Leadership Transition
To the UMB Community:
I have two important announcements to share regarding my transition into the chancellorship of the University System of Maryland (USM). The USM Board of Regents has in the position as Jan. 6, 2020. I know this is earlier than anticipated, but Chancellor Robert Caret, PhD, has announced his intention to step down from the role on that day.
Additionally, Chancellor Caret, with approval of the regents, has , effective Jan. 6. I couldn鈥檛 be happier that Bruce has agreed to take on this job, and I know I couldn鈥檛 leave the University in better hands.
I鈥檝e worked with Dr. Jarrell for 20 years now. When I came to UMB in 1999 as chair of the Department of Pediatrics in the School of Medicine, he was my colleague, chair of the school鈥檚 Department of Surgery, and we got to know each other well.
I began working even more closely with Dr. Jarrell in 2012, when I appointed him UMB鈥檚 chief academic and research officer, and dean of the Graduate School. In that role, Dr. Jarrell promoted UMB鈥檚 expansive agendas in education, research, clinical care, and public service. He oversaw many of our most prominent relationships with institutions inside and outside USM, such as the 91大神 Strategic Partnership: MPowering the State.
It鈥檚 no coincidence that UMB鈥檚 prestige grew with Dr. Jarrell鈥檚 leadership. By focusing not only on our own work but on our work with a growing number of high-profile partners whom he cultivated, Dr. Jarrell helped set a direction and a pace of progress for UMB that will certainly endure after my departure.
When, five years later in 2017, I named Dr. Jarrell executive vice president and provost, I said the move was long overdue. I knew that as UMB took on significant statewide leadership through interinstitutional collaboration, as we continued to expand our responsibilities within the region鈥檚 academic community, I would depend on Dr. Jarrell鈥檚 expertise and guiding hand more than ever. And I have. I鈥檝e depended, as well, on him nurturing and overseeing UMB鈥檚 many global programs in education, research, and service.
What I can say with conviction is that Dr. Jarrell will not be a 鈥渃aretaker鈥� president. He has a vision for UMB, and he has bold ideas to make it real. He鈥檚 told me that stagnation to any degree would be a disservice to our students and to the state. If a university isn鈥檛 evolving, isn鈥檛 growing鈥攊n its ambitions, its mission, its scholarship and service鈥攊t will languish. And UMB will not languish under Dr. Jarrell.
Certainly, Dr. Jarrell鈥檚 selection as interim president is good news for UMB鈥檚 students. I鈥檝e seen his connection with students. It鈥檚 among them that he鈥檚 happiest and most animated, and he always makes time in his overcrowded schedule to talk with them, to find out what鈥檚 going well in their studies and what鈥檚 not. Like me, Dr. Jarrell attended college on scholarships, and I know higher education access and affordability will be among his top priorities. Another priority will be championing excellence in teaching; given Dr. Jarrell鈥檚 long history as an excellent teacher himself, he鈥檚 well positioned to make significant strides here.
While I鈥檓 excited for this transition, I do regret that my start date doesn鈥檛 give me much time to say goodbye. And so I hope you鈥檒l join me on Thursday, Dec. 12, at 4 p.m., for a farewell celebration at the SMC Campus Center. All are welcome, and you don鈥檛 need to RSVP to attend. There will be no long speeches, I promise, just a chance to say 鈥渦ntil we meet again,鈥� because we will鈥攁ssuredly鈥攎eet again.
Sincerely,
Jay A. Perman, MD
President