By Tom Ventsias

Bold, ambitious and focused may best describe the University of Maryland’s 10-year strategic plan, set for implementation beginning this fall. The detailed document (available online at www.sp07.umd.edu) contains dozens of initiatives and hundreds of specific strategies. Ultimately, the plan has two clear objectives: to greatly expand the university’s impact and advance its position among world-class universities. To validate these noteworthy aspirations, the plan has identified several transformational outcomes expected by 2018.

“These outcomes will move this institution forward significantly, thereby strengthening the state of Maryland’s intellectual and economic competitiveness and enhancing its social and cultural life,” says Nariman Farvardin, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost.

Terp asked members of our university community—as well as the local community—to offer some insight on strategies, challenges and implementation methods identified in the strategic plan, framing their commentary around four key areas of change.

Jesse Chen ’08 Exceptional Students STRATEGIC BENCHMARKS » The university will increase enrollment of the state’s highest achieving high school graduates by 40%. » The percentage of students from underrepresented groups will rise to at least 38%. » Students earning academic credit each year for study abroad will triple, from 1,300 to 4,000.

Stephanie Stullich, City of College Park Councilmember, District 3 The Surrounding Community STRATEGIC BENCHMARKS » The $900 million East Campus town center will be completed, providing high-quality retail and office space and housing. » M Square research park will grow, adding 2 million square feet of office and laboratory space. » Faculty, students and staff will enhance local K–12 education, promote health and wellness, improve public safety and build and sustain a vibrant community.

Jaganath Sankaran M.S. ’08, engineering and public policy Window to the World STRATEGIC BENCHMARKS » At least 50% of academic programs will have definable global elements. » The percentage of international undergraduate enrollment will nearly quadruple. » Stipends for graduate students will increase to $18,000. » New and expanded partnerships will be established with international organizations.

Pamela Abshire, electrical and computer engineering and Institute for Systems Research Advancing Knowledge STRATEGIC BENCHMARKS » Current external research funding of $407 million will increase to $700 million. » Faculty selected to the National Academies, currently 42, will increase at least 63%. » Major foundation grants will increase from 4% of total research funds to 10%.

EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS

Jesse Chen, a recent graduate of the Robert H. Smith School of Business, says the overall quality of his undergraduate experience was “very positive.” If Maryland is truly going to be a world-class university, though, Chen says it needs to address the deficiencies he experienced with CORE, a set of courses required of all undergraduates.

The challenge in redeveloping a general education requirement—one of the strategic plan’s critical objectives—is in offering courses that not only teach students how to learn in the 21st century, but also how to act on that knowledge, Chen says. “At the end of four years we should leave here with an education, not just a grade point average,” he explains. “And I think the strategic plan—as I have read it— helps a lot with that.”

He also believes that Maryland needs to continue to raise its admission standards and increase the academic rigor for undergraduates. “Our student body wants to be challenged academically, and this plan will challenge the students from an education perspective greatly.”

As the strategic plan moves forward, Chen recognizes the important role that alumni will play, especially in areas like mentoring current students or recruiting on behalf of an employer. “We cannot meet the goals we have—the great expectations we have—without alumni support,” he says. “Our alumni will need to step up—not just financially, which is obviously a huge component—but also with their time, energy and other resources.”

The 22-year-old alumnus sees good things ahead for his alma mater. “We are really a much better university than what we are currently recognized for, both in rankings and visibility,” he says. “But that perception is going to change, and soon.”

THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY

Stephanie Stullich says that College Park “is a town I want to grow old in … I want to spend the rest of my life here.” Yet Stullich—a 14-year resident who also serves on the city council—admits that College Park is not usually thought of as a vibrant college town. “Where we’re really lacking is in the commercial sector,” she says. “The downtown we have now is not a particularly enticing, walkable downtown, and I think that’s what people are really hungry for.”

The expected arrival of the East Campus redevelopment—a major element of the strategic plan—has many residents excited, yet also a bit wary, says Stullich. “East Campus will provide the opportunity to get that critical mass of retail and restaurants needed for a successful transformation of College Park,” she says, adding that some residents worry about increased traffic and crime with the expected influx of outsiders visiting the area.

Still, Stullich believes that a real synergy of shopping, dining and entertainment can emerge with the East Campus project, stimulating a revitalization that will benefit the entire area.

In her role with the city council, Stullich expects to work closely with the university on a number of pressing issues, including transportation, the university’s local K–12 education initiatives and public safety concerns.

“I really believe College Park is going to be a very different place in the next five to 10 years,” Stullich says. “I think both the city and the university ultimately want the same thing—an attractive, interesting, diverse community that we can all be proud of.”

WINDOW TO THE WORLD

Jaganath Sankaran, whose doctoral research in the School of Public Policy centers on international dialogue concerning weapons in space, considered MIT, Stanford and Carnegie Mellon before choosing to attend graduate school at the University of Maryland.

His reasoning? “If I want my research findings implemented as policy, I would have to come to Washington, D.C., anyway … this is where things happen if you want to change international policy.” That many of the world’s most prestigious science-related organizations, as well as dozens of world-class public policy think tanks, are located in or around Washington only reaffirmed his choice, Sankaran adds.

There is a lot to be gained from having different international perspectives when confronting public policy and engineering questions, says Sankaran, who has advanced degrees in both fields. “This is how research is done today, just like business—globally.”

But both Sankaran and the strategic plan acknowledge that the university must address some basic logistical concerns to attract the best and brightest graduate students and researchers from around the world to Maryland. “Increased stipends and affordable housing allow graduate students focus on getting their research off the table, rather than worrying about next month’s rent,” Sankaran says.

Once these amenities are in place, Sankaran believes there will be a dramatic culture shift—one that leads to the highest levels of excellence by Maryland’s researchers and scholars. “We’ll soon be able to offer the same competitive attractions as MIT or Stanford,” he says. “These are world-class universities that can say, ‘We’ll give you the money, but you need to give us the very best in research.’ And I expect that to happen at Maryland, too.”

ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE

“The interdisciplinary nature of the research here—particularly the intersection between biology and engineering—is really well-represented in my department, institute and college,” says Pamela Abshire, an associate professor in the A. James Clark School of Engineering.

In her Integrated Biomorphic Information Systems lab, Abshire works with faculty from across disciplines at Maryland while also collaborating with medical professionals from other institutions. They are collectively focused on high-impact areas of science, including cell-based sensing—a so-called “lab-on-a-chip” that can quickly detect dangerous pathogens.

Nano-bio research similar to Abshire’s is just one of the priority research areas identified in the strategic plan, others being climate change, energy, public health, information science and language, culture and cognition.

“Targeting our resources in high-impact areas is really going to set us up as a world leader in these research areas—and I think we are close to that already,” Abshire says. Maryland’s strong interaction with nearby government research labs is also very important, she adds, “not only in terms of funding, but in many cases in terms of facilities and the job placements for our graduates.”

One of the biggest movements Abshire has seen in the Clark School is in the fostering of connections to industry. “That spirit of entrepreneurship and connectivity to local industry—whether a large company or a small startup—is very strong, and I anticipate it will get even stronger across the entire university in the coming years,” she says.

Abshire says the most satisfying aspect of her profession is working with students and guiding their work. “Our job is to interact with these brilliant young minds and set lofty goals—pushing them and pushing their boundaries in a way that is achievable.” TERP

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