The St. Mary’s College of Maryland (SMCM) Board of Trustees met on Oct. 11 and 12, working through an ambitious agenda. The Board approved items including revisions to the Faculty Bylaws and Title IX policy, a new Freedom of Expression policy, the 2024 Performance Accountability Report, revision of the FY25 operating budget and reconciliation of the FY24 plant fund budget.
“These are truly exciting times for St. Mary’s College of Maryland, as we continue to build momentum in the final year of President Tuajuanda Jordan’s remarkable tenure as president,” said John Bell, SMCM Class of 1995 and chair of the Board of Trustees. “Her leadership, coupled with the efforts of past board chairs and trustees, has placed the College in a strong position to continue to prosper.”
The meeting was the first under the leadership of Bell, the first SMCM alumnus to serve as chair. In addition to the approval of the items noted, the Board agenda included lunch with a group of students and briefings on a number of topics. The student lunch provided the Trustees a valuable opportunity for candid discussion of matters of import to students, while staff and board committee chair briefings enabled the Board to remain on top of important College business such as the upcoming reaffirmation of accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, the ongoing search for SMCM’s next president, College finances, new student recruitment, capital projects including planned residence hall upgrades, campus safety, student retention and the College’s highly successful comprehensive campaign.
“In the final year of my presidency, I note the strong sense of community that permeates the campus, embodied by the St. Mary’s Way,” said Jordan. “I also highlight the strong financial position the College is in, with positive enrollment growth and a renaissance in facilities that continues with planned renovations to Montgomery Hall and important improvements to our residence halls.”
The Faculty Senate periodically spearheads a review and update to Faculty Bylaws to reflect shared governance. Federal requirements prompted updates to the Title IX policy while the Freedom of Expression policy consolidated existing policies and practices across a number of functional areas in what has become a hot-button issue on many college campuses.
