Joseph Westphal, a former official in the U.S. Department of Defense, will be the new chancellor for the University of Maine System, officials announced last week.
Westphal, who currently works as an attorney in the Washington D.C. area, was most recently the acting secretary of the U.S. Army, responsible for development and management of the program that had an operating budget last year of over $70 billion. He worked under the Clinton and Bush administrations.
Westphal has over 10 years of legislative experience, serving as senior policy adviser to U.S. Sen. Thad Cochrane, R-Miss., executive director of the Congressional Sunbelt Caucus, and a policy analyst for the House Committee on the Budget.
Though he spent the last six years as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University, his only other experience in higher education is as an associate professor of political science and department head at Oklahoma State University from 1975 to 1987.
Westphal said he isn’t concerned about moving from a job with the federal government directly into higher education.
“I think the Hallmark of my professional experience is that I’ve been able to make adjustments from one job to another very easily,” he said. “I went from Congress to working in the administration, from the secretary of the army to working in a law firm.”
As chancellor, Westphal will be responsible for overseeing the development and direction of the entire University of Maine System’s seven universities that serve over 30,000 students. He will be based at the Office of the Chancellor in Bangor, due to begin April 1.
Westphal agreed to a contract that includes a salary of $175,000.
He takes over for previous Chancellor Terry MacTaggart, who left the position after five years Aug. 1 to become a research professor for UMS and write a book on higher education standards.
Westphal acknowledged the difficult economic situation in the state. Last semester the governor ordered UMS to return $2.6 million because of state revenue shortfalls. That order translated into over $700,000 that USM had to give back to the state.
“It’s certainly a tough situation, but it’s tough all around,” Westphal said. “So I think all of us in this country are going to be facing this, but the solution is you try to become more efficient, more productive.”
Westphal said he definitely plans to look more to the private sector to bring additional funds to UMS, especially in research dollars.
“But we have to find ways to help faculty do that,” he said.
He also said he plans to open the lines of communication to students.
“The basic core element is listening to students,” he said. “If you don’t and just make decisions from above and go to the legislature without listening, you’re going to miss the boat.”
Westphal said he’s aware of the controversial relationship between UMaine Orono and USM.
“A little competition is healthy,” he said. “A chancellor can help create a climate where a good relationship is very possible. Both universities are very important and good in different ways.”
Westphal’s education includes a Ph.D in political science from the University of Missouri-Columbia, an M.A. in political science from Oklahoma State University and a B.A. in political science from Adelphi University.
The former college football and hockey player also said he’s looking forward to New England sports, though he admitted he’s a Yankees fan.
Executive Editor Steve Peoples can be contacted at: [email protected]