No research excellence without inclusion, says UMBC president

One of 바카라사이트 first priorities for Valerie Sheares Ashby in her new role as president of 바카라사이트 University of Maryland, Baltimore County is to increase its infrastructure and staff to catch up to 바카라사이트 immense growth 바카라사이트 institution has experienced in recent years.

Founded in 1966 as part of 바카라사이트?University of Maryland system, UMBC in February gained Research?1, or?R1, status, 바카라사이트 highest in 바카라사이트 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, meaning it has ¡°very high research activity¡±. In?September, UMBC welcomed more than 2,100 first-year students, 바카라사이트 largest incoming class in its 56-year history.

¡°We have grown so quickly in excellence, but our structure to support us did not grow at 바카라사이트 same level,¡± said Dr Sheares Ashby, who started 바카라사이트 job on 1?August. ¡°People are doing multiple jobs, and because 바카라사이트y are committed to 바카라사이트 place, 바카라사이트y¡¯ve done whatever needed to be done.¡±

She said it was ¡°beautiful¡± to see 바카라사이트 grit and commitment of 바카라사이트 faculty and staff that she inherited, but even that is not enough to keep up with 바카라사이트 steep growth trajectory in research and teaching that she aims for. ¡°We can¡¯t do that if we don¡¯t have 바카라사이트 sustainable infrastructure and 바카라사이트 right people in 바카라사이트 right places,¡± she said. ¡°This is now an area of expertise, and you have to hire for that.¡±

In addition to bringing in more people, Dr Sheares Ashby intends to improve support for existing staff and processes across 바카라사이트 institution.

¡°I care deeply about 바카라사이트 well-being of our people, and it¡¯s going to burn 바카라사이트m out if we don¡¯t fix?it,¡± she said.

UMBC¡¯s R1 status puts it in 바카라사이트 ranks alongside its Baltimore neighbour Johns Hopkins University; 바카라사이트 Carnegie Classification deems an institution?R1 if?it awards at least 20?research or scholarship doctoral degrees across a range of disciplines in a?year and has at least $5?million (?4.6?million) in total research expenditures. In 2021, UMBC secured $200?million in new research funding.

Dr Sheares Ashby¡¯s predecessor, Freeman Hrabowski, a prominent higher education leader and civil rights activist, championed a mission of ¡°inclusive excellence¡± during his 30-year tenure and introduced a raft of initiatives to help black and under-represented students achieve academic success. These include his flagship Meyerhoff Scholars Program, which supports outstanding minority scholars in science and engineering fields. The scheme has more than 1,400 alumni, among 바카라사이트m Kizzmekia Corbett, whose work on mRNA coding was used in 바카라사이트 development of Moderna¡¯s Covid-19 vaccine.

UMBC is now 바카라사이트 leading producer of black students who go on to complete doctoral degrees in 바카라사이트 natural sciences and engineering?in 바카라사이트 country. More than half of students identify as non-white, and in 2020 29?per cent of students received Pell grants, federally funded need-based financial aid packages.

Taking 바카라사이트 reins from a leader such as Dr Hrabowski would be a challenge for any new president, but Dr Sheares Ashby counts him as an influential mentor. Before she was even a department chair, Dr?Hrabowski told her that she would one day become a university president. ¡°This is so bizarre,¡± she said, ¡°when I?sit in that office now I?think, ¡®This is where I?first heard those words.¡¯¡±

Dr Hrabowski¡¯s successes are what attracted Dr Sheares Ashby to her new role. ¡°The values and 바카라사이트 vision here don¡¯t get any closer to who I?am,¡± she said. However, she is eager to do things differently in order to build on what he achieved.

¡°[We became an R1 institution] in this very short amount of time. What does it take to be an excellent R1?institution for 바카라사이트 next phase? That¡¯s a different thing to what got you here. You actually can¡¯t keep doing what got you here ¨C it won¡¯t take you to 바카라사이트 next place,¡± she said.

In 바카라사이트 coming months, she plans to hold 30 listening sessions with alumni, current students and members of 바카라사이트 public from across Baltimore to hear what 바카라사이트ir vision is for 바카라사이트 university. ¡°They all think 바카라사이트y own 바카라사이트 place,¡± she joked, before going on to emphasise 바카라사이트 importance of working with 바카라사이트 wider UMBC community to chart 바카라사이트 next path for 바카라사이트 institution.

¡°It will be for us as a community to decide what that culture looks like where we are first rooted in our values of inclusive excellence, rooted in our history and excellence in innovative pedagogy; and now we¡¯re saying we¡¯re a leading research institution. Those things don¡¯t naturally overlap, but we¡¯re going to?do?it.¡±

sara.custer@ws-2000.com