The University System of Maryland has announced who will be taking the reins of the system after the departure of its previous chancellor.
University of Maryland Baltimore President Jay A. Perman will become the system’s fifth chancellor next summer.
Perman, a pediatric gastroenterologist, has served as UMB’s president since 2010.
Perman will take the place of outgoing Chancellor Robert Caret, who announced earlier this year that he wouldn’t be extending his contract.
Caret had received criticism for his handling of the death of University of Maryland College Park football player Jordan McNair, who suffered from heat stroke during a team workout and died in a hospital two weeks later.
In a news release, USM Board Chair Linda Gooden thanked Caret for his service.
Gooden also said the board was delighted that it didn’t have to look far to find someone who fit the bill for what it sought in a new leader.
“I know I speak for every regent in saying we are delighted that he has agreed to take on this new and important challenge,” Gooden said.
Perman said it is a privilege to have been selected to help lead the system’s 12 public universities.
“I am deeply humbled to be called to this responsibility,” Perman said.
Many state lawmakers expressed their displeasure with Perman’s predecessor, which included cutting an amount equal to Caret’s more than $640,000 annual salary from the system’s budget in order to send a message to the Board of Regents.
Democratic and Republican lawmakers praised Perman’s selection for the post.
“A dedicated educator and civil servant, Jay is the right choice for this critical position, and I look forward to working with him to continue advancing our world-renowned university system,” said Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican.
“Dr. Jay Perman is an excellent choice to become the USM’s next chancellor,” said state Senate President Mike Miller, a Democrat.
Perman, a Chicago native, has also worked at University of California San Francisco, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and the University of Kentucky College of Medicine before leading UMB.
