UMBC Dining Services Hours for July

The Commons Building

Au Bon Pain: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Outtakes: Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina: Monday-Thursday 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Friday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Skylight Room: Monday-Friday: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

The Administration Building

The Coffee Shoppe: Monday-Friday: 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

bwtech@UMBC Referral Fees

bwtech@UMBC Research Park is seeking tenants for our newest building at 5520 Research Park Drive. If you are a UMBC employee who is working with or knows of a company that would be a good fit for bwtech@UMBC and your referral results in a signed lease, you could earn up to $500.

Referral fees are payable to UMBC faculty, staff and alumni for successful referrals of tenants for bwtech@UMBC’s Cyber Incubator and Cync Program, which result in signed leases.

Eligible referrals include tenants who have not already been identified as Cyber Incubator or Northrop Grumman Cync Program prospects by bwtech@UMBC’s marketing team. Please send leads for prospective tenants to Ellen Hemmerly, Executive Director, UMBC Research Park Corporation. Referral fees will be paid by UMBC Research Park Corporation.

Referral fees are payable at the tenant move-in according to the following schedule:

• $250 for companies who have completed the first stage (due diligence) of admittance into the Cync Program or for companies which enter into the Cyber Incubator
• $500 for companies who have formally been accepted and enter into the Cync Program

The Northrop Grumman Cync Program is a unique partnership between Northrop Grumman and the Cyber Incubator at bwtech@UMBC, with an eye towards commercializing technology to protect the nation from a growing range of cyber threats. The Cync Program builds on bwtech@UMBC’s successful business-incubation framework by offering a “scholarship program” for companies with the most promising cybersecurity ideas.

Contact Allie Gold at golda@umbc.edu or (443) 543-5047.

100,000 Stories: Which One is Yours? A Call for Women’s Center Stories

In honor of our 20th anniversary, the Women’s Center will be creating a documentary of our stories from the past 20 years. We are looking for past and present faculty, staff and students to share their stories in front of the camera so we can share it with the UMBC community throughout our anniversary year. If you are interested (or know anyone who has a great story to tell), please contact Jess Myers at jessm@umbc.edu or ext. 5-1605. We will record stories in late July and August.

Interim Provost Search

From President Freeman A. Hrabowski

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Philip Rous as UMBC’s Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, effective July 1, 2011. Dr. Rous, who holds the rank of full professor in our Department of Physics, has most recently served as Dean of the College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (CNMS) (2010-2011) and Interim Dean (2008-2009).

His interim appointment concludes an internal search begun in mid-May following the announcement that Provost Elliot Hirshman will become President of San Diego State University on July 1. I am extremely grateful to the search committee, chaired by Dr. John Jeffries, Dean of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and the campus community for providing me with excellent advice.

Dr. Rous has provided outstanding leadership of CNMS the past three years, demonstrating his strong commitment to UMBC’s fundamental mission and values in such areas as student success, faculty diversity and faculty and staff development and retention. He played an instrumental role, for example, in creating the College’s Active Science Teaching & Learning Environment (CASTLE), focused on developing new pedagogical models based on innovative student-engagement practices. He also has played a leadership role in shared governance on campus. Over a period of four years (2003-2007), he served as Faculty Senate Vice President and then as Senate President. He has earned the trust and respect of colleagues, particularly for his openness and balanced approach to issues; his analytical, managerial and problem-solving abilities; and his sense of fairness and thoughtfulness.

Dr. Rous joined the UMBC community in 1990 as an Assistant Professor of Physics after completing his Ph.D. in theoretical physics at the Imperial College of Science & Technology (U.K.) and conducting postdoctoral research at Imperial College, the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Cambridge (U.K.). He is an accomplished scholar, focusing his research on theoretical condensed matter physics, and he has contributed to the fundamental understanding of the crystallography of surfaces, the dynamics and structure of negative ion states at surfaces and nanophysics. The results of his interdisciplinary research have been published extensively in both physics and chemistry journals. Most recently, Dr. Rous has played a leadership role in supporting science education research, serving as Principal Investigator for the HHMI National Experiment in Undergraduate Science and as Co-PI for the NSF Innovation Through Institutional Integration award aimed at understanding and increasing student success at UMBC.

As Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Philip will be responsible for the quality, vitality and delivery of the academic program, ensuring excellence among the faculty, student body and academic affairs staff. He also will oversee all academic activities involving faculty and students, including research, planning and academic support services. Further, he will oversee the campus planning process, working with the other Vice Presidents, the Deans and campus governance groups to coordinate planning and budgeting for the campus. The Deans of the colleges and schools report to the Interim Provost, who also works cooperatively with other University System of Maryland (USM) campus leaders, especially provosts and academic vice presidents. Working closely with me, the Interim Provost also often represents UMBC to USM, the State Legislature and State and federal agencies.

In the fall, we will begin a national search for a permanent Provost. I will keep the campus community informed about this process.

UMBC is very fortunate to have someone of Philip Rous’s impressive experience and talent to serve as Interim Provost. Join me in congratulating and supporting him.

Athletics Department Organizational Transition

From President Freeman A. Hrabowski

Beginning July 1, UMBC’s Department of Athletics will become part of the Division of Student Affairs. This change reflects the increasingly vital role of athletics in the life of the University, from NCAA Division-I competition and the school spirit our teams inspire, to our recreation/club sports and intramurals. In this new structure, Charles Brown will serve as associate vice president for athletics, working closely with Nancy Young, vice president for student affairs.

Dr. Young and Dr. Brown share a strong commitment to supporting students. They understand both the benefits students realize and the challenges they face as they pursue their goals in the classroom and on the field. Dr. Brown has led the Athletics program with enthusiasm and integrity over the past two decades. The Retrievers are respected as strong competitors in conference and intramural play and, most important, our student-athletes are highly ranked for their academic performance. Dr. Young’s leadership role with the NCAA Certification process and the Athlete Well-Being Committee reflects her understanding of the important role of athletics in campus life. She is passionate about ensuring that students are fully engaged in learning—in classrooms, in residence halls and in student activities, including athletics.

Join me in congratulating both Charlie and Nancy on their leadership.

Zipcar Arrives at UMBC

Starting Wednesday, June 22, UMBC will have two Zipcars, a Toyota Prius and Honda Civic, on campus! The Zipcars will be located in parking spaces on Center Road in front of the Student Success and Development Center. These spaces will be designated with Zipcar signage.

All active faculty, staff and students are eligible to apply for Zipcar membership at zipcar.com/umbc.

The annual application fee for Zipcar membership is $35 for UMBC affiliates, and applicants will be provided a $35 driving credit by Zipcar.

Once your Zipcar membership is approved, you will receive a Zipcard which will be used to access the vehicles. Zipcar provides gas, insurance and vehicle maintenance. Current Zipcar rates for UMBC affiliates are $8 per hour or $66 per day.

Zipcars can be reserved online or by phone. See zipcar.com for details.

Power Outage Update

From Freeman Hrabowski, President and Lynne Schaefer, Vice President, Administration and Finance

We are pleased to announce that power has been restored to all academic and administrative buildings and occupied residence halls. We thank the staff and faculty from across the campus who have worked around the clock to respond to this emergency. Their leadership, hard work, and cooperation preserved campus safety and critical operations as we faced this major challenge.

An emergency of this scale naturally raises concerns, and we want to be sure the campus community is fully informed about the event and steps taken to safeguard our community and operations. We have asked leaders in Facilities Management, Campus Police, and Environmental Safety and Health to share details about these efforts in a brief online video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzkDIRoLeuY). We also share similar information in print below.

• On Thursday, June 2, at about 8:30 p.m., a switch at the power substation at the athletic field complex failed and caught fire. The failure of this switch caused an overload to the main campus power transformer at Central Plant, and the transformer exploded and caught fire, causing the power failure. The Arbutus Volunteer Fire Department extinguished both fires. No one was injured in this incident, and it was not the result of foul play.
• The UMBC Environmental Safety and Health Department was on the scene by 8:40 p.m. and immediately contacted the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to oversee clean up of mineral oil sprayed over grass and gravel near the Central Plant. The contaminated soil and gravel were removed following MDE guidelines. MDE also continues to monitor streams near the campus to be certain there is no run-off contamination.
• Students on campus for summer programs were temporarily moved to a single residence hall with temporary generated power, and arrangements were made to provide meals while campus food service operations were shut down.
• Temporary generated power was established for buildings housing critical scientific research facilities, including Schwarz Hall, Sondheim Hall, and the Engineering Building. Facilities Management staff worked individually with many faculty to meet particular lab needs.
• Critical IT operations were consolidated on one server to conserve power and cooling capacity. Payroll processing required on June 3 was completed through the efforts of the Division of Information Technology (DoIT) and the HR Department. Throughout this week, DoIT has worked to restore normal campus operations.

The effective emergency response ensured both the safety of people and continuity of vital operations. BGE has expressed great surprise at the speed of our recovery, given the scale of the damage. At the same time, we know this event has been a major disruption for the campus and a learning experience in many ways. We have appreciated the patience and cooperation of faculty, staff, and students as we have worked together to meet the challenge.

Make Your Gift to UMBC Before June 30

Thanks to all faculty and staff who have supported UMBC through an annual gift this fiscal year. Your gifts make so much possible at UMBC, from student scholarships to faculty research support, and our participation as a community helps to boost several national rankings. If you haven’t yet given, consider doing so by Thursday, June 30, to be included in this year’s donor roll. Simply visit www.umbc.edu/giving to make a gift online, or contact Dayna Carpenter, annual giving coordinator, at ext. 5-3377 or dayna@umbc.edu for more information.

Every gift is important. Thank you for all you do to make UMBC a wonderful place to work and learn!

Reception for Provost Hirshman (6/16)

From Freeman Hrabowski, President

As you know, Provost Elliot Hirshman has recently accepted the presidency of San Diego State University. He has provided outstanding leadership and been a wonderful colleague during his three years at UMBC. To express our appreciation for his contributions to the campus and wish him the best in his new role, please join members of President’s Council and me at a reception for Elliot on Thursday, June 16, 3-4:30 p.m. on the 7th floor of the Albin O. Kuhn Library.

Please RSVP by Monday, June 13, to Leslie Tinker in the Office of Institutional Advancement at ltinker@umbc.edu. I look forward to seeing you.

Welcome Week Departmental Receptions

Welcome Week will take place Saturday, August 27-Monday, September 5. Once again, academic departments are invited to host Departmental Receptions for new students as a part of Welcome Week.

These programs are typically informal gatherings coordinated by the academic department itself and hosted Wednesday, August 31-Friday, September 9. Departments serve light refreshments and create an opportunity for students to meet with their faculty and staff. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Orientation and the Office of Student Life will support your event by providing each department up to $100.

To participate, please contact Patsy Kerstetter, Program Specialist in Undergraduate Admissions and Orientation, by Friday, June 24. Please include the following information: department name, date, location, and time of reception, as well as contact person and email. Once this information is submitted, it will be printed in the Welcome Week Program Booklet.

If you have any other questions, please contact Patsy Kerstetter at patsyk@umbc.edu or ext. 5-6703.

Thank you for your assistance in welcoming new students!