University of Akron trustees in discussions with President Gary Miller over his future
The University of Akron Board of Trustees has "begun to discuss future plans" with its president, Gary L. Miller, a university spokesperson confirmed to the Beacon Journal.
The confirmation of the discussion comes amid swirling rumors of Miller's departure, and amid two special trustees meetings scheduled this week.
"As President Miller completes his fifth academic year in that role, the University of Akron Board of Trustees has begun to discuss future plans with him," a statement said. "Those discussions have not been completed and there is nothing to announce at this time."
But the trustees met behind closed doors on Monday, and will do so again on Wednesday during a limited open meeting with expected action to follow yet another executive session.
Miller, 70, has been the president of UA since 2019 and has a contract through June 2027. He makes a base salary of $475,000 and came to Akron by way of University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Miller and his wife, Georgia Nix Miller, said in a Beacon Journal profile in early 2020 they'd had no intention of leaving Wisconsin, but the Akron job and community enticed them away.
Miller has sought to bring consistency to the university's top job after years of tumultuous leadership, although just months after his tenure began, COVID-19 struck, destabilizing higher education.
Over the last five years, Miller has overseen the university through a period of significant change, including a massive reorganization of colleges and staff layoffs in 2020, prompted by the pandemic but also by years of declining enrollment.
Miller and the university managed to stabilize the falling numbers this year after 11 years of declines. He has also taken significant steps to offset the university's debt by outsourcing parking. A plan to also outsource university housing is in the works.
Wednesday's meeting will begin with the closed-door session at 11 a.m. A public session is expected to begin at 1 p.m. but could start earlier. The meeting will be held in the Board Room, room 339, of the Jean Hower Taber Student Union. It will also be livestreamed on the trustees' website, uakron.edu/bot.
Contact education reporter Jennifer Pignolet at jpignolet@thebeaconjournal.com, at 330-996-3216 or on Twitter @JenPignolet.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: UA trustees discussing 'future plans' with President Gary Miller
