urbanpreppie05

I was talking with another friend who's also an Akron alum and works at a university as a dean about this...it really looks like he's wants to make a move to be back in his roots and probably near more people of his faith.

You want worse? a trend (that i'm very split on) in higher ed is courting more online/virtual students. The college could have easily hired a president that would have continued to court these students over physical, campus ones and taken over Kaplan, or worked with Phoenix. THAT would have been a disaster. As for Wilson...i honestly think this was a personal decision. Maybe the last few months have been a strain on his family.

And again...what has wilson done wrong that people are like, "Oh he's leaving a mess for someone else to clean up?"

So if someone wants to leave to better his or her family in higher ed, wouldn't it have looked much, much worse if he wasn't straight up with the Board anyway about an opportunity that came up that he felt he should apply for? I say this, because i did the same thing in my job in higher ed, 9 years ago. And there was no love lost, and i did my job at 110% until my last day. That's just how higher ed works. I

Changing jobs in Higher Ed is a little different. We are almost encouraged not to stay in a position for too long -barring your position doesn't change, or you receive new education/skills. You have to do what's best for you and your family- which it sounds like that's what hes doing. It doesn't mean he doesn't like the school any less or make him less loyal. And while you're right, things still aren't great- the school's in better shape at the end of his presidency than at the beginning.

In all seriousness, why? From everything i've seen he did a lot of damage control from Scarborough.

Of all times for me to return to posting....

My phone and feed have been blowing up here in pa. After the crap that happened this year, the school it's students, players and alums all needed this. GO ZIPS!!

I'm constantly refreshing the score via Google...and my stomach is in knots lol

It's only a $20 million deficit. The $60 million total includes $10 million in his initiatives and $30 million in capital planning- including that "main entrance"

There's always been a negative slant against UA in Northeast Ohio. Of course NONE of this helps any, but still.

So it looks like...No More Subway or Ohio Burger Company?

That was...terrible. How is this news? How?

It may be unpopular here, but that place had been losing money for a LONG time. That's why the owners (when it was Crowne Plaza) dumped it, and UA snapped it up. Still a little sad though. :-( As for the hotel situation, i used to work at City Center (when it was a Radisson). And as thankful that I am for them giving me a job that eventually got me working at another college FT, that place needs a MAJOR renovation- or least being put in the hands of someone who will fix it up. Thankfully, the market for new hotels is fixing that. (never thought i would see a downtown Marriott!)

I don't see them eliminating football because 1- info is barely five years old, cost quite a bit of money, and with a better marketing/strategy campaign and coach, could still draw bigger crowds 2- the huge black eye the university would get if they closed the program (and thus the stadium) What I do see them doing is: Hopefully, better and bigger student/community push Renting the stadium out for event use like the rubber bowl was Thinning out the sports to basic Mac sports and title 9 Barring that doesn't work, going down a division

No...it will just be run by an outside company, instead of Dining Services (which will, I assume cease to exist)

I don't know. Ive been to a a few colleges since leaving UA over the last few years, UA is one of the only schools left that runs their own dining services. Each school's Dining services runs similar (if not slightly better) than what UA runs. The important issue is if much of the Auxilary services- Auntie Anne's Starbucks, Etc. will stay.

http://www.uakron.edu/im/news/three-year-program-announced-to-fund-strategic-growth-and-address-budget-issues Eliminating 215 positions via a planned reduction in workforce. No faculty layoffs are occurring.Eliminating baseball.Eliminating non-academic programming in EJ Thomas Hall, except for rentals.Outsourcing dining services.Renegotiating healthcare plans.Increasing the cost share of retiree dependent coverage.Changing the University’s retire/rehire policy.Centralizing course scheduling.Reducing central costs, such as legal fees and University memberships.As a former programmer for ZPN, the non-academic non-use of EJ really, really burns me.

Bingo. You could even shrink the timeline down to the last 5 years on how dramatically things have changed. I think a big assumption was that if they built the stadium, people would automatically come. And they did. And then they started losing- a lot. And they stopped coming. Whoever the new AD is they need to go out into the campus AND the Metro area- all the schools, all the youth groups, local stores, ANYONE tied to Akron- and bring those people here. We can't just expect people to flock to the stadium when it's not even on their radar.

Then why don't they say something about it? Protest? Petition? Ask questions! GAH! Student engagement is a problem many of us are seeing in colleges and universities around the country. I saw it as a problem as a student on the program board, I see it as a professional-and it's much worse than before. (that's another question for another day). People will piss and moan about how much they hate anything and everything and everyone on campus but aren't willing to speak up and out. On another note- Scarborough really needs to stop making statements like this, and be a leader. Was Info built too big? Definitely. But you can't turn back time. Work with what you have. His attitude on how he's perceived things at UA worries me.

A large University merger is a little unusual...but not unheard of these days. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Texas_Rio_Grande_Valley

Welcome to the city I've called home for Seven years! (Class of 06') -Tailgating should be pretty awesome...I have friends that buy season tix just to tailgate outside Heinz (the massive parking lot helps). -If you're not tailgating and staying downtown, I recommend that you take the Light Rail/Subway (the T) from Heinz Field (Allegheny station). North Side Station goes close to PNC park, Gateway is near Gateway Center and Market square, Wood Street is the heart of downtown and close to the Cultural District, Steel Plaza runs by Consol Arena, and First Avenue is the last station downtown. Due to a generous donation from the Steelers, the system between these stops is free. -Downtown is mainly a 9-5 place, but that is changing. Only certain parts are busy and touristy- the cultural district, Point State Park, and Market Square. -Food and Beer: Sharp Edge is awesome. Jerome Bettis Grille is not bad either. Ive heard great things about Olive or Twist (cultural district) Grit and Grace (market square), Wingharts (market square) -You'll get the best views of the city on Mount Washington via the Duquense Incline. You will also get nice views at Point State Park especially if the fountain is on. -Theres a ton of collegey clubs and bars on Carson street (southside) You'll have a wonderful time...god I wish I was going to the game!

More changes ahead?

They have more choices (and better hours) that I did in 2006! Like that new Einstein Bros in the Library....and 3 starbucks....4 zee's...sigh

There's something very, very wrong about this. How did these thugs get in?