Maryland Higher Education Commission

June 2009 Press Release

 

 

For immediate release: June 5, 2009                                                        Media Contact: Christopher Falkenhagen

                                                                                                                           Communications: (410) 260-4511

 

 

MHEC's May 2009 Report for Governor O'Malley

May 1-31, 2009: MHEC staff responded to 21 e-mails and letters sent to the Governor’s office to reply to questions and concerns about issues such as receiving financial assistance or problems they are encountering with postsecondary institutions in Maryland.

May 5, 2009: Secretary Lyons attended the Governor’s P-20 Leadership Council meeting of which he is a member.

May 6, 2009: Secretary Lyons was master of ceremonies at the MHEC Employee Recognition Day where he brought thanks from Governor O’Malley for their service to the State. Certificates of Appreciation signed by Governor O’Malley and Lt. Governor Brown were handed out to employees who had achieved five, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years of State service.

May 7, 2009: Secretary Lyons attended the Regional State Roundtable of Governors' meeting which included senior staff and agency leaders responsible for implementing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. Governor O’Malley hosted the event and invited eight states (CT, DE, MA, NJ, NY, PA, RI, and VA) and the District of Columbia to participate. The event was to share the work underway in Maryland as well as leveraging knowledge in the field from other key states in the region that are early implementers of ARRA. Maryland was recognized as a leader in this effort by Vice President Biden.

May 7, 2009: Secretary Lyons and some MHEC staff members attended Governor O’Malley’s bill signing at the State Capital.

May 8, 2009: Secretary Lyons was featured speaker at the Statewide Transfer Professionals Day held at Stevenson University. He brought greetings on behalf of Governor O’Malley and Lt. Governor Brown saying this administration is the best he’s ever worked for when it comes to the importance of higher education.

May 6, 2009: Director of Communications attended National Parks Networking Meeting sponsored by Maryland Public Television at the Easton Public Library to discuss how to promote Maryland’s State Parks and their value to the general public and to watch a snippet of Ken Burns’ upcoming documentary, “The National Parks: America’s Greatest Idea.” Thirteen communications directors from various State agencies were invited to participate in various MPT forums which were held at different dates and locations throughout Maryland.

May 8, 2009: Director of Communications met with Rick Abbruzzese, Frank Pirelli and his colleagues in various State agencies to discuss how to promote the Governor’s Smart, Green and Growing initiative and the SG&G website.

May 11, 2009: Secretary Lyons and MHEC BRAC Coordinator attended the Maryland Military Installation Council Meeting.

May 11, 2009: Secretary Lyons and Assistant Secretary for Finance Policy attended a “Roundtable on College Affordability with University and College Presidents and Financial Aid Representatives,” sponsored by House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer. The event was a listening tour by Congressman Hoyer with 5th District college presidents, higher education officials in the State of Maryland, and invited guest, U.S. Department of Education Deputy Undersecretary Robert Shireman, who serves as chief adviser for college financial issues and other higher education initiatives at the Department. The purpose of this listening session was to not only learn more about President Obama’s initiatives for higher education, especially with respect to college affordability and access, but also to discuss the role of Congress in enacting these policies.

May 13, 2009: MHEC’s Education Policy Committee met. The agenda included a public meeting on 2009 Maryland State Plan for Postsecondary Education, proposed regulation for the Associate of Science in Engineering Degree (ASE), report on retention and graduation rates at Maryland four-year institutions, update on out-of-state regulations, batch submissions of program proposals, report on private career schools: Approval actions from March 1-April 30, 2009 and minimum requirements for in-State degree-granting institutions regulations and recommendation for final action.

May 13, 2009: BRAC Coordinator and Director of Communications attended a meeting led by the Lt. Governor’s BRAC Executive Director Asuntha Chiang-Smith to discuss how to market BRAC initiatives aimed at incoming residents to Maryland as well as those who already live here and may have questions how BRAC will positively affect their lives.

May 13, 2009: Director of Communications and BRAC Researcher attended the Green Economy Working Group to discuss the importance of creating and promoting green jobs in Maryland. DLLR Assistant Secretary Andy Moser chaired the meeting. Director of Communications provided an update on the Construction and Energy Technologies Education Consortium of the Maryland Community Colleges (CETEC). CETEC addresses the training and workforce recruitment needs of Maryland businesses through the collaborative efforts of Maryland’s community colleges.

May 14, 2009: MHEC’s Finance Policy Committee met. The agenda included a public hearing on 2009 State Plan for Postsecondary Education, student financial assistance program guideline revisions, FY 2011 operating budget priorities, FY 2011 community colleges capital budget priorities, FY 2011 capital budget priorities for public four-year colleges and universities, FY 2010 Higher Education Budget Summary, FY 2011 Community College Construction Grant Program State and Local Cost-Sharing Formula, report on the private donation incentive grant program, FY 2010 Educational Excellence Award Update, College Access Challenge Grant Awards, and Nurse Support Program II (NSP II) Competitive Institutional Grant Awards.

May 15, 2009: Secretary Lyons participated in the graduation ceremonies at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Governor O’Malley was the commencement speaker.

May 15, 2009: Director of Communications met with Partnership Development subgroup members of the Governor’s Smart, Green and Growing outreach committee to discuss strategies on how to educate Maryland’s colleges, universities and private career schools, local and big business, church, social and civic organizations on spreading the word about sustainability and climate change in Maryland.

May 16, 2009: Director of Communications participated as a “State Senator” during a mock legislative hearing held by the Governor’s Office for Children’s Maryland Youth Advisory Council. Student members of boards of educations around the State testified on behalf of full voting rights as board members while the mock legislative committee asked a series of questions and made comments regarding the many issues that generally have prevented counties in the State to deny full voting rights such as personnel issues, redistricting and multi-million dollar budgets.

May 18, 2009: MHEC’s Segmental Advisory Council met. Items discussed included higher education funding for 2010, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, how to make Maryland’s college and university’s websites more accessible for constituents and reciprocity agreements between colleges and universities in Virginia, New Jersey and Maryland when it comes to accepting college credit courses upon their moving from one state to another because of BRAC relocation.

May 19, 2009: Secretary Lyons and BRAC Coordinator teleconferenced with Dr. Heather Sherry of the Florida Department of Education to discuss the common numbering system of higher education courses at Florida’s institutions. Maryland is currently trying to develop a consistent numbering system for all of their two- and four-year public and independent institutions.

May 20, 2009: MHEC’s full commission held its annual retreat. In order to save money, the Commission stayed in the MHEC building and did not go off site as it usually does. During the wide-ranging meeting, discussions included exploring a strategic direction for MHEC, the growing role of for-profit institutions in Maryland higher education; MHEC’s program review and approval process; creating a longitudinal data system to trackstudent success from P-12 through college and an update on the 2009 Maryland State Plan for Postsecondary Education.

May 20, 2009: Director of Communications met with University System of Maryland Associate Chancellor for Communications Anne Moultrie to discuss ways in which the System could work with MHEC to better coordinate the Governor’s Smart, Green and Growing and Census outreach message.

May 21, 2009: Secretary Lyons attended the 8th Annual Power of a Dream reception sponsored by the U.S. Dream Academy. The U.S. Dream Academy based out of Columbia, MD, provides after-school mentoring and technology training programs for at-risk children.

May 21, 2009: Secretary Lyons attended a workforce summit at Stevenson University.

May 21, 2009: Director of Communications discussed the Governor’s Smart, Green and Growing initiative with the Executive Director of the Maryland Catholic Conference. The Vatican has recently identified climate change as a “moral imperative.” Many Catholic churches in the Baltimore and Washington Archdiocese have introduced sustainability programs within their parishes.

May 22, 2009: Secretary Lyons participated in commencement activities at Towson University where California’s University System Dr. Charles Reid received an honorary doctorate.

May 22, 2009: Secretary Lyons participated in a conference call with members of the board of directors of the U.S. Dream Academy.

May 27, 2009: Assistant Secretary of Finance Policy met with Senator Don Munson to discuss a Joint Chairmen’s Report Study requested of MHEC on the University System of Maryland at Hagerstown. The study is due September 1, 2009.

May 27, 2009: Secretary Lyons and Chief of Staff met with the Director of the National Security Agency to discuss a proposed STEM academy envisioned by U.S. Representative Dutch Ruppersberger.

May 27, 2009: Director of Communications held in-house meeting with MHEC’s Census outreach committee to brainstorm ideas on ways the agency could use its collective contacts in the academic, business, church and civic communities to best market the 2010 Census.

May 28, 2009: Director of Communications joined his colleagues at other State agencies to discuss the latest updates on Governor O’Malley’s Smart, Green and Growing initiative.

May 29, 2009: Assistant Secretary for Finance Policy participated in a conference call with representatives of the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation to discuss Federal Pell Grant eligibility of Unemployment Insurance recipients. Discussions focused on outreach efforts for UI recipients and providing training and information to DLLR staff which can be used to best advice individuals contacting their offices.

May 29, 2009: Secretary Lyons was the guest on Maryland Public Television’s “State Circle.” He discussed a series of issues facing higher education in Maryland and told host Jeff Salkin that Governor O’Malley has done a great job addressing the issue of affordability at Maryland’s postsecondary schools in the State.

May 31, 2009: Secretary Lyons represented Governor O’Malley at a dinner reception honoring India’s new Ambassador to the United States. He sat with India’s ambassador and discussed Governor O’Malley’s “One Maryland” approach to governing.

Private Career Schools

• Dean Kendall, Associate Director for Workforce Development and PCS Education Analyst, performed one school visits along with Les Bennett and Andrea McLendon (Millennium Training Services, Inc., 5/1). These three staff members also meet with MTS students on 5/7.

• Mr. Kendall, as the staff member responsible for Solicitor’s Permits, reviewed and submitted to Dr. George Reid two Solicitor’s Permits for renewal.

Community College Continuing Education

• Dean Kendall, Associate Director for Workforce Development, with data entry by Administrative Assistant Alice Legum, processed 394 continuing education course applications for FTE funding.

• Mr. Kendall, along with IT staff Robyn Brayton, attended a 5/11 meeting with community colleges continuing education members to discuss the ongoing revisions to develop an online electronic CC10 process and CC manual.

• ONGOING: Mr. Kendall, 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 continuing education manual is being updated as the above process evolves. 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

• Dean Kendall, Associate Director for Workforce Development and acting as 2009 State Plan for Higher Education Goal 5 Facilitator, attended three meetings on the draft State Plan (5/13, 5/15, 5/22).

• Attended two CTE related meetings, one for the Governor’s CTE Task Force (5/5), and one Perkins IV Monitoring visit (Cecil College and Cecil County Public Schools, 5/4).

• Participated in one GWIB Youth Workforce Summit (5/21).

Records from Closed Institutions of Postsecondary Education

• Alice Legum, under Dean Kendall’s signature, responded to 23 requests for transcripts from closed schools and 6 education verification request

Academic Common Market

Alice Legum responded to 58 calls concerning Academic Common Market.

Office of Grants

May 1 Attended the statewide GEAR UP meeting in Salisbury, Maryland.

May 4-29 Conducted Nurse Support Program II site visits to the University of Maryland, Allegany College, Prince George’s Community College, Community College of Baltimore County, Stevenson University, and Johns Hopkins University.

May 5 Held Project Director’s Meeting for Round Two Maryland College Access Challenge Grant Program grantees.

May 7 Held a pre-proposal conference for potential bidders in response to the Task Order Request for Proposals (TORFP) released on April 23, 2009. The TORFP sought a web design contractor to develop an early intervention website for high school students.

May 8 Co-chaired the Nurse Support Program II Project Directors Meeting.

May 12 Site visit conducted by the United States Department of Education for the Maryland College Access Challenge Grant Program. The site visit took place at Charles Carroll Middle School in New Carrollton, Maryland.

May 13 Reviewer meeting held for the College Preparation Intervention Program.

May 13 Attended the Health Services Cost Review Commission where 21 new Nurse Support II projects were approved for funding.

May 14 Maryland College Access Challenge Grant Program (MCACGP) technical assistance meeting held for Round 3.

May 18-22 Discussed Interim Report requirements with six Improving Teacher Quality Grant grantees; reports are due June 15, 2009.

May 18-22 Preliminary award notification made for the College Preparation Intervention Program.

May 19 Met with Catherine Crowley of the Maryland Hospital Association (MHA) to discuss further cooperation and integration in implementing the MHA's "Who Will Care" initiative and MHEC's NSP II initiative to maximize efficiencies.

May 19 Met with staff at the Center for Minorities in Science and Engineering at the University of Maryland to discuss their College Preparation Intervention Program project.

May 21 Responded to State Higher Education Executive Officer – Improving Teacher Quality Collaborative query regarding success rates with various grant cycles and Request for Application (RFA) requirements for program evaluation.

May 21 Maryland College Access Challenge Grant Program (MCACGP) technical assistance meeting held for Round 3.

May 22 Compiled federal grants data for the Governor’s Grants Office Annual Report.

May 22 Proposal review meeting held for the early intervention website design project.

May 26 Conducted site visit at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County to observe the Improving Teacher Quality grant funded program titled The Intensive Summer Language Institute for Teacher of Spanish.

May 27-28 Contractor oral presentations held for the early intervention website design project.

Over the course of the month:

Balanced FY 2009 Improving Teacher Quality Administrative and Institutional Month accounts year to date.

Reviewed and advised grantees regarding requests for changes to Improving Teacher Quality projects at Community College of Baltimore County, Morgan State University, University of Maryland, and Salisbury University.

Discussed and collected summer grant program schedules from eight Improving Teacher Quality grantees.

Reviewed interim and final reports for the College Preparation Intervention Program.

Reviewed grant applications for the FY 2010 cycle of the College Preparation Intervention Program.

Advised College Preparation Intervention Program grantees on project revisions for the FY 2010 cycle.

Reviewed proposals submitted in response to the early intervention website design TORFP.

Office of Student Financial Assistance

May 1-31, 2009: Continued with testing of MD CAPS, the new State scholarship financial aid system, which is being developed for Maryland. This system will give greater functionality through web access to students, parents, legislators, financial aid officers, and MHEC staff.

May 1-31, 2009: Began to receive legislative award information from State senators and delegates for the 2009-2010 academic year. Legislators are given an appropriation annually that they can use to give scholarships to their constituents. OSFA staff enters the scholarship information into our database to award the funds through the appropriate institution.

May 29, 2009: Distinguished Scholar Talent in the Arts Competition began and will continue through June 6, 2009 at Howard Community College. Approximately 800 students will perform or show their portfolios in dance, instrumental music, vocal music, drama, and visual arts to compete for approximately 80 Distinguished Scholar - Talent scholarships.
 

 

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 326,000 college students in Maryland, for the State and its needs, and for business and industry in Maryland.

 

 

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