<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="ged" article_name="Education" number="10-101" title_number="10" title_name="Definitions and Maryland Charter for Higher Education" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Definitions">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this division the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>“Charter” means the Maryland Charter for Higher Education.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>“Commission” means the Maryland Higher Education Commission.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>“For–profit institution of higher education” means an institution of higher education that generally limits enrollment to graduates of secondary schools, awards degrees at the associate, baccalaureate, or graduate level, and is not a public or private nonprofit institution of higher education.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>“Governing board” means:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Board of Regents of the University System of Maryland;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Board of Regents of Morgan State University;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The Board of Trustees of St. Mary’s College of Maryland; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The Board of Trustees of Baltimore City Community College.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>“Governing body” means:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>A governing board;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A board of trustees of a community college;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The governing entity of private nonprofit institutions of higher education;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The governing entity of a for–profit institution of higher education; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>The governing entity of a regional higher education center.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>“Independent institution of higher education” means a private nonprofit institution of higher education that generally limits enrollment to graduates of secondary schools, serves a public purpose, and awards degrees at the associate, baccalaureate, or graduate level.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Institution of higher education” means an institution of postsecondary education that generally limits enrollment to graduates of secondary schools, and awards degrees at either the associate, baccalaureate, or graduate level.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Institution of higher education” includes public, private nonprofit, and for–profit institutions of higher education.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Institution of postsecondary education” means a school or other institution that offers an educational program in the State for individuals who are at least 16 years old and who have graduated from or left elementary or secondary school.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Institution of postsecondary education” does not include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Any adult education, evening high school, or high school equivalence program conducted by a public school system of the State; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Any apprenticeship or on–the–job training program subject to approval by the Apprenticeship and Training Council.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <text>“Private career school” means a privately owned and privately operated institution of postsecondary education other than an institution of higher education that furnishes or offers to furnish programs, whether or not requiring a payment of tuition or fee, for the purpose of training, retraining, or upgrading individuals for gainful employment as skilled or semiskilled workers or technicians in recognized occupations or in new and emerging occupations.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="k">
    <level label="1">
      <text>“Private nonprofit institution of higher education” means an institution of higher education that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Benefits no person through any part of its net earnings;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Is legally authorized to operate as a nonprofit organization by each state in which it is physically located;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Is determined by the Internal Revenue Service to be an organization to which contributions are tax–deductible in accordance with 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3); and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Generally limits enrollment to graduates of secondary schools and awards degrees at the associate, baccalaureate, or graduate level.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Private nonprofit institution of higher education” includes an independent institution of higher education.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Private nonprofit institution of higher education” does not include an institution engaging in a reportable incident unless the Commission has determined that the incident does not constitute private inurement.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="l">
    <text>“Program” or “educational program” means an organized course of study that leads to the award of a certificate, diploma, or degree.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="m">
    <text>“Public senior higher education institution” means:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The constituent institutions of the University System of Maryland and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Morgan State University; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>St. Mary’s College of Maryland.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="n">
    <text>“Regional higher education center” means a higher education facility in the State that:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Is operated by a public institution of higher education in the State or a private nonprofit institution of higher education operating under a charter granted by the General Assembly and includes participation by two or more institutions of higher education in the State;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Consists of an array of program offerings from institutions of higher education approved to operate in the State by the Commission or by an act of the General Assembly that specifically satisfies the criteria set forth in § 10–212(b) of this title;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Offers multiple degree levels; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Is either approved by the Commission to operate in the State or is established by statute.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="o">
    <text>“Reportable incident” means any of the following as reportable on a private nonprofit institution of higher education’s Form 990 of the Internal Revenue Service:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The engagement in an excess benefit transaction with a disqualified person;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The providing of a grant or other assistance by the institution to a member of the governing body;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The reporting of receivables from or payables to a member of the governing body;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The institution was a party to a business transaction connected to a member of the institution’s governing body;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>The institution was a party to a prohibited tax shelter transaction;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>The institution participated in an equity–based compensation arrangement; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>The institution paid compensation contingent on the revenue of the institution or any related organization.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="p">
    <text>“Secretary” means the Secretary of Higher Education.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="q">
    <text>“State Plan for Higher Education” means the plan for postsecondary education and research required to be developed by the Maryland Higher Education Commission under § 11–105(b) of this article.</text>
  </level>
</section>
