University of Akron buying metal detectors for sport, entertainment venues with state grant

Katie Byard Carney
·3 min read
The University of Akron is paying $550,000 to settle a lawsuit with 12 former students whose dual therapy and counseling doctoral program lost one of its two accreditations before they graduated.

The University of Akron has received a state grant to buy metal detectors for the entrances of campus sport and entertainment venues.

UA President Gary L. Miller reported at the university’s board of trustees meeting Wednesday that UA is receiving nearly $423,000 from Ohio’s 2022 Campus Safety Grant Program to purchase the metal detectors.

A total of 33 Ohio institutions of higher education are getting money for security upgrades under the 2022 grant program. Kent State University received $387,567. UA and Kent State are slated to receive the first and second-highest awards respectively.

The grants come as middle schools, high schools and higher education institutions nationwide are beefing up security.

This week, after a seventh grader was found with a loaded handgun at Akron's Litchfield middle school, an Akron Public Schools spokesman said the district may get fixed metal detectors for its middle and high school buildings. The APS school board is scheduled to consider the proposal at its meeting this Monday.

School safety:After gun found, Akron schools to seek fixed metal detectors, other security upgrades

What we know about UA's fall graduating class

Also at Wednesday’s meeting, John Wiencek, UA executive vice president and provost, noted UA is bucking the nationwide trend when it comes to the percentage of graduating students who are men.

Many colleges and universities nationwide are seeing a significant drop in the percentage of their male graduates, while UA’s percentage has held steady.

On Saturday, the university will award 770 degrees. Half of the degree recipients are men. That compares with 48% last spring.

Here are some other facts about those graduating this weekend:

  • The average age is 27 years.

  • 25% are the first in their families to receive college degrees.

  • Half received a federal Pell grant (for students with financial need)

  • 92% are from Ohio

  • 83% are from Northeast Ohio

  • 37% are from Summit County.

UA's Social Justice Fund gets $1 million anonymous gift

Also at the board meeting, trustees learned of a $1 million anonymous gift to the Social Justice Fund housed in UA’s Office of Multicultural Development.

The gift is the largest gift ever received by the multicultural development office, said Sheldon Wrice, UA’s vice president of inclusion and equity and chief diversity officer.

The money will go toward recruiting and retaining underrepresented students, Wrice said.

The money is an “estate gift,” meaning the the university will be the beneficiary of $1 million of the donors’ estate. In addition to their estate gift, the donors have pledged to continue annual monetary contributions to the Social Justice Fund. The amount of these gifts is not being disclosed.

UA trustees approve appointments of new senior vice provost, Health and Human Sciences dean

Also Wednesday, UA trustees approved the appointment of Daniel Friesner as dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences. He will begin the job June 30.

He currently serves as senior associate dean for the College of Health Professions at North Dakota State University. He also is professor of pharmacy practice there and director of the school’s Bachelor of Science in Health Services Program.

His annual salary will be $225,000.

Trustees also approved the appointment of Gwyneth Price to the position of senior vice provost.

She most recently worked as associate provost and dean of the College of Education at Pennsylvania Western University.

Her hiring is effective Dec. 22 and her annual salary will be $225,000.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: UA buying metal detectors for sport, entertainment venues