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Voices of Maryland


March 24, 2020
 
Dear Campus Community,
 
As I write to you, I hope that you and your family are staying safe and well.
And as we continue to prepare for our transition this summer, I also want to thank every member of the Presidential Transition Team for their willingness to serve on the various committees and for their work to-date. Because of the continued concern about the coronavirus, I have asked the Transition Team to postpone its work, which includes delaying the listening sessions. COVID-19 is top of mind right now, and everyone is and should be focused on the safety and well-being of themselves, their families, friends and the entire community.
 
Even though the listening sessions are on hold, we are still collecting and reviewing all the comments that are being posted on the Voices of Maryland website. I appreciate the very thoughtful and helpful observations to date, and I encourage you to continue post your opinions, concerns, reasons to be optimistic, and ideas. When we next gather in-person as a Terrapin community, much will have changed. Hearing your valued perspectives will help us prepare for the next chapter.
 
My sincere thanks to all members of the campus – faculty, staff, students, administrators, and especially to the Health Center health-care providers, dining services employees, facilities and residential facilities staff, and campus police – for everything you are doing to support and protect our community. Please continue to check umd.edu/virusinfo for updates on COVID-19 and email your non-medical coronavirus questions to healthconcerns@umd.edu.
 
Please stay safe and healthy. With our shared Terp spirit, caring, understanding and support, we will get through this together.
 
Sincerely,
 
Darryll J. Pines
Dean and Farvardin Professor, A. James Clark School of Engineering
President-Designate, University of Maryland

Introduction

The University System of Maryland Board of Regents recognizes that a presidential transition from current President Wallace D. Loh to President-Designate Darryll J. Pines is critical to the continued success of the University of Maryland.  Board Chair Linda R. Gooden and Chancellor Jay A. Perman have approved the appointment of a Presidential Transition Team for the purpose of developing a comprehensive plan to ensure the success of this important transition.

Students walking on McKeldin Mall

Purpose

President-Designate Darryll J. Pines believes that solutions and ideas come from every corner of the campus.   Therefore, Dr. Pines charges the Presidential Transition Team to work to better understand our community’s perception on the structure and culture of both the campus and the relationships with our partners and surrounding community through a collaborative, inclusive and transparent process.   The goal of this collective effort is to enable Dr. Pines to gain a clear understanding of the broad and complex campus landscape.   
 
To facilitate this understanding, the Transition Team will solicit comments, suggestions and ideas from the campus community by hosting listening sessions, receiving online comments, and other means, guided by the following four questions:
 
  • What is the university doing well?
  • What are the challenges and opportunities?  How can we best address these issues to help the university continue to ascend and grow?
  • What are your B1G ideas for moving the university forward?
  • As members of the university community, what broad advice would you offer to the new president?
 
After soliciting input from the campus community, the Presidential Transition Team will present a final transition report to Dr. Pines by June 1, 2020. This report will purposefully outline a clear, collaborative and inclusive transition process for Dr. Pines by highlighting the strengths, challenges, and opportunities for the University of Maryland. The plan will serve as a guiding document for Dr. Pines as he and his team chart the path forward for our University.
 

About

The University of Maryland, College Park is the state's flagship university and one of the nation's preeminent public research universities. A global leader in research, entrepreneurship and innovation, the university is home to more than 40,700 students, 14,000 faculty and staff, and nearly 400,000 alumni all dedicated to the pursuit of Fearless Ideas. Located just outside Washington, D.C., we discover and share new knowledge every day through our renowned research enterprise and programs in academics, the arts and athletics. And we are committed to social entrepreneurship as the nation’s first “Do Good” campus.

DO GOOD 

Introducing The Nation's First Do Good Campus Transforming Idealism into Impact 

Academics

Spanning 12 schools and colleges, Maryland offers more than 300 degree-granting programs, many of them ranked among the best in the country. Our faculty includes two Nobel laureates, three Pulitzer Prize winners, 58 members of the national academies and scores of Fulbright scholars. And our students, who include the highest achievers in the state and nation, enjoy experiences unique to our location just outside the nation’s capital, including internships, research, and leadership and service opportunities.

Research and Innovation

The University of Maryland is one of the world’s premier research institutions. With our strategic location and scores of partnerships with government and businesses, UMD conducts groundbreaking research on some of the biggest challenges facing our global community, including cybersecurity and terrorism, bioengineering, public health equity, food safety and climate change. We strive to discover new knowledge and put it to work through innovation and entrepreneurship, advancing economic development and transforming lives. 


The newly launched Innovation Gateway will guide you to the resources, programs, partners, and spaces you need to activate and scale your fearless ideas into innovations that launch new ventures, catalyze growth, and advance economic development.

Arts

At the University of Maryland, the arts, the humanities and the sciences intersect to address important societal issues and shed new light on the human experience. Our vibrant campus arts community collaborates with local and national cultural organizations such as the Phillips Collection, Kennedy Center and Folger Shakespeare Library. Student and faculty artists, designers, historians, writers and performers are exploring new media, presenting new perspectives, investigating new techniques and engaging new audiences.

Athletics

Home of the Terrapins, the University of Maryland has one of the nation’s most recognizable and successful athletics programs. More than 550 student-athletes compete each year in 20 intercollegiate sports—12 for women and eight for men. Since 2005 alone, Maryland has won 19 national championships, including NCAA titles in women’s basketball, men’s soccer, men's lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, and field hockey. Since joining the Big Ten Conference in 2014, UMD has won a combined 32 regular season and tournament championships. Fear the Turtle!

Student Life

The Terp experience extends beyond classrooms, labs and studios. It encompasses residence halls and dining halls, clubs and sports, fraternities and sororities, campus events and performances, and countless off-campus destinations. Maryland touts 800-plus student organizations, dozens of prestigious living and learning communities, and countless other ways to get involved. Students here can create a unique identity and grow as individuals, even as they’re part of a close-knit and diverse community. 

On Campus

News

Latest news at Maryland Today

For media releases visit UMD Right Now

Terps are bold, smart, curious and proud. We do good, in our communities and out in the world. We are fearless. And we are always looking to expand our ranks. Interested in becoming a University of Maryland student? This is where to start.

 

Give to Maryland

Giving back is a fearless Terp tradition, and there are many ways you can not only keep it alive, but also make an instant impact. 

M Circle on the University of Maryland campus

 

Give Now

Maryland Promise Students

Support the Clark Challenge for the Maryland Promise Scholarship and double your impact through the Clark Challenge.

 


Clark Challenge for the Maryland Promise