Press Release - Education Policy Meeting

September 13, 2000

USM Education Policy Committee to Meet September 19 at University of Baltimore

• Format for reporting on institutional compliance with the new Board policy on technological fluency. The policy seeks assurance that all graduates of USM institutions are fluent in information technology.
  
  
• Results of periodic reviews of academic programs. The USM institutions have entered a new seven-year cycle of Board review of existing academic programs; four institutions have submitted a total of 10 programs for review during the 2000 academic year.
  
  
• Proposed System policy on abolishing existing academic programs. The proposed policy would address language in Senate Bill 682, which requires that a president's proposal to abolish any program must be consistent with the adopted mission of the institution and can be accomplished using existing resources.
  
  
• Proposed changes in USM policy on appointment, rank, and tenure of faculty. In order to achieve the goal of Systemwide expansion of the ways in which it appoints, promotes, rewards and supports faculty, as stated in the Pathways to Perpetual Learning document, three linked but separate Systemwide committees were appointed. Several recommendations have been made by these groups to increase job security for faculty in lecturer positions, including new, renewable contracts up to three years in length.
  

Chris Hart
Phone: 301/445-2739
Pager: 301/507-2316
E-mail: chart@usmd.edu