Senator Barbara Mikulski to Address
Board of Regents;
Board to Vote on Change in Funding Formula
for Maintenance Projects, Energy Saving Lighting Initiative
ADELPHI, Md.
(December 7, 2005) — Sen. Barbara Mikulski will meet with members of the
University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents at the board's meeting
Friday, December 9. Mikulski will
discuss federal funding priorities vital to USM institutions. Mikulski has
worked closely with Chancellor William E. Kirwan to
identify ways in which the federal government can provide funding beneficial to
the system's degree-granting institutions, research centers, and regional
education centers. On Friday, Mikulski will highlight those initiatives for
which she has secured funding in the past and opportunities for future
collaboration.
The meeting will
begin at 10 am at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). The location is the 14th
floor of the Saratoga Garage & Offices at 220 Arch Street, Baltimore. The
building houses 11 floors of parking and three levels of offices; parking is
available in the garage.
Following Sen. Mikulski's presentation, the board will
proceed with a full agenda, including a proposal to alleviate a backlog of
building maintenance projects and another to save money on energy consumption.
The board will also vote on new or revised mission statement for the 13 USM
institutions and the two USM regional higher education centers.
One item on the agenda concerns a change in the level of
operating and capital budget spending directed to "facilities renewal." These funds are intended to addresses
deferred maintenance projects at all USM institutions. Currently, there is a
$1.7- billion backlog of deferred maintenance work. The board will vote on an
appropriate level of money institutions are required to set aside each year
from their operating budgets to pay for building repairs and maintenance. The regents will also vote on a proposal to dedicate
at least half of the annual capital budget to building renovation and
replacement. The proposal is designed to
shrink the backlog through dedicated capital expenditure; it would also
establish a policy of ongoing, operating budget spending so that deferred
maintenance work remains at a manageable level in the future.
Also on the agenda is a proposal to reduce energy
consumption and costs by retrofitting lighting fixtures and lamps at all USM
institutions. The board will vote on a contract for the system-wide acquisition
of state-of-the-art lighting technology designed to save approximately $2
million annually in energy costs. As part of the procurement process, USM will
seek the participation of businesses in the Minority Business Enterprise
program. This proposal, as well as the proposed change in the facilities
renewal fund, are in line with USM's
"Effectiveness and Efficiency" initiatives, ongoing actions designed
to save money and use system resources in a cost-effective manner.
In other business, the board will vote on adopting the
official mission statements of USM's 13 institutions,
and for the first time, the mission statements of USM's
two regional higher education centers in Hagerstown
and Shady Grove. Maryland
law requires all public institutions to update their mission statements every five
years. The Board of Regents Education Policy Committee reviewed the revised
statements during a public session December 1 and recommended adoption of the
statements by the full board.
Other items on Friday's agenda include:
- An
update on the status of the proposed School of Public Health, a
collaborative effort between UMB and the University of Maryland, College
Park;
- A
report on the instructional workload of USM faculty;
- An
update on current actions under way to increase need-based financial aid
at all USM institutions;
- Funding
approval for an addition at UMB's School
of Pharmacy;
- Status
of systemwide capital improvement projects;
- USM
Chancellor William E. Kirwan's report to the
Board of Regents.
Access the full agenda for the board meeting at: /usm/regents/Agendas/index.html
Full agendas and background information will be available at
the meeting. Sign language interpreters and/or other appropriate accommodations
for eligible individuals with disabilities will be provided upon request.
Please call 301.445.2756 (voice) or 301.314.7683 (TTY/ITT) to make special
arrangements.
