New UMd. President Introduces Himself to College Park

The quest for the new University of Maryland president took a dedicated search committee four and half months to sift through nearly 300 applicants before selecting former University of Iowa provost, Wallace D. Loh.

Though Loh will not officially take office until Nov. 1, he already has his ear trained to the issues happening in College Park, both at the university and in the city itself, he said at an on-campus press conference Wednesday.

In regards to the city of College Park, Loh said his first priority will be to educate himself about the community, noting that he will begin working to get a sense of the issues that people are discussing well before his tenure begins.  

"I'm going to make a number of trips here, and take many listening tours," he said.

He also emphasized the importance of meeting with city officials, saying that he wanted to foster a collaborative relationship with the city and encourage mutual transparency.

"I will not come in with any preconceived notions," he said. "Certainly over the next few months, I need to establish an understanding of the city."

Despite his hesitation to commit to any specific plan of action, Loh made it clear that he intends to root himself firmly in his new home of College Park. He will be living in the President's Residence at the edge of campus near Ludwig Field, pending renovations.

"I intend to live in, and be an engaged citizen of College Park," he said.