Dear Campus Community,
I hope you are having a productive and enjoyable summer! As I near the end of my second year at UMD, I would like to thank you for your continued support and for the outstanding work you do every day on behalf of our students and to further our research and public engagement mission. There have been several administrative changes at UMD over the past two years, and many of you have been involved in helping shape my Chancellor's Cabinet team. While other changes in the vice chancellor areas may be announced within the next few months, I wish to share the following updates.
Bill Wade is stepping down as Vice Chancellor for Advancement on July 31. He will take on a new assignment as a major donor development officer and will continue to oversee temporarily the operations of the KUMD radio station. We will celebrate Bill's dedication to UMD at a special campus reception on September 7, with a formal invitation in August. During his tenure at UMD, Bill has overseen university relations, alumni, development, KUMD, and intercollegiate athletics. His many accomplishments and contributions to UMD will be highlighted in future communications regarding the September 7 reception.
After looking closely at the campus organizational structure, I have decided to make the following changes to improve administrative efficiency, effectiveness, and excellence:
• The Vice Chancellor position that Bill Wade held will be eliminated.
• Lucy Kragness has been promoted to Chief of Staff/Associate to the Chancellor, and in this role she will assist me with a wide range of operational issues and projects to ensure the effectiveness of the Chancellor's office and of all units reporting directly to the Chancellor.
• The Development and Alumni offices will continue to work together as an Office of Advancement. Advancement, Athletics, and External Affairs will report directly to the Chancellor with operational oversight and assistance from Lucy Kragness.
• A national search to refill the Director of External Affairs position will begin this month.
Many of you have already met Mike Seymour, who began July 2 as the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations. Please join me in welcoming Mike to campus.
I appreciate how well the campus community has come together to provide a smooth transition for me and for my new administrative team. Working together, we will continue to make significant progress on the Strategic Plan and provide the excellent academic experience that our students expect and deserve.
Sincerely,
Chancellor Lendley C. Black
