MISSION STATEMENT

I. INSTITUTIONAL IDENTITY

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), a historically Black land-grant university, is a teaching, research and doctoral institution that nurtures and launches leaders, particularly from among ethnic minorities. It is committed to providing high quality programs in an ethnically diverse environment and to preparing students to serve and shape the global economy. UMES is a growing, primarily residential university with a teaching, research, and extension mission consistent with its valuing the scholarship of its faculty in discovering new knowledge, its development and dissemination, and the practical application of that knowledge to the extended community. The University recognizes that it is also responsible for developing human potential, enriching cultural expressions, and sharing its expertise with individuals, businesses, and educational and governmental agencies. Teaching, research, and extension foci align with UMES’ legacy and mission as Maryland’s 1890 land-grant institution.

An original purpose of the land-grant institutions -- to educate citizens in areas that included disciplines (agriculture, home economics and mechanical arts) related to America’s agrarian economy of that time -- has been expanded at UMES, as has been the core at other land-grant institutions, to embrace a wide spectrum of liberal arts, scientific, business, technical, and professional programs. The university continues to promote the philosophical core of the land-grant tradition. Spikes, 1998

UMES is proud of its more than one hundred ten years of continuous educational service, initially as part of the Methodist Church. As Maryland’s 1890 land-grant University, UMES works collaboratively with the University of Maryland College Park, the 1862 land-grant institution through the Maryland Cooperative Extension and the Agricultural Experiment Station. The university’s expanding instructional technology infrastructure supports the increasing externally funded research grants generated by campus personnel to examine pertinent research questions.

Quick responses to the economic and educational needs of the region and the state characterize the role that the university plays; for example, the Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM) program’s provision of well-trained personnel for state and national business and tourism support; the president’s membership on the Governor’s Pfiesteria Task Force; and the work of faculty researchers that relates to natural resource management and water pollution prevention. The campus’ Rural Development Center provides timely responses to businesses and government requests for financial, technical, organizational and internet assistance. The Seafood Technology program assists businesses with the development of procedures that maximize quality, safety and profitability of seafood products through the use of applied research, certified training and educational materials.

Collaborative educational connections with local school systems address the Professional Development Schools and the Maryland Redesign, including the K-16 initiative; Salisbury State University and UMES collaboratively operate the Master of Arts in Teaching, the dual degree in Sociology/Social Work, and the Biology/Environmental Science programs. The Department of Human Ecology and Chesapeake Community College are in the first stages of implementing an articulated 2+2 Early Childhood program. HRM, Allegany Community College of Maryland, and Frostburg collaboratively offer HRM course work to the western region. The Hotel and Restaurant Management and Aviation Science programs offer their baccalaureate degrees on selected community college campuses, through articulated agreements with the associated community colleges. Additionally, the HRM program participates in the USM Shady Grove Center by offering its bachelor’s degree there. Continuing education and Elder Hostel programs are coordinated from an Ocean City center.

Currently, the university provides Special Education programs on the Eastern Shore at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and it has the only Technology and Agricultural Education programs in Maryland. Access to the Salisbury-Ocean City airport allows the Engineering and Aviation Sciences program to establish strong links with airport personnel. Aviation students simulate flight conditions in the campus’ flight laboratories. Career and Technology Education courses are offered in downtown Baltimore City for occupational and technology education teachers who are seeking degrees and teacher certification. The academic departments in Agriculture, Business Management and Accounting, Education, English, Fine Arts, Human Ecology, Mathematics and Computer Science, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Technology, Engineering, and Aviation offer the primary undergraduate and limited graduate degree programs at UMES. Criminal Justice, Environmental Science, Guidance and Counseling (graduate), Physician Assistant, Physical Therapy (graduate), Rehabilitation Services (undergraduate and graduate), Aviation Sciences, as well as HRM and Technology Education, also contribute to the Eastern Shore region’s and the state’s program diversity at both undergraduate and graduate levels. UMES offers the Ph.D. in Marine-Estuarine-Environmental Sciences and Toxicology.

UMES aspires to Carnegie Foundation Classification, Doctoral/Research Universities-Intensive (August 11, 2000). Future planned program emphases include offering bachelor’s degrees in African American Studies and in Engineering and expanding allied health programs to respond to the widespread regional and national health care needs, especially those in rural areas. UMES plans to offer new Master’s degree programs in Mathematical Sciences, Natural Sciences, Allied Health Sciences, Business Management and Accounting, Social Sciences, HRM, and Arts and Humanities. These programs address state needs. Three new planned doctoral degree programs are in Organizational Leadership, Food Sciences Technology, and Physical Therapy.

II. INSTITUTIONAL CAPABILITIES

This university accepts with pride, based on its successful alumni and historic mission, the unique program orientations and traditions that require faculty, staff, and administrators to provide access, consonant with the state priorities, to attract, serve, retain, and graduate first generation college populations, nationally recognized scholars, and international clientele. Students at UMES come from the state of Maryland, other states and U.S. territories, and from approximately 50 different countries. Externally generated funded contracts and grants per FTE faculty at UMES rank second in the University System. Grants and research focusing on international programs alone exceed one million dollars for the past year, while other funded research programs account for more than ten million dollars. Faculty energy, enthusiasm, professional knowledge, and program reports frequently encourage external funding agencies to support new initiatives.

The presence of first-rate graduate faculty with strong national reputations increases the probability that stronger students come to the university. Faculty-student research pairs present their findings to the university, funding agencies, and national professional conference participants. Thus, it becomes easier to attract, support, and graduate the academically capable as well as reach out to support the educationally needy when faculty exhibit advanced scholarship and varied instructional methods and strategies.

The Office of Information, Technology and Outreach, using a value added strategy, is committed to leveraging the advances in information technology to support innovative research, education, and service to meet the needs of the university, community, and external constituents. The Applied Information Technology Center emphasizes both research and educational objectives, while providing state of the art information technology services in support of government agencies, regional businesses, and university aspirations.

Faculty, administrators, and community leaders support UMES’ offering new programs and degrees not readily available to residents of the Eastern Shore. The University plans to provide access to programs from which matriculants earn advanced and terminal degrees from a state of Maryland university that enhance their employment opportunities and life’s chances.

III. INSTITUTIONAL OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES

During the four-year span of this mission statement, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) will address initiatives that support the Maryland Higher Education Commission’s (MHEC) 2000 Maryland State Plan for Postsecondary Education and complement the University’s strategic plan. Priority areas that highlight the uniqueness of the campus’ historical, current, and evolving mission are the topical organizers for this section. Objectives under the topical areas are coded to align with the State Plan.

A. Unique Foci and Strengths

1) Maintain highly visible 1890 focus with local, regional, and national agencies, having connections with seafood and agri-industries/businesses.

2) Provide service emphasizing research application, environmental safety, and national resource conservation and enhancement.

3) Assign appropriate research faculty to support State’s/nation’s effort to find and eradicate water pollution and pfiesteria causes.

4) Collaborate with UMCP (1862) in addressing needs of State through Maryland’s Cooperative Extension/ Agricultural Experiment Stations.

5) Provide timely responses to businesses and governmental requests for financial, technical, organizational, and internet assistance.

6) Assist local agencies and citizens in writing proposals for agricultural and economic development grants.

7) Identify and transfer extension service assistance seminars, workshops, and demonstrations to county agents and retirees.

8) Support Eastern Shore’s search to identify viable alternative sources of economic sustainability.

9) Use environmental research applications to restore, preserve, manage estuarine and coastal resources.

MHEC’s State Plan Codes

A

1) 1.5; 8.3

2.) 1.3; 1.5; 4.4; 4.2

3) 4.4; 4.2

4) 1.5

5) 1.5; 3.5

6) 1.5; 3.5

7) 1.5

8) 1.5; 3.2; 3.5

9) 1.5; 4.2

B. Academic Program Priorities

1) Elevate status of UMES to Doctoral/ Research Universities- Intensive

2) Increase inventory of new master’s and doctoral programs through USM/MHEC program approval process needed to achieve above status.

3) Attract, support, and keep the academically capable students; provide academic support tutoring for the less able students; reach out for educationally needy with promise of success.

4) Seek, hire, and retain those

faculty/ administrators with national

reputations of performance excellence

and exemplary leadership; maintain

ethnic diversity.

5) Increase percentage of students who pass national professional licensure examinations.

6) Attain National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) status

· Meet all pre-visit personnel, facilities, and program requirements

· Meet MHEC Redesign requirements

· Meet MSDE/ MHEC/ NCATE criteria.

7) Expand Special Education program to address state and national demands.

8) Increase statewide K-16 involvement, and extend Professional Development School to high school level (USM/MHEC/MSDE).

MHEC’s State Plan Codes

B

1) 3.1; 3.2; 8.2

2) 3.1; 3.2; 8.2

3) 2.3

4) 1.4

5) 3.1; 5.2

6) 3.1; 5.1; 5.2; 5.3

7) 3.1; 3.2; 5.3

8) 3.1; 3.2; 5.4

9) Continue to work with Chesapeake, Wor-Wic and other Community Colleges to implement 2+2 collaboratively developed baccalaureate programs.

10) Increase number of allied health degree programs to address regional health needs and expand minority availability pool in the health professions.

11) Use HBCU’s enhancement funds to support current program needs and future academic growth.

9) 3.1; 3.2; 5.3; 8.3

10) 3.1; 6.1

11) 6.3; 8.3

C. *Commitment to Equal Educational Opportunity and Institutional Diversity

1) Prepare students to work within an ethnically diverse context effectively.

2) Require supervised intern practicum

placement experiences that are

collaboratively designed, based on

current research findings, and that

model personnel diversity in all

workforce levels.

3) Continue to attract and support visible racial and cultural diversity within personnel hired and students recruited.

4) Pair new and experienced culturally diverse students/employees to assist in campus adjustment process.

5) Support Maryland-U.S. Office of Civil Rights partnership to increase postsecondary educational access opportunity for ethnic minorities.

6) Sustain positive, culturally supportive study and work environment.

7) Continue to attract, support, and retain racially and culturally diverse students and personnel through new high quality, high demand programs.

MHEC’s State Plan Codes

C

1) 6.4; 8.2

2) 6.4; 8.2

3) 6.2

4) 6.1; 6.4

5) 7.1; 7.2; 7.3; 6.1; 6.4

6) 6.4

7) 6.1; 6.2; 8.2

*The University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s student population contains 2,259 African Americans, 512 Caucasians, 41 Hispanics, 70 Asians , 5 American Indians, and 107 Other. Full-time faculty members number 81 African Americans, 99 Caucasians, 2 Hispanics, and 18 Asians. (Total 120 FT faculty)