Statements of History, Philosophy, Mission, and Purpose
The statements of history, philosophy, mission, and purpose of UMA express a dedication to the students who attend the University, to its regional and statewide communities, and to the state’s public policy for higher education. These statements acknowledge the richness of UMA’s students’ interests, backgrounds, and skills; their commitment to personal and professional development; the unique challenges they face, often as the first generation in their families to attend college; and their responsibilities as members of families, workplaces, and communities.
Statement of History
In 1965, the 102nd Maine Legislature established the University of Maine at Augusta as a community-based institution offering associate degrees under the auspices of the University of Maine at Orono. In 1971, soon after moving to its present campus location, UMA became an autonomous institution, the seventh campus of the University of Maine System. Also in that year, UMA assumed responsibility for providing degree programs and services in the Lewiston-Auburn area.
In 1975, UMA offered its first baccalaureate degree program and began building an integrated faculty community, with appropriate terminal degrees, to teach both baccalaureate and associate degree courses. During this time, UMA also developed a distinctive set of programs, services, and schedules tailored to the unique needs and strengths of its primarily adult student body.
In 1986, UMA was designated the "Community College of Maine," with responsibility for leading the University of Maine System in the provision of associate degree programs and related services across the entire state. As part of this responsibility, UMA developed a statewide interactive television system as well as a network of over 100 off-campus centers and regional sites, and coordinated the delivery of university programs, courses, and services at these centers and sites. In 1994 this system, now called the University of Maine System Network for Education and Technology Services (UNET), became an independent administrative entity of the University of Maine System. UMA continues to collaborate with UNET in the delivery of statewide programs.
In 1995, the University of Maine System Board of Trustees added University College of Bangor to UMA. Founded in 1970 as the South Campus of the University of Maine at Orono, it later became Bangor Community College, one of the colleges of the University of Maine at Orono. In 1985, it was renamed University College. In 1995, the Board of Trustees affiliated the Bangor campus with Augusta and Lewiston-Auburn, thereby strengthening the aspect of UMA’s mission which focuses on community college programs and services. At the same time the Board also reaffirmed UMA’s role as a provider of selected baccalaureate programs in the Central Maine and Mid-Coast region.
As UMA continues to evolve and grow, at least five bedrock commitments remain unchanged:
- offering a wide range of associate degree programs as well as selected baccalaureate programs;
- providing state and national leadership in distance education;
- providing public service and continuing education opportunities;
- providing student support services and developmental education; and
- making resources available to meet the changing educational needs of its communities.
The University of Maine at Augusta is a Carnegie Classification Baccalaureate II institution. We have an extensive scholarship program which provides over three hundred full and partial scholarships as part of our Board of Trustees/President’s Scholarship Program.
Statement of Philosophy
UMA develops and carries out its mission and purpose guided by a set of core beliefs:
- Intelligence, productivity, and excellence reside in individuals without regard to their background, economic, or social status. Consequently, UMA provides access to higher education to a diverse population of students and pro- vides the support services that ensure those students the best possible opportunity for success. The development and success of its students are the primary endeavors of the University.
- All members of the University should strive for the highest possible standards of quality. Review and assessment are necessary components of that striving.
- An educated person exhibits knowledge and wisdom; recognizes and respects the diversity of nature and society; and appreciates the traditions of art, culture, and ideas. Acquiring these characteristics is a life-long process.
- The institution must sustain an environment in which these beliefs are carried out with integrity and a true sense of purpose.
Statement of Mission
The University of Maine at Augusta, a regional state university, provides baccalaureate and select associate degrees to meet the educational, economic and cultural needs of Central Maine. Based on a common liberal arts core for all degree programs, UMA delivers professional programs to non-traditional, traditional and place-bound students.
Statement of Purpose
To carry out its mission, UMA:
- Provides a broad range of undergraduate educational opportunities distinguished by excellence and accessibility, including the strategic selection of programs and the effective use of technology to support distance education.
- Offers baccalaureate and select associate degrees designed for career advancement, personal and professional growth, and preparation for graduate studies.
- Provides programs and seminars for career advancement, professional and personal development.
- Collaborates with other campuses of the University of Maine System and other constituencies such as private colleges, community colleges, libraries, businesses, industry, government and community organizations to attain mutual support of institutional and educational goals.
- Encourages faculty, staff and students to participate in public service that contributes to the growth and development of UMA’s communities and constituents.
- Prepares students for current and future challenges and exposes them to knowledge, critical thinking skills, cultural enrichment, ethical, pluralistic and aesthetic awareness.
- Provides support services, designed for non-traditional, traditional and place-bound students, to foster intellectual and personal growth, academic success, community participation and a commitment to lifelong learning.
- Provides faculty and staff with professional development activities that include scholarly research, scientific inquiry, literary and artistic expression consistent with their academic area of expertise and that recognize faculty and staff contributions and achievements.
- Provides an ongoing process of planning and assessment that focuses on institutional growth and development.
- Evaluates the emerging educational, economic and social needs of Central Maine citizens and offers new specialized programs to serve those needs.
These stated purposes provide a collegial and respectful environment in which faculty, staff and students share the ideals articulated above and benefit from these common purposes.
The University of Maine at Augusta offers courses and support services to students of all ages from a wide variety of educational and cultural backgrounds. The institution offers academic programs in the liberal arts, fine and performing arts, nursing and allied health, and a variety of other areas. These provide opportunities for personal growth and development and prepare students for transfer to other institutions, graduate study, and career preparation and mobility. UMA is particularly committed both to recent high school graduates and to Maine’s adult population, many of whom attend college on a part-time basis. UMA’s staff desires to develop in its students the capacity to succeed in college. We assess student skills, offer developmental work when needed, and design courses based on the educational concept which emphasizes learning as a life-long process.
UMA believes that education should be readily accessible to any individual who is unafraid of hard work and personal growth. Some of its students are pursuing personal interests while others are striving for academic degrees; some are fairly young while many have not attended school for several years; some are well prepared for college while others are not. UMA believes all of its students should be given full opportunities to improve their career opportunities while developing intellectually.
A primarily commuter college, the main campus is located in pleasant, wooded surroundings north of the state capitol, and is conveniently adjacent to I-95.
Also adjacent to I-95, a second campus exists at University College of Bangor where associate degrees are offered in business administration, computer information systems, dental hygiene, health information management (currently under suspension), human services, landscape horticulture, legal technology, liberal studies, and veterinary technology. Additionally, baccalaureate degrees in dental hygiene and in mental health and human services and a one-year certificate in dental assisting and a paralegal certificate are also available. Courses are offered both days and evenings.
The Lewiston-Auburn campus, located in Lewiston at 51-55 Westminster Street, serves approximately 800 students each semester. Through a joint effort of the University of Southern Maine and the University of Maine at Augusta, students may take advantage of expanded educational opportunities in this community. Student services include academic and career counseling, veterans’ assistance, financial aid counseling, a library, and bookstore. Tutoring and other special services for students who need extra help are also available on request.
When the institution opened in the fall of 1965, all courses were offered under the auspices of the Continuing Education Division in eight classrooms at Cony High School. A former fire station was later acquired as additional space for offices and the library. In the fall of 1967, a day program was established and offered courses in two curricula: administration and liberal studies. In the fall of 1967, UMA’s home was changed for the third time to a rented facility at 99 Western Avenue. Since this facility was still not large enough to house all courses offered by the Continuing Education Division, the city of Augusta provided space at Lou Buker Junior High School. On November 7, 1967, Maine voters, in a state referendum, provided $1.1 million, which was supplemented with $600,000 in federal funds, for development of the 165 acre campus site and for construction of the first building.
In November 1970, the move to the new campus was made with occupancy in the main administration-classroom building, and in March of 1971, a library-arts building was added to the campus. In 1975, the new Learning Resources Center opened. In 1971, when continuing education was decentralized within the University System, the University of Maine at Augusta assumed responsibility for the operation of the Lewiston-Auburn campus. Operations there have continued on a full-time basis since 1971, with the campus located, for many years, at the former Sacred Heart School in Auburn. In 1994, the facility came under the administration of the University of Southern Maine (USM) and is jointly occupied by USM and UMA.
In April of 1970, the Board of Trustees approved three new programs in art, law enforcement, and nursing. In 1973, additional programs were authorized in popular music and business administration. In 1974, a graphic arts option was added to the art program, and the medical laboratory technology program was initiated. In addition to the completion of a learning resources center, 1975 saw the addition of two baccalaureate programs in public administration and business administration, and the Thomaston center was established to deliver community college programs to the Rockland, Belfast, Camden and Thomaston areas. The Bath center was initiated in 1978, and in 1982 UMA and USM began to jointly operate the new Bath/Brunswick center.
The University of Southern Maine also began to offer its masters in business administration program to the Augusta and Lewiston-Auburn campuses in the fall of 1982. Two additional programs were added in 1986—an associate degree in social services and a baccalaureate degree in jazz and contemporary music. In 1988, an architectural studies degree was also offered. In 1992, UMA assumed responsibility for the Saco and Sanford centers from USM, the East Millinocket and Ellsworth centers from the University of Maine, and the Rumford center from the University of Maine at Farmington.
The future development of degree programs will occur as UMA responds to the educational needs of central and midcoast Maine.
In 1995, University System reorganization assigned many off-campus centers to the University of Maine System Network for Education and Technology Services. At that time, UMA’s portion of Lewiston-Auburn College became a campus to UMA as did University College of Bangor, formerly a college of the University of Maine (Orono).