft plan, the University of Maine at Augusta, which offers the majority of the system’s two-year degree programs, would become part of the University of Southern Maine to provide only four-year degrees and some graduate programs in public policy and business administration.

The system Vice Chancellor Elsa Nunez emphasized that students in two-year degree programs would not be left out. Associate programs would be phased out over time, she said.

Robert Roper, professor of business administration at University College at Bangor, said the system was remiss in not including in its plan details about the future of the Bangor campus.

“It’s unkind it is cruel to have this kind of vagueness regarding the lives of so many students, faculty and staff,” he said.

University of Maine System officials said two associate degree programs now offered at the Bangor campus – veterinary science technology and dental hygiene – would be continued by the system.

A two-year forestry technology degree offered at the University of Maine at Fort Kent also would be offered.

Tracy Gran, dean of UCB, suggested giving the college to the Maine Community College System, and Executive Vice President and Provost Joshua Nadel suggested working with the community colleges and the state Department of Education to transform Bangor college into an “early college” program for underperforming high school seniors statewide.

By taking college-level courses and having more flexibility and freedom, disengaged students hopefully would rise to the challenge, he said.

AP-ES-04-29-04 0219EDT