Kent State President Todd Diacon defended the university and Ohio’s higher education through a Kent State Today personal essay posted Tuesday. 

The essay was in response to Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who is pushing to consolidate statewide higher education institutions that are facing challenges. If elected, his consolidation plan would focus on transforming struggling universities into “centers of excellence” for specialized fields of study rather than offering a variety of degrees.

In an op-ed posted on The Columbus Dispatch, Ramaswamy directly mentioned Kent State, Cleveland State, Central State and the University of Akron as universities that are struggling and could be targeted for consolidation. Ramaswamy said the plan would address declining enrollment in Ohio universities and increase affordability. The idea has faced criticism from both Republicans and Democrats alike. 

In his personal essay, Diacon first addressed Ohio’s history when the college boom occurred in the 1960s. He said it wasn’t built carelessly, and that it was created due to public demand. Diacon called it “one of the most consequential public investments in our state’s history.” 

“This was not a waste,” he said. “This was Ohio investing in itself.” 

Diacon said the demographic cliff is real and that it does present challenges to Ohio’s public universities. However, he added that total state enrollment is roughly the same as it was in 2005, and that’s without state support and funding that has slowly dwindled over the decades. 

Reengaging the “centers of excellence” plan, Diacon said Kent State has long been a leader in several fields. This includes liquid crystal technology, fashion, architecture, business, healthcare, aeronautics and engineering. This translates into an alumni base of more than 280,000 that supports Ohio in a variety of ways. 

“Excellence at Kent State is not a marketing claim,” Diacon said. “It is specific, credentialed, rated, ranked and documented.”

Diacon also discussed Kent State’s standing as the only public Research 1 [R1] university in Northeast Ohio, and said its scholarship helps solve potential problems, produces economic development and attracts investments. 

The need for regional campuses across Northeast Ohio was also addressed, and Diacon said those small campuses are necessary elements of smaller communities. 

“They are lifelines – for the students, for local employers, for the civic identities of communities that have built themselves, in part, around the presence of a university in their midst,” he said. “To abandon our regional campuses would be to abandon our state’s small-town heartbeat.” 

To conclude his essay, Diacon extended an invitation to those questioning the value and purpose behind Kent State and other universities. He encouraged those to speak to students and hear their perspectives. Diacon also clarified that this message wasn’t written solely to defend Kent State, but rather to add facts and value to the discussions around Ohio’s university. 

“Ohio’s public universities advance the future of all Ohioans,” Diacon said. “The transformation of our institutions is already well underway. Come see it.” 

John Engoglia is the managing editor. Contact him at [email protected].