UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski III held two open forums for students on Monday, Nov. 3. Hrabowski spoke in the common room of the Chesapeake Residence Hall, and an hour and a half later, he spoke in the lounge of Potomac Hall. Hrabowski discussed the school year, voting and fielded a variety of questions from the students present.

Both of the forums were attended by a large crowd of predominately younger UMBC students, many of them attracted not only by the ability to hear their president speak but also to eat the pizza and drink the lemonade that was provided as refreshments during the discussion. Also attending were a UMBC
graduate now studying at MIT and other university officials.

The forum began with the president asking about classes and how people were doing in general. As always, the president showed great concern for the academic well-being of his students, asserting that there is “nothing more important to you than your academic performance.” Hrabowski also stressed the possibility of dropping a course, which he thinks of as an enormous difference between the grading systems found within high school and college.

Other academic points stressed by the president include the necessity of searching for internships or summer opportunities during the month of November, as opposed to later in the year, for which Hrabowski suggested a visit to the Career Center or Shriver Center for advising. Finally, Hrabowski stressed the importance of taking advantage of opportunities on campus, like seeing the play “Red Death” at the UMBC Theater, because of their ability to help students connect to the campus as a whole.

Questions for the president were varied, but focused on the university as a whole and upon changes that are occurring or will be occurring on-campus in the near future. One of the topics covered was the current growth of the university in comparison to previous years. Applications are at an all-time high and residence halls are currently housing students at far above average rates. Hrabowski explained that the school would only be growing in a very careful manner above the close to 12,000 students that are currently enrolled at UMBC to make certain that only excellent faculty for both teaching and research will be involved with the school, thus continuing to guarantee the best education for all students. Another question asked in conjunction to the discussion of increased enrollment was a question about the parking on-campus. The president explained that UMBC’s vision for parking on-campus in the future will include fewer of the smaller and cheaper open parking lots and more parking garages in order to accommodate
for new students and new buildings.

When asked what his vision was for the future of UMBC, Hrabowski discussed the construction of the new Arts and Humanities building, a $150 million artifice which is to be twice as big as any other building currently on campus. He says that this building will “transform campus” similar to the way that the construction of the Commons shortly after his appointment as president in the 1990s. Hrabowski also discussed a planned development along Wilkens Avenue to have shops like restaurants and ice cream parlors in order to create a Georgetown-esque feel to the area just off-campus, as if students at UMBC were living with a booming college community at its doorstep.

The president also discussed the research park on campus and his hope to emphasize some trails on campus to help bring students into a “pastoral setting” upon arrival on-campus.

After he addressed all of students’ issues and concerns, Hrabowski summed up by chivvying everybody to vote the next day and exhorting the student body to perform extremely well in all their classes and activities on-campus.

With these closing remarks, Hrabowski concluded his forum and spent several minutes meeting the students in long lines waiting to shake his hand and introduce themselves, before leaving.

Posted on behalf on behalf of Contributing Writer Christopher Silberholz