3698

JOINT RESOLUTIONS

WHEREAS, An excellent system of comprehensive education is
essential to the full development of each citizen of the State of
Maryland, to the preservation of an enlightened self-governing
citizenry, and to the continued economic development of our State
in an area of technological change and innovation; and

WHEREAS, The State of Maryland has acted with determination
and vigor to support elementary and secondary education
throughout our State, and to require accountability in the use of
State funds, to assure to all of its citizens a sound basic
education; and

WHEREAS, Maryland's colleges and universities—both public
and independent--are also vital instruments in the effort to
assure intellectual growth, innovative research, and economic
development; and

WHEREAS, It is vital that the diversity of programs and
institutions, the accessability of higher education and training,
the excellence and quality of all our colleges and universities
be adequately maintained and enhanced, while assuring the
effective use of State funds; and

WHEREAS, Recent years of high inflation have seriously
harmed the ability of these colleges and universities to maintain

the high quality of program and of, facilities required for _a

strong and excellent system; and

WHEREAS, The effects of inflation may be seriously
compounded by proposed reduction of federal assistance to these
institutions and to students; and

WHEREAS, Methods currently employed to determine the level
and distribution of State support of higher education were
appropriate in past decades of increasing enrollment but may no
longer be appropriate in an era of stable or declining
enrollment, and may not provide sufficiently for changes in the
types of programs required in our new technological era; now,
therefore, be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the
Governor is requested to expand the goals of the Task Force to
Study the Funding of Public Education so that when the study of
public education is completed, the Task Force will study the
funding of public higher education in Maryland including:

(1) The State's historic role in financing the public
institutions of higher education in the State;

(2) The current and projected future levels of

funding for each student at a public institution of higher
education in the State;

(3) The relevance of the findings of earlier studies
concerning the funding of higher education to today's economic