Hi all. I regret not writing for the past month, but am excited to get back in communication with you all. With the Fall 2008 semester over and a new year and Spring 2009 semester ahead of us, we all have a lot to look forward to.
As I write, I am headed out the door to Annapolis for the official opening of the 2009 Session of the Maryland General Assembly. The Session lasts 90 days. This year's session will inevitably be crowded by the looming budget revenue shortfalls that have already impacted every part of state government.
For higher education, two major priorities will shadow most lobbying efforts. First, affordability will be at the forefront of discussions at the intersection of state budget support and tuition rates. Should the legislature choose to cut higher education significantly from the budget, the likely response will be a hefty tuition increase to offset the lost support.
The other major issue will be textbook regulation legislation. Senator Pinsky will likely propose legislation similar to last year's Senate Bill 657 . Some changes will be made to ensure that this bill passes this session. Also, expect other changes at the institution level from the Textbook Affordability Summit held last month.
Other issues are expected to arise during the session that will affect higher education, such as tuition for undocumented immigrants and funding for capital projects. I look forward to keeping in touch with you through USMstudents during the 2009 Legislative Session.
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