It could be good-bye Western, hello Maine for Amit Chakma.
Western University's president, who will wrap up his second and final term in London on June 30, 2019, has been shortlisted to become the head of the University of Maine.
Chakma is one of four finalists to be named for the job south of the border and the only candidate to be selected from a Canadian institution. Officials from the University of Maine reviewed 67 applications and interviewed 12 people in a national search that began last fall before whittling the list down to four.
“I am pleased that we are able to announce such a strong field of finalists,” Gregory Johnson, chair of the 18-member UMaine President Search Committee said in a statement. “Each brings a wealth of professional experience, strong leadership skills, and the vision to successfully lead UMaine during this time of dynamic change in public higher education, workforce development and increasingly fierce enrollment competition.”
Chakma will tour the campus over two days on March 1 and 2. His visit will include a question and answer session with faculty, students, and staff.
The university's chancellor is expected to make a recommendation on the new president to the board of trustees next month.
Chakma announced last November that he will not seek a third term as Western's president. He has lead the university since 2009. He has been praised by the school’s Board of Governors for strengthening Western’s academic reputation by attracting top students, scholars, and researchers from across Canada and the world.
But Chakma’s time at Western hasn’t been without controversy. In 2015, he caused considerable alarm among faculty, staff, and students when it came to light that he was paid $967,000 in salary and taxable benefits the year before. The double-salary, half of which was awarded for not taking a year-long paid administrative leave in 2014, led to a review of Western’s compensation practices. It also nearly led to a vote of non-confidence against Chakma.
To give the money back to the school, Chakma voluntarily skipped a year of pay.
The international search for Chakma’s successor at Western began last month. It is being led by a ten-member committee.
