Dennis Coates, Economics, in the Sarasota (Florida) Herald-Tribune
A columnist for the Sarasota (Florida) Herald-Tribune cited research by Dennis Coates, professor of economics, documenting that sports stadiums do not generate economic activity and “may actually be a net drag” on a community. The piece, “Stadiums Are Not Moneymakers,” ran October 25.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20081025/COLUMNIST/810250308/2127

Heather Holden, Graduate Student, in the Chronicle of Higher Education
The Compact for Faculty Diversity’s annual Institute on Teaching and Mentoring, which ended earlier this month in Tampa, Florida, is the nation’s largest gathering of minority doctoral students. The Chronicle of Higher Education reported that some students who attended the conference “are not as certain that working in academe is the right move.” The Chronicle interviewed Heather Holden, a doctoral student in information science, who is contemplating a career in private industry. “By coming here, I get motivation to continue,” Holden said. The story, “Minority Scholars Find Encouragement on Path to a Ph.D.”, ran October 27.

http://chronicle.com/temp/email2.php?id=HMKtbrwgm4XbkH3s5mJhDkjfNzTxbwJH

Tom Schaller, Political Science, in Salon.com
Associate Professor of Political Science Tom Schaller led a roundtable discussion for Salon.com regarding how Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama should spend the final week of the campaign. The roundtable with three Democratic strategists, “What Barack Obama Needs to do to Close the Deal,” appeared October 28.

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/10/28/obama_closing/print.html

Bill Shewbridge, New Media Studio, in Maryland's Daily Record
Bill Shewbridge, director of the new media studio, told Maryland's Daily Record that new Internet technologies offer a range of options for instructors to connect with students. UMBC was one of the country’s first schools to make lectures available for download through Apple Computer Inc.’s iTunes U., the paper reported. The story, “Web Based Learning is Changing with Technology,” ran October 23.

http://www.mddailyrecord.com/article.cfm?id=8888&type=UTTM (log-in might be required)

Bill Thomas, Erickson School, in Harvard Magazine
Harvard Magazine profiled Bill Thomas, a professor in the Erickson School and a 1986 graduate of Harvard Medical School. The magazine, a publication of the Harvard Alumni Association, called Thomas a “bullish reformer” who “has spent his career pushing for seismic cultural and economic changes in long-term care and public policy toward aging.” The article, “At Home with Old Age,” appeared in the November-December issue.

http://harvardmagazine.com/2008/11/at-home-with-old-age.html

Lindsay Sherman ‘10 Named Swimmer of the Week
Lindsay Sherman ‘10 has been named America East Female Swimmer of the Week for the week ending October 26.

http://www.umbcretrievers.com/sports/swimming/release.asp?release_id=4333

Jay Greene ‘09 Named to America East Preseason All-Conference Basketball Team
Jay Greene 09’ has been named to the 2008-09 America East Preseason All-Conference team in voting conducted by the conference’s head men’s basketball coaches. Greene was one of two first-team all-conference selections from the 2007-08 America East champion Retrievers.

http://www.umbcretrievers.com/sports/mbball/release.asp?RELEASE_ID=4332

UMBC Receives PGMS Green Star Honors Award
UMBC has received a Professional Grounds Management Society Green Star Honors Award given for the urban university category submitted by Donna Anderson, manager of landscape and grounds, for work done by the grounds shop in keeping the campus beautiful. Recognizing North America's finest grounds, operations and personnel, the 2008 PGMS Green Star Honors Award winners were announced during ceremonies held at the 2008 PGMS School of Grounds Management & GIE + EXPO on Saturday, October 25, in Louisville, Kentucky.

Trevor Simpson ’09 Awarded First Place at Student Recording Competition
Trevor Simpson ’09, music technology, was awarded first place in the pop/rock category of the student recording competition at the 125th Audio Engineering Society (AES) Conference in San Francisco, California. The award had applicants from all over the country. The AES, now in its sixth decade, is the only professional society devoted exclusively to audio technology.

"I give to the American Cancer Society in honor of my mother, who is a breast cancer survivor, and also for my father-in-law, who died of cancer.

"My mother is a teacher and in 2000, she was selected to carry the Olympic torch. Her students had nominated her because of her positive attitude during her battle with cancer. I am so proud of her, and so I give to honor her example."

-Dale Bittinger
Director, Undergraduate Admissions and Orientation

Each year, our campus community reaches out through the Maryland Charity Campaign (MCC) to support our neighbors in the region and State, particularly those less fortunate. During these particularly stressful economic times, the needs of our communities are greater than ever.

Please help us reach our campus goal of 100% participation. The Campaign deadline has been extended to December 5. For more information, contact your department’s MCC coordinator or visit www.mdcharity.org.

If you listed your UMBC campus address as your home address when you registered to vote, your polling station is located on the campus of Catonsville High School. UMBC Transit will offer free shuttle rides on Election Day (Tuesday, November 4) between Commons Circle and the Catonsville High polling station from noon until 6 p.m. The shuttle will run in a continuous loop, meaning you can expect to see it every 10-15 minutes or so at each end of the run.

“I always give my donation to the Salvation Army. I remember as a child, that my dad, who served in the European Theater for four years, said the Salvation Army did more for the soldiers than anyone else. He never forgot their kindness and remembered them every year with a donation. I have tried to carry on his tradition.”

-Terry Aylsworth
Executive Administrative Assistant
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Each year, our campus community reaches out through the Maryland Charity Campaign (MCC) to support our neighbors in the region and State, particularly those less fortunate. During these particularly stressful economic times, the needs of our communities are greater than ever.

Please help us reach our campus goal of 100% participation. The Campaign deadline is November 21. For more information, contact your department’s MCC coordinator or visit www.mdcharity.org.

CADVC Awarded Planning Grant and “We the People” Designation
The Center for Art, Design, and Visual Culture (CADVC) received a major planning grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) for its forthcoming project, “For All The World To See: Visual Culture and the Struggle for Civil Rights.” The exhibition was designated a NEH “We the People” project by the NEH. The project director and curator of “For All the World To See” is Maurice Berger, CADVC senior research scholar.

The exhibition is being organized in partnership with the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution. It will open in New York in May 2010 at the International Center of Photography, with a film festival and public programming at the New York Public Library.

Women’s Basketball and Lacrosse Teams Raise $3,500 through Race for the Cure
The women’s basketball team and women’s lacrosse team joined forces this Sunday, October 19, as they represented UMBC at the Susan G. Komen 5K Race for the Cure in Baltimore. The 67-member team raised $3,500 to benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

This was the second consecutive year that the women’s basketball team competed in this race. Assistant Coach Sharri Rohde finished fourth in her age group. Other top finishers for Team UMBC included Ashley Stodter ‘11, Jessica Harkey ’12 and Ashley Lancer ’09, who finished second, fifth and seventh in their age groups, respectively.

Angel Chinn 09' to Perform at Dance Place's College Festival
Angel Chinn 09' will perform "Construction #2" at Dance Place's College Festival, Moving Higher, in Washington, DC. The showcase will run from November 15-16 and will feature works from other Washington, DC - Baltimore area colleges and universities.

Steve Bradley, Visual Arts, in the Baltimore Sun
The American Visionary Art Museum will sponsor “Public Moves Federal Hill,” a community art performance, October 26. The Baltimore Sun reported that Steve Bradley, an associate professor in the visual arts department, composed the soundtrack that will accompany the performance. “The score will consist of magnified and amplified sounds that naturally can be heard from (Federal Hill), such as the chirping of birds, the creak of a swing set and the roar of passing traffic,” the paper reported. The story, “Performance Art Movement,” appeared October 23.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/bal-li.gather23oct23,0,5852432.story

IRC in the News
An educational Web site developed in the Imaging Research Center, www.usdemocrazy.net, uses political cartoons, data and irreverent humor to illustrate how the Electoral College determines the presidential race. The project is a collaboration of students, faculty and staff in the IRC, led by IRC artist-in-residence Kevin “KAL” Kallaugher. The trade journal Editor & Publisher profiled the project October 20. The Baltimore Sun blog, “The Portal: A Guide to New and Cool Stuff,” featured the site in its October 21 update.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/departments/syndicates/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003875686

http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/custom/today/bal-to.portal21oct21,0,1687073.story

Kriste Lindenmeyer, History, in the Orlando Sentinel
The current financial crisis has revived memories for those who survived the Great Depression. The generation that lived through it was the first American generation to fear it would wind up worse off than the previous one, Kriste Lindenmeyer, professor and chair of the history department, told the Orlando Sentinel. “I think that is why they worked so hard as parents of the baby-boom generation to make that middle-class ideal a reality for their children,” Lindenmeyer said. The story, “Younger Generation Wonders How They Would Cope with Great Depression Lifestyle,” ran October 14.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/custom/thrifty/orl-econflashback1408oct14,0,5561726.story

Don Norris, Public Policy/MIPAR, in the Baltimore Sun
Gambling opponents are hoping an alliance with black churches produces an upset defeat of the slots referendum when an expected record number of African-Americans turn up at Maryland polling booths next month. Don Norris, professor of public policy and director of MIPAR, told the Baltimore Sun that winning with African-American voters is crucial on statewide issues. “If you get that, you’re doing well,” he said. The story, “Slots Foes Seeking Churches’ Help,” ran October 21.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-slots1021,0,540516.story

Ed Orser, American studies, on WYPR-88.1 FM
A profile of Ed Orser, professor of American studies, aired during the October 20 broadcast of Maryland Morning with Sheilah Kast, the morning news and cultural affairs program produced by WYPR-88.1 FM in Baltimore. Orser discussed his new book, The Gwynns Falls: Baltimore Greenway to the Chesapeake Bay.

http://www.wypr.org/MD_MORNING.html (October 20 archive)

Tom Schaller, Political Science, in the News
Associate Professor of Political Science Tom Schaller’s latest column for the Baltimore Sun is harshly critical of recent Republican National Committee (RNC) tactics in this presidential election, including “the disgusting robo-calls and television ads sponsored by the RNC (and) incendiary statements made by (John) McCain, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and McCain advisers. The column, “Desperate Republicans are Sinking to New Lows,” ran October 21.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.schaller21oct21,0,5949139.column

Barack Obama is poised to become the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry Virginia since Lyndon Johnson. “Virginia got overrun with Maryland-style voters,” Schaller told the Media General News Service. The story, “Northern Politics Creeping South in Virginia,” ran October 17.

http://www.mgwashington.com/index.php/news/article/northern-politics-creeping-south-in-virginia/1936

CADVC in The New York Times
The Annapolis-based TKF Foundation has helped pay for 120 public spaces in the mid-Atlantic region. They include healing gardens in hospitals, teaching gardens and a tree-planting project developed by the Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture (CADVC). The CADVC project is modeled after “7,000 Oaks,” designed by the late German artist Joseph Beuys. A The New York Times story describing these gardens, “Public Spaces Meant to Heal,” appeared October 15.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/16/garden/16garden.html?_r=1&ei=5070&emc=eta1&oref=slogin

IRC in the Chronicle of Higher Education
The “Wired Campus” feature of the Chronicle of Higher Education profiled www.usdemocrazy.net, an educational Web site developed in the Imaging Research Center (IRC) that uses political cartoons, data and irreverent humor to illustrate how the Electoral College determines the presidential race. The site said IRC artist-in-residence Kevin “KAL” Kallaugher seeks to “use humor and use cartoons to enunciate the complex world that we live in and the government that we have.” The story, “Political Cartoonist Works with University to Create Educational Site about U.S. Elections,” appeared October 13.
http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/article/3385/political-cartoonist-works-with-university-to-create-educational-site-about-us-elections

Don Norris, Public Policy/MIPAR, in the News
Slots opponents in Maryland argue people will have less money to gamble as the economy declines. Yet such nuanced economic arguments are hard to get across to voters, Don Norris, MIPAR director and chair of the public policy department, told the Baltimore Sun. “This is going to put a lot of pressure on the opponents of slots to show why in an economy when the state really needs money that we shouldn’t have gambling,” Norris said. The story, “Budget Cuts Tied to Slots,” ran October 10.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-md.cuts10oct10,0,16350.story

Norris told the Baltimore Examiner it remains to be seen whether people who registered at the last minute will actually vote on November 4. “The conventional wisdom about voter registration is that there is a direct correlation between age and turnout and socioeconomic status – mainly education and income – and turnout,” Norris said. “The older people turn out more proportionately than young people, and well-educated and well-off people turnout more than the opposite.” The story, “State Processes Thousands of New Voters,” appeared October 10.
http://www.baltimoreexaminer.com/local/State_processes_thousands_of_new_voters.html

Penny Rheingans, Computer Science and CWIT, in the Baltimore Sun
Peggy Rheingans, associate professor of computer science and interim director of CWIT, spoke with the Baltimore Sun about misperceptions concerning girls’ ability to do math. “Unfortunately, the perception alone can be damaging, convincing girls that they’re not supposed to succeed at math,” Rheingans said. The story, “How to Combat Negative Stereotype about Girls and Math Already Ingrained in Young Daughter,” appeared October 13.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/custom/today/bal-to.hs.consult13oct13,0,7918762.story

Tyson King-Meadows and Tom Schaller, Political Science, in the News
Political analysts say electoral gains for African-American candidates are quietly changing the political landscape, increasing the number of African-American lawmakers adept at securing support from white voters. The International Herald Tribune cited research that Tyson King-Meadows, an assistant professor, and Tom Schaller, an associate professor, have conducted on the numbers of African-Americans in state legislatures. King-Meadows and Schaller are both faculty members in the political science department. The story, “Quiet Political Shifts in U.S. as More Blacks are Elected,” ran October 14.
http://iht.com/articles/2008/10/14/america/14race.php?page=1

A higher percentage of Baltimore media market households have watched each of the presidential and vice presidential debates than any other city, according to Nielsen ratings. “Baltimore is close enough to Washington to have a lot of people who either work in the nation’s capital or work for a federal agency and, therefore, are usually invested in the outcome,” Schaller told Politico.com. The story, “Debates Are Must-See TV in Baltimore,” ran October 15.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14613.html

In recognition of his commitment to education and equal opportunity, Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, III, president of UMBC, has received the 2008 Frederick Douglass Award. Presented by Chancellor William E. Kirwan and the Board of Regents of the University System of Maryland (USM), the award honors individuals "who have displayed an extraordinary and active commitment to the ideals of freedom, equality, justice, and opportunity exemplified in the life of Frederick Douglass."

"Frederick Douglass called on our nation to transform itself," said Board of Regents Chair Clifford M. Kendall. "Freeman Hrabowski knows that our nation must continue to transform itself by inspiring and empowering our young people through education and opportunity. Freeman's legacy will be the diversity, leadership, and vision of this new generation."

"Freeman has made the importance of education and the need to increase minority participation and success--especially in science and technology fields--the cornerstone of his career," said Chancellor Kirwan. "In a university system that boasts some of the state's and the nation's greatest assets, he is a leader among leaders on the most pressing challenges we face."

Hrabowski has served as president of UMBC since May 1992. His research and publications focus on science and math education, with special emphasis on minority participation and performance.

He serves as a consultant to the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the National Academies, and universities and school systems nationally. He also sits on several corporate and civic boards, including the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the France-Merrick Foundation, Marguerite Casey Foundation (Chair), McCormick & Company, Inc., and the Urban Institute. His recent awards and honors include the prestigious McGraw Prize in Education; the U.S. Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring: and being named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

He has authored numerous articles and co-authored two books, Beating the Odds and Overcoming the Odds (Oxford University Press), focusing on parenting and high-achieving African-American males and females in science. Both books are used by universities, school systems, and community groups around the country.

A child-leader in the Civil Rights Movement, Hrabowski was prominently featured in Spike Lee's 1997 documentary, Four Little Girls, on the racially motivated bombing in 1963 of Birmingham's Sixteenth Street Baptist Church.

Born in 1950 in Birmingham, Alabama, Hrabowski graduated at 19 from Hampton Institute with highest honors in mathematics. At the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he received his M.A. (mathematics) and four years later his Ph.D. (higher education administration/statistics) at age 24.

Through his efforts as a university educator, administrator, and advocate, Hrabowski has put UMBC at the forefront of increasing diversity in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields and educating a new generation of science and technology leaders and innovators. Since 1993, UMBC's signature Meyerhoff Scholars Program graduated 605 students, more than a third of whom have completed STEM graduate degrees at prestigious universities across the nation. An additional 280 Meyerhoff alumni are currently enrolled in graduate and professional schools. Of current Meyerhoff Scholars, 55 percent are underrepresented (African-American and Hispanic); 27 percent are Asian/Pacific Islanders; 19 percent are Caucasian.

UMBC has also been a leader in promoting gender equity in the sciences through its Advance Program. Funded by the National Science Foundation, Advance provides grants and awards to individuals and organizations for the purpose of "increasing the participation of women in the scientific and engineering workforce through the increased representation and advancement of women in the academic sciences and engineering careers."

"The University System is to be commended for establishing the Frederick Douglass Award several years ago," said Hrabowski. "It is an honor to accept the award on behalf of my colleagues and students, whose work, like the life of Frederick Douglass, reflects the power of education to transform lives."

The Frederick Douglass Award was established in 1995 by the USM Board of Regents. Previous recipients include the Hon. Parren J. Mitchell, former congressman for the 7th District of Maryland (1996); the Hon. Kweisi Mfume, former congressman and president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (1999); the late Bea Gaddy, advocate for the homeless and Baltimore City councilwoman (2000); and the Hon. Robert Bell, chief judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals (2006).

Students Present at MAPS Annual Conference
On Thursday, November 6, three UMBC students and two recent UMBC alumni will present research performed through their summer 2008 internships at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals to the Mid-Atlantic Pharmacology Society (MAPS) annual conference. Casey Daniels ’10, biological sciences; Maria Demarco ’09, biological sciences; Claudia Tchatchouang ’08, biochemistry and molecular biology; Jessica Schwartz ’08, chemical engineering; and Sarah Tsa ‘08, biochemistry and molecular biology were members of the 4th cohort of interns to spend their summers at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Along with 18 other UMBC students, the interns gained experience in Wyeth's Research and Development and Information Technology divisions and participated in a range of professional development activities designed to further their knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry. The students concluded their summer with poster presentations to Wyeth's senior executive team. The five students selected to present at MAPS represent some of the best of these presentations.

Wyeth will sponsor the students’ participation in the MAPS conference and will host a celebratory dinner for them Wednesday, November 5, at the Dolce Hotel in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Shriver Center staff and faculty members will be in attendance.

A profile of Ed Orser, professor of American studies, is scheduled for the Oct. 15 broadcast of Maryland Morning with Sheilah Kast, the morning news and cultural affairs program produced by WYPR-88.1 FM in Baltimore. Orser will discuss his new book, The Gwynns Falls: Baltimore Greenway to the Chesapeake Bay.

The segment is scheduled to air at 9:20 a.m. (News content on the program is subject to change.)

The Gwynns Falls describes the environmental and human record of the 15-mile urban landscape surrounded by the Gwynns Falls Trail.

The trail connects 30 Baltimore neighborhoods, from the city’s most affluent to some now experiencing considerable economic stress. The book also explains the role of race in shaping the heritage and social character of these neighborhoods along the Gwynns Falls.

Freshman Allie Spaay Named America East Volleyball Rookie of the Week
Allie Spaay was named America East Volleyball Rookie of the Week for the week ending October 5. Spaay received this honor for the first time this season and continues a streak of six weeks now that UMBC newcomers have captured America East's Rookie of the Week awards. Freshman Alyssa Lang earned the first five awards.

Barry Lanman Receives 2008 Postsecondary Teaching Award
The Oral History Association (OHA) chose Barry Lanman as the 2008 winner of its prestigious Postsecondary Teaching Award. As the award announcement notes, "this was a highly competitive process." The OHA president writes that Lanman was chosen "for his numerous achievements, such as his book, Preparing the Next Generation of Oral Historians: An Anthology of Oral History Education, his conference presentations and his leadership as the founder and recent past director of the international Consortium of Oral History Educators.” At UMBC, Lanman is director of the Department of History's Martha Ross Center for Oral History, plays important roles in the Center for History Education and teaches graduate level courses in oral history. We heartily congratulate Lanman for this well-deserved honor and are very glad to have him as part of the Department of History.

Caroline Baker Promoted to Director of Corporate Relations
In the Office of Institutional Advancement, Caroline Baker has been promoted to Director of Corporate Relations. Baker has been at UMBC for more than three years. In her new role, Baker will continue to work with the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences and provide leadership and oversight to the corporate relations team.

ACTiVATE in the Washington Post
The Washington Post reported in its online edition that an economic development group in Rockville, Maryland, is encouraging post-doctorate researchers to establish small businesses in the region. The group is “also in talks to expand the University of Maryland, Baltimore County’s ACTiVATE program that trains women with significant technical or business experience to be entrepreneurs and to create start-up companies focused on inventions from Maryland research institutions and federal agencies,” the report noted. The item, “Postdoc Project Aims to Turn Scientists into CEOs,” appeared in the paper’s “Small Business” blog on October 7.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/small-business/2008/10/postdoc_project_aims_to_turn_s.html

Dennis Coates, Economics, in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A 10,000-seat baseball stadium is in planning stages in Gwinnett County, Georgia, with a projected cost of $61 million. Area leaders believe the stadium will generate residual tourism dollars. “The only ones who think they’re going to create development and jobs aren’t economists,” Dennis Coates, professor of economics, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The article, “Gwinnett Stadium Backers Follow Texas’ Lead,” ran September 29.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2008/09/29/gwinnett_stadium_texas.html

Tom Schaller, Political Science, in the News
Writing in The American Prospect, Associate Professor of Political Science Tom Schaller discussed the prospect of fundamental changes in the voting electorate. Schaller examined whether the 2008 election will produce a transformation in which younger voters, minorities and women will prevail over the older, conservative majority. The column, “Five Questions About the New Electorate,” ran October 6.

http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=five_questions_about_the_new_electorate

Schaller’s latest column for the Baltimore Sun examined the early voting measure before Maryland voters in November. “We can’t know for sure the effects of … ‘October surprises’ or the late-stage media reporting. But we do know that people who voted already could not include this new information in their calculus,” Schaller wrote. The column, “Early Voting in Maryland?” appeared October 9.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.schaller09oct09,0,439526.column

Wanda Soares Nottingham, Africana studies, in the Baltimore Sun
Wanda Soares Nottingham, an administrative assistant in the department of Africana Studies, is one of six Anne Arundel County women who will be honored for their contributions to racial justice, equal opportunity and community service. She will be recognized at the 13th annual Fannie Lou Hamer Awards Reception, 4-6 p.m., Sunday, October 12, at the Francis Scott Key Auditorium at St. John’s College. The article, “Six County Women to be Honored for Service,” ran October 2.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/annearundel/bal-ar.countybriefs020oct02,0,6040025.story

UMBC in the Catonsville Times
The Catonsville Times and its sister papers reported that the Arbutus Neighborhood and Professional Association thanked several UMBC officials for their contributions to a recent networking event. The report ran in several Baltimore Sun Media Group publications during September.

http://www.explorebaltimorecounty.com/business/3188/county-revitalization-program-boosted/

To: The UMBC Community

From: Freeman A. Hrabowski, III
President

Elliot Hirshman
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

One of the hallmarks of UMBC as an Honors University is the outstanding caliber of its faculty. Each year dozens of faculty members undergo a comprehensive and rigorous review leading to promotions in rank and, for some, the awarding of academic tenure. The standards for promotion and for tenure at UMBC are very high, and successful candidates must demonstrate that their contributions in scholarship/ research/creative activity, teaching/mentoring, and service to their profession, the university, and their academic department meet these high standards.

During academic year 2007-2008, 20 faculty members received promotion and tenure or promotion to the rank of professor. We join with the entire academic community in recognizing and congratulating the following individuals for their exceptional achievements. We look forward to their continuing success at UMBC in the years to come.

Promotion to Associate Professor with tenure:

Brian Cullum and Veronika Szalai
Chemistry and Biochemistry

Marc Olano
Computer Science and Electrical Engineering

Piotr Gwiazda
English

Michele Scott
History

George Karabatis, Anita Komlodi, and Ant Ozok
Information Systems

Muruhan Rathinam
Mathematics and Statistics

Denis Provencher
Modern Languages and Linguistics

Jeffrey Davis
Political Science

Charissa Cheah and Laura Stapleton
Psychology

Colette Searls
Theatre

Guenet Abraham
Visual Arts

Promotion to Professor:

Mark Marten
Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

Constantine Vaporis
History

Arrya Gangopadhyay and Victoria Yoon
Information Systems

Jere Cohen
Sociology and Anthropology

From: Michael Büsges, SA Project Director

I am pleased to announce that the SA project has met its first major milestone. As of today, the admissions module is “live,” and we will enter all graduate, undergraduate and English Language Center applications for summer and fall 2009 into the SA database.

Additionally, the Graduate School and graduate program directors will be the first to utilize UMBC’s new document imaging solution called ImageNow. Through ImageNow, GPD’s and GPC’s will have enhanced access to applicant support material as well as the ability to enter admissions decisions directly into the SA database.

Finally, we were able to successfully convert all biographical data for current and former students from the Student Information System (SIS) into SA; this data will serve as the foundation for a complete conversion of SIS enrollment data.

SA Admissions will offer significant improvements to our current business processes, including:

- Consistent tracking of prospects from first contact with the University

- Better yield analysis

- Better integration of the Honors College application process

- Improved admissions processes for selective admissions programs

- Self-service functions for applicants, including the ability to check the status of their admission application, accept/decline an offer of admission online and the ability to view UMBC equivalents for posted transfer credit

- Streamlined and consistent communication with applicants.

The entire SA Project team worked hard and diligently to achieve this first project milestone, including weekends. Special thanks to the following individuals who served as the core admissions team:

Ralph Caretti (UG Admissions Lead)

Rachel Rachlinski (Graduate Admissions Lead)

Steve Harris (CPS Admissions Lead)

Cheri Putro (DOIT Admissions Lead Developer)

Patrick Simon (DOIT Admissions Developer)

Darin Gordon (Io Consulting Admissions Consultant)

Siri Flocke (IoTechnical Lead Consultant)

The deployment of the admissions module is just the beginning of an exciting year in which the entire SA application will be rolled out according to the following timeline:

November 2008: Course catalog and schedule of classes for summer and fall 2009

January 2009: Financial aid

March 2009: Student records, including faculty and student self service

April 2009: Student billing

October 2009: Degree audit

The project team is committed to continued success and is looking forward to working with the campus in the coming months.

For more information on the SA project, visit www.umbc.edu/sa.

Dave Marcotte, Public Policy, in Education Week
Education Week cited the research conducted by David Marcotte, professor of public policy, and Research Assistant Steven Hemelt on how lost learning time from snow cancellations or teachers’ strikes can affect student achievement. The story, “Research Yields Clues on the Effects of Extra Time for Learning,” ran September 24.

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/09/24/05narresearch_ep.h28.html

Neal McDonald, Animation & Interactive Media, in the Baltimore Sun’s b Daily
Neal McDonald, assistant professor of animation and interactive media, was featured in “Weird 101: Baltimore’s Unusual College Courses,” an article in b, the free daily newspaper and site produced by the Baltimore Sun. McDonald's "History and Theory of Games" class, part of the Games, Animation and Interactive Media program, was one of several local college courses the author recognized for having "offbeat classes (that) might just make me sign up for spring classes and go after another degree." The story appeared October 1.

http://www.bthesite.com/archives/2008/09/weird-101-baltimores-unusual-college-courses/

Matthew McGloin ’05, Acting, in the Washington Post
The Washington Post reviewed a performance of the comedy "The Lieutenant of Irishmore at Signature Theater" in Washington, D.C. Matthew McGloin ’05, acting, and a fellow cast member offered “wonderfully fertile” performances, the reviewer wrote. The story, “‘Irishmore’ Slits a Deep Vein of Black Comedy,” appeared September 30.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/29/AR2008092902961.html

Tom Schaller, Political Science, in the Los Angeles Times
Speaking with the Los Angeles Times, Associate Professor of Political Science Tom Schaller discussed former president Bill Clinton’s perceived support of Barack Obama and what an Obama presidency could mean to Clinton’s role in the Democratic Party. “If Obama wins, Clinton is no longer the big dog of Democratic politics. The Clinton era ends,” Schaller said. “That’s got to smart a little bit.” The story, “Bill Clinton Campaigns for Barack Obama,” ran October 2.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-clinton2-2008oct02,0,5355800.story

UMBC, Meyerhoff Scholarship Program on NPR’s The Best of Our Knowledge
The syndicated National Public Radio (NPR) program The Best of Our Knowledge discussed efforts to increase the representation of African-American women in the science and engineering fields. The program, which has aired on various NPR outlets throughout September 2008, interviewed Crystal Watkins ‘95, biology; Adrienne McFadden '99, interdisciplinary studies; and Renetta Tull, assistant dean for graduate student development.

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wamc/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1349277§ionID=660

Each year, the University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents honors a select group of staff for their exceptional achievements and contributions to their institutions. This year, five of the six USM Board of Regents Staff Awards for 2007-08 were awarded to members of the UMBC community:

Catherine “Cathy” Bielawski, Director of Undergraduate Student Services, College of Engineering and Information Technology
OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO STUDENTS IN AN ACADEMIC OR RESIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT

Patricia Martin, Program Management Specialist, Student Support Services
EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE INSTITUTION AND/OR UNIT TO WHICH A PERSON BELONGS

Dennis Cuddy, Manager of Administration and Facilities, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE INSTITUTION AND/OR UNIT TO WHICH A PERSON BELONGS

Earnestine Baker, Executive Director, Meyerhoff Scholarship Program
EXTRAORDINARY PUBLIC SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSITY OR TO THE GREATER COMMUNITY

Karen Sweeney-Jett, Executive Administrative Assistant, Office of Institutional Advancement
EXTRAORDINARY PUBLIC SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSITY OR TO THE GREATER COMMUNITY

These winners, along with USM Board of Regents Faculty Award Winners (to be announced spring 2009) and UMBC Presidential Teaching and Research Professors, will be honored on Wednesday, April 15, 2009, in the UC Ballroom. Mark your calendars and join the UMBC community in honoring all of our award recipients.

Catherine “Cathy” Bielawski, Director of Undergraduate Student Services, College of Engineering and Information Technology
OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO STUDENTS IN AN ACADEMIC OR RESIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENT

For 29 years, Cathy Bielawski has served as a model staff member, enthusiastically providing outstanding service to UMBC students in her roles as coach, advisor, mentor, instructor, recruiter and director of student services. What has distinguished her work in every setting has been her skillfulness in understanding and addressing the educational needs of individual students. She combines superb interpersonal skills with the ability to challenge and support students.

Bielawski began her UMBC career 33 years ago, when she enrolled here as a freshman. In addition to her academic work in American studies, she enjoyed competing on the gymnastics team. Reflecting her outstanding performance and potential, upon graduate she was invited to teach physical education and coach the gymnastics team. Later, she become an academic advisor in the Advisement Center, where she enjoyed taking on the challenges some prefer to avoid: clearing students for graduation and working with students on academic probation.
When she observed that many students seemed confused by the General Foundation Requirements, Bielawski took on the challenge of finding a solution in the manner that has been the hallmark of her UMBC career. In this case, she designed a document that eliminated the confusion by indicating which UMBC courses in each discipline fulfill requirements in each of the four distribution areas. Referred to as “The Bielawski Document” by her fellow advisors, this tool is updated with each change in UMBC’s General Education Requirements and remains in use today by the University’s academic advisors.

Bielawski continued to serve students superbly, both individually and in groups, when she was hired as the academic advisor for the College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT). A key to her success as an advisor is that she educates students while helping them. Many students leave her office having gained new decision-making skills that can be used in the future.

When she was promoted to director of undergraduate student services in COEIT in 2003, Bielawski continued to advise students – and won the COEIT Advisor of the Year Award – while also supervising two full-time academic advisors, teaching the COEIT’s success seminar and contributing her insight and enthusiasm to many COEIT and University programs, projects and committees. A strong advocate for students, she is a valued member of such University committees as the Academic Standards Committee, the Academic Integrity Committee, the Student Administration Advisory Committee and the Retention Committee. She also manages key projects for COEIT, including the Open House and Welcome Week and continues to make numerous presentations on a variety of topics to student groups.

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Patricia Martin, Program Management Specialist, Student Support Services
EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE INSTITUTION AND/OR UNIT TO WHICH A PERSON BELONGS

Patricia Martin has worked in UMBC’s Student Support Services (SSS) office for 23 years, most recently as program management specialist for both SSS and the University System of Maryland Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation. Her experience, talent, dedication and work ethic have made an indelible impact at UMBC and in the lives of our students. She is a tremendous resource and the work she does every day makes UMBC a better place for everyone.

Martin has excellent knowledge of her job, her unit and UMBC. She gracefully undertakes a wide range of projects, from financial and payroll transactions to the management of a tutorial program, from the coordination of a workshop series and cultural enrichment activities for students and the pre-screening of all incoming SSS applications. She performs duties that, in a department with more resources, would be handled by a business manager, an executive administrative assistant, an accountant and a program management specialist. Even when recovering from surgery, she volunteered to work online and by phone to do whatever she could to make sure that problems were resolved and the office ran smoothly in her absence.

Despite her heavy workload and increasing levels of responsibility, Martin goes out of her way to assist students who take advantage of our support programs. Many of the students SSS serves are at the greatest risk of attrition, and Martin goes beyond the call of duty to help both them and their parents, even when it may involve an issue that needs to be handled outside of SSS or even the campus. When one of our students was experiencing extreme hardship in his personal life, Martin counseled him and provided him with the resources he needed. He not only graduated from UMBC but received a Fulbright Scholarship to study abroad as well.

Martin is known as a resource for colleagues across campus, including those working in the McNair Scholars Program, the Classic Upward Bound Program, the Upward Bound Mathematics and Science Program and the Learning Resources Center. Recently she took time outside of the work day to help the McNair Scholars’ new administrative assistant learn to navigate the PeopleSoft Program, just one of many inspiring stories told by Martin’s colleagues.

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Dennis Cuddy, Manager of Administration and Facilities, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE INSTITUTION AND/OR UNIT TO WHICH A PERSON BELONGS

Dennis Cuddy came to UMBC nearly nine years ago, following 12 years of service at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, to serve as the Department of Chemistry’s manager of administration and finance. His many contributions to the teaching and research mission of the Deparrtment have been invaluable. As the manager responsible for the complex infrastructure of a major academic department, Cuddy works tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that the laboratories, classrooms, offices and business processes of the Meyerhoff Chemistry Building are operating well. To do their work well, students, faculty and staff must be able to rely on the smooth operation of the facilities. Cuddy makes that possible each day through his commitment to the Department, his exceptional planning and problem-solving skills and his skillful supervision of 10 employees.

In addition, there have been several major projects in which Cuddy’s leadership and diplomatic skills, combined with his organizational skills and technical expertise, have been invaluable to the Department and UMBC. Cuddy was the Department’s manager for the recent $34-million renovation of the Meyerhoff Chemistry Building, a project that lasted two years and during which the building was occupied and in use. His masterful coordination of this major project required working tirelessly with contractors and faculty to keep classrooms and laboratories running throughout the three-phased renovation. Largely due to Cuddy’s management, the project won the Construction Owners of America’s 2003 Project Leadership Award. He also used his grantsmanship skills to secure $2 million in National Institutes of Health funding to support the project and collaborated with colleagues to craft a Stage budget amendment to ensure the project’s funding.

Cuddy’s contributions also have been invaluable to the Chemistry Discovery Center, a project by which the Department has been able to cut in half the size of sections in Chemistry 101 and 102, shift the learning method to one of discovery for the students and significantly increase the success rate of students in the courses. The “catch” was that the facility in which this exciting educational innovation was to occur had to be ready in a matter of weeks. Cuddy made it happen, and the program is not only a success in the chemistry and biochemistry department, but also is being used as a model by UMBC’s physics and mathematics departments.

Cuddy has taken on responsibility for coordinating the Department’s annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, even though it is not directly related to his primary responsibilities. While the project has been under Cuddy’s management, the number of students participating in the Symposium has grown from 60 to 300, with students coming from all over the East Coast and 200 of them participating in poster sessions. As a result of his efforts, the event is now funded by the National Institutes of Health.

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Earnestine Baker, Executive Director, Meyerhoff Scholarship Program
EXTRAORDINARY PUBLIC SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSITY OR TO THE GREATER COMMUNITY

For over 15 years, Earnestine Baker has provided support and leadership for UMBC and the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, a nationally recognized program for talented students interested in pursuing terminal degrees in the sciences, mathematics, engineering, and computer science. She served as director of the Meyerhoff Program for 10 years and was appointed the executive director in 2002. She is also assistant to the vice president of institutional advancement. Baker’s strong leadership, commitment and belief in our students has helped UMBC become one of the nation’s top producers of minority undergraduates in science who go on to Ph.D. and MD/Ph.D. programs, many at top universities across the U.S. Approximately 90 percent of Meyerhoff graduates attend to graduate and professional schools – more than any other institution.

Baker has created a wholly supportive environment that makes high demands on staff and students in ways that give students the opportunity to achieve excellence in their academic work and their contributions to society. She sets goals that she believes are important to the Meyerhoff Program’s success: believing that each student can achieve, holding students accountable, following up and voicing her expectations for students, and evaluating and tracking students’ progress. Earnestine also reaches students every day with the Program’s premise that, among like-minded students who work closely together, positive energy is contagious. By helping Meyerhoff Scholars create tightly knit learning communities, students continually inspire one another to do more and better.

Today, Baker’s influences reach well beyond the over 500 scholars who have graduated from the Meyerhoff Program to date. She wants the Meyerhoff Program’s vision to have an impact beyond UMBC, and promotes the creation of an environment and culture where students can thrive and achieve high goals with encouragement and support. In both formal and informal settings, she has talked with faculty, administrators and staff at other universities – including Harvard, Stanford, Michigan State, University of Pennsylvania, Lehigh, Colby, Franklin and Marshall and Colgate - about implementing the Meyerhoff model. She also served as a consultant for universities such as Winston-Salem and Louisiana State that successfully replicated the Meyerhoff Program, and helped to establish residency and exchange programs abroad at Lancaster University, University of Granada, and University of London. She has given lectures and presentations at national and international organizations.

In addition, she regularly speaks to elementary and middle school students, some of whom go on to become Meyerhoff Scholars, and some even start “Junior Meyerhoff” programs at their schools.

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Karen Sweeney-Jett, Executive Administrative Assistant, Office of Institutional Advancement
EXTRAORDINARY PUBLIC SERVICE TO THE UNIVERSITY OR TO THE GREATER COMMUNITY
Throughout her 27 years of service at UMBC, Karen Sweeney-Jett has been widely recognized as someone who says “yes” when other people say “no.” She is dedicated and enthusiastic in her commitment to doing all she can to create a positive community at UMBC. She takes on projects well beyond her job description simply because she thinks they will benefit the campus.

Sweeney-Jett began her career at UMBC as an administrative assistant, first in the biological sciences department and then in the newly created computer science department. She was responsible for setting up all of the administrative procedures in the new department.
Subsequently, she was invited to join the staff of the President’s Office in 1991, and in addition to handling the duties of an administrative assistant in such a fast-paced office, she volunteered to help coordinate a number of important projects, including Student Recognition Day, New Faculty/Staff Orientation, the Faculty/Staff Senate and Convocation, among others.
While working in the President’s Office, Sweeney-Jett was one of the founding members of UMBC’s Classified Staff Senate and was later elected vice president and president. She is credited by her Senate colleagues with developing the guidelines and gaining approval for the Employee of the Month Award program. Years later, this program (now the Employee of the Quarter Award) is still an important way in which the UMBC community celebrates its outstanding staff. To raise funds for the Senate (now the Non-exempt Excluded Staff State, or NEESS), Sweeney-Jett has organized events ranging from bull roasts to flower marts, and she played a key role in establishing the Senate’s first student scholarship. As a senator and leader, she has contributed to the UMBC community through service on numerous committees, including the Smoking Committee, Athletics Committee, Personnel Policy Committee and others.

Since her promotion 12 years ago to executive administrative assistant, Sweeney-Jett has served in the Office of Institutional Advancement, supporting the administrative functions of the vice president and associate vice president. She also has served for several years as chair of the NEESS Holiday Open House, which has become a special event for UMBC. Held annually in early December and open to the entire campus community, this event includes a major craft show and sale that generates scholarship revenue and strengthens our sense of campus community. Sweeney-Jett eagerly does most of the work involved in coordinating this much-anticipated event because she is dedicated to advancing community at UMBC.

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