ST. MARY’S CITY — St. Mary’s College of Maryland has rewritten its budget for the current fiscal year to match new enrollment, campus revenue and state funding projections, and will start screening job candidates under a revised background and credit check policy on Nov. 1.
Both changes were among eight action items the college’s Board of Trustees approved at its Oct. 9-10 meeting, according to a college release issued Oct. 16. The board also adopted a new nondiscrimination policy, signed off on the college’s annual state accountability report and heard updates on its strategic plan.
A budget rewrite, without the numbers
The trustees approved a revised fiscal 2027 operating budget, which the college said was necessary to keep the budget balanced after updates to enrollment, auxiliary revenue and state funding projections. Auxiliary revenue generally covers income from services such as housing and dining.
The release did not give the revised budget’s total, how much the projections changed or whether any spending was cut. It said the revised plan keeps key investments in both student-facing and administrative functions so the public honors college can continue offering an honors-level liberal arts education at a price it called affordable compared with its peers.
Money has been tight in some corners of campus. In September, the Chronicle reported that the college outsourced its bookstore after years of losses.
The board also reconciled the fiscal 2026 plant fund, the budget for construction and major repairs. Seven major projects, each worth more than $200,000, remain active with a combined fiscal 2027 balance of $3.68 million, the college said. Projects added in February include residence hall and signage upgrades, security and accessibility improvements, and repairs or renovations at the Hilda C. Landers Library, Goodpaster Hall, the Campus Center and the tennis courts.
New screening rules for hires
The revised Criminal Background Check and Credit History Check Policy replaces a policy last updated in 2014. Taking effect Nov. 1, it creates a dedicated committee to review criminal background and credit history results, spells out which positions are subject to screening, and incorporates federal and Maryland fair-hiring requirements, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act and federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidance on using criminal history in hiring decisions.
The new Non-Discrimination Policy and Procedures sets standards of conduct and a process for handling complaints of discrimination, harassment and retaliation involving students, faculty, staff, applicants, volunteers, contractors and visitors.
The rest of the agenda
The other approvals were:
- Revisions to the financial conflict-of-interest policy for research and sponsored programs, to comply with federal rules and sponsor requirements.
- Technical changes to the Faculty Bylaws reflecting an administrative restructuring and correcting the evaluation process for librarians, which the faculty approved unanimously.
- The 2026 Performance Accountability Report, which state law requires the college to submit to the Maryland Higher Education Commission, covering enrollment, retention, graduation and financial aid.
- The fiscal 2026 Facilities Condition Report, an annual review used to set future capital projects and requests to the state.
Trustees also heard progress reports on the strategic plan approved in May, including a move from Anthology to Workday for the college’s business software, changes to onboarding and other human resources processes, a new campus app called mySMCM and a new communications and marketing plan. The college said staff senate reports have returned to each regular board meeting, one of the recommendations from last year’s shared governance working group.
About 1,650 students attend the college, which recently ranked No. 6 among public liberal arts colleges.
