LeaderNotes
A newsletter for Foundation directors and friends of higher education in Maryland

Letter from the President    
 
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
 
Cooler weather has finally arrived as we welcome fall to Maryland! The University System's institutions have accomplished a great deal since our last newsletter, as you'll read in this edition of LeaderNotes.
 
The System's communications team, led by Jennifer Rose and Anne Moultrie, recently debuted a new visual identity for the USM. Working with Novak and Birch, a Baltimore-based marketing firm, the communications team and an in-house committee designed a new logo that reflects the relationship between the System and the state, as well as the USM's focus on innovation. The updated visual identity also reflects a new era of the System that is mindful of Chancellor Caret's vision of "systemness," or the idea that the whole is greater than its parts.

The last redesign happened over ten years ago, when there wasn't as great of a need for a logo that fit into a contemporary, digital environment. The USM's new visual identity is now fully equipped for the shifting digital landscape while representing the functional and forward-looking nature of the System.


 
Recently, Chancellor Caret spoke to The Washington Post and addressed questions regarding the new school year, endowments, and the cost of higher education. Overall, the article highlights how the System manages economic development and endowment building, especially during a time when the state undergoes a budget shortfall.

Staff members from the Chancellor's office and the System's communications team are in the process of moving from the Elkins Building in Adelphi to the Columbus Center on Baltimore's Inner Harbor. So far, various staff members from the Chancellor's office have made the transition and soon, a few members of the communications team will join them.
 
On Thursday, October 6 and Friday, October 7, I joined the USM's presidents in Baltimore for a president's retreat. It was great to convene with them now that the fall semester has truly begun.
 
Please note that we will hold our full Foundation Board of Directors meeting on November 17th at 10 am at the University of Baltimore's Angelos Law Center on the twelfth floor. We look forward to welcoming fresh new faces to the board. A s always, please contact me at raley@usmd.edu  or 301-445-1941 with any questions or comments.

Sincerely,
  
Leonard R. Raley

Investment Office Update

August saw a historic lack of market volatility.  Realized volatility for the S&P 500 was the lowest it has been in any month since July 1967. In this calm environment, the most notable event was Fed Chair Yellen's speech at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in which she emphasized that the case for an interest rate hike had "strengthened" in recent months, but gave little guidance on timing. Markets remained muted during Yellen's speech but dropped when Fed Vice Chair Stanley Fischer commented that Yellen's remarks were consistent with potentially two interest rate hikes this year.
  Delmarva Power Pledges $1M to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore    
Delmarva Power is pledging $1 million to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore to help the University launch the Green Collar Initiative, a series of energy conservation projects that will craft a sustainable curriculum using research, development and training. This gift is the single largest from a business or corporation in the University's history.
 
Regional Vice President for Delmarva Power and Chairman of UMES' Board of Visitors, John Allen, hopes that the Initiative will educate students and the current workforce in renewable energy, which will help build a green workforce that is conscious and committed to energy preservation and environmental stewardship. To carry this out, UMES will provide training through a certificate program for students and the workforce with an emphasis on renewable energy solutions such as solar and geothermal technologies. UMES will also deploy a mobile transfer substation that will visit schools and community colleges in order to keep public attention focused on their Green Collar Initiative. Additionally, UMES will design a "green" power model home on campus, which will serve as a teaching tool and will utilize energy conservation strategies and technology endorsed by the U.S. Green Building Council.
 
UMES' Executive Vice President, Kimberly Dumpson, anticipates that students will gain hands-on knowledge about the application of alternative and renewable energy technologies.
UMBC Celebrates 50th Anniversary Year
 
The University of Maryland, Baltimore County turned 50 on September 19, 2016. The celebration began with the University's Welcome Week, which greeted 2,800 new students. UMBC's inaugural day of classes was held on September 19, 1966.
 
According to an article in The Baltimo re Sun, titled "A Catonsville university turns golden," UMBC had 45 faculty members and 35 staff members in 1966. The first graduating class of 1970 had 241 students. As of the fall of 2015, UMBC had 11,243 undergraduate students, 2,596 graduate students, 527 full-time faculty members, 298 part-time faculty members, and 1,288 staff members.
 
On Saturday, September 17, thousands of UMBC Retrievers gathered for a celebration of community at the anniversary festival. The celebration honored UMBC's 50 years of growth and innovations and featured a Lego model of campus created by alumnus Jason Burik '00, a Roots of Greatness Luncheon--which recognized UMBC's founding faculty and staff, and a grand finale of fireworks with a performance by the UMBC Symphony Orchestra.

 
Two days later, on September 19, alumni, faculty, students, and staff gathered for a Founders Day celebration at the Retriever Activities Center. Speakers included Robin Mayne--UMBC's first graduate, President Freeman Hrabowski, and student Vrinda Deshpande.
 
Congratulations to UMBC for 50 years of achievement!
Kim Schatzel , Ph.D., Inaugurated as 14th President of Towson University

Kim Schatzel was inaugurated as the 14th president of Towson University on Friday, September 16th during the culmination of Inauguration Week. Schatzel's term as president began on January 25, 2016 after the Board of Regents appointed her in December of 2015. She comes to Towson from Eastern Michigan University, where she was serving as interim president since July of 2015 and had served as president of academic and student affairs since 2012. Schatzel has also worked in the College of Business at the University of Michigan-Dearborn as an assistant professor of marketing, and later as an interim dean from 2007-2008, then as dean from 2008-2012. Currently, Schatzel serves on the Board of Directors for the University of Maryland St. Joseph's Medical Center and The CollegeBound Foundation.

  
Towson University's Inauguration Week kicked off on Saturday, September 10, with the football team's home opener and a faculty-staff picnic. The week also featured a lecture from author Andrew Solomon, a "Taste of Towson" event, and a performance by the Ailey II Dance Company.
President of UMCES Dr. Donald Boesch to  
Step Down

Donald Boesch announced his plans to step down from his presidency at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science after a 27-year term. Boesch was UMCES' fifth chief executive and he will continue researching and serving as a UMCES faculty member after his presidency concludes on August 31, 2017.  As stated by Chancellor Caret, Boesch has helped UMCES become recognized as the state's foremost authority on environmental matters pertaining to the state of Maryland and the nation.
 
During Boesch's presidency at UMCES, research grants more than tripled. Research grants also diversified with multiple agency and private and philanthropic sponsors. As a result, UMCES scientists were able to research topics essential to understanding Maryland's environment. In 2013, Boesch led UMCES to receive accreditation to award M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in marine and environmental science jointly with Maryland public universities. Boesch also developed a partnership among UMCES, the University of Maryland Baltimore County and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, to form the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology, which is located on Baltimore's Inner Harbor. In 2010, President Obama chose Boesch to serve on the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling.
 
Today, Boesch serves on the Leadership Council of the Joint Ocean Commission Initiative and as Chair of the Scientific and Technical Working Group of the Maryland Commission on Climate Change. Thanks to Donald Boesch for 27 years of dedication.
Bowie State University President Mickey Burnim to Retire June 30, 2017

After 11 years as president of Bowie State University, Mickey Burnim will retire at the end of the fiscal year. Burnim announced his retirement at the University's Fall Matriculation Convocation on September 14.
 
Under Burnim's leadership, Bowie State has seen a 27 percent increase in graduating students since 2006 when he assumed his role as president. During his presidency, Bowie State added eight new degree programs such as a doctorate in computer science and a bachelor's degree in bioinformatics. Chancellor Caret noted that during Burnim's tenure, the University added majors in information technology and cybersecurity, and developed new facilities such as the Center for Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Nursing. In his Fall Convocation address, Burnim stated that Bowie State has exceeded the $15 million goal it set for its first comprehensive fundraising campaign. During Burnim's presidency, increases in civic and business partnerships grew new initiatives such as the Bowie Business Innovation Center, which operates on Bowie State's campus in collaboration with the city of Bowie. Bowie State became the first historically black institution in Maryland to house a business incubator.
 
For the remainder of his presidency, Burnim is committed to  institutional improvement and will focus on three key initiatives: raising funds to establish the University's first endowed chair, establishing an office of international programs, and launching the cybersecurity national workforce training pilot with the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Thanks to Mickey Burnim for 11 years of commitment to Bowie State.
UMCP Ranked by Times Higher Education World  

Times Higher Education has ranked the University of Maryland, College Park 14th  among public universities in the United States and 67th among more than 900 public and private universities worldwide. The
Times Higher Education rankings are evaluated by examining a university's teaching, research, international outlook, and reputation, among other factors. In their 2016 rankings,
Times Higher Education ranked UMCP 117th worldwide and 20th among public universities in the United States. The University jumped ahead fifty spots and six spots, respectively this year.

Times Higher Education also published their subject rankings for 2017. UMCP is ranked 19th out of 100 universities in the world for computer science and 55th out of 100 for business and economics. Also ranked were arts and humanities, social sciences, engineering and technology, physical sciences, and life sciences. Similar to the way Times Higher Education evaluates their university rankings, these rankings are determined based on teaching, international outlook, research, and industry income, among other factors.
UMCP and UMB Join Forces for Maryland Academy for Innovation in National Security

University of Maryland, College Park President Wallace Loh and University of Maryland, Baltimore President Jay Perman have announced plans to create the Maryland Academy for Innovation in National Security that would support an FBI headquarters in Greenbelt, Maryland.
 
According to the project's objectives, UMCP and UMB are "committed to working strategically and collaboratively with the FBI to help foster continuous innovation at the world's preeminent intelligence-led law enforcement organization." The partnership will utilize the two universities' capabilities in terrorism and counterterrorism studies, intelligence analysis, cybersecurity and high performance computing, criminology and criminal justice, homeland security, and crisis management. Tentatively, the Maryland Academy would be located on the UMCP campus.

 
Fall 2016   
 
In This Issue
USM News Briefs 
 
The University of Maryland College Park was recognized for campus sustainability efforts. The Princeton Review gave UMCP the highest possible "green rating" score of 99 and Sierra Magazine's Cool Schools ranked the University 44th overall and 2nd in the Big Ten .
Congratulations to the winners of the 2016 USM Regents' Staff Awards! Click here for a full list of recipients.
 
Board Member News 

Honorary Board Member Harriet Cooperman Named to List of "Nation's Most Powerful Employment Attorneys" for Seventh Time
 
Saul Ewing LLP Partner and Honorary Board Member Harriet Cooperman has been named to the top 100 list of the "Nation's Most Powerful Employment Attorneys" by Lawdragon and Human Resources Executive magazine for the seventh year in a row.
 
Cooperman received her J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law. From 1992-1996, Cooperman served as an adjunct professor at the University of Baltimore Law School. In 1998, she was part of the three-member executive committee that steered the merger between Saul Ewing and Weinberg & Green LLC. Cooperman has been named to the Best Lawyers in America list every year since 1993, and to the Maryland Daily Record's Top 100 Women list three times. This latest honor recognizes corporate-side employment attorneys for excellence in guiding employers through the legal landscape.

 
Vice President News
 
Thomas Sullivan Joins UMB as Chief Development Officer and Vice President

Thomas Sullivan, CFRE, MS, joined UMB as chief development officer and vice president on August 15th. Sullivan also serves as the president and CEO of the University of Maryland Baltimore Foundation, Inc.

Sullivan comes to UMB from the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), where he served as senior vice president for philanthropy and president of the RIC Foundation.

From 2001-2013, Sullivan was president of the Children's Memorial Hospital Foundation. He was chief architect of a $600 million campaign to build the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago. The campaign generated $675 million and was among the largest fundraising totals achieved in pediatrics.

Sullivan is not a newcomer to the city, as he served as president of the Greater Baltimore Medical Center Foundation from 1986-1993 and served as chairman of the board of the Ronald McDonald House in Baltimore during the early 90's.

 
Gifts Around the System 
 
Fundraising for a new scholarship to honor
Distinguished Professor Emeritus Lenneal J. Henderson of the University of Baltimore's College of Public Affairs is underway. After the establishment of the scholarship fund, College of Public Affairs Dean Roger Hartley announced his intent to double his initial leadership gift. He believes that scholarships such as this one are essential to furthering the education of UB's students.
The Universities at Shady Grove received a $50,000 grant from the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation. The grant will support USG's  Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success and Career Experience Opportunities programs, which are designed to familiarize students with career options and prepare them for employment. The Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation grant joins approximately $1 million in pledges from Hess Construction, Health Care Initiative, MedImmune, and Westat to support the programs. Furthermore, the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation announced that it will help USG build partnerships with businesses to expand the programs even further. Read more.

The University of Maryland University College received a $500,000 gift in March. The gift was made by Lt. Col. Dona Hildebrand on behalf of her late husband, Col. Floyd G. Hildebrand, a 1958 graduate of UMUC. The gift will provide support to UMUC's Global Military Operations Unit. UMUC has named the Student Veterans Lounge at the Academic Center at Largo the Lt. Col. Dona and Col. Floyd Hildebrand Student Veterans Lounge in recognition of their generosity.  
Read more.
Staff News 

Micaela Cameron recently joined the University System Office as advancement communications manager. She comes to us from the
University of Maryland, College Park where she taught English 101, worked as a communications assistant in the English Department, and received her MFA in Creative Writing. Micaela also holds a BA in English from Providence College and is excited to be part of the team.

Micaela Cameron 

Editor, LeaderNotes

301-445-2743

mcameron@usmd.edu