Now, another installment of Midday on Higher Education, our occasional series of conversations with the leadership of the region's colleges and universities. Tom's guest today is Dr. Darryll J. Pines. He was appointed earlier this year to be the 34th President of the University of Maryland, an office he assumed on July 1st. President Pines holds three degree in engineering, including a doctorate from MIT, and he’s been on the faculty at College Park for more than two decades, serving most recently as the Dean of the Engineering School. President Darryll Pines joins Tom on Zoom to talk about how the University of Maryland is confronting the twin challenges of the viral pandemic and the national reckoning on racial justice. Dr. Pines explains how the pandemic has delayed the start of in-person instruction until September 14; and how he hopes to implement his ambitious 12-point plan for the university's future.