MACHIAS (AP) – The acting president for the University of Maine at Machias was named the permanent head of the school, ending a national search to replace former President John Joseph, who died of a heart attack during the school’s commencement activities two years ago.

Cynthia E. Huggins, 48, agreed to a two-year term as president through June 2007, University of Maine System Chancellor Joseph Westphal announced Friday. Huggins has been at the school since 1997 and had served as interim president since January, but was not a formal candidate for the position.

Westphal said a national search through the spring failed to yield “a suitable replacement” for Joseph, the school’s last president until his death in May 2003. The search committee reconvened last week to recommend Huggins for the position.

“Dr. Huggins is well-known, well-respected and well-connected in Washington County,” Westphal said. “The university and the region will benefit from her continuity as president as it works to build its enrollment and to further establish its special niche among Maine’s public universities.”

Huggins’ appointment was a surprise following a national search that brought four finalists to the campus in April. School officials would not disclose whether any of the four were offered the position before the search committee turned to Huggins.

After Joseph’s death, former UMM Provost David Rosen and former system Vice Chancellor Sue Huseman preceded Huggins as interim president. She came to UMM in 1997 as an associate professor of English specializing in British and women’s literature. She holds an undergraduate degree in music from Furman University, and master’s and doctoral degrees in English from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro.

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Information from: Bangor Daily News, http://www.bangornews.com

AP-ES-06-11-05 1316EDT