A recent failed attempt to pass a resolution in support of open access at the University of Maryland (UM), while disappointing to the librarians involved and to many observers, nevertheless provides some important lessons for working with teaching faculty to address the scholarly communication crisis. This article provides a brief history of the efforts in support of open access at UM, analyzes what went wrong with the failed resolution, and offers some suggestions for working with faculty to educate them on the importance of open access to their research.