ORONO — The University of Maine’s vice president for enrollment management, whose work recruiting students, particularly from out of state, was considered “foundational” to the university’s five-year plan, no longer works at UMaine, a spokesperson confirmed last week.

The vice president, Jimmy Jung, was hired by the university in 2012. After at least three consecutive years of declining student enrollment, UMaine’s student population grew during Jung’s first year. His work on enrollment was praised by former UMaine President Paul Ferguson and was one of the cornerstones of Ferguson’s plan to increase revenue and ensure the school is serving the state to the best of its ability, which he called the “Blue Sky Plan.”

Jung is the third vice president to leave UMaine in less than a year, but the departures of the other two — both vice presidents for administration and finance — were announced in press releases that included quotes from the presidents praising them for their service to the university.

The university did not say why Jung left, nor was his departure announced.

“Jimmy Jung is not working in his capacity as University of Maine vice president for enrollment management,” UMaine’s spokesperson, Margaret Nagle, said in a statement sent in response to a request from the BDN. “The University of Maine does not comment on personnel matters.”

Attempts to reach Jung during the week were not successful.

Between the fall of 2012 and the fall of 2013, the student population at UMaine increased from 10,901 to 11,247, according to the university system’s enrollment report. That’s an increase of 3.2 percent, though enrollment throughout the seven-campus system declined by 2.1 percent during the same time period. The 2013 freshman class was the largest in UMaine’s history.

Enrollment at UMaine declined slightly again this year, however. As of Oct. 1, the total student population was 11,205.

But the out-of-state student population increased. In the fall of 2013, there were 2,547 students from out-of-state, while this fall there are 2,919. Most out-of-state students pay full tuition, which has increased each year even as the lower, in-state tuition has remained flat. This year, out-of-state students who are not from New England will pay about $41,000 per year, while Maine residents will pay about $23,100 and students from other New England states will pay $27,300.

During his time with UMaine, Jung oversaw a partnership with Study Group, a for-profit company that partners with colleges around the world to recruit international students to their campuses. Study Group often recruits students using agents who are paid on a per-student basis, a method that is controversial and can be illegal if done within the United States.

Last spring, Ferguson, who was president at the time, called the university’s attempts to recruit out-of-state students “aggressive” and said UMaine would be in a “world of pain” had they not done so. The university needed to cut $9.7 million from its budget but was able to do so without laying off any faculty.

At the same time, the University of Southern Maine attempted to lay off 12 faculty members in an effort to cut $14 million from its budget. Those retrenchments were rescinded, but USM’s president, David Flanagan, proposed a plan last Monday that would lay off 50 faculty members.

University system administrators say they will cut $69 million from their budget by fiscal year 2019. During the past six months, administrators on the campuses have left their positions in droves.

Last May, Ferguson announced he would leave UMaine to take a position at Ball State University in Indiana. The two other vice presidents to leave the flagship university were Janet Waldron, who left to take a position at the University of North Texas System, and Judy Ryan, who replaced Waldron in the spring but then retired in September.

Before Jung came to UMaine, he worked as assistant vice president for enrollment management at the College at Brockport, part of the State University of New York; as executive director for strategic enrollment management at Baruch College, part of the City University of New York; and as an enrollment analyst at Fordham University, also in New York.

Jung is a finalist for a position as vice president for students at the University of Hawaii, according to that college’s website. He is scheduled make a presentation on the campus in Manoa on Tuesday.

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