Partnerships

Another sign of community-building is the growth of UM-partnerships. The investment of pivate resources in the UM mission suggests that shared goals -education, innovation, and entrepreneurship--create productive alliances. Such public/private partnerships are helping to make UM education affordable and accessible to all students. Chevy Chase Bank has joined with UM in a partnership that will benefit scholarships and better athletics facilities. Dell and Apple computers have joined forces with the Office of Information Technology to provide affordable computers for students, faculty and staff.

Progress on the new M Square Research Park, 128 acres at the College Park Metro station, is another example of such partnerships. Collaboration between the University, the State, the federal government and private sector businesses promise to build UM's research programs in depth and breadth. Several steps occurred this year that advanced the University closer to the complete vision of M Square as a hub for collaborative research initiatives: the National Foreign Language Center moved into the Patapsco Building at M Square and Datastream graduated from the Technology Advancement Program on campus to the Technology Ventures building at M Square. Physically, the site is now primed with 65 acres readied for new building construction. Construction of the first 120,000 square foot spec building is set to begin this October, and the main road, University Research Court, is now completed. The residential component of M Square, which will provide upscale condominiums to researchers and the general public, has received its state approvals. An exciting feature of this condominium project is that the university will own 50 units, which will be allocated on a competitive basis to attract the "best and the brightest" graduate and postdoctoral students and visitors from around the world.