O'Malley Gives Loeshcke A Pass

Towson University President Maravene Loeschke may have an excused absence for next week's Board of Public Works meeting.

Gov. Martin O'Malley Monday said he's not sure Loeschke will need to attend the meeting next week to answer questions about the elimination of the men's baseball and soccer programs.

"I don't think I need her to [attend]," O'Malley said, adding that Loeschke had already been to Annapolis late last month to meet with him and Comptroller Peter Franchot.

Loeschke has said that the programs needed to be eliminated because of concerns about federal Title IX laws that guarantee athletic participation for women attending college.

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

The soccer team would not receive any additional money.

Last month, the governor and comptroller called for Loeschke to appear before them and state Treasurer Nancy Kopp to discuss how the Towson University men's baseball and soccer teams were eliminated. The board delayed a vote on a contract to build an annex on the campus of Harford County Community College until April 3.

That vote was further delayed until April 17 so the governor could attend the funeral of former Del. Gerald Curran.

O'Malley said there was a value to having Loeschke answer questions in public but said a task force reviewing Title IX issues in Maryland's public universities was a more appropriate venue.

"I think most of us have a hard time accepting the notion that the way to increase opportunities for our daughters is to eliminate opportunities for our sons," O'Malley said.