University of Maine System board approves FY2027 budget and a slate of capital projects

The University of Maine System Board of Trustees approved the FY2027 operating and capital budget after presentations and review by the Finance, Facilities and Technology committee. Vice Chancellor for Finance Ryan Lowe presented the FY2026 forecast and the FY2027 operating proposal; trustees voted to accept the recommendation of the FFT committee and approve the FY2027 operating and capital budgets and recommended student charges.

Lowe told trustees the system had worked through multiple forecasts and acknowledged pressure on auxiliary operations (housing and dining) while highlighting positive progress in educational and general (E&G) finances at many campuses. "February to May, I think the system overall bottom line largely remains unchanged, about a $1,600,000 operating deficit," he said while also presenting the FY2027 package that rolled to a modest positive ending balance after reserve transfers.

The board also approved a series of project authorizations and interim financings reported out of FFT:

- An internal loan authorization of up to $1,600,000 to the University of Southern Maine to bridge fundraising for the Cruz Center for the Arts, to be repaid from USM Foundation donations. - Authorization to increase Maine Center renovation spending by $2,000,000 (to a total of up to $11.6M) and to provide an interim internal loan, with repayment supported by the Harold Alfond Foundation grant and future Maine Center revenues. - Authorization to increase the University of Maine Energy Center authorized spend from $8.7M to $110M for a new energy center on the Orono campus; conservative operations savings were estimated at roughly $300,000 per year, and trustees approved project financing authorization with a maximum principal amount noted in the resolution. - Approval of up to $4,000,000 for Jeunesse Hall renovations to rehouse the School of Computing and Information Sciences. - Approval to increase the Forest Biomaterials Innovation Center budget by $2,000,000 (to $9.425M) to expand scope, funded by a NIST award and UMS transforms funds. - Approval of $250,000 additional funding for the Dowling Marine Center marine culture lab renovation (total $1.612M) to add resilience features, including backup generator capacity. - Authorization to expend up to $4.5M to initiate programmatic and early design work for a Health and Life Sciences Complex at UMaine, backed by a $45M congressionally directed spending award referenced in the presentation.

Trustees also approved an internal loan to USM for the Crew Center for the Arts and other project budget increments following committee vetting and roll‑call votes. Most FFT items were reported out of committee and then unanimously approved on the board floor.

Other business concluded at the meeting included tenure approvals, the elimination of an MAT in Teaching Spanish at the University of Maine (approved), the formation of a College of Education at USM (approved), and the election of Trustee Roger Cates as chair and Elise Baldacci as vice chair for the coming year.

The board heard an enrollment update showing summer/fall applications and admissions gains (applications up ~9% year‑over‑year and active matriculated students up ~19% as of the report) and was told final census numbers would be reported after official August and October dates.

Most capital and budget motions passed on roll call with trustees recorded as voting in favor; the board did not record opposition on the major items presented.