The USM in 2010: 

Responding to the Challenges that Lie Ahead

University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Mission: The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) is a dynamic public research university integrating teaching, research, and service to benefit the citizens of Maryland. As an Honors University, the campus offers academically talented students a strong undergraduate liberal arts foundation that prepares them for graduate and professional study, entry into the workforce, and community service and leadership. Known for its outstanding faculty and cutting edge research, UMBC emphasizes science, engineering, information technology, human services, and public policy at the graduate level. UMBC contributes to the economic development of the State and the region through entrepreneurial initiatives, workforce training, K-16 partnerships, and technology commercialization in collaboration with public agencies and the corporate community. UMBC is dedicated to cultural and ethnic diversity, social responsibility, and lifelong learning

Goal I

USM academic programs will evolve to meet the changing educational needs of a growing and increasingly diverse undergraduate and graduate student population and will enhance the quality of life for all Maryland citizens.

Minority Achievement

• Continue to support the academic achievement of a diverse student population.
• Achieve a second-year retention rate and a six-year graduation rate for African Americans equal to or greater than peer averages.
• Build on current success of minority achievement and expand the capacity of the Meyerhoff program, the bilingual/ESOL programs, and other programs that support the advancement of minorities.
• Ensure that UMBC achieves and maintains racial, ethnic, and gender diversity among its faculty, staff, and students.
• Increase the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of faculty, in part by seeking Welcome Grant funds to attract high quality minority faculty.
• Maintain the current high level of racial, ethnic, and gender diversity among UMBC's students.
• Continue to support campus organizations that promote diversity within the institution.

Baby Boom Echo

• Increase the number of students enrolled at the undergraduate and graduate levels consistent with demographic trends and campus enrollment projections and contingent upon the implementation of MHEC funding formula guidelines.
• Expand the base of scholarship and need-based financial aid funding to support increased enrollments.
• Expand Information Systems and Social Work major programs to Shady Grove Center.
• Expand campus housing and student services to accommodate increased enrollments.

Undergraduate Education

• Produce graduates in all disciplines who think critically, communicate effectively, and demonstrate technology literacy.
• Explore reform of core curriculum including an increased writing requirement, experiential learning requirement, and a required minor.
• Expand faculty-directed undergraduate research and service-learning opportunities.
• Review and strengthen Honors College, Interdisciplinary Studies Program, and Study Abroad programming.
• Implement an assured access program which will meet Regents' IT guidelines.
• Construct new classrooms and upgrade existing classrooms to facilitate the use of technology in teaching.
• Enhance mission-related areas (the sciences and engineering, information technology, human services, and public policy at the graduate level) while maintaining a strong undergraduate liberal arts and sciences core.
• Expand the capacity of existing high demand programs.
• Seek approval of new undergraduate programs in order to offer UMBC students an array of program options comparable to other research universities.
• Maintain faculty and programmatic strengths in the humanities, arts, and social sciences.
• Expand programs and services to support the success of UMBC students.
• Expand residential mentoring program.
• Open new student union to accommodate academic and non-academic needs of students.
• Implement new student information systems to better serve and attract undergraduates.
• Strengthen advising program and explore new approaches to orientation and the first year experiences of new freshmen and transfer students.

Online Learning

• Expand efforts to make UMBC programs available through the use of distance learning technologies.
• Expand the number of online courses offered and continue relationship with Maryland Online.
• Offer an online Master's program in Information Systems and develop other distance education initiatives.

Lifelong Learning

• Continue to address the lifelong learning needs of the adult population in the region and State.
• Explore opportunities to offer IT training off campus, such as at the proposed Hagerstown Center.
• Offer credit and non-credit programs on-campus and on-site to business and industry partners.
• Continue to offer the Golden ID program.
• Aggressively seek new enrollments in graduate programs, especially at the Master's level.

Competition and Program Development

• Ensure that UMBC's academic programs address the needs of the marketplace.
• Expand the array of undergraduate and graduate programs, within UMBC's mission and particularly in high demand areas
• Continue to produce graduates prepared to enter the workforce, particularly in the sciences, engineering, information technology, and education.
• Aggressively pursue MAITI goals of doubling IT degrees, contingent upon receipt of funding
• to accommodate increased enrollments.
• Maintain and strengthen collaboration with other USM institutions.
• Collaborate with UB and UMB in existing graduate programs and implement, when approved, a new graduate program in Gerontology with UMB.
• Explore collaboration in new biotechnology graduate program areas with UMB, UMCP, and UMBI.

Technologically Competent Workforce

• Continue to address the Regents' IT standards through the campus IT plan and other initiatives.
• Increase training for staff and faculty as called for in the new campus IT plan.
• Explore reform of the core curriculum to include a technology requirement.
• Maximize student participation in the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement.

Workforce Shortages

• Continue to produce high quality graduates and credentialed individuals to address workforce demands in the public and private sectors.
• Implement 2+2 nursing program with UMB.
• Continue to play a leadership role in K-16 activities and teacher preparation, including work with high poverty schools and expansion of the number of PDSs.
• Increase the number of bachelor's degrees awarded in science/technology.
• Double non-credit enrollments in continuing education courses workforce training courses.

Goal II

USM research and scholarship will position Maryland as a national leader in science, technology and other key areas, providing the knowledge and infrastructure to ensure the State's continued economic growth, sustainable development and international competitiveness.

Competition for Faculty

• Attract and retain a high quality faculty.
• Increase UMBC faculty salaries to the 85th percentile of Research II universities.
• Continue to develop policies and strategies to increase the retention of top faculty.
• Explore the creation of a dedicated fund for startup accounts to attract new faculty.

Libraries

• Enhance the library as a campus resource comparable to libraries at other research universities.
• Increase investment in library materials and online resources.
• Invest in the library to maintain its leadership in the use of technology and to support academic programs.
• Participate in LIMS III.
• Increase staffing to reach levels comparable to other Research II universities.

Research and Economic Development

• Promote and support cutting edge research and creative activity.
• Invest in research infrastructure, including information systems for pre- and post-grant management.
• Invest in building maintenance and construction management to meet the needs of UMBC's researchers and to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations.
• Invest in renovations to provide adequate laboratory and office space for UMBC's researchers.
• Obtain external funding to create new multi-discipline centers and institutes, such as the GEST Center and the Urban Environmental Center, and create corporate and public sector partnerships to advance UMBC's research mission.
• Maintain Internet2 standards and increase investment in UMATS.
• Invest in additional graduate research assistantships to support outstanding graduate students.
• Continue to collaborate with business to contribute to the growth of Maryland's economy.
• Aggressively seek new tenants for UMBC's Research Park.
• Continue to occupy UMBC's Technology Center with small high technology companies.
• Work with TEDCO and other State agencies to bring promising university technologies to market.
• Expand research and internship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in corporate and public sector research environments.

Goal III

The USM will achieve its legislative mandate of national eminence and its fundamental mission to serve the public good while carefully managing growth and developing System resources.

Undergraduate Resident Tuition

• Increase undergraduate resident tuition at an annual rate of 4% to complement funding anticipated from MHEC funding formula guidelines and to support UMBC's high cost mission.

Staff Development

• Enhance support for UMBC staff professional, technical, and support staff.
• Implement campus IT plan which will provide staff with necessary IT equipment and training.
• Implement automated online training.
• Continue staff development programs to ensure adequately trained staff for an increasingly sophisticated and complex research and business environment.

Faculty Development

• Support faculty development in the areas of teaching, research, and service.
• Increase funding for the new Faculty Development Center.
• Implement FACT program (funded by MHEC) to assist faculty with technology in the classroom.

Reallocation of Resources

• Explore opportunities to reallocate resources in support of the campus mission.
• Develop a decision making process for the reallocation of resources that incorporates academic program reviews, post-tenure review, and review of low productivity programs.
• Increase net revenues from continuing education activities and make them available to support special campus initiatives, as appropriate.
• Expand the campus Computer Replacement Initiative.

Other Management/Effectiveness Strategies

• Continue to pursue administrative efficiencies and ensure the effective use of public resources.
• Implement electronic payment of student bills and explore other e-business opportunities.
• Implement next generation administrative applications systems (human resource system, student information system, financial resource system/payroll).
• Hire and assign business managers to department clusters to serve the multiple administrative and grant management needs of academic departments.
• Merge the Office of Instructional Technology with University Computing Services to concentrate UMBC's technology and learning efforts.

Community Service

• Continue to serve as a national leader in promoting service learning and civic engagement.
• Expand opportunities, primarily via the Shriver Center, for students to gain service-learning and internship positions with community service objectives.
• Expand Public Affairs Scholars program to promote public service careers.
• Expand faculty community service and public policy activities.

Philanthropy and Entrepreneurial Partnerships

• Expand private support and involve private enterprise in sponsored programs across the disciplines.
• Increase UMBC's endowment through fund raising and achieve Capital Campaign goals.
• Seek funding to support existing and new programs, to attract and retain faculty, and to expand scholarships and other forms of institutional support.
• Create new entrepreneurial partnerships with business, government, and non-profit organizations.