Like the University System of Maryland's Board of Regents, Morgan's 15-member governing board is appointed by the governor and charged with making major academic and financial policy decisions and overseeing the administration. The board meets at least four times a year, and most members, who are appointed to a six-year term, are also assigned to one of two committees: Finance and Facilities or Academic and Student Affairs.
In addition to missing about one-third of board meetings since 2000, Mfume, the former head of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, has also missed the past eight meetings of the regents' finance committee, according to board minutes obtained under Maryland's Public Information Act. William R Roberts, a regent and president of Verizon Maryland, has missed seven of the past eight finance committee meetings, in addition to more than a third of full-board meetings since he was appointed in 2001. Committee meetings are not subject to the state's 50-percent attendance law, said Raquel Guillory, a spokeswoman for the attorney general's office.
Mfume, currently a surrogate speaker for Barack Obama's presidential campaign, said his absences were because of scheduling conflicts. "I participate very vigorously at meetings that I attend," he said.
The seven-member finance committee oversees the business and financial policies of the university, including the procurement practices being investigated by the attorney general's criminal division. In February, the Facilities and Finance Committee met and discussed the audit. Mfume was absent.
Del. Norman H. Conway, chairman of a House of Delegates committee that was sharply critical of the Morgan regents' leadership during this year's legislative session, said he thinks the General Assembly should address the regents' attendance problems next year.
"You have to demonstrate your leadership and commitment by your attendance, and I think there may very well be a need to reiterate the significance of the roles that they play," said Conway, a Wicomico County Democrat whose committee oversees Morgan's budget.
Other Morgan regents with spotty attendance include retired Gen. Johnnie E. Wilson, who has missed nearly half of meetings held since 2000. Malcom has missed 17 of the past 34 board meetings.
In December 2007, Dallas R. Evans, chairman of Morgan's Board of Regents, asked the governor to excuse excessive absences by Malcom. Under state law, the governor may waive excessive absences, and in this case he did, Abbruzzese said.
