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References 1. Berman, D. (2007, May 25). MBA programs on the rise in Maryland, across the nation. Daily Record. |
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•Legislative Wrap Up from President Caret •Alumni Legislators •Current Bills in Legislation Regarding Higher Education •New in the News •Tiger Tracks •TAP Resources |
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The Cherry Hill Learning Zone initiative represents a partnership among the Baltimore City Public School System, Baltimore City government, Towson University and Cherry Hill's grassroots organizations. Click here to learn more about the Cherry Hill Learning Zone. |
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Maryland tuition freeze may stay in place—WBALTV.com |
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TIGER TRACKS GET CONNECTED! Register now and explore these exciting features at www.tutigertracks.com Social & Professional Networking — Alumni Directory Questions? Contact the Office of Alumni Relations at alumni@towson.edu or 800-887-8152 |
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Higher Education Legislative Review Bills Passed with USM Support House Bill 689 – Access to Public Records HB689 is a privacy protection bill for the students, faculty and staff that comprise the USM. HB689 requires that any request by a person or entity wanting to inspect a record containing personal information be made in writing and sent by first-class mail. Moreover, if the information is requested for commercial purposes, a denial is permissible of the part of the record containing personal information. House Bill 1210 – Credit Cards and Student Applicants HB1210 requires institutions of higher education to develop policies regarding credit card marketing activities and merchandising conducted on the campus by credit card issuers. HB1210 began as an outright ban on the solicitation or marketing by credit card issues on USM campuses. Given the diversity of rules governing such activity from one USM campus to the next, sponsors and opponent were able to come to agreement on several key points. Senate Bill 208/House Bill 376 – High Performance Buildings Act SB208 mandates that new or renovated state funded buildings must be constructed as energy efficient. USM supported this legislation enthusiastically, and in January, Chancellor Kirwan testified in support. Towson is already incorporating energy efficient materials and technology in our current construction projects. Additionally, Dr. Caret has signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. The Commitment will help inform strategies for campus sustainability and energy efficiency, as they relate to new facility construction, renovation, and operation. Senate Bill 438/House Bill 905 – Plans for Cultural Diversity SB438 requires USM campuses to report findings regarding cultural diversity planning at their respective institution. At Towson our programmatic efforts to increase inclusion and diversity remain substantial and ongoing. SB438 allows public higher education to reaffirm and strengthen a shared commitment to become more culturally competent and engaged. Referrals to the Commission to Develop the Maryland Model for Funding Higher Education There were several bills this session that involve funding for higher education. These bills will be discussed as the Funding Commission meets this summer. House Bill 1388 – Maryland Truth in Tuition Act HB1388 would have required the development of a long-term tuition plan for public higher education institutions to ensure that students are informed of the tuition that will be charged for 4 academic years of enrollment. Senate Bill 623/House Bill 1501 – Tuition Cap and College Opportunity Act of 2008 SB623/HB1501 would have required the State to provide General Fund support for the USM and Morgan State University to achieve 100% of the Maryland Higher Education Commission funding guidelines by 2014. Senate Bill 867 -- Blount-Rawlings-Britt HBI Comparability Program SB867 would have established the Blount-Rawlings-Britt HBI Comparability Program to provide supplemental funding assistance to the State's public 4-year historically black institutions (HBIs). If passed it would have required the Governor to provide funds for MHEC to distribute to HBIs for operating and capital budgets. USM Defeated Bills House Bill 538/HB 1220 -- Collective Bargaining for Adjunct Faculty and Graduate Student Employees HB538 as written would have extended collective bargaining rights to adjunct faculty and graduate students –it was defeated in March. Current Maryland law prohibits unionization activity by “a student employee, including a teaching assistant or a comparable position, fellow, or post doctoral intern” in addition to a “contingent, contractual, or temporary employee whose position is funded through a research or service grant or contract, or through clinical revenues.” Bills that Died in Committee or on the Floor Senate Bill 49 – Review of Duplicative Academic Programs Thank you for your assistance in conveying Towson’s opposition to this bill. The legislative session ended without a Senate vote on SB49. SB49 would have required the Maryland Higher Education Commission to re-review its decision to grant Towson University and the University of Baltimore the joint MBA degree. The bill would have also introduced judicial review by the courts into the academic program approval process. SB49 may have died for 2008, but the bill’s sponsor vowed to introduce the legislation next session, and each session thereafter. Senate Bill 464 – Program Duplication SB464 would have required the MHEC to adopt regulations that establish definitions for determining unreasonable duplication of program. As amended, SB464 outlined nine key factors in the analysis of whether an academic program is unreasonably duplicative including, but not limited to: the degree to be awarded, an analysis of market demand, and whether a cooperative program between the institutions may be feasible to eliminate or reduce unnecessary duplication. SB464 died in the House Appropriations Committee. Senate Bill 952 -- Task Force on the Use of College Entrance Examinations for Admission to Public Institutions of Higher Education As introduced, Senate Bill 952 would have prohibited a public institution of higher education from conditioning admission on a student’s score on a scholastic aptitude test or an equivalent nationally accepted college entrance examination. USM opposed the bill stating that the bill was “premature” and substantial differences in funding, curricula, grading, and rigor exist among Maryland’s secondary schools. USM stated that ACT/SAT scores are intended to supplement the secondary school record and help admission officers put local data such as course work, grades, and class rank in a national perspective. The bill was re-written as a taskforce to study the issue but then received an “unfavorable” report by Appropriations and died in committee. House Bill 1067 and Senate Bill 657 -- Textbooks With minutes to go until Sine Die, House Bill 1067 died on the Senate Floor when the chamber rejected concurrence with the House amendments. After toiling for months, legislators couldn’t come to agreement on the scope and reach of several administrative and technical provisions. A number of legislators were interested in finding some solution to the rising cost of textbooks but acknowledged generally that there is no simple answer. As the Session progressed, USM supported many provisions in a number of bills aimed at making textbooks more affordable. However, House and Senate advocates of textbook affordability never came to agreement. USM is deeply concerned about the rising cost of textbooks. Current negotiations regarding the Federal Higher Education Act (HEA) Reauthorization will place most of the responsibility of the high price of textbooks at the feet of the publishing industry. |
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