UMFK President to Retire

University of Maine at Fort Kent President John Short announced that he plans to step down at the end of this academic year after more than 40 years in the education field.

Short has served as President of the University of Maine at Fort Kent since April of 2016, bringing several important initiatives to the campus, its students, and the community. He will step down on June 30, the end of the academic fiscal year.

UMaine System Chancellor James Page will discuss plans for a transitional leadership with campus and community stakeholders to identify an interim president for the university.  An announcement of the interim president should be made before May’s graduation ceremonies.

During his tenure at UMFK, the university completed its ten-year master plan focused on the establishment of a Maine health sciences campus with professional programs, upgraded classroom technology to create state-of-the-art learning spaces and distance education facilities, transformed student affairs operations on campus, and increased endowed scholarships through the UMFK Foundation.

Short says serving as President of UMFK has been an honor and highlight of his forty-year career in higher education.  “UMFK is an amazing campus and resource for this area. As was the case when I accepted the presidency, I remain so impressed with the depth and emotional connection of the community with this campus.

President Short and his wife Caryn, who suffered a heart attack last year, bought a house in Delaware following Caryn’s triple bypass open heart surgery.  That health scare, the year long-recovery, and the opportunity to spend more time with family were important considerations in Short's retirement decision.