Taking Stock: State of the University, Overview of Accomplishments: 2003-2004, Office of the President, University of Maryland

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR IN BRIEF

National and world leaders are regular visitors at great universities, and in 2003-2004 we again welcomed distinguished guests, a significant number of whom are among the nation's and world's most outstanding women. In September, Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking, addressed students and faculty on her work, which was chosen as our first-year book; in October, Carly Fiorina, CEO of Hewlett-Packard, lectured in the Robert H. Smith School of Business; in December, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi spoke at a program sponsored by the Center for American Politics and Citizenship; in February, Lynne Cheney delivered the Brody Forum address; in March, Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, delivered the annual Sadat Lecture for Peace; and on May 12, Shirin Ebadi, 2003 recipient of the Nobel Prize for Peace, addressed the campus. Our alumnus Sergey Brin addressed the students at the December Commencement, and our students were able to secure Tom Ridge, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security as the speaker at the May Commencement.

In Spring Semester, many special activities were scheduled at the University in commemoration of the anniversary of the Brown vs. Board of Education decision. The Democracy Collaborative in BSOS with the Merrill College of Journalism and the Department of History sponsored a day-long dialogue with scholars, journalists, historians, and invited guests to discuss the attitude of ordinary people toward the decision's short and long-term effects. A talk was given by Derrick Bell, former Harvard Law Professor and well-known civil rights activist. The highlight of our observances was a reenactment of the arguments before the Supreme Court. Graduates of our award-winning Mock Trial Teams played the parts of advocates and justices, and Judge Robert M. Bell, Chief Judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals, provided commentary. The evening was widely praised as a special learning opportunity for the many students, faculty, and area guests who attended. I thank all staff and faculty who worked hard to give the University community special experiences in commemoration of this momentous event in our history.

The National Symphony Orchestra and the University of Maryland School of Music joined forces in the first formal residency program between the National Symphony Orchestra and any academic institution. The residency in November culminated with side-by-side concerts at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center and the Kennedy Center by musicians from the NSO and students in the School of Music. The School of Music and the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center commissioned and presented in May 2004 the world premiere of a new opera, Clara, based on the life of Clara Schumann, which received excellent reviews.

Since 1987, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) has recognized more than 35 programs throughout the United States for their progressive and innovative advancements on behalf of women faculty, staff or students. The 2003 AAUW Progress in Equity Award was given to the STAND program in the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences. The STAND program addresses the longstanding national need to increase the number of underrepresented groups in the computer, Earth, mathematical and physical sciences. This award gave special recognition to Joelle Carter, Director of the STAND program.

In September, we welcomed the family of Jim Henson, UM alum, to the dedication of a marvelous statue of Jim and Kermit located outside the Stamp Student Union, a gift of the classes of 1994, 1998, and 1999 that will be a new signature piece for the campus.

Special Thanks to Staff

That the University functioned so smoothly and was so attractive on every occasion is entirely due to our dedicated and hard-working staff. Even with construction on many of the roads crisscrossing the campus, the public spaces were well kept, trees carefully groomed, and seasonal flowers were in bloom, welcoming visitors to one of the most handsome campuses in the nation.

In 2003-2004, our physical plant staff performed their usual behind the scenes magic. They maintained HVAC systems that range from steam radiators like those our grandmothers used to automated, computer controlled exhaust systems that rival systems anywhere in the world. Our maintenance crews answer an average of over 50,000 service calls a year while responding to our "yearly" natural disasters; recently we have experienced floods, fire, pestilence, and some will now add plague (our recent virus). Over the summer we had virtually every lecture hall down (either planned or unplanned outages (flooding)), yet all were returned to use on time. During the snow our crews shoveled 22 miles of sidewalk and 12 miles of road not to mention the enormous number of steps all around the University they have to clear by hand.

We also appreciate very much the work of those who helped manage the norovirus situation on campus last month. In particular, I thank the housekeeping staff, supervisors, and managers of Residential Facilities, who were tasked with disinfecting all non-porous surfaces (walls, ceilings, floors, fixtures, furniture, mirrors, doors) of two multi-level high rise residence halls and one campus community center. They accomplished this task in record time -- just a few days -- and no move-ins were delayed.

In offices all over campus, clerical staff processed the paper that keeps the University humming. In 2003-2004, the undergraduate and graduate admissions teams processed approximately 38,000 applications, and the Office of Research Administration and Advancement processed 2,328 proposals and 4,357 awards.

In a year in which the campus was hit with large cuts in our state budget that necessitated reductions in staff, they accomplished all this with less man and woman power. The hard workers in the physical plant departments and in our clerical and managerial staff who keep the University running day in and day out have our heartfelt thanks and appreciation for their contributions to the University.

>>Highlights of the Year in Brief Continued

Office of the President, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742