Donald F. Norris, professor and chairman of UMBC’s Department of Public Policy, offered his expertise on e-government in the Baltimore Sun‘s August 8 article “State launches online voter registration.” The program’s supporters hope the move will increase the number of eligible voters on the rolls and make registration errors less common, but Norris has his doubts.

“There have been all kinds of attempts to tweak the voting system to increase voter registration,” Norris said. “Nothing seems to work.” He argued that online registration won’t boost turnout in the coming election, and that ultimately voter enthusiasm for candidates is what matters the most.

A recent controversy surrounding the anti-gay marriage comments of Chick-fil-A President and COO Dan Cathy is the subject of the latest Baltimore Sun column by UMBC political science professor Thomas Schaller. In “Chick-fil-A head has a right to speak, not a right to be taken seriously,” Schaller focuses on what he sees as misunderstandings on the part of Cathy’s defenders when it comes to the First Amendment right to free speech.

Schaller suggests that arguing that the backlash against Chick-fil-A constitutes censorship demonstrates ignorance of constitutional and policy matters. He writes, “[t]he First Amendment is no guarantee against being justifiably ignored. And the truth is that many citizens hold foolish, even self-contradictory opinions on a variety of subjects.” Schaller gives examples of where public assumptions and data are out of sync, from the federal budget to health care, arguing that a person’s right to express an opinion does not translate into a guarantee that the opinion be heard or incorporated into policy.

Anthony Wutoh ’87, biochemistry and molecular biology, has been named dean of the Howard University College of Pharmacy, the university reports. He previously served as associate dean of the college.

Wutoh, a registered pharmacist, is responsible for the day-to-day leadership and operation of the college’s programs. He also serves as  co-director of the University’s Center of Excellence and director of the Center for Minority Health Services Research.

As dean, he plans to “make sure that we’re positioned as one of the top pharmacy schools in the country in terms of the quality of our education, our research and our service to the community and the nation,” the university reports.

Read the full press release here.

After graduating from UMBC, Wutoh received his Ph.D. from University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Alumnus Bryan Kelly ’92, economics, won reelection as Chair of the Harford Community College Board of Trustees, according to local news website The Dagger.

Kelly, who is also managing partner and owner of The Kelly Group, has served on the board since 2005 and is also co-chair of the Board of Directors of the UMBC Economics Visitors Council. Other current positions include President of the Maryland Association of Community Colleges; the chairman of the board of the Academy of Finance, Harford County Public Schools; and membership of the Harford Leadership Academy Alumni Association at Harford Community College.

He was named the 2007 UMBC Economics Alumnus of the Year, as well as being named a member of the 2010 Leadership Maryland Class, among other achievements. He was also an alumni committee member throughout UMBC’s Exceptional by Example giving campaign, which ended last year.

This story originally appeared in UMBC Insights.

Labor We Love

UMBC is a major research university, but one of its successes is that it still retains the personal touch of a much smaller institution. 

One reason that UMBC has managed to be so welcoming is the university’s dedicated faculty and staff – many of whom go the extra mile to ensure students’ success, create environments for exceptional teaching and research, or keep the campus looking attractive and inviting.

That UMBC’s faculty and staff enjoy their work is also part of this reputation. The Chronicle of Higher Education confirms that in its 2012 survey of “Great Colleges to Work For.” UMBC was again named to the “Honor Roll” in the Chronicle’s annual survey because its own faculty and staff ranked it highly in seven of the 12 areas canvassed by the newspaper.

 “We are a ‘Great College’ because of the people here,” says President Freeman Hrabowski. “This honor yet again affirms what we all know: UMBC is a place that supports people, values collaboration, and fosters trust, respect, and enthusiasm for educating our students.”

UMBC’s faculty and staff said the university was particularly strong when it came to:

• Collaborative governance
• Professional and career development
• Work/life balance
• Confidence in senior leadership
• Supervisor/department chair relationship
• Respect and appreciation
• Tenure clarity and process

“The upper administration understands that working with the faculty is an effective way to move the university forward,” says Tim Topoleski, a professor of mechanical engineering and former president of the Faculty Senate. “Because the faculty are directly involved with UMBC’s primary mission, listening to their ideas – everything from increasing campus efficiency to innovative ways to deliver the curriculum – is hugely beneficial to the university.”

Staff, too, are encouraged to play a major role in moving UMBC forward. Carrie Sauter, an assistant director in the interdisciplinary studies program and president of the Professional staff Senate, says she’s thrilled to help shape the university she graduated from.

“I feel so lucky to be able to return to the campus that provided so much to me as a student, and to serve in a role that helps students to achieve their goals,” Sauter says.

Terry Aylsworth, executive administrative assistant in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and president of the Non-exempt Staff Senate, draws energy from her co-workers and especially the students.

“I have always felt that it was a privilege to work at UMBC, and after 16 years, I still feel the same,” she says. “I have had wonderful, brilliant bosses and smart and generous co-workers.  I still get a thrill walking across campus and feeling the energy radiating from the students.”

To read the full survey results, visit The Chronicle.

(8/6/12)

Associate professor Alan Kreizenbeck, theatre, attended the 2012 Summer Freeman Institute Workshop in Japan Studies, which was held at Tokai International College in Honolulu, Hawaii from May 20 to June 10.

The workshop was sponsored by the Japan Studies Association, and involved Kreizenbeck and thirteen other scholars from across the United States. The scholars attended lectures covering a breadth of material, covering Japanese history, religion, literature, visual arts, music, theatre, social policy and international relations. The workshops also afforded Kreizenbeck and his colleagues an opportunity to strengthen their knowledge of the Japanese language through interactions with young native Japanese speakers.

“I would recommend applying to this workshop to anyone interested in learning about Japan,” Kreizenbeck says. “The information I gathered during the three weeks will be of immense help in planning a course in Japanese cultural performance that I plan to offer for the Asian Studies Program in the spring of 2013.”

Alumnus Bryan Kelly ’92, economics, won reelection as Chair of the Harford Community College Board of Trustees, according to local news website The Dagger.

Kelly, who is also managing partner and owner of The Kelly Group, has served on the board since 2005 and is also co-chair of the Board of Directors of the UMBC Economics Visitors Council. Other current positions include President of the Maryland Association of Community Colleges; the chairman of the board of the Academy of Finance, Harford County Public Schools; and membership of the Harford Leadership Academy Alumni Association at Harford Community College.

He was named the 2007 UMBC Economics Alumnus of the Year, as well as being named a member of the 2010 Leadership Maryland Class, among other achievements.

UMBC has again been named one of America’s “Great Colleges to Work For” by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

“We are a ‘Great College’ because of the people here,” says President Freeman Hrabowski. “This honor yet again affirms what we all know: UMBC is a place that supports people, values collaboration, and fosters trust, respect, and enthusiasm for educating our students.”

An annual survey by The Chronicle asks faculty and staff at institutions across the country to rank their workplaces on a host of factors. UMBC has made the list of “Great Colleges” for three years running. This year, it landed on the survey’s “Honor Roll” because it was ranked highly in seven categories:

• Collaborative governance
• Professional and career development
• Work/life balance
• Confidence in senior leadership
• Supervisor/department chair relationship
• Respect and appreciation
• Tenure clarity and process

You can read more on The Chronicle’s website. Congratulations to all our faculty, staff and students—you truly make UMBC a great place to work!

UMBC has again been named one of America’s “Great Colleges to Work For” by The Chronicle of Higher Education.
“We are a ‘Great College’ because of the people here,” says President Freeman Hrabowski. “This honor yet again affirms what we all know: UMBC is a place that supports people, values collaboration, and fosters trust, respect, and enthusiasm for educating our students.”
An annual survey by The Chronicle asks faculty and staff at institutions across the country to rank their workplaces on a host of factors. More than 500 UMBC alumni currently work for their alma mater in staff, faculty, graduate assistant, part-time and other positions.
UMBC has made the list of “Great Colleges” for three years running. This year, it landed on the survey’s “Honor Roll” because it was ranked highly in seven categories:

• Collaborative governance
• Professional and career development
• Work/life balance
• Confidence in senior leadership
• Supervisor/department chair relationship
• Respect and appreciation
• Tenure clarity and process

You can read more on The Chronicle’s website. Congratulations to all our faculty, staff, alumni, and students – you truly make UMBC a great place to work!

UMBC has again been named one of America’s “Great Colleges to Work For” by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

“We are a ‘Great College’ because of the people here,” says President Freeman Hrabowski. “This honor yet again affirms what we all know: UMBC is a place that supports people, values collaboration, and fosters trust, respect, and enthusiasm for educating our students.”

An annual survey by The Chronicle asks faculty and staff at institutions across the country to rank their workplaces on a host of factors. More than 500 UMBC alumni currently work for their alma mater in staff, faculty, graduate assistant, part-time and other positions.

UMBC has made the list of “Great Colleges” for three years running. This year, it landed on the survey’s “Honor Roll” because it was ranked highly in seven categories:

• Collaborative governance
• Professional and career development
• Work/life balance
• Confidence in senior leadership
• Supervisor/department chair relationship
• Respect and appreciation
• Tenure clarity and process

You can read more on The Chronicle’s website. Congratulations to all our faculty, staff, alumni, and students – you truly make UMBC a great place to work!