I continue to be amazed by the inspiration and imagination I see every day on this campus. I am grateful for your commitment to this community in so many ways and am excited to share our next steps for UMBC Bold: Campus Conversations. This is your opportunity to offer your perspective on the current state of the university and your aspirations for the future.  

In partnership with our Committee Chairs, we have assembled eleven subcommittees that represent areas, topics, and constituents that we believe are vital to the success of this institution. You can review a full list of these subcommittees, and the community members who will lead them, on our UMBC Bold website. 

I have charged the chairs with hosting and facilitating campus conversations where all community members - students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners - have the chance to participate. These sessions will focus on three guiding questions: 

1. What achievements and core values should we celebrate and nurture?

2. What challenges might hinder our ability to advance our mission and vision?

3. What are your bold aspirations for the future of UMBC?

 

We will share the schedule of conversations soon. If you are not able to attend these sessions, or you would like to provide additional information, you can also respond to the three questions using this online form.  

At the conclusion of this process, I will be meeting with the committee to understand their findings, which will be incorporated into the university’s strategic planning process. The results of these meetings, and the comments that you submit, will inform our decision making going forward. Since candor is important, the listening sessions will not be recorded, and comments will not be attributed to individuals when reported out. 

 

We are a stronger UMBC community when we talk to each other, share our ideas, and challenge our assumptions. Thank you for your engagement and I look forward to our conversations to come.

 

Sincerely,

President Valerie Sheares Ashby