Coppin State defends HEERF disbursements and highlights retention and research gains

Coppin State University officials defended their distribution of federal CARES Act/HEERF funds, outlined steps taken after an Office of Legislative Audits (OLA) review, and described enrollment and retention gains that university leaders say demonstrate a turnaround.

The DLS presentation summarized an OLA fiscal compliance audit covering July 2018 through June 2022 that identified five findings related to HEERF administration, including that some hardship grants were awarded without documented evidence of need and that several employees who were nondegree students received the same payments and tuition remission as part‑time students. DLS requested commentary on the university’s response and controls.

President Anthony Jenkins told the subcommittee that Coppin had acted under federal guidance when distributing CARES dollars and that for a mandated portion of the funds ($6.9 million of a reported $13 million), the university had to pass the money through to students. He said the institution then used the remaining HEERF funds to provide additional $1,200 grants to students, and that Coppin has since created an independent scholarship committee to develop consistent policies and controls for need‑based awards.

Jenkins also emphasized institutional improvements: total enrollment increased 5% in fall 2023 with stronger freshman, transfer and graduate growth; the university raised first‑year retention from 57% in 2019 to 74% in 2023 after launching an Eagle Achievement Center and other student supports; research rose from roughly $2 million in 2019 to over $14 million in 2023; and fundraising and fund balances grew substantially.

The committee asked about the high vacancy count and HEERF controls. Coppin officials said they reduced vacancies since December 2023, are improving recruitment and marketing for difficult positions (notably IT), and will implement the scholarship committee’s recommendations for fall 2024.