O’Malley proposes 3% spending hike for University System of Maryland

Gov. Martin O’Malley’s budget for fiscal 2014 includes a 2.9 percent increase in spending for the University System of Maryland.

The governor’s budget includes $4.954 billion for the university system, up from $4.813 billion in fiscal 2013. Of that, about $24.4 million is going toward a slate of program improvements worth a total of $37.7 million. About $10 million from the system’s institutional fund balance and $3.3 million in tuition will also go toward the effort.

In a meeting with…