MHEC approves bylaws for higher education advisory council

University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland campus. USM photo.

The Maryland Higher Education Commission unanimously approved bylaws Wednesday for the advisory council that will review the process for academic program approvals, in hopes of heading off inter-campus fights like one that erupted last year.

The new Program Review Process Advisory Council will be made up of 21 officials drawn from the state’s public and private colleges and universities and community colleges.

Legislation creating the advisory council was passed this spring, after a controversial decision by MHEC in June 2023 to let Towson University create a new business analytics degree. Morgan State University , one of the state’s four historically Black colleges and universities, objected because it would duplicate a similar program there.

Other HBCU alumni and supporters criticized the decision that they said conflicted with a $577 million settlement approved in 2021 that settled a 2006 lawsuit against the state. That suit claimed the state provided more resources to predominantly white institutions and allowed them to duplicate programs offered at Morgan and the three other HBCUs – Bowie State University, Coppin State University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

According to the advisory council bylaws approved Wednesday, it will be made up of 21 people, five of whom will be permanent members:  the chancellor of the University System of Maryland, the president of the Maryland Association of Community Colleges, the president of the Maryland Independent College and University Association and the presidents of Morgan State University and St. Mary’s College of Maryland. If those individuals cannot serve, they can assign a designee in their place.

The remaining 16 people will serve four-year terms as rotating members. Here’s the breakdown:

• Two presidents and two provosts from a senior public higher education institution from four different schools;
• Two presidents and two provosts from a community college from four different schools;
• Two presidents and two provosts from private, nonprofit institutions from four difference schools;
• Four individuals, such as department heads, deans, academic program directors, or “institutional attorneys” from four schools not represented by a president or provost appointed to the council.

MHEC Secretary Sanjay Rai, or his designee, will serve as council chair and will also appoint the rotating members, upon receipt of a nomination.

“The Secretary shall make every effort to appoint a diverse membership from schools of differing geographic location, size, student population, degree levels offered, and individual demographics,” according to the bylaws. “If not enough people are nominated to achieve a diverse membership from different schools, the Secretary may reach out to individuals for recommendations or to ask them to nominate themselves.”

Emily Dow, assistant secretary for academic affairs at MHEC, said the composition of council is to ensure a diverse group of higher education individuals “have a seat at the table” who can “opine, weigh in and provide advice on these new, forthcoming changes in the program review process.”

Before the commission approved the bylaws, board member Ray Serrano and student member Praise Alayode asked if any student input would be allowed.

Board Vice Chair Chike Aguh proposed an amendment that any council recommendations also be shared with the MHEC Student Advisory Council. That motion was also unanimously approved.

“This is just about making sure that the recommendations on the process regs have that student input that you heard Dr. Serrano and our new student commissioner [talked about],” Aguh said.

Among its objectives, the process advisory council is to make sure the program review processes are equitable and in the best interest of the state and students, consider the resources, needs and missions of the state’s institutions and to ensure that processes are “practical, efficient, and transparent.”

The bylaws say meetings will be held virtually and on an as-needed basis.

Dow said earlier this month the goal is to have the council’s first meeting at the end of September.

The post MHEC approves bylaws for higher education advisory council appeared first on Maryland Matters .