August 2009 Press
Release
For immediate
release: August 3, 2009 Media Contact: Christopher Falkenhagen
Communications
(410) 260-4511
MHEC's July 2009 Report for Governor Martin O'Malley
July 1, 2009: Secretary Lyons made a site visit to Capitol College where school
officials discussed the campus’ mission and achievements.
July 6, 2009: BRAC Coordinator and BRAC Researcher attended a meeting of the
Internship Clearinghouse Committee at DBED.
July 7, 2009: MHEC officially went live on the social networking site, Twitter.
July 8, 2009: BRAC Coordinator and BRAC Researcher met with Defense Information
Systems Agency’s (DISA) Dr. Pamela Clay for an update on their higher education
efforts.
July 10, 2009: Director of Communications attended Smart, Green and Growing
marketing meeting with colleagues in other State agencies at Maryland Department
of Transportation headquarters in Hanover. Various SG&G handouts were passed
out. Also discussed were the Schaefer and Chesapeake Bay Trust polls with
answers to questions from those who were polled about the Chesapeake Bay and
Marylanders’ environmental concerns.
July 10, 2009: Director of Communications handed out hundreds of Smart, Green
and Growing informational materials and discussed Governor O’Malley’s initiative
to attendees at the Bowie Baysox game in Bowie. The reception was exceptional
and the fans were receptive to the SG&G messaging and Governor O’Malley.
July 11, 2009: Secretary Lyons attended the Nri Progressive Union (MD, VA, DC)
Extravaganza. The Nri Progressive Union is made up prominent Nigerian residents
of the Washington-Metropolitan area. Secretary Lyons spoke briefly about
Governor O’Malley’s strong commitment to diversity and read a Governor’s
Citation. The NRI Progressive Union is raising funds to build a hospital in
Nigeria. Secretary Lyons and his wife Jocelyn were presented with a plaque and
given the African name of Nnamdi.
July 13, 2009: Secretary Lyons and Education Policy Analyst participated in a
P-20 Governor’s Leadership Council conference call with Pat Foerster.
July 13, 2009: The Maryland Association of Private Colleges and Career Schools (MAPCCS)
held a training session at MHEC’s building. Secretary Lyons addressed the group
and brought greetings on behalf of Governor O’Malley and Maryland Higher
Education Commission members. MHEC has oversight over more than 170 Private
Career Schools that operate in the State and MHEC has program approval authority
over institutions that operate in Maryland such as the University of Phoenix,
Kaplan University and Strayer University.
July 14, 2009: Secretary Lyons testified before the Joint Legislative Committee
on BRAC to update Senate and House members on higher education initiatives that
are being undertaken by MHEC and the State’s colleges and universities. He then
joined BRAC Executive Director and representative for the Department of
Transportation for a PowerPoint presentation and answered members’ questions.
July 14, 2009: Director of Communications, Governor’s Summer Intern and
Management Associate met with Director of IT and members of the IT department to
discuss the final procedures needed before MHEC goes “live” with its Facebook
page.
July 14, 2009: Director of Communications, Governor’s Summer Intern met with
Assistant Attorney General to discuss disclaimers and other legal issues that
need to be resolved before Facebook page goes live.
July 14, 2009: Assistant Secretary of Finance Policy, GEAR-UP Coordinator and
Governor’s Summer Intern attended a meeting with designer of new web page that
will strictly appeal to middle and high school students encouraging them to
pursue a college degree.
July 15, 2009: Director of Communications and BRAC Coordinator hosted a BRAC
marketing meeting chaired by BRAC Executive Director Asuntha Chiang-Smith. The
group discussed the BRAC website and suggested ways to enhance it as well as
other marketing strategies to people still considering whether to make Maryland
their home when they transfer to Fort Meade or the Aberdeen Proving Grounds as a
result of BRAC.
July 15, 2009: BRAC Coordinator released a Request for Applications (RFA) for
BRAC Higher Education Investment Fund grants. The total amount to be awarded is
$1 million.
July 16, 2009: Secretary Lyons attended the National Forum for Black Public
Administrators (NFBPA) National Leadership Award Dinner with MHEC Commission
member Anwer Hasan in Washington, DC. The mission of the NFBPA is embodied in
the organization's commitment to strengthen the position of African Americans
within the field of public administration.
July 16, 2009: Assistant Secretary of Finance Policy and Finance Policy Director
participated in second University System of Maryland at Hagerstown Center
Workgroup meeting to discuss center and community college/Kaplan University
collaborations.
July 16, 2009: BRAC Coordinator and BRAC Researcher made a site visit to the
Frederick area to meet with business leaders and the presidents of local
colleges.
July 16, 2009: The State Plan editorial board and Director of Communications met
to discuss the design of the glossy 2009 Maryland State Plan for Postsecondary
Education and improvements they believe need to be made to it. The publication
has been outsourced to an outside minority vendor.
July 17, 2009: Director of Communications attended meeting with Carole Hoyle
Gillis, Interim Director of the Construction and Energy Technologies Education
Consortium of the Maryland Community Colleges (CETEC) and DHCD Communications
Director Jacqui Lampell to discuss how to promote the program and to set up a
possible event with Governor O’Malley.
July 18, 2009: Director of Communications handed out hundreds of Smart, Green
and Growing informational materials to attendees at ArtScape in Baltimore City.
He also explained the program and said that Governor O’Malley is gaining
national recognition for this initiative. The reception was good and the
festival goers were generally receptive to the SG&G messaging and Governor
O’Malley.
July 20, 2009: MHEC’s Segmental Advisory Council met. The Council is made up of
the heads of the University System of Maryland (USM), Maryland Independent
College and University Association (MICUA), the Maryland Association of
Community Colleges (MACC), Morgan State University, St. Mary’s College of
Maryland and the Maryland Association of Private Colleges and Career Schools (MAPCCS).
Items discussed included an update on the segments reporting requirements for
their various institutions’ diversity plans which is legislatively mandated; the
potential establishment of a Post Master’s Certificate (12 hours) in teaching;
and consideration by the Segments of whether to join the Maryland Student Loan
Marketplace which would allow students seeking private loans to search a website
for the best potential lender.
July 20, 2009: Secretary Lyons met with the new Dean of Education at Bowie State
University.
July 21, 2009: Secretary Lyons attended the Maryland Construction and Energy
Workforce Solutions Forum sponsored by the Governor’s Workforce Investment Board
meeting where Governor O’Malley gave the keynote speech. Invitees included a
select group of construction and energy industry leaders, public and independent
education and training leaders representing K-12/community
colleges/vocational/technical/trade schools/higher education, associations and
government agencies.
July 22, 2009: Secretary Lyons represented Governor O’Malley at the State
Employees Credit Union (SECU) Scholarship Program. He talked about Governor
O’Malley’s strong commitment to providing $110 million in scholarship money in
his FY 2010 budget which will go to nearly 58,000 students and also how
appreciative he is for businesses across the State such as SECU to provide
scholarship money for students.
July 22, 2009: Director of Finance Policy attended meetings to discuss Capital
Budget for Baltimore City Community College.
July 23, 2009: Secretary Lyons attended the Governor’s cabinet meeting in which
the State’s budget deficit was discussed at length.
July 23, 2009: Director of Finance Policy made a site visit with the Departments
of Budget and Management and Legislative Services to University of Maryland,
Baltimore County.
July 25, 2009: Secretary Lyons represented Governor O’Malley at the IGBERE
Progressive Association (IPAI) annual convention. Secretary Lyons joined
Maryland Congresswoman Donna Edwards (D-4th District) at the event. The
Secretary greeted guests on behalf of Governor O’Malley and then read and
presented a Governor’s Proclamation. Attendees were mostly Nigerians living in
Maryland and Northern Virginia. Their goal at this dinner/dance was to create
additional medical clinics in Nigeria.
July 26, 2009: Secretary Lyons celebrated the 19th anniversary of the signing of
the Americans with Disabilities Act with Governor O’Malley, Department of
Disabilities and Secretary Cathy Raggio. Governor O’Malley issued an executive
order designating October as “Disability History and Awareness Month.” The event
focused on how far society has come in promoting the rights and empowerment of
people with disabilities in their efforts to lead productive, meaningful and
independent lives.
July 27, 2009: Secretary Lyons and BRAC Coordinator attended BRAC Sub-Cabinet
meeting held at Fort Meade to discuss latest developments with base, community
and business leaders as they prepare for re-location of personnel from DISA.
July 27, 2009: Director of Finance Policy made site visit with the Departments
of Budget and Management and Legislative Services to University of Baltimore.
July 28, 2009: Secretary Lyons and MHEC Commission Chair Kevin M. O’Keefe joined
education and business leaders to participate in the Governor’s P-20 Leadership
meeting held at MHEC.
July 28, and 29, 2009: Director of Finance Policy attended meetings to discuss
Capital Budget for all University System of Maryland institutions at Department
of Budget and Management Office of Capital Budget.
July 29, 2009: MHEC was first State agency to join Governor O’Malley’s Green
Registry.
July 30, 2009: Secretary Lyons and Director of Communications attended Capital
for a Day in Rockville. They made visits to The Omega Studios School of Applied
Recording Arts and Sciences, a private career school; Montgomery College where
they met with Vice President (Rockville campus) and Provost Judy Ackerman,
several faculty and staff members and a student representative and officials at
the Camille Kendall Academic Center located at USM’s Shady Grove Higher
Education Center. Secretary Lyons also participated in Governor O’Malley’s
cabinet meeting.
July 31, 2009: Secretary Lyons presided over the College Success Task Force with
his co-chair, Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) Superintendent Dr.
Nancy Grasmick. The College Success Task Force is examining current preK-12 and
higher education policies and practices in the State of Maryland as they relate
to college readiness and college success.
July 31, 2009: Director of Finance Policy made site visit with the Departments
of Budget and Management and Legislative Services to the University of Maryland
College Park.
July 31, 2009: Assistant Secretary of Finance Policy spent her last day on the
job at MHEC getting staff up to speed on open and on-going activities she has
been working on with Director of Finance Policy, Director of Financial
Assistance, BRAC researcher and others.
Private Career Schools
• Associate Director for Workforce Development and PCS Education Analyst,
visited two schools, both for Veterans Affairs Supervisory visit purposes: 7/7:
Blades School of Hair Design; 7/8: Del-Mar-Va Beauty School.
• Also associated with Veterans Affairs, Associate Director for Workforce
Development attended an all-day VA Chapter 33 (Post 9-11 GI Bill) workshop on
7/9.
• Associate Director for Workforce Development, as the staff member responsible
for Solicitor’s Permits, reviewed and submitted to Assistant Secretary for
Planning and Academic Affairs’ 28 Solicitor’s Permits for renewal.
• Held two training meetings for 80 PCS officials concerning State reporting
requirements.
• Hosted a meeting of the Maryland Association of Private Colleges and Career
Schools (MAPCCS) for 45 teachers.
• Approved two new programs.
• Two school approvals were renewed.
• One supplemental training site was approved.
• Two changes of locations for schools were approved.
• One supplemental training site was approved.
• Seven school compliance site visits for Veterans Affairs conducted.
• Three State school compliance visits conducted.
• Two meetings were held with new school applicants.
Community College Continuing Education
• Associate Director for Workforce Development, with data entry by
Administrative Assistant Alice Legum, processed 61 continuing education course
applications for FTE funding.
• ONGOING: Associate Director for Workforce Development, in conjunction with
MHEC IT staff, continues to develop a process for continuing education course
applications for FTE funding to be available online. The practice CC10 Word form
continues to be tested. Ultimately, this online process will allow the MHEC
inventory of continuing education courses to be publicly viewable online. Target
implementation date October 1, 2009, with testing throughout FY2010.
• ONGOING: The first 10 chapters of the continuing education manual have been
updated and distributed for review. The remaining chapters will be completed and
distributed the first week of August. It will be put online when the electronic
online application process is complete. Target implementation date: October 1,
2009, with testing throughout FY2010.
Workforce Development / WIA
• Associate Director for Workforce Development, attended one workforce related
meeting on 7/28 (GWIB Interagency Workgroup meeting).
Records from Closed Institutions of Postsecondary Education
• Administrative Support Aide, under Associate Director for Workforce
Development’s signature, responded to 16 requests for transcripts from closed
schools and 4 education verification requests
Academic Common Market
• Administrative Support Aide responded to 86 calls concerning Academic Common
Market.
Office of Grants
Over the course of the month the MHEC Office of Grants Staff and Outreach Staff
completed the following activities:
• College Preparation Intervention Program (CPIP) Grant Program: Continued to
work on finalizing awards and worked with a vendor to develop the early
intervention website for GEAR UP/CPIP.
• Improving Teacher Quality Grant Program (ITQ): Verified and issued final
payments to five sub-grantees, conducted four site visits, presented one
technical assistance workshop and attended a webinar regarding the Race to the
Top USDE grant program.
• Maryland College Access Challenge Grant Program (MCACGP): Conducted several
site visits and closing ceremonies for summer projects in Baltimore City and
Prince George’s County and received 14 proposals from higher education
institutions and non-profit organizations for Year 2, Round 3 of the MCAGP.
• Nurse Support Program II (NSP II): Conducted site visits and visits to
unfunded schools of nursing and issued award notifications, congratulatory
letters and copies of award invoices to 21 new program directors.
Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA)
Sent information to State Legislators that identify late financial aid
applicants for the 2009-2010 academic year. Late applicants are those students
who filed their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) between March
2, 2009 and June 1, 2009. Legislators will use this information to make
additional awards.
Made renewal awards for the Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraqi Conflicts (VAIC)
Scholarship for the 2009-2010 academic year to 82 students. Also, made 42
initial VAIC Scholarship awards to new applicants for the 2009-2010 academic
year.
The Maryland Higher Education Commission is a 12-member coordinating board
responsible for establishing statewide policies for Maryland public and
independent colleges and universities and private career schools. It serves as
an advocate for more than 337,000 college students in Maryland, for the State
and its needs, and for business and industry in Maryland.
####
November 14, 2011,
our new address is 6
N. Liberty St., Baltimore, MD 21201 | Phone: (410)
767-3301 | Toll Free: (800) 974-0203
