Md. Hopeful on College Deseg Decision

In a sign that a decision might be near, U.S. officials pondering whether to declare Maryland’s public colleges free from segregation are touring the schools.

Investigators from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights inspected Morgan State University, the University of Baltimore and Coppin State University last week to determine if desegregation plans were being enforced, the Baltimore Sun reported Monday.

We’re pleased that they’re actually here, moving the matter forward, Kevin O’Keefe, chairman of the Maryland Higher Education Commission, told the newspaper. Our goal is to get this issue resolved one way or another.

Maryland is one of only seven states that have not yet fulfilled federal mandates meant to root out vestiges of racially segregated public college systems. Its newest desegregation plan was instituted between 2000 and 2005, the newspaper said.

Maryland education officials say they have been waiting for a response from the Department of Education to the $55 million effort to integrate the state’s four historically black colleges.