UMES proposes three‑year veterinary medicine degree with industry partners; accreditation and funding questions remain

University of Maryland Eastern Shore leaders told the Education, Business and Administration Subcommittee that the campus plans a three‑year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program aimed at keeping Maryland students in‑state and serving rural areas.

"Our program is gonna be a 3 year accelerated degree program," Heidi Anderson, president of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, said during testimony, describing a two‑year didactic phase followed by a clinical year delivered through partnerships. Anderson said the program reduces capital needs by relying on clinical rotations and virtual coursework from industry partners, and cited preliminary donation commitments of $6 million to $10 million and signed clinical partners including Mars Veterinary Health and IDEXX.

The program, Anderson said, targets students from UMES's existing pre‑veterinary pipeline and emphasizes rural workforce needs. She told senators the university has run feasibility studies and that MHEC (the Maryland Higher Education Commission) approved the proposal.

Analysts at the hearing noted accreditation and resourcing questions. The analyst's report listed 11 accreditation standards and said three—facilities and equipment, clinical resources, and faculty—were not adequately addressed in UMES's proposal. The analyst also cited a large start‑up estimate in the materials and asked UMES to explain anticipated funding sources, including whether HBCU settlement funds would be used.

Anderson acknowledged staffing needs: the program plan anticipates hiring faculty and using a mix of existing and new facilities, including dedicating space in a planned phase‑2 Pharmacy and Health Professions building and constructing a veterinary skills center (the latter is not included in the governor’s CIP). She told the subcommittee UMES plans to open the program with partnerships providing clinical rotations and virtual instruction to limit infrastructure costs and accelerate students into the workforce.

Lawmakers pressed for detail on two points: accreditation contingencies if planned clinical rotations are delayed, and the program’s full funding plan. The analyst’s materials included a projected 5‑year revenue/expenditure model showing revenues exceeding expenditures but also listed an analyst figure described in the hearing as nearly $14 billion in start‑up costs; UMES leaders cited far smaller, pledged donations and industry partnerships and were asked to reconcile those figures with the larger estimate.

The subcommittee did not take a formal vote; analysts recommended concurrence with the governor's budget and asked for follow‑up information. Committee members said they expect additional documentation on accreditation steps, confirmed clinical rotation commitments, and a clarified, itemized start‑up budget before they move further on implementation oversight.