56

1	citizens, for the new members of the legislature to
2	decide that perhaps it would be well to find n way to
3	go to the root of the existence of the university and
4	to, in fact, in one form or another control it. I think
5	we've been very fortunate in Maryland in having good
6	support from the citizens, good support from the legis-
7	lature, a good opportunity to actually meet the needs of
8	higher education as they have been a part of the activities
9	of the university and yet you have seen during recent
10	years direct attempts to change the authority of the
11	Board, direct attempts to change the membership, various
12	moves of that type that can in fact considerably lessen
13	the authority of any board to really direct over a period
14	of years the affairs of an institution, public insti-
15	tution of higher education.
16	I think we are fortunate that across this
17	country there has been developed the boards of regents
18	or trustees. This is particularly an American insti-
19	tution in which the continuing destiny of a particular
20	institution is placed really heavily in the hands of
21	this Board.