Staff Conversation with President Valerie Sheares Ashby

Updates provided by the President

• Strategic Planning

  • The University Steering Committee (USC) and shared governance leaders are participating. The goal is to offer participation opportunities through many modalities, including surveys (campus-wide survey closes on April 17).

  • The five pillars of the plan came from 22 hours of Bold Conversations listening sessions, not from senior leaders creating them.

• Federal Government, Federal Orders and Actions

  • A core team of 6–7 leaders has been meeting since January to assess federal impacts on higher education and UMBC.

  • The university provides guidance on Immigration and Customs Enforcement on the Federal actions and orders website and on cards around campus. They are also providing monthly updates to the campus community. Update On Federal Policy Changes 

  • We have had 42 grant cancellations, 9 of which are being reinstated. 

  • Research funding reached $150M in 2024, and this year, the second-highest level in our history. We hit $185M in 2025.

• Budget (FY27)

  • The Governor signed the budget 3 hours before this meeting, and President Sheares Ashby assumes no further cuts, although last year's cut was not restored.

  • There will be an operational cut because UMBC must use its own budget to cover the portion of COLA funding not provided by the state - this has always been the case.

  • In the last two years, UMBC has experienced about a 10% cut.

• VP Administration & Finance Search

  • The search is "dangerously close" to completion (The President was jumping with excitement!)

  • President Sheares Ashby is seeking a candidate who can manage institutional change and value inclusive excellence, not just someone with the standard A&F skillset.

  • “I’m basically looking for somebody who can walk on water, which is unfair, but I need it. It’s not worth making a mistake. If I’m not convinced you’re not gonna be convinced.”

• Being in the News

  • Spring Grove (SG): UMBC received the gift of 175 acres of the Spring Grove state hospital along with $27M for environmental and infrastructure remediation several years ago. Four hundred residents are still on the property, but most of the property has not been used for many years. UMBC does not have development plans yet and is focused on remediating infrastructure first.

  • Herbert Run: UMBC and Whiting Turner were cited by Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) for project issues. UMBC has met with MDE and Whiting Turner and has resolved the issues and has had no new violations. 

  • Athletics:The university entered into a voluntary settlement agreement with the US Department of Justice, in April 2024: Department of Justice-UMBC Agreement. We continue to adhere to the provisions set forth in the settlement agreement, and there have not been any issues to date with us meeting those provisions. Personnel and student conduct issues cannot be discussed publicly due to legal issues, and to ensure people feel comfortable reporting in the future.

• Happy Monday Messages

  • President Sheares Ashby encourages reading these messages as a reminder of the good work being done, which is happening alongside the negative news coverage.

  • Highlights included the College Track partnership in Baltimore City and four Goldwater Scholars this year, which is one short of the national record.

Open Q&A

• Question: Are you aware of other federally funded colleges that have implemented more values-based approaches to alerting communities when immigration enforcement (USCIS fact-finding visits) is present?

  • President Sheares Ashby’s Answer: UMBC police will not assist ICE. Regarding communicating if ICE is on campus, President Sheares Ashby is "still processing" the decision. Her priority is the safety of the individual and the community, noting that communicating could incite harm, but not communicating prevents people from making decisions for themselves. Campus members should look at the card for clear direction. She clarified each person has the right to their own choices, but if someone on this campus gets hurt, that is her responsibility and she needs to ensure the campus is safe.

• Question: Climate survey data shows students who interact with multiple support services are the least satisfied (45% approval rating). What steps will senior leadership take to structurally embed inclusive excellence?

  • President Sheares Ashby’s Answer: The next strategic plan will address gaps in fully living up to Inclusive Excellence as one of our core values. Structurally, all disability services have moved under the Division of Inclusive Excellence (DoIE). The goal is to move from a "start-up university mentality" to operating at a higher level (UMBC 2.0 → UMBC 3.0) by being prepared for people before they arrive. An external review of all things disability services was just completed to get a sense from national leaders about how we can do better and improve.

• Question: Is UMBC planning a coordinated communication response to the articles concerning Spring Grove?

  • President Sheares Ashby’s Answer: A response is not straightforward, and President Sheares Ashby has engaged GES faculty to gain a larger understanding of the situation. The final communication plan is uncertain, but they are meeting with closely related entities first. President Sheares Ashby needs full clarity to maintain credibility and does not want to create a constant cycle of response to every news article.

• Question: Given budget constraints, what is the future for pre-transfer advising growth, as there is currently only one pre-transfer advisor?

• President Sheares Ashby’s Answer: President Sheares Ashby recognized the importance of the work, noting that nearly 50% of graduating students are transfer students, and that there is representation from each MD community college. The future person-power and specific charge for pre-transfer advising will be determined in the strategic plan, which is not yet complete. She encouraged continued work with Carlos Jensen, Vice Provost of Student Success and Dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, to discuss this issue in more detail.