AUGUSTA -- University of Maine at Augusta President Allyson Hughes Handley kicked off her first full academic year at the college on Friday with a renewed push to develop new revenue sources and work with Augusta to revitalize the city's downtown.

Speaking at a welcome-back breakfast for professors and college employees, Handley offered outlines for what she called "a new vision for UMA." And the UMA president called on those gathered at the Civic Center Friday morning to play a role in implementing that vision.

"It is critical that we tap into the collective optimism that brought each of us to the college," she said. "Optimism feeds the personal and professional dreams that motivate our students to sacrifice time and money to pursue an education."