University System

A Pikesville man has filed an Open Meetings Act violation complaint against the Baltimore County Council, alleging that citizens didn't get proper notice of a meeting where they could have testified about the county's new stormwater fee. The council voted 5-2 on April 15 to approve the fee, which they discussed at a work session the week before. County officials say they properly advertised that work session, where the council also discussed other bills. In his complaint to the state's Open Meetings Compliance Board, Ralph Jaffe said four people testified about the fee at the work session - a fact that he said indicates people didn't know about the meeting.

Coppin State University is a mess, and the problems go well beyond its abysmal six-year graduation rate of 15 percent. A report to the University System of Maryland Board of Regents by a committee assigned to study the school in the wake of former President Reginald Avery's departure found massive mismanagement, inefficiency and indifference. The state puts more resources per student into Coppin than any other institution in the university system, and it gets the least return. That's bad for the taxpayers, but it's worse for the students whose dreams of advancement go unfulfilled.

Maryland's in-state undergraduates will pay a few hundred dollars more per semester this fall under a new tuition-and-fee plan approved Wednesday by the university system's Board of Regents. Out-of-state students will be hit a little harder, paying as much as $1,060 more, for example, at the University of Maryland, College Park. The plan marks the fourth year that tuition for resident undergraduates at most Maryland schools has gone up 3 percent — an increase characterized by university system officials as moderate and lower than many states.

Maryland's in-state undergraduates will pay a few hundred dollars more per semester this fall under a new tuition-and-fee plan approved Wednesday by the university system's Board of Regents. Out-of-state students will be hit a little harder, paying as much as $1,060 more, for example, at the University of Maryland, College Park. The plan marks the fourth year that tuition for resident undergraduates at most Maryland schools has gone up 3 percent — an increase characterized by university system officials as moderate and lower than many states.

Coppin State University should enroll higher-caliber freshmen, focus more on transfer and returning students, and reorganize its academics and administration, a committee plans to report Wednesday to the University System of Maryland Board of Regents. The recommendations, from a panel convened in December to study Coppin State, are meant to turn around the stressed institution, one of Maryland's four historically black colleges and universities. The school has one of the lowest six-year graduation rates for first-time, full-time students in the country at 15 percent as of fiscal year 2012 and is underenrolled by more than 2,000 students, the committee said.

MARYLAND'S STUDENTS, their parents and all Maryland taxpayers should have the full story on the success (or lack thereof) of the operation of the University System of Maryland (USM).Many concerns have been raised regarding whether the current University System, established 10 years ago, is operating in the best interest of students or Maryland's institutions of higher education. As a result, the General Assembly has adopted legislation to establish a task force to study the governance, coordination and funding of the system.

The University System of Maryland could better manage increasing energy costs by signing long-term contracts with providers, a Board of Regents panel is recommending. "We have a huge problem with rising energy costs, just as homeowners and businesses do," said regent James C. Rosapepe, a member of the finance committee. The committee will recommend that the full board allow the largest institution in the system, the University of Maryland, College Park, to seek out natural gas contracts that could affect all university system institutions.

The University System of Maryland's top official has sent a polite "no thank you" to the athletic director of Coppin State College in response to his offer to repay consulting fees paid by the college to former state Sen. Larry Young."

The Maryland Court of Appeals upheld yesterday a ruling rejecting an attempt by University System of Maryland students to challenge a midyear tuition increase assessed at short notice during the winter break last year. The students had sued in Baltimore Circuit Court to block the 5 percent tuition increase, arguing that colleges were violating a contract with students by charging more for the spring semester than advertised. The appeals court agreed with the lower court that tuition rates listed on bills at the start of the school year didn't amount to a contract.

The University System of Maryland is considering putting a center in Hagerstown that would offer graduate and undergraduate degree programs run by institutions in the system."

Coppin State University should enroll higher-caliber freshmen, focus more on transfer and returning students, and reorganize its academics and administration, a committee plans to report Wednesday to the University System of Maryland Board of Regents. The recommendations, from a panel convened in December to study Coppin State, are meant to turn around the stressed institution, one of Maryland's four historically black colleges and universities. The school has one of the lowest six-year graduation rates for first-time, full-time students in the country at 15 percent as of fiscal year 2012 and is underenrolled by more than 2,000 students, the committee said.

A Pikesville man has filed an Open Meetings Act violation complaint against the Baltimore County Council, alleging that citizens didn't get proper notice of a meeting where they could have testified about the county's new stormwater fee. The council voted 5-2 on April 15 to approve the fee, which they discussed at a work session the week before. County officials say they properly advertised that work session, where the council also discussed other bills. In his complaint to the state's Open Meetings Compliance Board, Ralph Jaffe said four people testified about the fee at the work session - a fact that he said indicates people didn't know about the meeting.

Your article on Coppin State University's new science building truly boggles the mind ("Science center may help Coppin close the gap," May 3). The state is spending $80 million for a building the university admits it does not have sufficient funds to operate or maintain. That is a staggering admission. May I suggest one of two other possibilities for that $80 million. For a four-year university with a six-year graduation rate of 15 percent - one of the lowest in the country - how about requiring higher academic standards?

Maravene Loeschke has the full support of the Towson University Foundation, Inc.'s board of directors. In her role as president of Towson University, she is required to ensure that the school is compliant with all federal laws and fiscally responsible academically as well as athletically. These decisions are difficult and sometimes very painful. As stewards of the philanthropic funds coming into the university, the board is responsible for the investment, management and use of those funds and has an obligation to ensure that funds are administered properly and compliant with all laws in the furtherance of the mission of Towson University.

Richard E. "Dick" Hug, a prominent businessman and prolific fundraiser for Republican candidates, died Saturday. He was 78. Mr. Hug was the finance chairman for three Maryland gubernatorial campaigns - Ellen R. Sauerbrey in 1998 and Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. in 2002 and 2006 - becoming known as the $6 million man after he raised that amount for Mrs. Sauerbrey's unsuccessful attempt to unseat Gov. Parris N. Glendening. He belonged to numerous civic boards and associations, including the University System of Maryland Board of Regents, and he served a stint as chairman of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce.

Coppin State University is moving forward with an $80 million Science and Technology Center that it hopes will boost sagging enrollment despite concerns that the West Baltimore school will not have enough money to operate the building. A ceremonial groundbreaking is scheduled May 14, though demolition has been completed and utility work is under way, said Maqbool Patel, Coppin's associate vice president for administration and finance. Completion is expected in early 2015. "We have to create an area that attracts students and faculty," said Patel, describing the quad-like atmosphere the building will create on the south side of West North Avenue at Thomas Avenue.

The task force charged with studying the way Maryland public colleges have been governed for the past 10 years heard its first round of testimony yesterday from college presidents whose main complaint about the system was that not everybody stays within its rules."

As this week's hearing of the state's task force on higher education broke up, Del. Nancy K. Kopp and key state official Patricia S. Florestano were huddled in deep discussion."

The Towson University Board of Visitors fully supports President Maravene Loeschke and her leadership of the University ("Franchot goes too far" April 20). President Loeschke has taken the responsible approach to ensure that Towson athletics are fiscally responsible, compliant with federal Title IX law and competitive in the NCAA Colonial Athletic Association, Division 1 athletic conference. The Board of Visitors is a service and advisory organization of Towson University established to provide advice to the president.

The University of Maryland Medical System is planning to build a $50 million ambulatory care center, for outpatient services, on the campus of Maryland General Hospital. Initial plans for the seven-story structure were revealed at the city's architectural review board Thursday, said Mark Wasserman, senior vice president for external affairs and development for the medical system. The building will be constructed on a now vacant lot at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Linden Avenue in midtown Baltimore, he said.