Maryland's Public System of Higher Education

Three New Members of USM Board of Regents Appointed; Regent Slater Appointed to Second Term

Adelphi, Md. (March 15, 2013) -- The University System of Maryland (USM) welcomes three new members to the Board of Regents, with the appointments of Robert D. Rauch and Tracye Turner and 2013-14 student regent Samim Manizade of Salisbury University.

The appointments, made by Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, were confirmed today by the Maryland Senate.

The Maryland Senate also confirmed the reappointment of Regent Thomas G. Slater. Slater was appointed to his original term in July 2007. (The effective start date for his second term is July 1, 2012.)

Robert D. Rauch is a principal with the civil engineering and construction management firm Robert D. Rauch & Associates, Inc., of Easton, Md. After earning his B.S. in civil engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) in 1973, Rauch began his career with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. In 1978, he became the state's youngest county engineer, serving for six years as director of public works and Talbot County engineer before his move to the private sector in 1984.

Rauch is a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers, the University of Maryland Civil Engineering Board, and the American Society of Civil Engineers. He succeeds John L. Young, M.D., who resigned from the board in February 2013. Rauch's term is effective immediately.

Tracye Turner is the executive vice president and chief operating officer of Optimal Solutions Group, LLC, an economic and policy analysis research and consulting firm headquartered in the M Square Research Park in College Park, Md. She has oversight of the firm's operations in areas such as optimal analytics, communications, and its new Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center. Turner also has held senior positions with Northrop Grumman IT, including regional sales manager and senior representative.                                                                                                                                                              

Turner has several professional affiliations, including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Girl Scouts of America. Turner succeeds Orlan M. Johnson, whose term expired. Her term is effective immediately.

Samim Manizade is a May 2014 candidate for a B.S. in physics from Salisbury University (SU). Manizade has placed on the Dean's List at SU every semester, and is a recipient of the Salisbury University Presidential Scholarship Award, the Maryland Distinguished Scholar Award, and the Jazz Ensemble Scholarship. He has regularly conducted research with SU professors in the science and math disciplines. His term begins July 1, 2013.

A 17-member Board of Regents, including one full-time student, governs the University System of Maryland. Appointed by the governor, the regents oversee the system's academic, administrative, and financial operations; formulate policy; and appoint the USM chancellor and the presidents of the system's 12 institutions. With the exception of the student member, each regent is appointed for a term of five years and may not serve more than two consecutive terms. The student regent is appointed for a one-year term and may be reappointed. Regents serve on the board without compensation.

The University System of Maryland comprises 12 institutions, two regional higher education centers and a system office. USM provides access to excellent higher education opportunities, performs groundbreaking research, offers vital services to communities and individuals and fuels economic and workforce development.

Contact: Mike Lurie
Phone: 301.445.2719
Email: mlurie@usmd.edu