 5 Questions With...
Michael Schroder
Director, Extended Education and On-line Learning
Q: What is the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) BRAC Financial Literacy project?
A: A grant from MHEC to develop an online resource about financial literacy for the public, especially those considering BRAC or Security Clearance positions. It can be found at: http://www.towson.edu/financialskills/
This website is a free, multi-media resource available to those interested in BRAC-related employment in Maryland. It emphasizes the relationship between personal finances and successful employability in that a person's credit history can impact his/her ability to be hired by agencies which require security clearances. The website consists of seven modules which include: making financial decisions, moving to Maryland and taxes, budgeting and financial services, saving and investing, credit and debt, risk management, identity theft and financial services. These modules highlight particular Maryland laws and lists important resources to those living and working in Maryland. Various representatives from state agencies, non-profit organizations and the private sector are featured in You Tube video clips emphasizing information viewers should know and understand.
Q: What enabled you to create this piece of software?
A: Towson University Extended Education and Online Learning has partnered with other entities in the past to develop online courses and educational resources. TU CIAT played an important role for the instructional design component, and several others - including TU Financial Services and TU CBE Centers (MD Coalition for Financial Literacy) were vital for the content.
Q: Who will benefit?
A: MD as a whole will benefit from the fiscal responsibility and financial education, and economic impact. Specific audiences that will benefit include: individuals who want to check or fix their credit reports, and organizations and companies that want to hire and/or educate a workforce competent in financial literacy.
Target Audiences and uses for the information (i.e. teachers can use sections for classes, employers can use sections for employees, public, military/brac, public, etc.) include: High school & college students seeking certain career paths with certain employers (local, state, federal agencies), Military personnel, Primary employees working directly for BRAC-related organizations, Secondary employees (contractors) working on BRAC projects, and Tertiary employees (entry level)
"This wesite made me aware of how my personal finances impact my ability to get a job requiring a security clearance. It motivated me to want to learn more." - David, college senior, age 21.
Q: Why is this module layout important and what impact will the project have?
A: The online resource was developed in module format so individuals can either complete each module in sequence or can just complete those modules they are interested in. Teachers can adopt components from the modules for utilization in their courses and/or human resource departments for organizations can use on their website for employee assistance and orientation.
Q: How does this project fit in with the work done through Towson's Division of Economic and Community Outreach?
A: This project definitely accomplishes DECO's objective of working on projects that bring together multiple entities across campus that produce applied research to disseminate knowledge to the general public or specific audiences.
Culminating the 2010 Plan
With a beautiful and ever-improving 328-acre landscape, Towson University has had more than a half a billion dollars in construction projects completed, planned, or underway in the last six years. In 2005, we opened new doors to the Center for the Arts. In 2007 a new Childcare Center opened on Auburn Drive and the Towsontown Garage expansion provided more than 500 new much-needed parking spaces. In the fall of 2008, nearly 670 new beds in the West Village's new Paca and Tubman Houses were the first phase of two phases of housing west of Osler Drive. West Village phase two, two more residence halls are now underway and scheduled to open in Fall 2011. The West Village Commons Building, an 85,000 square-foot second student union, is currently under construction and will open Summer 2011. The first phase and 100,000 square feet of the LEED silver-certified College of Liberal Arts opened to students, faculty and staff in Fall 2009, the second phase of the 250,000 square-foot project is set to open Fall 2011. Construction on the 5,000-seat Towson Center Arena Addition is scheduled to begin next summer with a 2013 opening.
2010 Plan | Report Card | Guiding Principles
New in the News
Read up on the latest higher education issues that have appeared in the news recently:
 Legislative Bills
Budget Update:
Thank you for your emails, letters and phone calls to your legislators. The budget process is underway in Annapolis and your contacts are making a difference for higher education.
Yesterday the Education and Economic Development Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee made its decisions regarding the FY2011 Operating Budget. The actions taken which effect the USM directly include:
- An additional reduction of the USM fund balance by $10M for a total reduction of $61,731,321 from the USM fund balance for FY2011.
- A cut of $2M to the USM budget for the purpose of obtaining additional savings from the dismantling of the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute (UMBI).
Last year the Board of Regents eliminated UMBI's central administrative functions while the research centers were transferred to USM's research institutions and the educational outreach component was transferred to Towson University. The remaining central administration state funds of $2M relate to current services costs that will continue in FY 2011, such as technology transfer and facilities operation and renewal. The USM participating institutions have stated that full funding of the current core research program and related facilities is critical to move this restructuring forward.
Today, the Senate of Maryland passed the Governor's budget. The cut made to higher education in the Senate version is an additional reduction of the USM fund balance by $3.8M for a total reduction of $55,532,294 from the USM fund balance for FY2011. The budget (SB140) and the budget reconciliation and financing act (SB141) can be found here.
SB140 Budget Bill (Fiscal Year 2011)
SB141 Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2010
Please continue to communicate your thoughts regarding higher education funding with your legislators. Your elected officials can be contacted by using the USM's Government Relations page which will allow you two options for letters you may customize regarding higher education funding and send directly to your legislator.
USM link: http://www.usmd.edu/usm/legislative_relations/
Thank you for your advocacy for higher education in Maryland.
Bill Information:
The following bills have been introduced to the legislature recently:
- SB 702 Tuition Cap and College Opportunity Act of 2010. Assigned to Senate Budget & Taxation. Hearing 3/24 at 1:15 pm.
- SB 979 Public-Private Partnerships - Oversight. Assigned to Senate Budget & Taxation. Hearing 3/24 at 1:15 pm.
- SB 998 State Budget. Assigned to Senate Budget & Taxation. Hearing 3/24 at 1:15 pm.
- SB 1081 Rebate Programs for Retail Sales -- Collection of Sales and Use Tax. Assigned to Senate Budget & Taxation. Hearing 3/25 at 1:00 pm.
- SB 1124 University System of Maryland - Audits - Communicating Preliminary Findings. Assigned to Senate Budget & Taxation. Hearing 3/25 at 1:00 pm.
- Senate Education Health and Environmental Affairs Committee - Briefing: Online Community College Doctoral Program. 3/23 at 1:00 pm.
For more bill information, please click here.
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