Perman to start at USM next month; Jarrell named interim at UMB

Jay Perman will take over as chancellor of the University System of Maryland on Jan. 6, in time for the start of the next legislative session, the system announced Friday.

To replace Perman as the president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, the Board of Regents named Bruce Jarrell as interim president.

Perman was announced as the successor to current Chancellor Robert Caret last month. Caret announced his retirement in May as his relationship with lawmakers in Annapolis grew strained amid several scandals.

As president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, since 2010, Perman already has a relationship in place with lawmakers.

The timing of Perman’s ascension to the chancellorship also means he will be in charge of the system as it finalizes its search for a new president for the University of Maryland, College Park, where current President Wallace Loh is retiring. That search is expected to wrap up this spring.

“Both  Chancellor Caret and President Perman recognized the importance of having the new chancellor leading the USM’s agenda during the upcoming legislative session in Annapolis as well as completing the critical search for the new president at College Park,” Timothy J. McDonough, the system’s vice chancellor for communications and marketing, wrote in an email. “In light of those priorities, Dr. Caret suggested that he step down in January, and Dr. Perman agreed to move up his transition.  Both are showing great flexibility and leadership.”

Caret will take a sabbatical before returning to the faculty of Towson University, where he has spent much of his career in various roles, including as a professor of chemistry and president of the university, under the terms of his employment agreement.

“We are grateful for (Caret’s) dedication, leadership and innovative spirit — and his legacy of success at USM is assured,” Linda Gooden, chair of the University System of Maryland Board of Regents, said in a statement. “We wish him well as he moves on to his next challenge.”

As chancellor, Perman will have the same base salary of $960,744 that he made as president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore. He will also be eligible for up to $57,000 in deferred compensation.

Caret’s salary as chancellor last year was $642,600.

Unlike Caret, Perman will not live at Hidden Waters, the three-story Georgian mansion that sits on 120 acres in Pikesville and which has served as the official residence of system chancellors. Instead, he will receive a housing allowance.

Hidden Waters will be repurposed so it can be used for systemwide events and meetings, McDonough wrote.

Jarrell has been the university’s executive vice president and provost since 2017 and its chief academic and research officer and dean of the graduate school since 2012.

“The university couldn’t be in better hands than Dr. Jarrell’s,” Perman said in a statement. “I’ve worked with Bruce for 20 years, and I know well his deep dedication to the students, faculty, and staff of UMB. I know that the university will continue to rise in prominence under Bruce’s leadership because that’s exactly what happened when he assumed responsibility for our academic enterprise seven years ago. I credit Bruce with a lot of our success over the last decade.”

A search committee for a new president at the university is expected to be named in the next few weeks. The search process is expected to take five-to-six months, the system said in a release.