Editorial: Reserve a share of pandemic relief for higher education

Last summer as the COVID-19 pandemic worsened and the economic outlook for Maryland darkened, one of the first items on the chopping block to keep state government’s budget balanced was higher education. From community colleges to the University System of Maryland, nearly half of the first round of the initial $413 million in budget cuts approved by the state’s Board of Public Works was to post-secondary schools. It was a tough time for colleges as many recognized that their students faced economic hardships as well and froze tuition.