Maryland Higher Education Commission Discussion Document, March 11, 2004

*■ r CoU-t^5 .м**"' -|0 4 , .<?«*** i*?p£** ^ П -tW^ ■ «А “f ^ ^ .f»~ «"“., s^ , . iCfctP *> (^оЛ^ ^ ^lU'Ar^^REVISED 3/1 1/04 Maryland Higher Education Commission „„rt1®' VISION, MISSION AND KEY GOALS ^ - "PI^fc y ™ V4-I S»^-/ «-«“J? The vision of the Maryland Higher Education Commission is a State inwhich all citizens are equally prepared to be productive, socially engaged, and responsible members of a healthy economy and an open and democratic society and in which all citizens make contributions to creating and maintaining that economy and society. ^ fwt MISSION ЛУ>7 The mission of the Maryland Higher Education Commission is to ensure that me people of Maryland have access to a high quality, diverse, adequately funded, effectively managed, and capably led system of postsecondary education. It accomplishes this mission through the provision of statewide planning, leadership, coordination and advocacy for the State's postsecondary educational institutions and through the administration of State financial aid programs. KEY GOALS • Improve affordable access to higher education and the achievement of educational goals for every qualified Maryland citizen. • Contribute to the further development of Maryland's economic health and vitality. • Strengthen teacher preparation and improve the readiness of students for postsecondary education. • Achieve a more cost-effective and accountable postsecondary educational system delivering high-quality education. 2004 Update of the State Plan for Higher Education The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) has statutory responsibility for the coordination and supervision of postsecondary education in Maryland and for the development and update of a State Plan for Higher Education. The Plan is required to be updated every two years with the next update due July l , 2004. In light of growing concerns about the capacity of postsecondary education to accommodate a significant increase in enrollment, challenges of the current State economic situation, substantial increases in tuition and fees, and improving access and affordability for Maryland students, it seems appropriate that the current State Plan be revamped to address these critical issues.