Dr. Robert L. Caret
president
Towson University
Dear Towson University Alumni, Friends, Legislators and Advocates:
Thank you for your support during the 428th Maryland General Assembly legislative session. The Towson Advocacy Program (TAP) and the TU Alumni Association seek to engage alumni and friends in the issues being addressed in Annapolis and we hope the TAP newsletter kept you informed and up-to-date during the session.
This is the last TAP newsletter for the 2011 Legislative session and my last TAP letter to you as President. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your support of Towson University over the years. The past eight years have brought about exciting changes on campus that we couldn't have accomplished without your support. Here are just a few of the many accomplishments the University has achieved.
Towson University is now regularly ranked in national publications such as:
* U.S. News & World Report, America's Best Colleges in 2011 ranks Towson University tenth in the public Regional Universities (North) category
* Forbes' 2010 America's "Best Colleges" and "Best College Buys" in America
* The Princeton Review recommended as the "Best in the Northeast", "2011 Best Colleges:Region by Region." And featured Towson in its book, The Best Northeastern Colleges: 2011 Edition.
As the profile of Towson University has risen with the Thinking Outside campaign, so have the number of new buildings on campus. The 2003 and updated 2009 Campus Master Plans embody our long-term vision for the physical development of campus. The plan sets forth a framework for development of academic and student life facilities, as well as roads, parking, utilities and infrastructure to support these buildings. Since 2003, we have:
* Completed construction of the Minnegan Field House and renovations to Unitas Stadium
* Built a Child Care Center
* Renovated and expanded the Center for the Arts
* Renovated 7800 York Road and made it a new home for the College of Graduate Studies and Research, the Career Center, and the Computer and Information Science Laboratories
* Added thousands of parking spaces in the Towsontown and Union parking garages
* Opened two residence halls (Paca and Tubman Houses) in the West Village
* Built a new power plant, improved the walk-ability of the academic core of campus and construction of the new campus gateway on Towsontown Boulevard is underway
* In May campus will break ground for the new Tiger Arena in the Athletic Precinct and
* In June campus will break ground on a new Public Safety Building
In August the campus will open:
* two new residence halls (Barton and Douglass),
* the West Village Commons, a west campus building larger that the Union, and
* a 1500 car parking garage, all in the West Village.
* And cut the ribbon on the first entirely new academic building in over 30 years, the College of Liberal Arts.
As campus facilities have improved so have the academic profile and number of students. Total enrollment has increased from 17,188 in fall 2003 to 21,840 in fall 2010. Towson University's growth has and will continue to address the demand for a quality, affordable and accessible education in Maryland. Programmatic offerings have expanded to meet the workforce demands of the State and the surrounding community. In 2003 Towson University graduated 67 nurses; in 2010 176 students received their nursing degree. Outreach programs to Baltimore City and surrounding counties have been developed and expanded to enable more and more students the opportunity to achieve their goal of a college education. Our minority undergraduate population increased by 65% or 1467 students since 2003.
Building upon our Metropolitan mission, in 2004 we created DECO, the Division of Economic and Community Outreach to combine research-based learning with practical application extending beyond campus borders. Through partnerships, people and programs, Maryland's metropolitan university influences the development and well being of the state and region. DECO and the Division of Academic Affairs together increased their grants and contracts from $8 million to over $30 million this past year. The capital fundraising campaign, "Growing the University", began in 2004 and will reach its goal of $50 million in June with your support. This is the largest capital campaign Towson has embarked and the support from foundations, the corporate community, alumni, and friends has been crucial to its success.
The success of our students has been my primary goal. The campus community came together to achieve many student accomplishments. The 6-year graduation rate for all Towson students in 2003 was over 60%; by 2010 that rate rose to 75%. More impressive is as the number of African American students increased on campus by 52% the 6-year graduation rate did as well. In 2003 the graduation rate for African American students was 48%; in 2010 this cohort outpaced the rest of the campus and graduated at a rate of 76%. These rates prove that hard-work and dedication by students, faculty, staff, alumni, family and friends can make a difference.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as President of Towson University these past eight years. Towson University is an institution on the rise and I look forward to hearing about its continued success.
Go Tigers!
Robert L. Caret
Towson University 2016
 Keeping the Momentum Going
Towson University 2016: Building Within - Reaching Out conveys Towson's goal to continue to strengthen the Towson University experience, and fulfill the university's metropolitan mission to serve and meet the needs of the State of Maryland and region. The plan was created to take Towson University to its next phase of development and build upon the success and accomplishments of the previous strategic plan, Towson University 2010: Mapping the Future.
2016 Plan | Guiding Principles
New in the News
Read up on the latest higher education issues that have appeared in the news recently:
 2011 Legislative session wrap-up
Throughout this session the Governor and General Assembly have made education and higher education a priority. The combined support of the Governor, our legislators, and the USM Board of Regents enables Towson University to continue to serve our students and the State.
Please join us in thanking our legislators for their advocacy for higher education as they return to their districts. While the Annapolis session may be over, their work is never done so tell them about your connection to Towson University. As you take advantage of the beautiful spring weather, visit the campus and enjoy the many alumni, arts, and athletic events underway.
Thank you for your continued support of Towson University and helping us share the great Towson story.
For more details on the 2011 Legislative Session and
an updated llist of bills click here.
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