TO:         UMBC Faculty and Staff
FROM:    Yvette Mozie-Ross, Associate Provost for Enrollment Management

After 32 years of distinguished service to UMBC, Bobbie Shahpazian will retire on August 31, 2012.   Bobbie began her career with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions in 1977 as part of an all new admissions staff focused on the recruitment of freshmen, international students and incoming merit scholars.  She was soon promoted to Associate Director and after taking a brief sabbatical to travel she rejoined the university as a scholarship counselor.  Bobbie worked with the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office through the early 90’s awarding merit scholarships to incoming students.  She was promoted to Assistant Director of Scholarships and later to the Associate Director of scholarships where she continues to serve our scholars and their families.

Those who have worked with Bobbie know her as a wonderful colleague and consummate professional.  Her deep understanding of the UMBC community has made her an invaluable resource and partner to individuals across the university.   Her energy and commitment to the development of our merit scholarship awarding and scholar programs have helped to build UMBC’s strong academic community.

Throughout the years, she has given tirelessly of herself, dedicating her professional career to the University.  Her commitment to UMBC, our scholars and their families have significantly supported UMBC’s growth and development.  Bobbie has built a distinguished legacy at UMBC that will connect her to the campus long after her retirement.

Please join the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at a reception to thank Bobbie and to celebrate her many years of service to the campus. We will gather on Wednesday, September 19th, 10 am – noon in the Library Gallery. Individuals attending are asked to RSVP by Friday, September 8th to Lu Caldwell at lcaldwel@umbc.edu.

If you would like to contribute toward a gift you may contact Stephanie Johnson at x.51517 by Friday, September 8th.

Maryland universities have been leading the way in getting more students to pursue degrees in science, technology, engineering and math, according to an article published August 10 in the Baltimore Business Journal.

Dr. William LaCourse, Dean of Natural and Mathematical Sciences was interviewed about UMBC’s work to expand the STEM fields. The university has seen natural and mathematical sciences growing 28 percent, and engineering and information technology growing 19 percent from fall 2007 to fall 2011. That represents 488 and 411 students, respectively, compared to a growth of 768 students in the arts, humanities and social sciences.

LaCourse told Gantz that growth in the STEM fields means his college will likely have to add sections in courses like first-year chemistry, along with hiring another professor, finding available space and securing more teaching assistants. However, he sees potential, rather than a problem. The additional course sections could be tailored for a particular degree or somehow provide a more personalized experience.

“We are at the stage where we’re reaching some limits,” LaCourse said. “But this is an opportunity.”

A number of news outlets have noted that UMBC again made The Chronicle of Higher Education’s list of “Great Colleges to Work For.” This marks the third time in a row UMBC has made the annual list, the latest of which was published August 6.

Here’s a sampling of the coverage:

ABC-2 News – “UMBC among best colleges to work for”

Baltimore Business Journal – “Four Maryland colleges among best places to work”

Arbutus Patch – “UMBC Named ‘Great College to Work For'” 

The Huffington Post – “The Best Colleges to Work For: Chronicle of Higher Education List 2012”

Donald F. Norris, professor and chairman of UMBC’s Department of Public Policy, offered his expertise on e-government in the Baltimore Sun‘s August 8 article “State launches online voter registration.” The program’s supporters hope the move will increase the number of eligible voters on the rolls and make registration errors less common, but Norris has his doubts.

“There have been all kinds of attempts to tweak the voting system to increase voter registration,” Norris said. “Nothing seems to work.” He argued that online registration won’t boost turnout in the coming election, and that ultimately voter enthusiasm for candidates is what matters the most.

A recent controversy surrounding the anti-gay marriage comments of Chick-fil-A President and COO Dan Cathy is the subject of the latest Baltimore Sun column by UMBC political science professor Thomas Schaller. In “Chick-fil-A head has a right to speak, not a right to be taken seriously,” Schaller focuses on what he sees as misunderstandings on the part of Cathy’s defenders when it comes to the First Amendment right to free speech.

Schaller suggests that arguing that the backlash against Chick-fil-A constitutes censorship demonstrates ignorance of constitutional and policy matters. He writes, “[t]he First Amendment is no guarantee against being justifiably ignored. And the truth is that many citizens hold foolish, even self-contradictory opinions on a variety of subjects.” Schaller gives examples of where public assumptions and data are out of sync, from the federal budget to health care, arguing that a person’s right to express an opinion does not translate into a guarantee that the opinion be heard or incorporated into policy.

Anthony Wutoh ’87, biochemistry and molecular biology, has been named dean of the Howard University College of Pharmacy, the university reports. He previously served as associate dean of the college.

Wutoh, a registered pharmacist, is responsible for the day-to-day leadership and operation of the college’s programs. He also serves as  co-director of the University’s Center of Excellence and director of the Center for Minority Health Services Research.

As dean, he plans to “make sure that we’re positioned as one of the top pharmacy schools in the country in terms of the quality of our education, our research and our service to the community and the nation,” the university reports.

Read the full press release here.

After graduating from UMBC, Wutoh received his Ph.D. from University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Alumnus Bryan Kelly ’92, economics, won reelection as Chair of the Harford Community College Board of Trustees, according to local news website The Dagger.

Kelly, who is also managing partner and owner of The Kelly Group, has served on the board since 2005 and is also co-chair of the Board of Directors of the UMBC Economics Visitors Council. Other current positions include President of the Maryland Association of Community Colleges; the chairman of the board of the Academy of Finance, Harford County Public Schools; and membership of the Harford Leadership Academy Alumni Association at Harford Community College.

He was named the 2007 UMBC Economics Alumnus of the Year, as well as being named a member of the 2010 Leadership Maryland Class, among other achievements. He was also an alumni committee member throughout UMBC’s Exceptional by Example giving campaign, which ended last year.

This story originally appeared in UMBC Insights.

Labor We Love

UMBC is a major research university, but one of its successes is that it still retains the personal touch of a much smaller institution. 

One reason that UMBC has managed to be so welcoming is the university’s dedicated faculty and staff – many of whom go the extra mile to ensure students’ success, create environments for exceptional teaching and research, or keep the campus looking attractive and inviting.

That UMBC’s faculty and staff enjoy their work is also part of this reputation. The Chronicle of Higher Education confirms that in its 2012 survey of “Great Colleges to Work For.” UMBC was again named to the “Honor Roll” in the Chronicle’s annual survey because its own faculty and staff ranked it highly in seven of the 12 areas canvassed by the newspaper.

 “We are a ‘Great College’ because of the people here,” says President Freeman Hrabowski. “This honor yet again affirms what we all know: UMBC is a place that supports people, values collaboration, and fosters trust, respect, and enthusiasm for educating our students.”

UMBC’s faculty and staff said the university was particularly strong when it came to:

• Collaborative governance
• Professional and career development
• Work/life balance
• Confidence in senior leadership
• Supervisor/department chair relationship
• Respect and appreciation
• Tenure clarity and process

“The upper administration understands that working with the faculty is an effective way to move the university forward,” says Tim Topoleski, a professor of mechanical engineering and former president of the Faculty Senate. “Because the faculty are directly involved with UMBC’s primary mission, listening to their ideas – everything from increasing campus efficiency to innovative ways to deliver the curriculum – is hugely beneficial to the university.”

Staff, too, are encouraged to play a major role in moving UMBC forward. Carrie Sauter, an assistant director in the interdisciplinary studies program and president of the Professional staff Senate, says she’s thrilled to help shape the university she graduated from.

“I feel so lucky to be able to return to the campus that provided so much to me as a student, and to serve in a role that helps students to achieve their goals,” Sauter says.

Terry Aylsworth, executive administrative assistant in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and president of the Non-exempt Staff Senate, draws energy from her co-workers and especially the students.

“I have always felt that it was a privilege to work at UMBC, and after 16 years, I still feel the same,” she says. “I have had wonderful, brilliant bosses and smart and generous co-workers.  I still get a thrill walking across campus and feeling the energy radiating from the students.”

To read the full survey results, visit The Chronicle.

(8/6/12)

Associate professor Alan Kreizenbeck, theatre, attended the 2012 Summer Freeman Institute Workshop in Japan Studies, which was held at Tokai International College in Honolulu, Hawaii from May 20 to June 10.

The workshop was sponsored by the Japan Studies Association, and involved Kreizenbeck and thirteen other scholars from across the United States. The scholars attended lectures covering a breadth of material, covering Japanese history, religion, literature, visual arts, music, theatre, social policy and international relations. The workshops also afforded Kreizenbeck and his colleagues an opportunity to strengthen their knowledge of the Japanese language through interactions with young native Japanese speakers.

“I would recommend applying to this workshop to anyone interested in learning about Japan,” Kreizenbeck says. “The information I gathered during the three weeks will be of immense help in planning a course in Japanese cultural performance that I plan to offer for the Asian Studies Program in the spring of 2013.”

Alumnus Bryan Kelly ’92, economics, won reelection as Chair of the Harford Community College Board of Trustees, according to local news website The Dagger.

Kelly, who is also managing partner and owner of The Kelly Group, has served on the board since 2005 and is also co-chair of the Board of Directors of the UMBC Economics Visitors Council. Other current positions include President of the Maryland Association of Community Colleges; the chairman of the board of the Academy of Finance, Harford County Public Schools; and membership of the Harford Leadership Academy Alumni Association at Harford Community College.

He was named the 2007 UMBC Economics Alumnus of the Year, as well as being named a member of the 2010 Leadership Maryland Class, among other achievements.