Coppin

Coppin State's Physical Education Complex will host the ESPN Rise National High School Invitational basketball tournaments, which tip off today. The eight-team boys tournament starts at 2 p.m. with a matchup between top-seeded Montverde (Fla.) Academy and eighth-seeded Montrose Christian of Rockville. The 4 p.m. game pits No. 4 Christ School of North Carolina against No. 5 Winter Park (Fla.). At 6 p.m., third-seeded Oak Hill (Va.) Academy faces sixth-seeded Mountain State Academy of West Virginia.

Coppin State University is a mess, and the problems go well beyond its abysmal six-year graduation rate of 15 percent. A report to the University System of Maryland Board of Regents by a committee assigned to study the school in the wake of former President Reginald Avery's departure found massive mismanagement, inefficiency and indifference. The state puts more resources per student into Coppin than any other institution in the university system, and it gets the least return. That's bad for the taxpayers, but it's worse for the students whose dreams of advancement go unfulfilled.

Coppin State University is moving forward with an $80 million Science and Technology Center that it hopes will boost sagging enrollment despite concerns that the West Baltimore school will not have enough money to operate the building. A ceremonial groundbreaking is scheduled May 14, though demolition has been completed and utility work is under way, said Maqbool Patel, Coppin's associate vice president for administration and finance. Completion is expected in early 2015. "We have to create an area that attracts students and faculty," said Patel, describing the quad-like atmosphere the building will create on the south side of West North Avenue at Thomas Avenue.

Maryland's in-state undergraduates will pay a few hundred dollars more per semester this fall under a new tuition-and-fee plan approved Wednesday by the university system's Board of Regents. Out-of-state students will be hit a little harder, paying as much as $1,060 more, for example, at the University of Maryland, College Park. The plan marks the fourth year that tuition for resident undergraduates at most Maryland schools has gone up 3 percent — an increase characterized by university system officials as moderate and lower than many states.

During Coppin State's three-year domination of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, senior forward Stephen Stewart has been one of the Eagles' more dependable forces.Yesterday, the conference rewarded Stewart for his consistency. For the second straight season, Stewart was named MEAC Player of the Year.Stephen joins his older brother, Larry -- now a member of the Washington Bullets -- as the only Coppin State players to win the award, and win it twice. Larry Stewart was MEAC Player of the Year in 1990 and 1991.

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma broke up a close game with a 16-4 run to open the second half on the way to an 85-74 win over Coppin State last night before 6,128 at Lloyd Noble Center.It was the season opener for both teams and the Oklahoma coaching debut of Kelvin Sampson, who was hired to replace Billy Tubbs last spring.Oklahoma held a 39-35 halftime lead but came out hot to start the second half, scoring the first 12 points to build a 51-35 lead.That run was too much for Coppin State to overcome.

Coppin State forward Tariq Saunders, who last month helped the Eagles to the NCAA basketball tournament, has been dismissed from the team "for a violation of team rules," coach Fang Mitchell said.Mitchell would not say what the violation involved. Saunders' scholarship will not be revoked, and he will be allowed to stay enrolled as a student next season, Mitchell said.Saunders, a native of Linden,N.J., was away from campus for spring break and could not be reached for comment.A 6-foot-6 junior forward, Saunders was a second-team Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference All-Star for the second straight season, helping lead Coppin to a 22-8 record and the MEAC title.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Assuming Coppin State wins its conference title, the NCAA tournament committee will see only the score:Virginia 63, Coppin 61.A victory might have meant the difference between a No. 15 and a No. 14 seed in the NCAAs. A victory might have meant playing a team ranked in the top 16 instead of the top eight.It's a huge difference, but Coppin is still looking for a major upset as it continues its annual play-for-pay December swing -- the road trip from hell.The only thing guaranteed is a fat paycheck -- Coppin commands as much as $35,000 for serving as a designated opponent -- but this is a team that wants, and deserves, more.

NORMAN, Okla. -- Coppin State came out throwing up bombs with the hopes of maybe dropping one on the Oklahoma Sooners last night at the Lloyd Noble Center.The strategy worked for more than a half before the Eagles wavered and lost, 79-64.Coppin State (5-5, three losses to Big Eight teams) led by 10 points behind a devil-may-care approach and led, 49-43, with 11 minutes left.Oklahoma (5-1) bounced back, however, making a few three-pointers of its own and eventually romping to its third win in as many games in the past three years against Coppin State.

RICHMOND, Va. -- After a season of many ups and downs, it all came together last night for the Coppin State women's basketball team in the final five minutes against Maryland-Eastern Shore in the quarterfinals of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament.The Eagles were in a tie with UMES when they suddenly began running perfect fast breaks that resulted in layups and free throws on the way to a 76-70 win.Simone Adams, Trisha Allen and Javonti Jones took turns racing down court in the last five minutes for crucial baskets off passes from point guard Liesha Mitchell.

Coppin State University should enroll higher-caliber freshmen, focus more on transfer and returning students, and reorganize its academics and administration, a committee plans to report Wednesday to the University System of Maryland Board of Regents. The recommendations, from a panel convened in December to study Coppin State, are meant to turn around the stressed institution, one of Maryland's four historically black colleges and universities. The school has one of the lowest six-year graduation rates for first-time, full-time students in the country at 15 percent as of fiscal year 2012 and is underenrolled by more than 2,000 students, the committee said.

College track and field Coppin's Victorian captures 400 hurdles at IC4A meet Coppin State senior Jibri Victorian won the 400-meter hurdles on the final day of the IC4A Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Princeton. Victorian became the first Coppin State athlete to capture an IC4A outdoor title since Steve Delice won the 400 hurdles and the Eagles 4x400-meter relay team finished first at the 2008 championships. Victorian won the championship by finishing first in a time of 51.30 seconds.

Letter writer Gary Bohlke suggests that Coppin State University has failed and should be closed ("Admit Coppin is a failed institution and close it," May 7). I disagree strongly. The outreach programs at Coppin State receive high marks. As a current month-long visitor to Baltimore, I have participated regularly in outreach programs at Coppin, and my experiences there have been nothing short of fabulous. Coppin's wellness program offers Baltimore residents use of modern athletic facilities for various sporting activities at a very low cost.

Your article on Coppin State University's new science building truly boggles the mind ("Science center may help Coppin close the gap," May 3). The state is spending $80 million for a building the university admits it does not have sufficient funds to operate or maintain. That is a staggering admission. May I suggest one of two other possibilities for that $80 million. For a four-year university with a six-year graduation rate of 15 percent - one of the lowest in the country - how about requiring higher academic standards?

Coppin State University is moving forward with an $80 million Science and Technology Center that it hopes will boost sagging enrollment despite concerns that the West Baltimore school will not have enough money to operate the building. A ceremonial groundbreaking is scheduled May 14, though demolition has been completed and utility work is under way, said Maqbool Patel, Coppin's associate vice president for administration and finance. Completion is expected in early 2015. "We have to create an area that attracts students and faculty," said Patel, describing the quad-like atmosphere the building will create on the south side of West North Avenue at Thomas Avenue.

Men's college basketball Len earns Bias Award as most valuable Terp Alex Len was given the Len Bias Award as Maryland's most valuable player at the team's awards banquet. Len also earned the Len Elmore Award for most rebounds and the Buck Williams Award for most valuable defensive player. Dez Wells received the Greivis Vasquez Award for most inspirational player. Other winners were: Jake Layman , Juan Dixon Award for most improved player; Shaquille Cleare , Walt Williams Coaches Award for most coachable player; Pe'Shon Howard , Steve Blake Award for assists; and Logan Aronhalt , Tom McMillen Award for academic achievement.

Coppin State coach Fang Mitchell has reinstated forward Reggie Welch, who was suspended a week ago and missed the Eagles' season opener at Oklahoma for violating team academic rules.A 6-foot-6 senior and first-team All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference selection last season, Welch will make this weekend's trip to the Ameritas Classic at Nebraska."Our first concern is that he has his academic situation straight, and he has taken it upon himself to do so and improve his performance in that area," Mitchell said.

Grace-Kelly Anoma stood in front of a special committee convened to address Coppin State University's troubles and let loose with her frustrations. Some professors teach by reading straight out of the textbook, Anoma told the panel Thursday evening. The dorms often run out of hot water. Students are frequently awarded financial aid, only to wait months for it to be posted to their accounts. The cafeteria food is inedible. Some staff have "the nastiest of attitudes. " "I'm one of those people where I feel like enough is enough," the sophomore nursing student said, drawing applause from a crowd of hundreds.

Coppin State University has a serious problem with very low rates of student retention and graduation. Last December, the University System of Maryland Board of Regents created a Special Review Committee to look into this problem further and make recommendations. This is of special interest to me, as I served as a member of the faculty at Coppin for 12 years, from 1999 until 2011, including service as Faculty Senate president in 2005-2007. Historically, Coppin's core mission has been to provide much-needed access to quality higher education for the citizens of Baltimore City, especially African-American men and women who often must contend with social and economic barriers because of race.