The Research Development Office at UMD "encourag[ed] the development of research and public service activities." It first appeared in UMD directories for the 1977-78 academic year. By 1985, it had become the Research Support Office, and at that point or shortly thereafter it became a UMD office for a systemwide program. The name changed again in 1991, to the Office of Research and Technology Transfer Administration, and then again in 1999, to Sponsored Projects Administration, which it remains today. It is still a systemwide program with an office at UMD.