The Securities and Exchange Commission requires absence rates above 25 percent to be reported to shareholders.
"A board is a real job, and it requires real presence, and I mean presence of body and mind," Minnow said. "If you can't attend, you should resign."
Sen. Joan Carter Conway, a Baltimore Democrat who chairs the Education, Heath and Environmental Affairs Committee, said it's unrealistic to expect perfect attendance at board and committee meetings. "Sure, we would like to have 100 percent participation, but that's not real life."
As long as enough members attend to make a quorum, "I don't necessarily have any concerns," Conway said.
gadi.dechter@baltsun.com
Sun reporter James Drew contributed to this article.
Missed meetings
These members of the Morgan board of regents have missed seven or more meetings in recent years. Details, PG 12A
* Elijah E. Cummings, U.S. congressman from Maryland
* Kweisi Mfume, former congressman and head of NAACP
* Shirley M. Malcom, senior administrator, American Association for the Advancement of Science
* Johnnie E. Wilson, retired Army general:
* William R. Roberts, president of Verizon Maryland
Attendance Records
* Elijah E. Cummings, U.S. congressman from Maryland: Has missed 60 percent of board meetings since 2000, including three of the past four. Appointed to the board in 1999. Reappointed by Gov. Martin O'Malley in 2007.
* Kweisi Mfume, former congressman and head of NAACP: Has missed the past eight meetings of the board's Finance and Facilities Committee, and about one-third of full board meetings since 2000. Appointed in 1989. Reappointed by O'Malley in 2007.
* Shirley M. Malcom, senior administrator, American Association for the Advancement of Science: Has missed 17 of 34 board meetings since 2000. Appointed in 1997.
* Johnnie E. Wilson (picture unavailable), retired Army general: Has missed 16 of 34 board meetings since 2000. Appointed in 1999. Reappointed by O'Malley in 2007.
* William R. Roberts, president of Verizon Maryland: Has missed seven of the past eight meetings of the Finance and Facilities Committee and more than one-third of full board meetings since being appointed in 2001. Reappointed by O'Malley in 2007.
Source: Morgan State University Board of Regents minutes
Online
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