USM Board of Regents Revises its Procedures to Ensure Consistency with the Maryland Open Meetings Act

Adelphi, Md. (Feb. 27, 2013) -- The Maryland Open Meetings Compliance Board on Tuesday, February 26, 2013, issued an opinion that the University System of Maryland Board of Regents violated the Open Meetings Act with respect to two meetings. During these meetings (November 18 and 19, 2012), the board discussed issues related to the University of Maryland, College Park joining the Big Ten athletic conference.

As the advisory opinion notes, the board consistently relied on advice from the Maryland Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to meet all legal requirements with regard to these meetings.

With the guidance of the OAG, the board has revised its procedures to ensure transparency and compliance with all aspects of the Open Meetings Act.

According to the Compliance Board's opinion:  " . . . the board (USM Board of Regents) has outlined revised procedures that it will adopt for future meetings. In our view, those procedures are consistent with the Act and the Board should follow them."

Anne Moultrie

amoultrie@usmd.edu

301 445 2722

Contact: Mike Lurie
Phone: 301.445.2719
Email: mlurie@usmd.edu