STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ON KIPLINGER’S RANKING OF FIVE MARYLAND COLLEGES AMONG THE NATION’S “BEST VALUES”

ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 4, 2012) – Governor Martin O’Malley issued this statement following Kiplinger’s ranking of five Maryland institutions among the nation’s “Best Values” in Public Colleges 2012:

“I’d like to congratulate the University of Maryland, College Park, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Salisbury University, Towson University, and the University of Maryland Baltimore County for being among Kiplinger’s ‘Best Values’ in Public Colleges for 2012.

“Thanks to our hardworking students, faculty and administrative staff, Maryland colleges and universities have become a national model for quality, affordable education. In Maryland, we believe in the talents, skills, innovation, education and creativity of our people as our greatest asset to help us create jobs, expand opportunity and move forward in this changing new economy. That’s why we’ve chosen to give our students the tools they need to build a better future by making higher education more affordable for more families, including a four-year tuition freeze for our public universities.

“Together, we can continue to make progress for our students, strengthening our ability to provide our people with the skills they need to compete.”