On January 6, Chancellor Kirwan was one of six public research university leaders to present a letter to President Barack Obama pledging to address the national shortage of science and mathematics teachers through the Science and Mathematics Teacher Imperative (STMI), an initiative sponsored by the Association of Public Land-grant Universities (APLU, formerly NASULGC). The letter was signed by 79 public research university leaders representing 120 universities nationwide.

Four USM universities rank among the nation's 100 best values in public higher education, according to the February issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance. The University of Maryland, College Park leads the way, at No. 8 on the list. Salisbury University ranks No. 59, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, ranks No. 93, and Towson University ranks No. 97.

Calling Salisbury University "a rising star in the Northeast," The Princeton Review, in partnership with USA Today, has named the university among its Top 50 "Best Value" Public Colleges in the nation for 2010. This is the second consecutive year Salisbury has made the list.

Three USM institutions are included on the Princeton Review's 2010 "Top 371 Colleges": Salisbury University; University of Maryland, Baltimore County; and University of Maryland, College Park.

Donald F. Boesch, USM Vice Chancellor for Sustainability and President of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, has been appointed as the chair of the Ocean Studies Board of the National Research Council (NRC). Boesch joins two other USM scientists currently serving as chairs of NRC boards examining environmental issues: Claire Welty of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County currently chairs the Water Science and Technology Board and Antonio Busalacchi of the University of Maryland, College Park, chairs of the Board on Atmospheric Science and Climate.

Bank of America recently made a $5,000 gift to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Foundation in support of student scholarships. The donation brings Bank of America's cumulative charitable contributions to UMES to $25,000 during the university's Campaign for Academic Excellence. UMES has named the Bank of America Classroom on the first floor of Hazel Hall in recognition of the banking and financial services institution's philanthropic support.

The Frostburg State University Foundation, through the annual fund, recently awarded 23 grants to FSU faculty, staff and students who submitted proposals that enhance student enrichment, academic enrichment and regional and cultural enrichment, the themes of Staking Our Claim: The Campaign for Frostburg. Examples of activities funded include: a bike-sharing program on campus; "Adopt-a-School", a new project for The Children's Literature Centre; the annual Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Day;funding for a freshman experience residence hall for students planning to major in a STEM discipline; and a program addressing the academic achievement gap between majority students and minority and underrepresented students.

Bowie State University and the Lady Bulldogs cross country team are co-champions of the CIAA. Bowie State and Saint Augustine's College tied with 44 points followed by Virginia State University, Shaw University, and Johnson C. Smith University.

Tags: January 2010

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 28th, 2010 at 2:23 pm