UMBC has named Carole McCann, professor and chair of gender and women’s studies, the 2017 – 18 Lipitz Professor in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, in recognition of her ongoing leadership in both teaching and research. Through the professorship, McCann will embark on a complex new research project of both local and national significance: exploring the history and impact of Planned Parenthood  of Maryland.

The Lipitz Professorship is awarded to one UMBC faculty member per year and is funded by an endowment created by Roger C. Lipitz and the Lipitz Family Foundation “to recognize and support innovative and distinguished teaching and research in the arts, humanities, and social sciences at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.”

Now entering her 30th year at UMBC, McCann joined the faculty as an assistant professor of American studies, just five years after the gender and women’s studies program (GWST) was founded. Becoming the program’s director in 1998, she stewarded its transition to full department status in 2014. The department just tenured its first faculty member, Amy Bhatt, and now supports 40 majors and 45 minors annually. Today, GWST courses are cross-listed in 13 departments, and more than 25 affiliate faculty across campus teach related courses, in addition to five core faculty.

“Carole McCann’s contributions to UMBC have been simply transformational,” says Dean Scott Casper, of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. “In developing gender and women’s studies, mentoring faculty members and students, and leading the university’s efforts to promote interdisciplinary scholarship, teaching, and thinking, she has made UMBC a stronger, better, more inclusive place.”

Upon receiving the professorship, says McCann, “I’ve been particularly gratified and humbled by the very positive response I’ve gotten from colleagues across the campus.” Those colleagues include faculty and staff she has come to know across all fields through her leadership of the Provost’s Task Force on Interdisciplinary Activities and essential role in developing the university’s strategic plan.

An expert on transnational feminist theory and the cultural politics of population, McCann was inspired to explore Planned Parenthood in Maryland after GWST alum working for the organization asked for her help with creating a history exhibit for a related event. “Doing research for that event really piqued my interest in knowing more,” McCann shares.

Her new research project will take her to an array of archives across the region. In contrast to the national Planned Parenthood organization, “There is very little written about the Maryland affiliate,” says McCann, “and in some ways it…reflected the tensions within the movement nationwide in a way that I think could be very interesting to highlight.”

McCann, who has spent her career studying reproductive justice issues, wants to “provide solid grounding for evaluating the organization…[as] a vital resource for supporting women and gender justice in the U.S.,” that has grown and transformed over time and continues to play a major role in public discourse related to health care and women’s rights today. She also hopes to partner with local institutions such as the University of Baltimore, and to pursue exhibitions and publication opportunities, to make the resources she finds more accessible for future researchers approaching the study of women’s movements, reproductive rights and policy, and related topics from a wide variety of perspectives.

Image: Carole McCann; photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.

UMBC’s Legends of Excellence Awards Brunch, sponsored by the Chapter of Black and Latino Alumni every five years, recently honored four awardees who have played instrumental roles in the success of UMBC’s African American and Latino students. Recipients and nominators alike spoke about the supportive community that is UMBC, and how their time on campus transformed their lives.

“We consider the award winners legends because of the indelible marks they have made on UMBC’s African American and Latino students over the past 50 years,” shared Tamara Lewis ’92, psychology, and event co-chair. The work these legends did to support minority students “made a positive difference, and our students not only survived, but thrived,” added Cynthia Hill, former associate provost for student support services.

Stanyell Odom, director of alumni relations, helped organize the event. “The legends represent grit and greatness,” she shared, “and it is wonderful to have so many alumni come back to campus to recognize the extraordinary impact they’ve made in the lives of hundreds and thousands of fellow Retrievers.”

The first legend honored this year, Simmona Simmons ’74, American studies, started work at the Albin O. Kuhn Library as UMBC opened its doors in 1966 and has served in many roles within the library since then. She is currently the service and special projects librarian and the library liaison to the Africana studies department.

“I always loved working with students,” Simmons shared, “as they discover new information and mature, it is exciting to contribute a small part to their success.” As the only library staff member of color in UMBC’s early days, she made a lasting impact on the first generation of diverse UMBC students.

Jessica Contreras ’98, social work, thanked the next honoree, Rev. Jamie Washington, for his positive influence. “Dr. Washington’s personality and leadership gave me the guidance I needed to explore and learn what it means to be a leader,” Contreras shared. “From him, I learned how to make authentic and meaningful connections with people from all walks of life.”

Washington served in a variety of roles in Residential Life and Student Affairs at UMBC between 1986 and 2002, before shifting his focus to the ministry. He is currently CEO of Washington Consulting Group, named one of the top 10 global diversity consulting groups in the world in 2015; co-pastor of Unity Fellowship Church of Baltimore; and president and co-founder of the Social Justice Training institute.

Still, Washington manages to stay connected to campus by working with the Meyerhoff Summer Bridge Program and Residential and Student Life.  “While I have left UMBC, UMBC has not left me,” he shared. “It will be permanently in my spirit and my energy.”

Earnestine Baker is the “mother of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program,” according to Maceo Thomas ’93, M1, biochemistry and molecular biology. He adds, “Many African Americans succeeded because she did not give up, no matter our circumstances or where we came from.”

Baker served as the first director of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, and was promoted to executive director in 2002, a position she held until her retirement in 2013. Along the way, she had a major impact on hundreds of students. And yet, Baker remains unfailingly humble.

“The thought that I am receiving this Legends honor today exemplifies my belief that when we achieve, it is usually because others helped us. So this is bigger than me,” she reflects. “It is about the more than 1,000 Meyerhoff Scholars whose lives touched mine, from the M1s who believed and validated the vision, to the M28s who are making their mark, carrying forth the legacy.”

Willie Lamousé-Smith, professor emeritus and former chair of Africana studies, arrived at UMBC in 1975. Some of his fondest memories involve standing with students as they demonstrated for racial equality. “UMBC would not be what it is today but for them,” he says.

Since his arrival on campus, Lamousé-Smith’s devotion to students in all areas of life, from academics, to finances, to health, has made a positive difference for hundreds of Retrievers. “The premier duty of educators—and parents, too—is to draw out and cultivate the talents encased in each student, within a nurturing and empathic environment,” he shares.

In his remarks, President Freeman Hrabowski commented that “many of you in this room began at UMBC and made a difference when the country was still trying to figure out if people of all races should come together, with all students of all types having a fair chance to succeed.” Today, Hrabowski says, “Everybody looks to UMBC to ask ‘How do you go about taking people from all kinds of backgrounds, and elevating them, and empowering them to be the very best?’”

The Legends of Excellence awardees are a big part of the answer to that question, along with so many other UMBC community members committed to the success of all students. Like the awardees, Hrabowski said, “We’re here because we celebrate the idea of inclusiveness.”

Banner image: Earnestine Baker (center, in gold) with nominator Maceo Thomas ’93 (left), Pres. Hrabowski (right), and Meyerhoff Scholars Program alumni.

All photos by Jay Baker for UMBC.

click here to access summer courses

Per DoIT’s March 8 and April 28 announcements, Blackboard engineers will migrate the primary UMBC Blackboard site (blackboard.umbc.edu) beginning at 12:01 AM on Friday, June 30, 2017, and lasting up to 7 days. Summer 2017 courses are hosted in a separate environment and no disruption is expected.

FYI: Please note that DoIT's Technology Support Center (TSC) will be closed July 1 and reopen on July 5.

The downtime window will allow Blackboard and UMBC to migrate all existing content, files, and database from the current hosting facilities to the new cloud infrastructure. Time is also allocated for DoIT staff to verify third-party integrations and to perform quality assurance testing.

In preparation for this downtime, faculty, staff, and students should review these resources:

• 7 tips to remember about the Bb cloud migration when teaching/taking a class during summer
• Where to access SU2017 courses
• New features & updates in Blackboard for SU2017
• Attend a summer webinar

After Blackboard is back online:

• Please clear your Internet browser cache and cookies before logging in using these step-by-step instructions.
• Report any technical issues via RT ticket. If possible, please include screen captures or error messages.

The UMBC Blackboard team identified a time period that should have a reduced impact on our users. If our Blackboard site is down longer than expected due to unforeseen circumstances, updates will be posted to this news article.

For more information about the cloud migration, please review DoIT’s Bb migration FAQ for complete details about:

• Migrating to Blackboard’s cloud environment (SaaS)
• The migration timeline
• Working in the new cloud environment
• General course access

As always, if you have any questions, please consider the following options:

• Check our extensive FAQ collection
• Open a ticket via RT
• Follow the Instructional Technology & DoIT myUMBC groups
• Request a consult with instructional technology staff

Thank you for your patience while we bring you a better Blackboard experience!