In 1994, University of Southern Maine President Richard Pattenaude sat with his administrative cabinet to review the institution’s financial condition. The recession of the early 1990s (between 1990 and 1994) had been exacerbated by declining enrollments, state budget cuts, and frozen state appropriations. To cope with these dire financial circumstances, President Pattenaude had recently led the university through a series of cost reductions. The fiscal picture, however, remained unchanged: the University of Southern Maine (USM) could no longer rely on state funding as its primary revenue source. Other options had to be developed. When Pattenaude asked for ideas, Vice President for Administration Sam Andrews was the first to respond, “The answer is simple: change or die.”
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