MESSAGE FROM CHANCELLOR MACCORMACK

September 4, 2007

Dear Faculty, Staff and Students:

Good Morning UMass Dartmouth and welcome back!  

It is nice to witness the creative energy that comes with beginning another academic year.  I hope you had an opportunity to enjoy some relaxing time during the summer months and return refreshed and ready to collaborate with each other to make great things happen in our learning community.

After Commencement the pace of life on campus does slow down, but many people have been busy helping us move the campus agenda forward. Hard work continued on our update of the campus Strategic Plan, and we are grateful for all of your input.  Provost Garro and I anticipate reporting back to you on our progress and plans for this year and next by the beginning of October. Meanwhile, here are some highlights of our summer activity:

ACHIEVEMENT 

Once again, we have been recognized by US News & World Report as the top public university of our kind in New England. We are ranked among the master’s institutions which have a comprehensive undergraduate program and wide array of graduate programs.

Faculty research continues to grow in size and depth with major grant awards and recognition. From improving roadways to revolutionizing the teaching of math to bio-engineering to marine sciences to transforming schools, our faculty is competing and winning at a national and international level.

Consider just two examples: Dr. Bal Ram Singh held a major two-day symposium on the botulinum toxin this August, attracting major scientists from around the country; and CVPA Prof. Harvey Goldman’s work, "Tall Glia," was one of 104 pieces selected from 2,796 entries from 40 countries for the upcoming Art of Digital Show 2007 in San Diego.

Faculty scholarship comes in many forms and we are pleased to add more than a dozen new books to the Wall of Scholarship in the Foster Administration Building on Sept. 13.  I hope you can join us for the reception from 4-6 p.m. in the third floor atrium. We also want work on recognizing the many other types of scholarly publications and presentations that faculty have successfully completed.

Student achievements also have made us quite proud. Valerie Amaral, a senior political science major was chosen Miss Massachusetts and will compete in the Miss America pageant in January.  What makes us most proud is Valerie’s exemplary commitment to community service and her raising of $30,000 in scholarships for SouthCoast students.

BUILDING

Our Library Campaign has moved ahead with a great response from donors. We are close to reaching the $5.6 million mark of our $6 million private fundraising goal.  We will kick off the community small donor phase of the campaign on October 13, 2007 at our second annual Blue and Gold Evening. The Library is so important to our learning community, and I hope many of you will join us in whatever way you can to put the campaign over the top.

We successfully renovated half of the Cedar Dell housing complex, opening 400 beds this fall with 400 to open in January.  The external and internal changes have already gotten a very positive response from students. Thank you to our contractors, the UMass Building Authority, our staff in Facilities Planning, Housing, Facilities Operations, and Public Safety for making this a very effective team effort focused on serving students. Drive by to take a look when you have a free moment.

NEW FACES

We welcome new Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jean Kim who last served as Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at the University of Puget Sound; and four new deans: Dr. Frank Muller-Karger, School of Marine Science and Technology, from the University of South Florida; Adrian Tió, College of Visual and Performing Arts, from the School of Art at Northern Illinois University; Dr. Robert Peck, College of Engineering, from Arizona State University; Sharon Weiner, Library Services, from Vanderbilt University.

Twenty-two new faculty are joining us this year along with 1,600 new freshmen, nearly 500 transfer students, and nine new police officers. Thanks to all the faculty and staff who prepared orientation programs and have played a big role in helping our newcomers hit the ground running.

The campus welcomed students of all ages for soccer, lacrosse, football and basketball camps this summer, reminding us how important sports are to our community. Coach Kavanaugh left us after 17 years to coach football at his alma mater, Bishop Stang. We wish him the best and welcome our new coach Mark Robichaud as well as our new Athletic Director Ian Day from Tiffin University in Ohio.  Please welcome all the new staff in Athletics and take the opportunity to participate in the wide array of Corsair sports events this year.

PARKING

And now a word about parking.

You have been reading and hearing about changes in the parking policy in a variety of forums in recent days. I urge you to visit our parking web site for the most up-to-date information and answers to some of the questions and concerns that have been raised.

Our goal with this new policy is to improve the availability of parking in the main campus lots for commuter students, staff and faculty.  This change will require adjustment and patience on the part of everyone, especially during the first few weeks.

Students and management staff are now being a charged a parking fee with the proceeds offsetting expenses related to parking and funding improvements going to public safety, facilities,  and transportation services. Faculty and staff parking charges are being negotiated with union leadership.

We are hopeful that restricting resident students to resident lots, as well as providing a Ring Road bus service, will free up spaces in the main lots, closer to classrooms and offices.

 ***

 Our campus remains in a state of evolution. Change inevitably requires difficult decisions, but it also creates wonderful and exciting opportunities as we embark on another academic year.

 I look forward to greeting many of you in person and hearing about your summer successes and your aspirations for the new academic year. Again, welcome back to our learning community at UMass Dartmouth.

 Most Sincerely,

 Jean MacCormack
Chancellor