The report was prepared by a task force appointed to examine issues related to the University System of Maryland (USM) ten years after its creation in 1988. The task force focused on key issues raised by stakeholders and higher education experts, including statewide goals and priorities for the USM; duplication and overlap of authority between the Maryland Higher Education Commission and USM; flexibility in management and reporting functions, and funding issues. The report found that institutions in the USM have made significant progress toward goals set in 1988 despite lower than anticipated funding and believes that the legislation remain valid; however, it recommends some modifications and additions. The report is comprised of the following sections: letter of transmittal; a membership roster; executive summary; creation and charge of the task force; summary of activities of the task force; historical perspective of the USM governance structure; funding and enrollment trends at USM; description of USM institutions; status of implementation of l988 legislation; state financial commitment to higher education; independent consultant reports; findings and recommendations; minority reports; and 10 appendixes, including an organization chart, a time line of Maryland's four-year public institutions, and an organizational chart of postsecondary education in the state. (CH)