Maryland Denies Appeal in Online Dispute

The Maryland Higher Education Commission has declined to revisit its decision barring the University of Maryland University College from offering its community college leadership training program to Maryland residents, The Baltimore Sun reported. The commission acted at the request of Morgan State University, a historically black institution that argued that the UMUC program would duplicate one at Morgan State that the state was obligated to protect. UMUC officials argued that since their program is online -- and can be offered to those outside the state -- the decision didn't reflect the nature of distance education.