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UA president talks about the school’s future
Published: May 20, 2015
In a forthright and compelling speech at the venerable City Club of Cleveland, President Scott L. Scarborough outlined a vision for The University of Akron that includes a distinction as “Ohio’s Polytechnic University.” He described the genesis of the idea and clearly defined what it means:
“Career-focused. Connected to industry. Experiential. Technology-infused. In both the sciences and the arts. It is what some have called the merger of the practical arts with the liberal arts. It is who we are, and who we will aspire to be—in increasing measure.”
Dr. Scarborough explained that shortly after assuming the presidency last July, he was given a directive from the UA board of trustees: to elevate the reputation of the university to attract more students, faculty and research dollars; to ensure financial strength and sustainability; and to develop a strategy for growth and distinction.
He noted in his speech that it is crucial to build “a university’s perceived brand identity in the public’s mind, and then continually strengthen that brand identity by being true to that identity in both word and deed.”
During his half-hour speech, he built the case for repositioning the University. He cited research that predicts half of all U.S. colleges and universities will cease to exist in the next fifty years.
He compared universities to hospitals, saying that many state regional universities are destined to suffer the fate of community hospitals. And he outlined the continuing challenges facing universities, including declining enrollments and decreasing government support, too much debt, increasing regulation, “new competitors everywhere, unhappy faculty, worried trustees, fearful administrators, and a political system that reduces state funding for higher education, then expresses outrage over tuition increases!”
In a forward-looking and optimistic view of the future, Dr. Scarborough also predicted that UA would thrive by fully embracing its identity as a polytechnic university and creating new programs that “give our students even more of a competitive advantage in the job and business markets after they graduate from college.”
He announced the development of new centers, including:
· Center for Data Sciences and Information Technology that would help UA become the go-to university for information technology professions, led by former Microsoft partner, executive and UA alumnus Mario Garzia.
· Center for Experiential Learning, Entrepreneurship, and Civic Engagement to connect more of our students to internships, service learning, study abroad and business start-up activities, led by Jeff Hoffman, co-founder of Priceline.com and author/entrepreneur.
· National Center for Choreography in partnership with DANCECleveland, to provide a home for innovative dance makers to create new works in a technologically enriched environment, supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The Center would offer students expanded opportunities to work with professional companies and artists as they experience both the artistic and business aspects of dance.
President Scarborough said the vision he put forth was shaped by months of thoughtful conversations that took place on campus and in the community with stakeholders who have a deep passion for The University of Akron.
“What I am talking about is a fundamental transformation that will take place, not by becoming something we are not, but by embracing what we already truly are. We’re going to have to reallocate resources to do this well. But the point is that we can do this well. We can be Ohio’s Polytechnic University and thereby help grow the regional economy of Northeast Ohio in an exceptional way.”