WASHINGTON 鈥� More scrutiny is ahead for the Maryland Board of Regents after a week in which the University of Maryland鈥檚 football coach was fired, the school’s president announced he鈥檇 retire, and the board’s chairman announced he’d step down.
While Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan appointed 13 of the 17 members, he can鈥檛 fire them. Armand Alacbay, Vice President of Trustee and Government Affairs at the American Council of Trustees and Alumni said that鈥檚 not unusual. 鈥淭he way that the board is comprised at Maryland is pretty typical.鈥�
And while the Board of Regents is intended to have some independence, Alacbay said the governor is within his rights to call for added transparency. 鈥淚 mean, after all, the Governor is responsible for the people whom he appoints鈥� said Alacbay. 鈥淚 think that Governor Hogan鈥檚 saying all the right things here, I mean he is respecting the autonomy of the institution, but at the same time making it clear that the board needs to operate in a transparent manner that facilitates the public trust.鈥�
Rick Legon, President at the Association of Governing Boards, said politics is present in the current situation in College Park. Noting that the midterm elections are just days away, he said, “if you look at the calendar, you have to recognize that some heightened politics has intruded in this issue.鈥�
As legislators in Annapolis indicate they鈥檒l be holding hearings connected to how the board reacted to the death of 19-year-old football player Jordan McNair and the fallout from that, another body will engage in some oversight.
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education will be reviewing the university鈥檚 status.
鈥淎 university needs to maintain its accreditation in order to accept federal student aid dollars,鈥� Alacbay said. But Alacbay said he believes it鈥檚 unlikely the school would lose its accreditation, adding, however, “anytime you hear the ‘a-word’ come up in higher ed, it鈥檚 serious business.鈥�
Alacbay explained that accreditation is not really what people think it is, adding that it has “morphed from this whole guarantor of educational quality which is what I think what families assume it to be, to this sort of, one-size fits all regulator for higher ed.鈥�
Brian Kirschner is a spokesman for the Middle States Commission. In an email to 草莓传媒, he explained that in August, staff at the commission asked the university for a 鈥渟upplemental information report鈥� and that the commission will act on the report when it meets on Nov. 14 and 15.
When it comes to the long-term impact of the turmoil at the University of Maryland, Legon said one thing that can鈥檛 be forgotten is the fact that there was the tragic loss of life of a student.
鈥淲e鈥檙e dealing with a tragic situation but a wonderful institution,” said Legon. He predicts the university will remain one of the country鈥檚 premier research institutions.
鈥淭his issue will not be forgotten, but hopefully as tough as it sounds, they will use it to become even better. 鈥�
