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Testimony March 2006 Home > Executive Summary: Delivering the Promises <- You Are Here
Executive Summary: Delivering the Promises It is a pleasure to report to the General Assembly on the accomplishments and initiatives of the State's Flagship University, and to set out for you our course to the future. It is a future that began with a dream 150 years ago, a dream re-envisioned nearly two decades ago by the Maryland General Assembly.
Charles Benedict Calvert founded the Maryland School of Agriculture in 1856 with the goal of creating an agricultural college that would offer outstanding practical knowledge to him and his neighbors, and be the "best Institution in the world." Thanks to the State's mandate in 1988 reconfirming that goal, the University of Maryland has grown from its roots as the State's first agricultural college and one of America's original land grant institutions, to full bloom as a model of the modern research university. It is the State's greatest asset for its economic development and its future, and has etched its mark in the nation and the world.
Calvert would be astounded by the depth and breadth of research activities and innovative educational programs that flourish on this beautiful campus today, and delighted by the devotion to excellence that has made our academic, arts, and athletics programs among the best in the nation.
We are marking this sesquicentennial milestone with celebrations over 12 months. They began in September 2005 with our football team sinking Navy's Midshipmen (for the first time in 40 years) and bringing home victory in a very well-played contest. A grand 150th birthday party is being planned for Charter Day, March 6th, and we hope you will attend. Another sesquicentennial event, taking place right now through November 30th in the Miller Senate Office Building, showcases the University's rich history and previews its future. The exhibit focuses on the value that a top-20 public research university brings to the State and the even greater value it will bring in 2011when it achieves top-10 ranking.
As we reflect on our past and look forward, we find much to celebrate and our confidence is high. The University is a hub for innovative research, a force for economic development, and home to innovative and outstanding educational programs. It was recently rated by Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine as 18th in the nation (and highest in the State) among the top 100 public colleges and universities for value in higher education. The University's value was further enhanced last year by the wonderful generosity of three donors-A. James Clark, Robert H. Smith and Robert Fischell-whose gifts of $30 million each will transform departments and colleges.
The University has made giant strides in pursuit of its goal of excellence. It is now time to take the next decisive steps into the top echelon of the nation's great universities. In the first part of this written testimony, I will briefly highlight some accomplishments and initiatives of the past year and review the latest measures of our progress. State investment in the Flagship University brings value-added returns. Our faculty break new ground through their research, and position the University for leadership in grants, awards, and national and international collaborative efforts. Our innovative programs are widely imitated and attract more talented students from in-state and out-of-state; and our reputation and entrepreneurial culture allows us to forge important partnerships.
Next, I will look at the future, and outline our strategy for using mandatory and enhancement funds. Our plans rest on delivering two promises: 1) our promise to deliver affordable access for State residents; and 2) to build the nationally eminent flagship university that the State promised. In this section I will discuss how close the proposed budget is to the State guideline for the University. Finally, this section brings the State's grand vision for a top-ranked flagship university, which it etched into law nearly two decades ago, together with the University strategy to fulfill that goal by 2011.
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