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Chancellor's Letter to Students

June 30, 2003


Dear Student:

Ordinarily, at this time of year, you would receive notice of your tuition for the fall semester. Unfortunately, because of the extraordinary budget circumstances facing the state of Maryland, tuition notices cannot be sent until mid-July.

The budgets of University System of Maryland (USM) institutions for the upcoming fiscal year are usually known in the spring, based on the budget process for the state of Maryland. This year, however, the USM was notified of its final budget on June 24, one week before the beginning of the fiscal year.

The delay in our receiving the facts about our final budget, combined with a requirement that the USM Board of Regents give advance notice to members of the State Legislature before taking action on tuition, means that the Board will not adopt fall 2003 tuition rates until July 11. You should receive notice from your institution soon thereafter.

We must alert you to the fact that your institution will likely increase tuition as a result of the significant reduction in state support for the USM.  We can assure you that a tuition increase is not the only step being used to close the budget shortfall. All options to contain costs, including significant personnel layoffs, cutbacks in operating budgets, and salary freezes, are being utilized. All of us ­ the Chancellor, Regents, and Presidents ­ are committed to ensuring that our institutions preserve the academic integrity of the programs for students as we manage the current budget situation.

Again, we apologize for any inconvenience the delayed billing may cause you. We can assure you that the Board is acting as conscientiously and as expeditiously as possible.

Sincerely, William E. Kirwan
Chancellor Clifford M. Kendall
Chairman, Board of Regents

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