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Morgan Sent to Bargaining Table Over MBA Program

By Joi Gilliam
Black College Wire

Photo credit: Morgan State University Morgan State University was willing to let Towson University use its campus for a joint MBA program.

Maryland higher education officials have given Morgan State University and two other state schools 60 days to resolve whether a new joint master's of business administration program can be created.

A plan to expand an MBA program at the University of Baltimore to include Towson University had been approved by the state's secretary of higher education, but Morgan challenged the decision, claiming the proposed program would hurt enrollment at the historically black institution.

Clint R. Coleman, a spokesman for Morgan, called the proposed expansion of the MBA program from the University of Baltimore to Towson "an unnecessary duplication of MBA programs."

The Maryland Higher Education Commission, which oversees program expansions at state schools, decided May 25 that it could not yet rule on Morgan's appeal, and ordered the three institutions to negotiate and return with a decision in 60 days.

The delay means that Morgan has at least temporarily blocked the other schools from adding an MBA program that potentially could compete with it for students, but the dispute is not over because the colleges must return to the negotiating table. At one time, Morgan was talking with Towson about sharing Morgan's MBA program; it was not clear whether those discussions might be renewed.

The commission, chaired by John J. Oliver Jr., publisher of the Afro-American newspapers in Baltimore and Washington, agreed with Morgan's claim that the Towson-University of Baltimore plan would be an unnecessary duplication of Morgan's MBA program, but left open the possibility that the three schools could collaborate to find an alternative. Oliver was not available to comment.

A letter from the commission to the colleges suggested that a "multi-institutional academic collaboration may be in order," the Baltimore Sun reported.

The conflict began in March when Calvin W. Burnett, formerly president of Coppin State College and currently Maryland secretary of higher education, approved a plan for the University of Baltimore to expand its MBA program to Towson University, which has an undergraduate business program but no graduate program in business administration.

Two other Baltimore-area colleges offering MBAs, Loyola College and Mount St. Mary's College, formally objected, arguing that the new program would duplicate their efforts and hurt their enrollment.

Morgan officials argued that approving a new program would violate a state agreement with the federal Office of Civil Rights. Under its terms, the state of Maryland must encourage students to attend historically black colleges and universities.

Morgan officials argued that student enrollment in their MBA program has been dwindling and the proposed University of Baltimore-Towson University program would further hurt that enrollment. They argued that Morgan does not receive the appropriate federal and state funding to improve its facilities and attract more students.

The University of Baltimore awards about 160 MBA degrees a year while Morgan lags behind at 20.

According to Helen Szablya, director of communications for the Maryland Higher Education Commission, based in the state capital, Annapolis, Secretary Burnett did not feel that the proposed joint program would hurt Morgan because the numbers of students enrolled in Morgan's program had already been declining.

Towson had approached Morgan on three occasions, proposing that the two schools create a joint MBA program, Szablya said. When Morgan rejected the proposals, Towson then approached the University of Baltimore, which was willing to create the joint program, she said. Towson and the University of Baltimore then sought final approval from the commission.

According to Coleman, Morgan rejected Towson's proposal to become partners in a joint program because Towson would not make compromises sought by Morgan.

"They want what they want and there was no changing it," Coleman said. "Morgan was willing to listen; however, Towson was not willing to compromise because the degree being awarded would have been a Towson degree."

Coleman said that Morgan was willing to let Towson use Morgan's facilities and instructors for the program, but Morgan objected to the degree bearing only Towson's name.

Spokesmen for Towson University and the University of Baltimore were not available to comment.

The Maryland Higher Education Commission is still willing to help the colleges work through their differences, Szablya said, adding that, "The secretary will play no part in renegotiations between the schools. The commission does, however, have a staff that will come in and help with any technical details, but they must ask the commission, if their help is needed. They are not going to go in and impose any ideas."

Joi Gilliam is a senior print journalism/theater major at Howard University.

Posted May 31, 2005