The embattled incoming president of the University of Maine at Augusta has withdrawn

The College of Maine System plans to launch a brand new seek for a president on the College of Maine at Augusta after accepting the withdrawal of incoming president Michael Laliberte amid an ongoing controversy over his choice.

On Sunday, the system introduced that after discussions with Laliberte, it was decided that it was “in the very best curiosity of all events” for him to voluntarily resign.

The choice comes after weeks of scrutiny over the presidential search course of at UMA. College on the faculty and different UMaine campuses voted no-confidence within the search course of — and in System Chancellor Dannel Malloy, who didn’t disclose a no-confidence vote towards Laliberte at his former college, the State College of New York at Delhi.

In a joint assertion, Malloy, Laliberte and Trustee Sven Bartholomew mentioned that they felt it was finest to “take heed to and help the UMA College Senate of their need” to revisit the presidential search, and mentioned they’re “dedicated to listening to the voices of our school.”

Board Chair Mark Gardner added in a separate assertion that the board accepts “the Chancellor’s accountability for the errors made” within the search, and the board plans to work with him to make sure confidence in future searches.

A seek for a brand new UMA president will launch subsequent fall. The system says UMA Provost and Interim President Joe Szakas will proceed to serve within the put up via June 30 of subsequent 12 months.

The system says that underneath a withdrawal settlement, Laliberte will obtain pay for the primary 12 months that he would have served as UMA president, and will earn further pay relying on his future employment.