Loeschke Not Expected In Annapolis

Maravene Loeschke's expected appearance before the Board of Public Works Wednesday will not happen.

"President Loeschke appreciated the opportunity to meet with the governor, the treasurer and the comptroller, privately," Marina Cooper, deputy chief of staff ton Loeschke, wrote in an email response to a reporter's questions. "The issue has been resolved with the governor and Legislature's approved intercollegiate athletics donation incentive match program for qualifying University System of Maryland institutions."

The Towson University president was scheduled to appear before the board to explain the elimination of the men's baseball and soccer teams last month. The three-member panel, which includes Gov. Martin O'Malley, Comptroller Peter Franchot and state Treasurer Nancy Kopp, delayed the vote on a contract last month. O'Malley himself asked Loeschke to "come down here and tell us" how the teams were eliminated.

Loeschke later met with Franchot and O'Malley.

The meeting with the governor resulted in $ to save the baseball program. A compromise deal worked out in the legislature will resulted in that money going to the University of Maryland System and then to Towson University.

The Towson University men's soccer team will not receive any additional money.

"Now Towson will implement a 1 percent athletics student fee increase and work with baseball program supporters to fundraise during this newly provided window of opportunity to make the baseball program at Towson self-sufficient," Cooper wrote.

Following that deal, O'Malley gave Loeschke an excused absence for the April 19 meeting.

"I don't think I need her to [attend]," O'Malley said two weeks ago.

O'Malley said he didn't believe that the Board of Public Works was the appropriate venue for a public airing of the issue. To date, the April 17 meeting appears to be the only venue for such a discussion.

Instead, Loeschke will be about 30 minutes north on I-97 at the Hotel at Arundel Preserve where she is scheduled to speak during a two-hour breakfast meeting of the BWI Business Partnership.

The university president's absence doesn't mean that the O'Malley and the board won't get an earful about the elimination of the teams.

Supporters and members of the teams are expected to attend the meeting and speak before the board.

The meeting can be viewed online beginning at 10 a.m.