Displaying items by tag: Board of Trustees

With calls for change echoing at the University of Akron, two dozen students and faculty members gathered outside Wednesday's board of trustees meeting in protest.

UA associate professor Kevin Kern says these protests wouldn't be happening...if the board would listen to the community.

"That's been the real tragedy of this whole thing," Kern tells WAKR.net, "I really don't think it would have come to this point if there had been real, open communication with the board trustee."

The protestors say that there is a lack of trust between the administration and the rest of the university, and there needs to be greater shared governance at the university.

Kern says one solution to the lack of trust is to create a shared governance.

"This is a central part of the American university system, it's something called shared governance," Kern says, "where the administration, the board of trustees, the faculty, the stakeholders actually jointly cooperate to make decisions."

In the meeting, the UA board of trustees did not publicly read the letter sent by the university's chairs and directors. Graduate Assistant Thomas Guarino says that decision adds to the lack of trust.

"To me, it just works along the lines of lack of transparency," Guarino tells WAKR.net, "like not taking the votes without more urgency."

Trustees said they would review that letter sent Tuesday night by university chairs and directors.

One phase of budget cuts at the University of Akron is over, at least as far as a statement from University President Dr. Scott Scarborough is concerned. He acknowledges the pain caused but has noted the situation was dire with a massive $60 million dollar defecit first identified. The furor over belt-tightening, however, is getting more fuel to the fire over costs renovating the President's residence.

By contract, the University President is required to live in the home at 465 Burning Tree Drive, purchased in 1999 at a cost of $850,000 in a neighborhood marked by large homes and wealthy neighbors. The University maintained the home needed repairs and renovations left behind after Dr. Luis Proenza's departure after 15 years in the home, and also cited allergies suffered by Scarborough's family that prevented them from fully moving in. The family had been staying at a local hotel at a reported cost of $25,000 while repairs and renovations were being made. The Scarborough's moved into the home in January, according to the report.

The family provided their own furniture for their living quarters on the second floor of the home; the first floor is used for entertaining and meetings and more public use.

The new report from Northeast Ohio Media Group shows the costs of repairing the home -- with a property valuation now listed at just over $733,000 dollars -- is actually $950,000, more than the home is worth. The report notes some of the work includes renovations and repairs from University of Akron construction employees who were part of layoffs proposed by the Administration and approved by the Board of Trustees earlier this week in decisions that sidelined 161 employees and abolished 213 positions from the University's budget.  

Among the items going into renovations: a modernized first floor bathroom at a cost of $40,000 and more than $141.000 for furnishings and decorations including window treatments.

In contrast, a report by student media at Kent State University in November 2014 compared the various perks other colleges and universities provided their Presidents. Kent State's Beverly Warren lives in a home built by her predecessor, Dr. Lester Lefton, and KSU pays an annual lease of $56,000 annually on a deal extending to 2033. Youngstown State University President Jim Tressel, who was a finalist for the Akron job but criticized by faculty for not having a doctorate, lives in Pollock House, an 1863 mansion gifted to the University in 1950. 

Source: Google Maps

Monday's University of Akron Board of Trustees meeting was packed with those who wanted to weigh in on budget cuts.

The fact that none of them were able to provide input was frustrating to UA Director of Orchestral Studies Dr. Guy Victor Bordo, who attended the meeting.

"It was a pretty frustrating experience to observe," Bordo tells WAKR's Jasen Sokol. "There didn't appear to be any discussion, and there certainly wasn't any opportunity for anyone who came there, to comment."

Bardo says he feels for those who are losing their jobs in the cutback.

"Basically, what's going to happen is, a lot of people will be losing their jobs that didn't create the problem," Bardo says.

He's worried about the impact on E.J. Thomas Hall, which won't see any UA-supported events that aren't rented out or paid for by outside money.

Bardo points out that E.J. Thomas Hall sees around 400,000 visitors a year, where InfoCision Stadium sees just a few thousand a game.

University of Akron board of trustees agreed to reverse the university's decision to impose a $50 per credit hour fee on upper-level courses -- but also agreed to cut 213 positions.

UA spokesman Wayne Hill said employees will be notified on Monday and Tuesday.

The moves were made after the university announced plans to eliminate a $60 million dollar shortfall over the next few years.

Trustees didn't take any questions from faculty, staff and students. Some waited two hours to speak after trustees held an executive session.

Previous Coverage: 

UA Plans To Reverse $50 Credit Hour Fee

AUDIO "Save Akron Baseball" Gaining Steam

UA Faculty Senate Leader: Still Need To Cut Football

AUDIO UA Interim AD: Baseball's Gone, No Football Drop

UPDATE AUDIO UA Planning To Cut Jobs, Baseball Program