Courtesy / Maine Community College System
Betsy Libby
Updated: September 3, 2021
Central Maine Community College finds president within its ranks
Courtesy / Maine Community College System
Central Maine Community College, whose Auburn campus is shown here, on Thursday named Interim President Betsy Libby to the official post of president.
By Staff
After serving as president of Central Maine Community College on an interim basis, Betsy Libby was appointed to the official post on Thursday.
The board of trustees of the Maine Community College System voted unanimously to confirm Libby as the next president of the Auburn college, according to a news release.
Libby has worked at CMCC since 2006. In addition to serving as interim president since September 2020, she has held the roles of vice president and dean of academic affairs, dean of student services, director of admissions and an adjunct faculty member.
“This is a very dynamic time for the college,” Libby said in the release. “We are increasingly focused on providing students with enhanced opportunities to pursue in-demand careers.”
Libby said she plans to build on the college’s history as a catalyst for economic development, through academic programs that support industry needs.
National search
MCCS President David Daigler recommended Libby for the post after a national search drew 30 candidates. Finalists gave in-person presentations at CMCC in August, and the search committee sought input from the CMCC community.
The search committee included faculty, administrators, trustees, students, system presidents and the college foundation.
“Betsy Libby is a strong, talented and deeply engaged leader on campus,” said Daigler. “Her efforts during the pandemic were especially remarkable. She has demonstrated her ability to tackle tough situations thoughtfully and compassionately, with a can-do attitude. She is strategic and effective, prioritizing CMCC students, faculty and staff.”
Before working at CMCC, Libby held administrative roles at State University of New York at Canton. She has a doctorate in higher education leadership from Northcentral University in Prescott Valley, Ariz.; a master’s degree in public relations from Ball State University in Muncie, Ind.; and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Maine.
At CMCC, she has been involved in strategic planning and developing recruitment and enrollment management strategies. She is also involved in professional and community-based organizations including the Regional Leaders Roundtable for the Lewiston Auburn Metropolitan Area Chamber of Commerce.
Libby succeeds Scott Knapp, who retired in 2020.
CMCC has more than 40 programs, including offerings in network security and computer forensics, criminal justice, plumbing and heating technology and HVAC/R.
In 2019, the 2,200-student college added an e-sports arena and a lighted, synthetic-turf athletic complex.
Earlier this year, CMCC opened a new 4,500-square-foot Public Service Simulation Center for training in law enforcement fields.
Libby has said that public service and social science programs are key areas for workforce development, focusing on placement.
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