Ch. 393                                    1995 LAWS OF MARYLAND

Maryland University College eligible for this aid beginning in a certain fiscal year;
and providing for a certain exception in calculating the number of certain students
enrolled at the requesting the Board of Resents of the University of Maryland System
and the Governor to include as a priority for higher education a certain amount of state
funding for University of Maryland University College.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article—Education
Section 17-101 and 17-104(a) 17-104
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1992 Replacement Volume and 1994 Supplement)

Preamble

WHEREAS, Higher education, and the institutions which provide it, are
increasingly prominent factors in the quality of life and economic development of states
and nations; and

WHEREAS, The international economy, labor market demands for highly skilled
and professional work force, and rapid technological change increasingly require
education beyond high school for both individuals and economies; and

WHEREAS, Independent colleges and universities provide distinctive and diverse
education, teach undergraduate and graduate students, conduct vital research, provide
myriad services to local communities, create jobs and generate approximately $4 billion in
income for the State's economy, and bring national and international recognition and
prestige to Maryland; and

WHEREAS,—Independent institutions are tuition dependent, have relatively small
endowments, and dedicate increasing proportions of their own funds to student financial
assistance to insure affordability; and

WHEREAS,—Independent institutions of higher education are making the best use
of their resources to make higher education accessible to all citizens, including those from
low-income families and under represented racial and ethnic groups, to foster teaching
excellence and to improve undergraduate curricula; and

WHEREAS,—Nonetheless, independent colleges and universities find it more and
more difficult to survive and thrive in the face of such continual external threats as the
erosion of federal support, the rising cost of operations, the labor intensity of the
educational enterprise, the decline in the number of traditional aged high school
graduates, and the decline in the share of private giving to independent colleges and
universities; and

WHEREAS;—The State's program of direct institutional aid is an essential
component of the health and financial vitality of Maryland's independent colleges and
universities and a critical factor in maintaining their affordability, access and choice for
Maryland's citizens; and

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