Maryland Higher Education Commission

March 2010 Press Release

 

 

For immediate release: March 11, 2010                                     Media Contact: Christopher Falkenhagen
                                                                                                             Communications: (410) 260-4511

                                                                                                             cfalkenh@mhec.state.md.us

 

MHEC's February 2010 Governor's Report

 

February 1, 2010: Secretary Lyons testified on the Higher Education Overview and MHEC before the House Education and Economic Development Subcommittee. He was joined by University System of Maryland Chancellor William E. “Brit” Kirwan, Tina M. Bjarekull, President of the Maryland Association of Independent College and University Association(MICUA) , Morgan State University President Earl Richardson, Maryland Association of Counties Executive Director Clay Whitlow, Maryland Association of Private Colleges and Career Schools (MAPCCS) representative Donald McMullen (campus president, Fortis College) and a representative from St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

February 2, 2010: Secretary Lyons attended Governor O’Malley’s State of the State address and subsequent governor’s reception.

February 3, 2010: Secretary Lyons, Chief of Staff, Assistant Director of Grants and officials with DBM and the DBED met with Governor's Policy Fellows for 2009-2011. Due to budget constraints, the program has temporarily been suspended.

February 4, 2010: Secretary Lyons and Education Policy Analyst participated in College Success Task Force Conference Call with members of the Maryland State Department of Education.

February 11, 2010: Secretary Lyons provided a higher education briefing before the House Ways and Means Education Subcommittee.

February 16, 2010: Secretary Lyons testified on behalf of House Bill 470 (the Higher Education Investment Fund) before the House Appropriations Committee.

February 16, 2010: Secretary Lyons held exit interview with members of the Office of Legislative Audits.
February 17, 2010: Director of Communications attended monthly meeting of Smart, Green and Growing and Smart Growth Sub-cabinet participants chaired by David Costello.

February 17, 18, 19, 22, 2010: Director of Finance Policy attended USM Overview and USM Office Budget hearings in Senate Budget and Taxation Subcommittee on Health, Education and Human Resources and House Appropriations subcommittee on Education and Economic Development.

February 18, 2010: Secretary Lyons attended the Maryland Highway Safety Foundation Board of Directors press Conference and reception.

February 19, 2010: Secretary Lyons testified on behalf the Higher Education Investment Fund bill, an administration bill before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee.

February 19, 2010: Director of Communications attended monthly meeting of Green Jobs Deliverables.

February 22, 2010: MHEC’s Segmental Advisory Council met. The Council is made up of representatives from the University System of Maryland (USM); the 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 were MHEC’s Memorandum of Understanding with the Higher Education Commission and the Taiwan Ministry of Education that will promote Taiwanese studies in Maryland and Taiwan. Also discussed was the Complete College Alliance of the States (America) which seeks to make college more affordable as well as a legislative update.

February 23, 2010: Secretary Lyons conducted a radio interview with Forest of the Rain, an online radio program. Secretary Lyons discussed higher education in the State and Governor O’Malley’s strong commitment to the State’s two-and four-year public and independent colleges and universities.

February 23, 2010: Held College Savings Plans February Board meeting at MHEC Commission Room.

February 23, 2010: Director of Finance Policy met with Office of Legislative Audits in Exit Conference for 2010 Audit.

February 24, 2010: MHEC held its full commission meeting. Items included a report from the president of the Student Faculty Advisory Council; election of Dr. Joann Boughman as new MHEC vice-chair to replace retiring Dr. Donald Slowinski, Sr.; a legislative update, program approval workgroup and discussion of the Complete College American Alliance of the States program.

February 25, 2010: Secretary Lyons met with the Legislative Black Caucus to discuss higher education issues of importance to the caucus.

February 26, 2010: The Governor’s P-20 Leadership Council met at MHEC. Many issues were discussed including discussion of Race to the Top by Dr. Grasmick; Race to the Top Legislation Overview by John Ratliff; updated from Common Core and College Success Task Force by Secretary Lyons and Dr. Grasmick; an overview of Governor O’Malley’s CyberMaryland initiative by DBED Secretary Christian S. Johansson; a Cyber Security Panel Presentation and Discussion of Workforce and Educational Pipeline issues featuring Rosemary Budd (Principal, CMD Business Development Team, Booz Allen Hamilton), Brian Darmody (USM Special Assistant Vice Chancellor for Technology Development) and Kirkland Murray (President and CEO of Anne Arundel County’s Corporation Workforce). Alexander Sanchez (Secretary of DLLR) provided an overview of the Governor’s Skills2Compete Initiative; A STEM Update from June Streckfus, Executive Director of the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education and an update on Lumina Making Opportunity Affordable Initiative Update presented by Dr. Nancy Shapiro, USM’s Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

February 26, 2010: Director of Communications talked with legislators in support of the Higher Education Investment Fund bill (HB 470, crossfile SB 283).

February 26, 2010: Director of Finance Policy attended Aid to Community Colleges and Scholarship Programs budget hearing in Senate Budget and Taxation subcommittee on Health, Education and Human Resources.

Career and Workforce Development

February 1: MHEC private career school staff met with a new school applicant to provide guidance on bringing his application into compliance.

February 2: MHEC staff met with Senator Harrington and a representative from the Maryland Association of Private Colleges and Career Schools to discuss the MAPCCS proposed legislation to limit private career school financial guarantees.

February 3: The Associate Director of Workforce Development represented MHEC on a Career and Technical Education conference call regarding Perkins IV monitoring of secondary school systems and community colleges.

February 3: MHEC staff attended the GDU education policy and data collection meeting.

February 18: The Associate Director of Workforce Development represented MHEC at the GWIB Interagency Workgroup Committee meeting to discuss Skills2Compete-Maryland.

February 23: MHEC staff met with staff from DHMH Residential Child and Youth Care regarding implementation and compliance with new training regulations.

February 25: MHEC staff completed its Skills2Compete-Maryland Plan and submitted it to the GWIB.

Throughout the month of February:
• 13 State Solicitor Permits were reviewed, processed, and issued.
• 43 community college continuing education course applications for FTE funding were reviewed and processed.
• 18 requests for transcripts from closed schools and 6 education verification requests were processed.
Ongoing:
• MHEC staff continues to test the online CC-10 community college continuing education course application for State funding. When fully implemented, it will be a paperless process which will allow the MHEC inventory of continuing education courses to be publicly viewable online after approval. Testing will occur throughout FY2010, with the anticipated date for going paperless July 1, 2010.
• In accordance with the 2009 State Plan for Higher Education, MHEC continues to develop standardized annual reports for each GWIB Industry Sector that will provide yearly data comparing DOL occupational demand projections with Maryland postsecondary graduation data in related programs. The updated data for the Transportation & Warehousing industry sector was completed February 1st.

Office of Grants

February 1: Testified at the House and Senate budget subcommittee hearings concerning Nursing Support Program II (NSP II)

Feb. 1-15: Reviewed 34 applications for the National STEM Security Initiative (NSSI) project coordinator position

February 2: NSP II site visit to program at Carroll Community College

February 2: Released the College Preparation Intervention Program (CPIP) FY 2011 Request for Applications (RFA). CPIP state funds support college partnership activities (local education agencies, institutions of higher education, and other community organizations and businesses) and serve as the required State match fund for the Maryland federally funded GEAR UP--Focus on Math, the state’s Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs.

February 3: Met with the current Governor Policy Fellows to discuss potential employment sites for the second rotation of the internship, issues related to their first rotation and their fellowship experiences in general.

February 4: NSP II site visit to two programs at the Johns Hopkins University

February 8: Participated in a conference call with representatives from the Maryland State Department of Education to plan for the upcoming federal monitoring visit for the Title IIA Improving Teacher Quality State Grant Program (ITQ).

Feb. 8 – 26: Prepared for a CPIP technical assistance meeting to be held on March 4 on Howard Community College’s Gateway Campus.

February 16: NSP II site visit to two programs at University of Maryland, Baltimore

Feb. 16–19: Reviewed CPIP interim and final reports and provided feedback to project directors.

February 17: NSP II site visit to two programs at Hagerstown Community College

February 17: Conducted a conference call to update Holly Clarke, the federal grants manager for the MHEC NSSI grant project on grant activities

February 18: Conducted nine telephone interviews for the NSSI project coordinator position

February 19: Attended the Governor’s Grants Office Team Meeting

February 22: NSP II site visit to program at Montgomery College

February 23: NSP II site visit to two programs at Harford Community College

February 23: CPIP project site visit for Prince George’s Community College

February 24: ITQ project site visit for the University of Maryland, College Park program – Enhancing Language Competency for Spanish and French Middle and High School Teachers

February 25: CPIP project site visit for Bowie State University

February 26: CPIP project site visit for University of Maryland, College Park

Items ongoing throughout the month of February:

• Processed Spring 2010 GEAR UP Scholarship applications

• Assured Spring 2010 payment of existing Spring 2010 awards in light of new state scholarship system

• Began compiling list of part-time students that may be eligible for a 2010-2011 GEAR UP Scholarship award

• Conducted 7 site visits for the MD College Access Challenge Grant Program in Baltimore City and Prince George's County. This program provides college and career preparation with a focus on STEM activities.

• Reviewed 5 College Access Challenge Grant Reports.

• Prepared for and presented State financial aid information at College Goal Sunday in Prince George's County Sports and Learning Complex that was sponsored by University of Maryland College Park.

• Participated in agency legislative bill review meetings to identify issues, develop testimony and prepare for hearings on bills related to higher education and P-20 issues.

• Reviewed and edited legislative testimony and fiscal notes related to grants, financial aid programs and outreach

• Reviewed President Obama’s FY 2011 budget proposal related to federal education grant programs and followed hearing activities for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA – formerly known as NCLB) to assess its potential impact on MHEC P-20 and related grant programs.

Office of Student Financial Assistance

OSFA staff represented MHEC at four financial aid outreach activities in Baltimore and Prince George’s County.

The student portal for the new financial aid processing system (MDCAPS) went live February 26, 2010.

OSFA has received more than 92,000 FAFSA for the 2010-2011 award year.

OSFA completed the awarding of 323 applicants in the Janet L. Hoffman Loan Assistance Repayment program (LARP). The fields for which awards were made included Law, Nursing, Nurse Faculty, Speech Pathology, Social Work, Teaching, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy.
 

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 350,000 college students in Maryland, for the State and its needs, and for business and industry in Maryland.

 

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