AUGUSTA — The state’s top leaders in higher education told lawmakers Tuesday they are continuing to expand programming to meet the needs of the state economy.

University of Maine Chancellor Dan Malloy touted low tuition and high enrollment. And he said the university system will continue to target the 190,000 Mainers who have taken some college courses but have not finished a degree.

He also warned of $1.6 billion in deferred maintenance, saying those concerns keep him up at night.

“More than half of our facilities and three quarters of our residence halls have not been meaningfully renovated in the last 50 years,” he said. “The condition of our campuses is a crisis.” 

He asked lawmakers to consider a bond to pay for improvements or additional funds to upgrade infrastructure.

Malloy was one of three higher education leaders to address lawmakers in a State of Higher Education speech. Community College President David Daigler and Maine Maritime Academy interim President Craig Johnson also emphasized their successes and goals for the future.

Daigler highlighted ongoing efforts to better coordinate higher education options with the university system and major changes that have occurred in the last five years.

He said the community colleges have doubled their nursing programs, offered more support to K-12 teachers and are pivoting to keep up with artificial intelligence, climate change and automation. 

“We are here to help turn challenge into opportunity,” he said.

He said the state’s free community college program is vital to continuing to reach the 40% of Maine high school graduates who do not purse higher education. He urged lawmakers to make the program permanent and to give the system enough funding to support salary increases.

“These enduring investments for me benefit Maine people, many of whom who have been on the outskirts of opportunity for far too long,” Daigler said.

Johnson said the Maine Maritime Academy is looking forward to taking possession of a new ship in October, the first time the school will get a vessel that hasn’t been used by others. 

“That will be a proud day in the state of Maine, a proud day for the town of Castine,” he said.