Coppin, a HBCU is a school struggling with low student enrollment (many departments offer degrees which are fully staffed but had less than a handful of graduates as one could see in the recent graduation program), very low graduation rates (16%, one of the lowest in the country) and flagging morale stemming from lack of inspiring leadership.
This comes at a time when Coppin's location on North Abenie in West Baltimore would make it an ideal community anchor. This role has been written into its masterplan about a decade ago. Coppin has a CDC for community development and has begun rehabilitation of a few rowhouses. It also guides a community school. Still, many aspirations remained just that, among them hopes to develop the former Lutheran Hospital site owned by Coppin.
In spite of the academic difficulties, Coppin has engaged in an extensive construction program on its campus and boasts a new student center and athletic center. A new science center is still under construction.
One has to hope that the new president will give Coppin the strength to become the community anchor West Baltimore so desperately needs.
Klaus Philipsen, FAIA
I worked with the department head for Social Studies at Coppin qon the board of D:Center. One of the goals was to achieve collaboration with MICA and Morgan.
BBJ article about new president
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