If you build it, they will come.

That seemed to work for Kevin Costner in the hit movie Field of Dreams. He plowed under his corn, spent his life savings on a baseball diamond and long-dead legendary baseball players emerged to play ball.

Unfortunately, the same line has not worked out as well for the seven campuses of the University of Maine System). In order to compete for a small pool of new students, the seven campuses have built up long lists of majors and programs; creating costly redundancies within the system. Far too often, degree programs serve just a few students, yet they cost as much as if they were in great demand.

That is the assessment of a task force convened by system Chancellor Richard Pattenaude and headed by former Central Maine Power chief executive David Flanagan. The chancellor charged the task force with identifying ways to create a more sustainable university system that is better able to serve its students and the state. What the report revealed was somewhat surprising to many.

It seems the University of Maine System is not a system at all. Rather, it is a loosely aligned confederation where the seven campuses compete over small (and shrinking) resources, burdening each campus with high administrative costs that have resulted in a projected four-year shortfall of $43 million.

The task force recommended a series of real reforms that will transform UMS into an efficient body capable of delivering a high-quality product at a more sustainable price. By coordinating the delivery of degree programs, therefore eliminating unnecessary administration, the seven campuses can transform themselves and unite in the goal of delivering the highest quality education to Maine students.

Some critics of the task force’s report have said it does not go far enough, falling short of closing the smaller campuses. That issue has been floated in the past and has proven to be a non-starter. That does not mean it should never be looked at, it just means that if we want real reform we need to take realistic steps to improve the system and not jump straight to the nuclear option.

Change is never easy and overcoming entrenched interests will require some very difficult decisions. It may very well be the case that certain programs are cut at certain campuses because the demand simply does not exist. In the past this would mean a loss of opportunity for students, particularly at the smaller campuses, but with today’s technology this is no longer the case.

The Internet and teleconferencing have changed how we get our information. Instead of having seven professors delivering seven lectures on American politics in seven classrooms hundreds of miles apart, one professor can now deliver a single lecture over a broadband connection to dozens of classrooms, libraries or even dorm rooms in all corners of the state.

Embracing technology will lower costs and expand opportunities for students. A class offered at the University of Maine at Machias can now be available to students at the University of Southern Maine Lewiston-Auburn College or any of the other universities. This increased opportunity will enhance the experience of Maine’s students and add value to the degrees they earn.

We are living in an extraordinary time. This economic crisis has forced everyone to revisit their core mission and assess what is needed and what is not. To continue to operate at a high level, the University of Maine System must now do the same. Their mission is to provide a quality education to their students. To do that they must bring their finances and services in line with demand.

Unlike Kevin Costner, we do not need voices in the corn field to inspire and guide us. Instead, our inspiration comes from a desire to deliver a high-quality education to Maine’s university students at a price that they, and the state, can afford. Our guidance comes in the form of the task force’s report.

If nothing else, all sides can get behind one of their suggestions: start now.

Sen. Elizabeth Mitchell, D-Vassalboro, is president of the Maine Senate and a Democratic candidate for governor.