The University of Maryland Inaugurates President Darryll J. Pines

President Pines Reveals Five Bold Actions Outlining Goals and Vision for the University

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Apr 22, 2021, 14:30 ET

COLLEGE PARK, Md., April 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Maryland celebrated the formal installation of Dr. Darryll J. Pines as its 34th President with a week of events showcasing the university's excellence. During his investiture ceremony, President Pines announced five bold actions that reflect the university's mission, values, traditions and culture and reinforce his two priorities for his leadership: ensuring excellence in all that we do and creating a more inclusive, multicultural community for all.

"This is our time to reinvent our University," said President Pines. "This is the time to examine the future of learning to enhance the student experience; the future of work for faculty and staff to reach a new level of excellence; and a new model of research to accelerate and advance science and human understanding. I look forward to engaging with the entire community around these shared goals -- to re-imagine our campus and community as a modern flagship research university in the third decade of the 21st century."

President Pines received many well wishes from the University System of Maryland, past UMD presidents, and state and local elected officials, including Maryland Governor Larry Hogan.

"Dr. Pines, congratulations on your installation as the 34th president of our great state's flagship higher education institution," said Hogan. "This has been an incredibly trying year for our state and for our entire nation, but with President Pines at the helm the University of Maryland has remained a shining example of what can be accomplished with innovative and collaborative leadership, and the crowning jewel of Maryland's world-renowned network of colleges and universities."

President Pines' shared the following five key announcements during his investiture ceremony:

Accelerate Climate Action: Net Zero Carbon Neutral Campus by 2025
The University of Maryland will accelerate its Climate Action Plan goal to become a Net-Zero Carbon Neutral campus within the next four years. Through a combination of sustainability measures and the strategic purchase of carbon credits, UMD will reach this goal by Earth Day in 2025. In addition, the university has plans to replace its University-owned fleet - over 1,070 fossil-fuel vehicles - with an all-electric fleet by 2035.

Expand Faculty Diversity: FAMILE
UMD will invest $40 million into a new initiative to recruit and retain tenured and tenure-track faculty from underrepresented backgrounds to its campus. The Faculty Advancement at Maryland for Inclusive Learning and Excellence (FAMILE) Initiative will attract over 100 tenure and tenure track faculty to the institution, and ensure that students will interact and learn from scholars that not only look like them, but reflect UMD values and ensure its success for decades into the future.

Honor Trailblazers in Maryland Athletics
With approval from the Board of Regents, UMD will name the Cole Field House football performance center in honor of two legendary and pioneering figures who officially broke the color barrier in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the sports of basketball and football. Mr. Billy Jones was the first African-American to play basketball in the ACC, debuting at the University of Maryland in 1965. Mr. Darryl Hill was the first African-American to play football in the ACC, starting with a truly historic season at Maryland in 1963.

Invest in Discovery, Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development
UMD will invest $200 million to strengthen its research, expand activities in innovation and entrepreneurship, and boost the economic development ecosystem in UMD's Discovery District. This investment will be made to target fields such as K-12 education, public health, bioscience, neuroscience, climate science, data science, artificial intelligence and machine learning, computing and technology, and quantum science.

Expand Arts Programming Across Campus: Arts for All
UMD is launching the Arts For All Initiative, supporting innovation and partnerships to foster creative and scholarly excellence among campus arts practitioners and scholars, and engage all parts of the campus and local communities in collaborative creative practice. The university will build on existing excellence by launching an expanded arts festival in partnership with the city of College Park; hiring new faculty to extend curricula, research and programming that bring together art, technology and social justice.

"In this moment in time, these five bold actions will help validate who we are, what we stand for, and where we are headed," said Pines. "We are a land-grant public research university that serves the public good for all of humanity."

Pines began his presidency while the world was experiencing a time of remarkable disruption and uncertainty. He started on July 1, 2020, in the midst of two pandemics - both COVID-19 and long-standing racial injustice. On his first day, he outlined twelve initiatives and recommendations to reaffirm the university's commitment to the institution's core mission and values, and called for unity to help address some of the world's most pressing grand challenges.

"I couldn't be happier for President Pines on his investiture," said USM Chancellor Jay A. Perman. "But, of course, Dr. Pines has been on the job for a while. He came to the presidency in the midst of crisis, and he's already confronted unprecedented challenges in the position—challenges none of us imagined before the pandemic. And he's shown the extraordinary vision, leadership, and compassion that I know will characterize his tenure."

Quotes of distinction:

John B. Slaughter (1982-1988), William "Brit" Kirwan (1989-1998), C.D. "Dan" Mote, Jr, (1998-2010) & Wallace D. Loh (2010-2020), Former Presidents, University of Maryland
"Today, we are thrilled and honored that Darryll Pines has been inaugurated as the 34th President of the University of Maryland. President Pines is just the experienced, visionary, and skilled leader that will accelerate the tremendous upward trajectory of our beloved institution. He will build on 160 years of progress by thousands of students, faculty, staff, and supporters. His twin objectives of building excellence throughout the academic enterprise and creating a fully inclusive and multicultural community will forge a proud new chapter in the story of the University of Maryland. To President Pines, we are proud to say welcome and Godspeed."

Linda R. Gooden, Chair, Board of Regents
"During my years on the Board of Regents, I've seen the University of Maryland, College Park grow—in its footprint, in its programs, in its reputation," said USM Board of Regents Chair Linda Gooden. "And I know that President Pines—whose entire career has been marked by excellence—will build on the university's strength and prominence, and on the legacy of his predecessors. I'm proud to support him as he moves UMCP forward."

Steny Hoyer, House Majority Leader, U.S. Representative, 5th Congressional District, Maryland
"I thank you for taking on this position at a time of such great challenge. I look forward to continuing to work closely with you and with your leadership team to ensure that the University of Maryland College Park can continue to enjoy strong support from the federal government in its research programs, its applied science projects and its efforts to expand expand access to the highest quality education to students in our state and in our country. Congratulations Mr. President. You will do, and are doing, an extraordinarily outstanding job."

Adrienne A. Jones, House Speaker, Maryland House of Delegates, District 10
"I have every confidence that President Pines' presidency will be marked by much more than his exemplary leadership during this challenging time. His advocacy for the student experience, inclusion and diversity, and advancement for the university on all fronts has been a top priority since before his first day in this role. Those who are here now, those who have come before and those who have yet to come to Maryland will benefit from the vision he has for the university, and the entire state of Maryland. President Pines, I look forward to continuing to see this vision come to fruition and to have the opportunity to build on it with you."

Bill Ferguson, Senate President, State of Maryland
"President Pines, I thank you for your commitment to serving the state, but more importantly service to humanity. From the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change to voter access and the social unrest in our country, you have already made great strides toward highlighting and finding solutions to what you call the "grand challenges of our time." I am confident that this work has only just begun. I look forward to what else we will accomplish with you at the helm of this great institution."

Ellen Williams, Distinguished University Professor; Incoming Chair, University Senate
"On behalf of the University Senate and the faculty of the University of Maryland, It is my pleasure to congratulate Darryll Pines on his inauguration. President Pines remarkably combines the characteristics of deep technical capability with entrepreneurship, management skills and empathy."

Dr. Ana Palla-Kane, Specialist, Division of Information Technology; Chair, President's Commission on Disability Issues
"It may be too ambitious to speak on behalf of every staff member, but since you've embarked on your new role many of us have already noticed your core leadership values shining through your decision-making process during these unprecedented times. Thank you for the great work you have already done by caring for our health and safety, standing for inclusion and multiculturalism, and ensuring that our institutional mission continues to be achieved with equity, integrity and excellence.Your vision, priorities and goals are very clear, and we look forward to working with you to make this institution the best place to live, learn and work."

Dan Alpert, President, Student Government Association, University of Maryland
"On behalf of the 30,000 undergraduate students, congratulations President Pines on your Inauguration. We've been so thankful for the changes you have brought and leadership you have shown as we've worked together over the past several months. We're excited to continue that relationship and create great change as we bring our university to new heights in the years ahead."

About the University of Maryland
The University of Maryland, College Park is the state's flagship university and one of the nation's preeminent public research universities. A global leader in research, entrepreneurship and innovation, the university is home to more than 40,000 students,10,000 faculty and staff, and 297 academic programs. As one of the nation's top producers of Fulbright scholars, its faculty includes two Nobel laureates, three Pulitzer Prize winners and 58 members of the national academies. The institution has a $2.1 billion operating budget and secures more than $1 billion annually in research funding together with the University of Maryland, Baltimore. For more information about the University of Maryland, College Park, visit www.umd.edu.

SOURCE University of Maryland