Loh to Remain Through 2019–20 School Year

The University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents and Chancellor Robert Caret yesterday announced that Wallace D. Loh will continue, by mutual agreement, to lead Maryland’s flagship campus through June 2020. The board and the chancellor also announced plans to launch the process to select Loh’s successor, naming current regent and UMD alumnus Gary Attman to chair the presidential search committee.

“Selecting the leader of any USM institution is among the Board of Regents’ most important responsibilities,” said USM Board of Regents Chair Linda Gooden. “The search for the next leader of Maryland’s flagship, the University of Maryland, College Park, will be critically important to the future of that institution and the entire state. We must take the time necessary to identify and select a bold and talented leader who can continue the upward trajectory of one of the nation’s great public research universities.”

“Over the last three months, we have been speaking with Dr. Loh and listening to members of the campus community, and to leaders and stakeholders across the state about the upcoming leadership transition,” Caret said. “These discussions have informed our thinking about the path forward that will best ensure an orderly transition, continued strong leadership of the university without interruption, and a successful search process.”

Loh announced last fall that he plans to retire at the end of the current academic year. Gooden and Caret cited several specific factors that played a role in postponing Loh’s retirement.

First, the process to select a new president will likely take up to a year to complete, raising the likelihood that an interim president would need to be appointed if Loh retired this year.

Second, the university is well under way with several major initiatives in which a permanent president’s leadership will be paramount. Loh will continue to lead strategic initiatives in education, research, and innovation. Some of these initiatives are on the College Park campus and some are in partnership with the University of Maryland Baltimore, the Universities at Shady Grove, the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center and universities abroad. These include:

• Continuing the implementation of athletics reforms recommended by the two independent investigations related to football;
• Ramping up the Administrative Modernization Program to achieve significant cost savings and greater efficiency across the campus through updated infrastructure and business systems.
• Continuing the development of the quantum computing initiative;
• With UMD as the managing campus, assuming leadership of USM’s third regional higher education center in Southern Maryland and building the Universities at Shady Grove to better serve the growing needs of the state and region;
• Continuing the revitalization of the Greater College Park area, with a number of new development residential, retail, municipal and innovative corporate projects, currently under negotiation, expected come to fruition by 2020.
• Continuing the record-breaking progress of the university’s $1.5 billion capital campaign, Fearless Ideas.

“The University of Maryland, College Park has flourished under Dr. Loh’s leadership for more than eight years, rising in national rankings, growing enrollment and diversity, and expanding its research enterprise,” Gooden said. “He is currently leading several initiatives critical to the university’s future, including implementing reforms to the athletics program, hiring key leaders and continuing the capital campaign.”

“To ensure these efforts continue to progress for the benefit of current and future students and faculty, the board and Dr. Loh have agreed that it is in the university’s best interests for him to continue leading the University of Maryland, College Park while the search for the new president proceeds,” Gooden said.

“For eight years, I have been honored to serve the state’s flagship institution as the accomplishments of our faculty, staff, students and alumni have propelled Maryland to new heights,” said Loh. “The board discussed with me having a smooth transition of leadership, and we mutually agreed upon a retirement date of June 2020. With all of Maryland’s supporters, I look forward to what we will accomplish together.”

Regents Launch National Presidential Search

President and CEO of FutureCare Health and Management Corp., which he co-founded in 1985, Regent Gary Attman holds a J.D. degree (with honors) from the University of Maryland School of Law, where he published in and served as editor of the Maryland Law Review. He also earned a B.S. degree in accounting (magna cum laude) from the University of Maryland, College Park.

He is a member of the Maryland Bar, a certified public accountant, and is a licensed real estate broker. Attman also serves on the boards of the Greater Baltimore Committee and the Associated Jewish Charities.

In the coming months, USM will retain an executive search firm and name other members of the search committee, which will include representatives from UMD faculty, staff, students, and alumni. The committee will host a series of forums to receive input from the UMD community. The committee's work will conclude with its recommendation of finalists for consideration by the chancellor and the Board of Regents. The board will make the final selection.