2009 Performance Accountability Report Vol. 2 - Maryland Higher ...

Maryland. Comparatively, the average cost savings between the four-year public colleges and
Montgomery College was more than $3,100 in an academic year. The College has achieved its
goal on this access and affordability indicator.
To fully address issues of accessibility and affordability, it is imperative “that individuals who
wish to pursue a higher education, especially low- and moderate-income students, have the
financial means to do so by taking advantage of all forms of financial assistance and that loan
debt is minimized.” At Montgomery College, 29 percent of all credit students received some
form of financial aid in academic year (AY) 2008 (i.e., federal and state grants, scholarships,
loans or a combination of these financial aid programs) compared to 27 percent in the previous
year. Fifteen percent of the students that received financial aid in AY 2008 were awarded the
Federal Pell Grant. The number of Federal Pell Grant recipients increased 14 percent, while the
dollar amount increased 20 percent from AY 2007 to AY 2008. This increase is the largest oneyear
increase in the past five years. However, the grant does not appear to be keeping up with the
cost of tuition, fees, books and supplies. Unfortunately, as the need for aid rises, the financial
resources in aid decline. In AY 2008, the percentage of aid from all federal aid programs
increased only one percent. To offset the imbalance of the need-to-resource ratio, the state
increased its financial support in the form of grants and scholarships. The state’s community
colleges access initiative also provided additional and larger monetary awards.
As noted above, the Federal Pell Grant is an essential financial resource for needy students. The
College is concerned about excessive borrowing if grants and scholarship funds do not increase
or fall below current levels because increased borrowing at higher loan levels can lead to
increased defaults, especially in light of the tight and turbulent job market. The College must
maintain a default rate under 30% to remain eligible for the Pell Grant program, on which so
many students of need rely.
Faculty and Professional Staff
As expressed in the Maryland State Plan, “…it is imperative that colleges and universities – and
their programs, faculty, staff and infrastructure – foster a friendly, supportive, and attractive
environment for students from different races and cultures, one that promotes high expectations
for the success of all students.” As such, the state of Maryland is committed to improving the
diversity of faculty/staff and governing/advising boards at the state’s colleges and universities.
The student body at Montgomery College is highly diverse, and the diversity of faculty and staff
is correlated with the academic and social structure of the College. This is important because the
academic and social structure of the College impacts the capacity to which students, within the
College environment, can successfully integrate and assimilate. Furthermore, racial and ethnic
diversity enhance the learning and critical thinking of students, valuable perspectives are
represented on the campuses and in the classrooms, and role models are available for a diverse
student body – all of which positively impact student success. Therefore, the diversity of faculty
and staff to which students are exposed is vital.
Nonwhite representation across all categories of employees has increased from 39.6 to 43.6
percent over the past five years. The proportion of non-white or minority full-time faculty
182