UMFK names interim president, to start nationwide search this fall

$Tex Boggs portrait$ Courtesy University of Maine Tex Boggs has been named interim president of the University of Maine at Fort Kent, which will launch a nationwide search this fall for a successor to John Short.

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By Staff

As the University of Maine at Fort Kent prepares a national search for a new leader, it has named Tex Boggs as interim president, University of Maine System Chancellor James H. Page announced Thursday.

Boggs has more than 25 years of higher-education leadership experience and has been interim provost and vice president for academic affairs at UMFK since August.

His previous experience includes seven years as president of Antioch University Los Angeles and 20 years as president of Western Wyoming Community College. He also served two terms in the Wyoming state legislature.

Boggs is scheduled to start his new role at UMFK on July 1, a day after the retirement of outgoing President John Short. Short is leaving after three years, during which he oversaw programs addressing workforce issues and boosted ties with Maine's other public universities and the community in northern Aroostook County .

A nationwide search for a successor is to start this fall.

“Over the course of the next year UMFK will have opportunities to invest new resources, better align its academic portfolio and campus priorities with state and regional needs, and strengthen its collaboration with the University of Maine at Presque Isle,” Page said in a news release.

He added: "Dr. Boggs is a proven academic leader and collaborator. He strongly supports the campus mission, and our shared, public university commitment to student and state success.“It has been a pleasure working with Tex this year and we appreciate his willingness to provide leadership for the campus and community.”

Boggs said he is pleased to have the opportunity to join UMFK's talented and dedicated faculty and staff, adding, "I know they will be fully committed to both the work we will do here in the St. John Valley and the efforts we will make to strengthen our collaborations with our sister campuses and community partners.”