University of Maryland Faculty Senate

07/05/2022

https://elm.umaryland.edu/elm-stories/2022/-Face-to-Face-The-Impact-Of-Overturning-Roe-v-Wade.php?utm_source=The%20Elm%20Weekly%2C%20Week%20of%20July%204%2C%202022

UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell enlisted the expertise of four faculty members to help explain how the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on abortion might impact women’s health.

06/13/2022

Please see a note from Diane Forbes Berthoud, PhD, MA,
Chief Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer and Vice President about Juneteenth celebration across UMB campuses

June 13, 2022

To the UMB Community,

This month marks the second year that the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) will be celebrating and honoring Juneteenth as an observed holiday.

Juneteenth commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas on June 19, 1865, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Also known as Freedom Day or Black Independence Day, Juneteenth marks the official end of slavery in the United States and is observed annually on June 19, hence the name Juneteenth.

This holiday is important in American history because it highlights and represents the struggle for freedom and recognition for African Americans who were not truly emancipated or integrated into the American dream of freedom. Its observance is a reminder of the importance of the ongoing struggles toward a truly free and democratic society and the urgency of promoting and protecting human rights and justice.

At UMB, we value equity, justice, respect, and integrity and continue to strive to live out these core values to foster greater inclusion and equity.

To learn more about Juneteenth, click here, and to find anti-racism resources, click here. We also invite you to join us at the following UMB events this month:

Rest as a Liberatory Practice
June 14 | Noon-1:30 p.m. | Virtual Event | Register Here

Today, the word “self-care” is seen everywhere, but did you know it was originally described as a form of political resistance? Join us as we discuss the history of self-care, how and why we practice it, and its importance to a larger liberation struggle for Black people across the diaspora. This event will be fishbowl style, intended to promote dialogue with attendees. Our panelists/conversation starters will begin the dialogue, and attendees will be invited to take part in the conversation and share their perspectives.

‘From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the Twenty-First Century’
June 15 | Noon-1 p.m. | Virtual Event | Register Here

Please join us as featured speakers William Darity Jr., PhD, and Kirsten Mullen discuss their award-winning book “From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the Twenty-First Century.” In their book, Darity and Mullen explore the effects of racism and discrimination from the end of the Civil War to the present day to measure economic inequalities rooted in enslavement. Through their analysis, they lay out a detailed action plan for an effective reparations policy for descendants of U.S. enslavement.

A Celebration of Liberation and Resilience: A Juneteenth Event Featuring Storyteller Renee Emanuel
June 15 | Noon-1 p.m. | School of Nursing Room 245 | Register Here

Renee Emanuel is a gifted storyteller whose folktales, tall tales, and conscience-stirring narratives have captivated audiences for over a decade. Emanuel’s warm, personable style engages her audience and sets the stage for a mutually enjoyable exchange between teller and listener. A native Baltimorean, Emanuel has performed locally and in other states at libraries, conferences, and workshops, as well as on public television. She is a member of the Antietam Storytellers Guild of Hagerstown, Md., and the Griots’ Circle of Maryland, and has been featured at Stories in the Round in Hagerstown and Tellabration, an autumn storytelling event celebrated worldwide. Emanuel also has co-authored a children’s book and is known by some for her engrossing portrayal of Harriet Tubman in a one-woman stage production she wrote.

Juneteenth Community Day
June 16 | 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. | Parking lot on the corner of West Baltimore and Poppleton streets (873 W. Baltimore St.) | Register Here

This event is a celebration of everything BLACK! Celebrate the ending of chattel slavery in the United States through music, food, and giveaways (while supplies last). Wear a Juneteenth T-shirt and join the celebration, which is hosted by the UMB Community Engagement Center.

Let us continue to foster a more just and inclusive UMB community and society at large.

In partnership and collaboration,

Diane Forbes Berthoud, PhD, MA
Chief Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer and Vice President

05/31/2022

https://www.umaryland.edu/commencement/photo-galleries/

05/25/2022

Please read the note shown below from UMB Public Health Officer, Dr. Marianne Cloeren

May 25, 2022

As the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) public health officer, I want to share some important information about COVID-19 resources with you.

UMB COVID-19 Hotline Plans
First and most importantly, the COVID-19 situation has reached a point of stability where we think that we can rely on our own resources and discontinue the external UMB COVID-19 Hotline. As of June 1, callers will reach a recording directing them to report their problem and obtain guidance about isolation, quarantine, return to campus, and testing from the UMB COVID-19 report form at umaryland.edu/reportcovid. Please contact your own doctor for help with clinical issues.

We will continually update this tool as guidance changes. If you have not used this form before, it is designed to provide you with immediate information about what to do in the event of a positive COVID-19 test, symptoms, or exposures, based on the information you put into the form about your situation and immunity.

If you still have questions after using the form or if your situation does not quite fit, please contact our team at UMBOccupationalHealth@som.umaryland.edu. Students also can seek assistance from Student Health by emailing shealth@som.umaryland.edu. Faculty Physicians, Inc. employees can contact their team at FPIEmployeeHealth@som.umaryland.edu. Even if you know what to do, we appreciate you letting us know about positive COVID-19 tests — the information you share helps us understand campus trends and risks.

We will continue to investigate infection risk and advise members of our community. We will maintain the hotline infrastructure and relationship in case we need it again. The hotline, staffed by Managed Care Advisors, has been an invaluable resource, and we are grateful for all the help from this fabulous team over the past two very challenging years!

Campus COVID-19 Trends
Along with the rest of the country, we saw an increase in reported positive tests in May, but models are projecting that we have passed the peak of this recent increase and cases are expected to decrease.

We are finding that at least half of those with a positive COVID-19 test are still testing positive with rapid antigen tests on Days 5 and 6 after the infection presented. This provides support for our protocol to not permit return to work or school earlier than Day 11, unless you have two negative rapid antigen tests in a row.

Changes to the UMB Vaccine Portal
Our colleagues in the Center for Information Technology Services have modified the COVID-19 vaccine portal to allow collection of vaccine lot number information, which is needed by clinical practice sites attended by many members of our community, especially clinical students.

When you are uploading your vaccine information (primary vaccine or booster), you will see a new field for lot number. Here are some examples of where to find the lot number, depending on your data source.

From the Maryland online immunization portal, Immunet, it looks like this (note that some vaccine information has not been reported to Immunet):
Excerpt from Immunet showing location of lot number for COVID-19 vaccine
On your vaccine card, you can find it here:
COVID19 card showing location of lot number under Product Name Manufacturer column
Access to COVID Tests
You probably are aware that the federal government is providing free rapid antigen test kits to every household requesting them. Even if you previously received them, you now can order eight test kits at special.usps.com/testkits.

Nomi Health is a good option near campus for a range of COVID-19 testing, including PCR, sometimes rapid PCR, as well as rapid antigen tests. They will bill your insurance and not charge you. You can schedule an appointment Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., but they can usually see you as a walk-in, too. They are on Baltimore Street between Paca and Eutaw streets.

Students without symptoms can schedule a COVID-19 test at Student Health online: www.umfpi.org/immed-care-covid-a.

Students who are ill are encouraged to call Student Health for an appointment at 667-214-1899.

Test Kit Expirations
You may be concerned that your test kits have passed their expiration dates. Good news! That expiration date was based on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) needing more evidence of shelf stability. As new tests on the market, manufacturers could not provide this evidence when the kits were first released. Now, most of the test kit companies have provided follow-up information to the FDA, which extended their expiration dates. You can look up your test kits by manufacturer at this webpage to see their new expiration date.

Should You Get a (or Another) Booster?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all adults get the primary COVID-19 vaccine series, plus one booster at least six months after the first series. Note that staying up to date on this vaccine is a requirement for students in clinical settings. Some adults should get a second booster. Here is a tool from the CDC to help you understand the right booster plan for you.

Stay healthy,

Marianne Cloeren, MD, MPH
Associate Professor, University of Maryland School of Medicine
UMB Public Health Officer

05/17/2022

Congratulations to seven new Distinguished University Professors!

May 13, 2022

Dear UMB Community,

I’m pleased to announce that seven University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) professors have been recognized with the designation of Distinguished University Professor. The title of Distinguished University Professor is the highest appointment bestowed on a faculty member at UMB. It is a recognition not just of excellence, but also of impact and significant contribution to the nominee’s field, knowledge, profession, and/or practice.

I hope you’ll join me in congratulating these exemplary faculty colleagues:

Leslie Costello, PhD, professor, Department of Oncology and Diagnostic Services, University of Maryland School of Dentistry

Diane Hoffmann, JD, MS, Jacob A. France Professor of Health Care Law and director, Law and Health Care Program, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law

Robert Percival, JD, Robert F. Stanton Professor of Law and director, Environmental Law Program, Francis King Carey School of Law

Barbara Resnick, PhD, RN, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, professor, Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health; co-director, Biology and Behavior Across the Lifespan Organized Research Center; and Sonya Ziporkin Gershowitz Chair in Gerontology, University of Maryland School of Nursing

Dudley Strickland, PhD, professor, Department of Surgery; associate dean for graduate and postdoctoral studies; and director, Center for Vascular and Inflammatory Diseases, University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM)

Peter Swaan, PhD, professor and chair, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and associate dean for research and advanced graduate studies, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy

Stefanie Vogel, PhD, professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UMSOM

I’m extremely proud of the exceptional and transformational contributions each of these faculty members has made in support of UMB’s mission to improve the human condition and serve the public good. They are excellent examples of living the UMB core values, and it is my honor to call them colleagues. We will celebrate them and they will receive their Distinguished University Professor medals at UMB’s first-ever Convocation in the fall.


Sincerely,

Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS

President

05/17/2022

Renée McDonald Hutchins, JD, the next dean of the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law

May 17, 2022


Dear UMB Community:

It is my pleasure to share the news that Renée McDonald Hutchins, JD, will be the next dean of the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, effective Aug. 1, 2022. She is currently dean and professor of law at the University of the District of Columbia’s David A. Clarke School of Law.

Dean Hutchins will be returning “home” to Maryland Carey Law, which she left in 2019 after serving 14 years on the faculty including as the Jacob A. France Professor of Public Interest Law, co-director of the Clinical Law Program, and founding director of the Appellate and Post-Conviction Advocacy Clinic.

She is a leading expert on the Fourth Amendment and criminal appellate practice. Her legal scholarship, which sits at the intersection of criminal procedure and social science, has been published in leading law journals and been cited by numerous U.S. Courts of Appeals and state appellate courts.

She wrote the casebook “Developing Professional Skills: Criminal Procedure” and was co-author of the casebook “Learning Criminal Procedure.” She also has written about racial profiling and the practice of stop-and-frisk, has a long record of supporting faculty scholarship, and has provided legal analysis and insight for media outlets such as MSNBC, Voice of America, and C-SPAN.

In 2017, Dean Hutchins was elected to the prestigious American Law Institute, a national association of distinguished lawyers, judges, and academics that works to clarify and improve the law through the publication of restatements of the law and model codes. She has extensive experience spanning federal and state courts across the nation, including the high courts of Maryland and New York, and is serving her third four-year term on Maryland’s Appellate Courts Judicial Nominating Commission.

Dean Hutchins earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Spelman College, America’s oldest historically black liberal arts college for women. She went on to receive her JD from Yale Law School, where she was chair of the Moot Court Board of Directors, and then clerked for Nathaniel R. Jones of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

I am confident that she will continue to move Maryland Carey Law forward in its trajectory. I want to thank those who participated in our comprehensive national search, especially the search committee chaired by Roger J. Ward, EdD, JD, MSL, MPA, provost, executive vice president, and dean of the Graduate School, and co-chaired by Leslie Meltzer Henry, PhD, JD, MSc, professor of law.

I know that you will join me in welcoming Dean Hutchins back to UMB.

Sincerely,

Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS

President

This note was authorized for distribution to the University of Maryland, Baltimore community by the Office of the President.

04/21/2022

More info about UMB mask policy

April 20, 2022

Dear UMB Community,

Since our last letter, the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) has seen a slight uptick of COVID-19 cases and at least one cluster of infections related to off-campus events where attendees were not wearing masks.

At this time, the University is strongly encouraging you to wear a face covering indoors while in close proximity to others at UMB, and please consider doing the same while in the community. It is your personal responsibility to choose your level of protection in areas where masks are not required.

Please read the letter Taking Precautions Amid Increased COVID-19 Cases for additional steps on how to protect yourself and others.

Medical-grade, KN95, or equivalent masks continue to be required for people 2 years or older in the following locations:

Patient care and clinical areas to include patient waiting areas
In-person health care simulation labs — face shields/eye protection are not required in health care simulation labs for protection against COVID-19. However, face shields/eye protection may be required to simulate real-world conditions or for other educational purposes. Each school dean or designee will determine what is appropriate for their particular school and programs within that school.
UMB public transportation (UMB shuttle or Safe Ride)

On Monday, the federal mask mandate for public transportation was overturned by a federal judge. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to recommend wearing masks on public transportation. Therefore, our requirement to wear a mask on UMB public transportation remains in effect.

Shuttle drivers will have masks on hand for those who do not have one.

Events and food service will remain unchanged, as well.

In keeping with current CDC, city, and state guidance, the UMB Public Health team will no longer be conducting contact tracing interviews for all reported positive cases. Those working in direct contact with patient populations, whether at work or for school, can continue to expect an interview.

We will be relying more on members of our community to notify their close contacts, as most of you have already been doing. Please review this CDC information PDF about how to identify and talk with your close contacts, so they can take steps to prevent further spread. If you are uncomfortable revealing your positive status to your contacts, you could notify them by using the anonymous contact service Tell Your Contacts.

Please continue to report your positive COVID-19 cases, symptoms, or close-contact exposures to receive guidance using the COVID-19 Report Form. If you receive an error message that the form is down, please email UMBOccupationalHealth@som.umaryland.edu to notify us.


Stay healthy,

Marianne Cloeren, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Medicine
University of Maryland School of Medicine
UMB Public Health Officer

04/08/2022

Congratulations to Dr. Locascio on this new appointment!

April 8, 2022

Dear Colleagues,

It is with tremendous pride that we share the news that Laurie Locascio, PhD, MSc, has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as Under Secretary for Standards and Technology in the Department of Commerce. In this role, Dr. Locascio will serve as director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where she rose from research biomedical engineer to senior leadership before joining the University of Maryland.

Dr. Locascio was the first person to serve as vice president for research for both the University of Maryland, Baltimore and the University of Maryland, College Park. Under her leadership, our two institutions garnered a combined $1.1 billion in external research funding — ranking the University of Maryland eighth among U.S. public institutions in research and development spending. This is unprecedented and a tremendous accomplishment for us all, and for the state of Maryland.

During her tenure as vice president for research, Dr. Locascio championed the development of large interdisciplinary research programs; fostered technology commercialization, innovation, and economic development efforts; and established strategic partnerships with industry, federal, academic, and nonprofit collaborators.

Dr. Locascio will be returning home to NIST, where she spent three decades as a bioengineering researcher and an administrator. In her last role at the institute, she served as acting principal deputy director and associate director for laboratory programs and was responsible for leading the internal scientific research and laboratory programs across two campuses in Gaithersburg, Md., and Boulder, Colo.

President Joe Biden’s nomination, and now the Senate’s confirmation, reflect a truth we have known for many years: Dr. Locascio is a world-class leader, scientist, and innovator. Her appointment to this nationally prominent position is a point of pride for our entire research enterprise.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Locascio on this impressive achievement and honor. We wish her every success and thank her for her service in higher education in Maryland.



Sincerely,

Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS

Darryll J. Pines, PhD, MS

04/04/2022

https://elm.umaryland.edu/elm-stories/2022/Litchman-Parker-Named-to-Marylands-Top-100-Women-List.php?utm_source=The%20Elm%20Weekly%2C%20Week%20of%20April%204%2C%202022

Honor from “The Daily Record” recognizes outstanding professional accomplishments, community leadership, and mentoring.

04/04/2022

https://elm.umaryland.edu/announcements/Announcements-Content/April-7-Save-the-Date-for-Presidents-Panel-on-Politics-and-Policy-with-Chris-Wallace.php?utm_source=The%20Elm%20Weekly%2C%20Week%20of%20April%204%2C%202022

The Elm is a publication of the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB).

03/31/2022

March 31, 2022

Dear UMB Community,

The President’s Panel on Politics and Policy is one week from today, April 7 at 9 a.m., and will feature my conversation with seasoned journalist, presidential debate moderator, and CNN+ anchor Chris Wallace.

Have you registered to attend this virtual event?

We are going to have an in-depth discussion about the rise of misinformation and disinformation and the role of the media in news reporting. I know it will be an interesting conversation and look forward to your participation. Please plan on joining this virtual event.

Sincerely,

Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS

President

This note was authorized for distribution to the University of Maryland, Baltimore community by the Office of the President.

03/09/2022

March 9, 2022


Dear UMB Community,

March is Women’s History Month. At the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), we celebrate the incredible accomplishments and contributions of women throughout history and in our lives, and we honor trailblazers, innovators, and leaders who have inspired us by their examples of perseverance, courage, and brilliance.

This month, organizations like the Smithsonian are joining the celebration with initiatives such as — The Exhibit, which features 120 3D-printed statues of contemporary women in the field of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), one of the largest-ever statue displays of women. The exhibit will be on display on and around the National Mall in Washington, D.C., through March 27. is a movement designed to inspire middle school girls to participate in STEM.

We also celebrate the impact and accomplishments of leading women in higher education in a recent issue of Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, highlighting 25 innovative and dynamic female leaders who are paving the way for others in higher education and beyond.

Women’s History Month also is about us — our communities, families, and influential women who may never be in the public spotlight or grace the headlines or front pages, but whose daily work and sacrifice build our communities and our society at large. They are our special “sheroes” and leaders. In many cases, we can say, “We are because they are.”

We affirm our commitment to support and advance the development of women, celebrate their achievements, and continue to collaborate to foster a more inclusive, equitable, and diverse UMB.

Happy Women's History Month!

Diane Forbes Berthoud, PhD, MA

Chief Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer and Vice President

03/08/2022

March 8, 2022

Dear UMB Community,

For nearly two weeks, the world has watched the Russian government invade Ukraine in an attack on its sovereignty. There are troubling implications of this action that ripple across the globe. And we’ve seen the devastating humanitarian toll it has taken on the Ukrainian people. At the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), our thoughts are with all those who are directly in harm’s way as well as those who have connections to the region and worry about their loved ones during this crisis.

We’ve also seen amazing acts of solidarity and support for the Ukrainian people. We stand in support of those in our community most affected by these events, especially members of our Ukrainian and Russian communities. We exist in a global community, one that is interconnected and interdependent.

We recognize that there are many crises and armed conflicts around the world that impact our students, staff, faculty, community, and their loved ones. We want UMB to be a place where all can feel safe and supported. Please contact the Office of International Services or the Student Counseling Center if you need additional support.

Our thoughts are with all those who fear for their safety — in Ukraine and throughout the world.

Sincerely,

Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS

President

03/02/2022

New mask (and meetings, and events) policy, please read!

March 2, 2022


Dear UMB Community,


I’m very excited to share that Baltimore City is at the low COVID-19 community level according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) new community level guidance. COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths continue to drop across the United States and Maryland. In fact, Maryland has one of the lowest COVID-19 case rates in the country, and Mayor Brandon Scott removed the city of Baltimore’s indoor mask mandate as of March 1. We expect our partners at the University of Maryland Medical Center will change their mask policies soon as well.


Given this positive public health news, as of March 3, UMB is making masks optional for individuals in most University spaces. However, masks will be required in the following indoor locations:


· Patient care and clinical areas including patient waiting areas and lobbies.

· Patient care personal protective equipment protocols that require higher levels of protection must be followed.

· In-person health care simulation labs.

· UMB public transportation (UMB shuttle or Safe Ride).


In locations where universal mask wearing is required, students, faculty, and staff should wear a medical-grade mask. Those looking for more personal protection may use a KN95 or equivalent.


I want to emphasize that anyone who is more comfortable wearing a mask is absolutely welcome to do so, and UMB supports your individual decision to wear or not wear a mask. UMB will not tolerate any harassment or intimidation when it comes to an individual’s choice about masks. A recent CDC study showed that wearing an N95 or KN95 provides an excellent level of protection even if people around you are unmasked.


I’m also lifting restrictions about providing food at events and meetings and removing the need to have dean or vice president approval to host an event.

As always, please do not come to campus if you are feeling sick. Stay home and get better!


I’m encouraged by this change to our mask policy and look forward to seeing your smiling faces around campus.



Sincerely,

Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS

President

02/10/2022

Mr. Luke Cooper, JD, MBA is the next UMB President's Distinguished Scholar!
Congratulations from the UMB community and Faculty Senate!!!

Feb. 10, 2022

Dear UMB Community,

I’m incredibly pleased to welcome the next UMB President’s Distinguished Scholar, Luke T. Cooper Jr., JD, MBA. Mr. Cooper is a lawyer, entrepreneur, speaker, author, and trusted advisor to business, academic, and government leaders.

He is the chairman and CEO of No Mud No Magic, Inc., which seeks to bridge the gap between high-potential Black startup founders and technical training, investors, and merger-and-acquisition options. Mr. Cooper also is the founder and general partner of Baltimore-based Latimer Ventures, a $250 million venture capital fund focused on creating outcomes for founders who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color. He founded Fixt, a venture capital-backed technology startup that was acquired by Assurant, a Fortune 300 company, in 2020. He started his career as an attorney at DLA Piper and then State Farm.

Mr. Cooper has served on the UMB Foundation Board of Trustees and the TEDCO Board of Directors. In addition to having a JD from Syracuse University, he holds an MBA from Babson College, a certificate in mergers and acquisitions from the University of Chicago, and a bachelor’s degree from Adelphi University.

As the President’s Distinguished Scholar, Mr. Cooper will dedicate his time to helping UMB design a strategy to strengthen our engagement with and support for minority business enterprises, particularly in the West Baltimore community. He also will engage and advise faculty, staff, and students on key Universitywide entrepreneurial activities.

You’ll be seeing information soon on opportunities to interact with him throughout the academic year. I’m pleased that Mr. Cooper will be our 2022 President’s Distinguished Scholar, and I’m delighted to welcome him more fully into the UMB family.

Sincerely,

Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS

President

02/08/2022

Feb. 8, 2022

To the UMB Community,

The spring semester has barely begun, but we are busy making plans for the University wide Commencement on Thursday, May 19, 2022. After celebrating virtually for the past two years, this year’s ceremony will be in person barring any unforeseen circumstances.

This year’s Commencement ceremony will be held at Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena on the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) due to the renovation of Royal Farms Arena, our usual location.

It is also with great pleasure that I announce that our keynote speaker will be Anthony S. Fauci, MD. Dr. Fauci is the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical advisor to the president of the United States. As I’m sure you know, he has been at the forefront of the battle against COVID-19 from the start of the pandemic.

He has advised seven presidents on HIV/AIDS and many other domestic and global health issues. He was one of the principal architects of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a program that has saved millions of lives, thanks in no small part to the researchers at our own School of Medicine.



Dr. Fauci has delivered lectures all over the world and received numerous prestigious awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom (the highest honor given to a civilian by the president of the United States) and the National Medal of Science. We will add to his long list of accolades when we confer upon him the honorary degree Doctor of Public Service.



The UMBC arena has limited capacity, and so this will be a ticketed event. We also plan to hold UMB’s annual Party in the Park on-site following the ceremony. Individual school/department ceremonies will be held later on Thursday, May 19, or Friday, May 20.

More detailed information, including instructions for requesting tickets, will follow as we get closer to Commencement. Please visit the Commencement website that will serve as a repository of information to plan your celebration, including the time and location of school or department ceremonies as well as information about tickets when available.



Commencement is the best day of UMB's year. For graduates, it marks the culmination of a lot of hard work — and the beginning of so much more. I can't imagine there's anything greater to celebrate, and I look forward to doing so in person.



Sincerely,



Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS

President