Mortimer H. Neufville Named Interim President of Coppin State University

Adelphi, MD (November 14, 2012)-William E. Kirwan, chancellor of the University System of Maryland, has appointed Mortimer H. Neufville as interim president of Coppin State University, effective January 23, 2013. Neufville is a former executive vice president with the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) and current APLU consultant. He served as interim president of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) August 2011-June 2012.

The appointment of Neufville follows Coppin State President Reginald Avery's announcement last month that he is resigning his position effective January 22, 2013. Neufville will serve as interim president until Avery's successor is named and joins the Coppin community.

"We are very fortunate that Dr. Neufville has accepted this appointment," said Kirwan. "With a history of serving higher education with distinction and effectiveness, he is well positioned to serve Coppin well during this critical transition period."

From 1983 through 1996, Neufville held several positions at UMES, including vice president for academic affairs and dean of agricultural sciences and research director. He received his Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in animal science from the University of Florida. In 2001, he was awarded the Honorary Doctor of Science degree from Tuskegee University, from which he earned his B. S. degree in agriculture. Also in 2001, the University of Florida honored him with its Distinguished Alumnus Award.

"Thanks to Chancellor Kirwan for his confidence in my ability to provide leadership for Coppin State University during this period of transition," said Neufville. "I am very committed to higher education and especially to our institutions that provide access and opportunities to first-generation students. Working together with our various constituents, we can identify key priorities for the future and design appropriate strategies for even more success for Coppin."

One of the 12 institutions of the University System of Maryland, Coppin State is a historically black, four-year university offering 28 undergraduate majors and 12 graduate-degree programs in the liberal arts and sciences, business, education, and nursing. The university has earned local, national, and international recognition for its information technology efforts, including being the first historically black university to receive the prestigious Educause Award for Excellence in Networking. To learn more about Coppin, visit: www.coppin.edu

Contact: Anne Moultrie
Phone: 301.445.2722
Email: amoultrie@usmd.edu