Faculty Affairs Welcomes New Research Integrity Officer, Melissa Thompson
The Office of Faculty Affairs is delighted to welcome Melissa Thompson as our new Research Integrity Officer (RIO). Melissa comes to UMD from Johns Hopkins University (JHU), where she served most recently as the Director of Research Integrity in the School of Medicine. In her role as RIO, situated within the Office of Faculty Affairs, Melissa will oversee and manage misconduct proceedings conducted under the University’s Policy and Procedures Concerning Scholarly Misconduct. She will also coordinate with various institutional offices and committees on other efforts related to the integrity of the research performed at UMD, including the development and implementation of compliance training and education programs for students, faculty, and staff involved in basic, animal, and human subjects research, and the identification of associated policy and program needs.
During her time at JHU, Melissa handled cases of research and professional misconduct and oversaw the School of Medicine’s Responsible Conduct of Research Program. Before becoming the Director of Research Integrity, she served as the Assistant Director of Outside Interests, working on issues related to conflicts of interest in research. Prior to joining JHU, Melissa practiced as an associate attorney with a law firm in Towson, Maryland. She previously worked in the field of journalism, most recently as the Assistant Managing Editor of The American Prospect, a magazine based in Washington, DC.
Melissa received her juris doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law, along with a certificate in health law. She received her bachelor’s degree in political science from Salisbury University. Melissa is a member of the Association of Research Integrity Officers. She enjoys spending time outdoors, preferably while hiking with her husband.
Melissa is excited to support and foster research integrity at UMD as we continue to solidify our standing as a premier research institution.
COVID-19 & Support Resources
OFA has provided links to various resources and information below and on our website to help you navigate faculty life and work during this time:
- Coronavirus: Stay Informed
- Faculty COVID-19 Resources
- Faculty Wellness
- keepteaching.umd.edu
- keepworking.umd.edu
Faculty Development
National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity
COVID-19: View NCFDD Resources
A Note from The NCFDD Team: This is a time of highly unusual circumstance as individuals and institutions are confronting the COVID-19 crisis. We understand that necessary safety measures mean that your routine has changed dramatically and many faculty members are being asked to develop new ways of teaching very quickly. To support our members during this time we have curated a list of support resources specifically in response to the current climate, you can access those here.
Remember to Sign-up for your free NCFDD Membership!
Not yet a member of NCFDD? Click on "become a member" and select "University of Maryland" from the institutional dropdown menu. Click here to register. The Center is dedicated to supporting academics in making successful transitions throughout their careers, and providing on-demand access to member resources. Membership is open to all faculty members, postdocs and graduate students. Learn more about our institutional membership.
Register to attend a NCFDD writing challenge, webinar or core curriculum workshop.Become a member of NCFDD
Awards | Recognition | Leadership Development
Patricia Shields photo courtesy of Faye Levin, CMNS
Faculty and Staff Accolades
Congratulations to UMD faculty and staff members who have been recognized for outstanding research, service, teaching, fellowships and more. Article and photo courtesy of Maryland Today. Read more.
UMD Hosts Big Ten Academic Alliance
In February, the University of Maryland welcomed over 100 faculty members and administrators for the Academic Leadership Program (ALP). Held on each of the 14 member campuses every four years, the program featured speakers from various Big Ten schools and well-known names in academia and policy. The theme for Seminar II was Internal and External Relationships. Participants learned about the value of these relationships in higher education, and the benefit to universities such as UMD's partnership with The Phillips Collection art museum. The group visited the museum, toured parts of campus, and attended sessions in the A.J. Clark Building, Edward St. John Learning & Teaching Center and The Hotel. They also experienced an operetta performance by the Maryland Opera Studio. More information about the ALP can be found here. Nominations for the program may be submitted by deans through April 15.
Spotlight: UMD Has New Development Plans in the Works
The University of Maryland is in the process of expanding its campus. Construction on many buildings will be completed in the near future.
David Cronrath, Associate Provost for Planning and Special Projects, noted in an interview that no exact end date or month can be given on a project’s construction because it is always subject to change.
There are several projects in the pipeline including, as Cronrath mentioned, the School of Public Policy building, Chemistry Wing 1, the Idea Factory for the School of Engineering, and the Interdisciplinary Engineering building.
Every year, the campus undertakes a capital improvement plan that is reviewed and approved by many people, departments, and even the governor, but the plan ultimately needs to be greenlighted by Maryland’s General Assembly before anything begins, he said.
“These projects typically take about five years to produce from beginning to end. So, from planning and design through construction is about five years,” Cronrath stated.
He explained that budgets for construction projects are tailored by project. The money comes from the state over time in increments.
University of Maryland’s goal is to have major buildings open and running by the fall semester, he stated.
When it comes to projects, Cronrath said there aren’t many restrictions beyond the legal ones in place. Therefore, there are many opportunities for UMD to grow.
For more information about current and upcoming projects happening on campus and in the College Park area, check out the Terrapin Development Company website.
Article by Jaime Williams
University of Maryland Emeritus/Emerita Association (UMEEA)
UMEEA hosts an event on Maintaining and Improving the Quality of Life after Retirement
Earlier this month, the emeritus/emerita association hosted speakers Karen Hansen, MSW and UMD's elder care consultant; and Hileia Seeger, LCSW-C and Manager, Special Projects at Jewish Social Service Agency (JSSA) to discuss ways to help retirees think about preparing for challenges that may arise before and during retirement, and finding and learning about the resources available to them.
Tips & Resources
Going Online in a Hurry: What to Do and Where to Start
The coronavirus has colleges and universities swinging into action to move courses online. Here is a short list of advice for faculty members who need to move online, fast, with the twin goals of maintaining instructional continuity as much as possible and finishing the semester strong from The Chronicle of Higher Education. Read more.
How to Be a Better Online Teacher - Advice Guide
Whether you’ve taught online a lot or a little, chances are you didn’t enjoy it as much as teaching in person. Maybe you didn’t experience that fizz after a particularly invigorating face-to-face class. Indeed, according to a 2017 Educause survey, only 9 percent of academics prefer to teach “in a completely online environment.”...Yet it can be just as rewarding as teaching in a bricks-and-mortar classroom, if in different ways. Read more from The Chronicle of Higher Education.
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