Mortimer H. Neufville

As my term as President of Coppin State University comes to an end, I want to express my sincere thanks to the Baltimore community for your support of me and more importantly, of Coppin.

When I was appointed President, I was asked to provide leadership, to stabilize, galvanize and revitalize Coppin as well as position the school for transformational growth and viability. In the spirit of servant leadership, along with over 40 years of higher education experience, prayer and the collective efforts of many, I have devoted the last two and a half years to securing the future of an institution that proudly helped to build Baltimore’s Black middle class by producing some of the State’s best teachers, nurses, and other public serving professionals.

My hope is that I have succeeded in advancing Coppin. Together, with the entire Coppin campus community, positive and significant things have been accomplished. Coppin is now fiscally sound and operating with greater efficiency. We have improved how we recruit, register and provide services to our students. This fall we will open a new Science and Technology building which will enhance our STEM instruction and transform the landscape of North Avenue. Our alumni are re-engaging and investing in Coppin through increased giving and participation in campus events. We are graduating more students annually than at any other time in the university’s history. And while we can all take pride in our collective accomplishments for Coppin, there is still more to be done.

Clearly, Coppin still has hurdles to overcome. We continue to face challenges on our campus, in our city and beyond. The recent events that unfolded in West Baltimore are a testament to the systemic issues we confront as a society each and every day. There is a significant amount of scrutiny as the city rebuilds after the recent protests.

During my last month and weeks at Coppin, there is one solution that I put on the table: Bring the Baltimore City Police Academy to the campus of Coppin State University under the Bishop L. Robinson Sr. Justice Institute. I hope that city officials will implement our proposal as a viable solution to changing the way we train police officers while improving the relationship between law enforcement and the community. The Police Training Academy is one of many innovative opportunities on the horizon for Coppin.

On July 1st, Dr. E. Maria Thompson assumes this post and becomes the 7th president of Coppin State University. Dr. Thompson brings with her a wealth of experience in academia, research and management. She, like I, has roots in HBCUs and knows the importance of our institutions in transforming lives and communities. Dr. Thompson is committed to carrying out the work that is needed at Coppin, while enhancing the unique role that the university plays as a vital anchor institution in West Baltimore. I know the Baltimore community will embrace and support Dr. Thompson and welcome her with open arms.

I continue to look for great things from Coppin.

Mortimer H. Neufville is the former President of Coppin State University