Maryland Code, Education § 16-701

(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.

(b) “Agreement” means a written contract between a public employer and an employee organization.

(c) “Arbitration” means a procedure by which parties involved in a grievance submit their differences to an impartial third party for a final and binding decision.

(d) “Board” means the Public Employee Relations Board.

(e) “Collective bargaining” has the meaning stated in § 3-101(d) of the State Personnel and Pensions Article.

(f) “Confidential employee” means a public employee whose unrestricted access to personnel, budgetary, or fiscal data subject to use by the public employer in collective bargaining, or whose close, continuing working relationship with those responsible for negotiating on behalf of the public employer, would make the employee's membership in an employee organization as a rank and file employee incompatible with the employee's duties.

(g) “Employee organization” has the meaning stated in § 22-101 of the State Government Article.

(h) “Exclusive representative” has the meaning stated in § 22-101 of the State Government Article.

(i) “Fact-finding” means a process conducted by the Board that includes:

(k) “Grievance” means a dispute concerning the application or interpretation of the terms of a collective bargaining agreement.

(l) “Impasse” means a failure by a public employer and an exclusive representative to achieve agreement in the course of negotiations.

(m) “Officer” means the president, a vice president, a dean, or any other similar official of the community college as appointed by the board of community college trustees.

(n) “Part-time faculty” means employees whose assignments involve academic responsibilities, including teachers, counselors, and department heads, who are designated with part-time faculty status by the president of the community college.