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Lefton: Better quality of higher education key
Tim Magaw
Issue date: 3/16/07 Section: News
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"But the people of Ohio deserve more than a 'Super Wal-Mart' approach to higher education," Lefton said in speech during yesterday's Akron Roundtable Luncheon at Tangier Restaurant in Akron. "I think they deserve a 'Nordstrom's' approach, where everyone who walks through the door finds superb service, personal attention and top-quality products and tenure-line faculty."
Lefton said the university has a responsibility to ensure that students are properly trained to compete in a global economy.
"Our students must be able to compete for jobs, for positions and for careers in a very different world," he said. "We know that our students must be able to function effectively in a global workplace and a global society, for their sake and ours."
Lefton said higher education is one of the solutions to Ohio's poor economy, acknowledging Gov. Ted Strickland's value for higher education.
"There could not be a more opportune time for Ohio to pursue a new level of investment in higher education," Lefton said. "Without it, Ohio cannot hope to resume its former place as a national center for innovation."
Following the speech, Lefton answered submitted questions from the audience, one of which asked him about Strickland's proposal to increase university funding in exchange for a tuition freeze.
"I like bargains. We're very supportive of the governor's approach," Lefton said, adding that although this is an important step for higher education in Ohio, the "devil is in the details."
Lefton also answered a question about Kent City councilman Ed Bargerstock's idea of taxing the university. Although Lefton said he questioned the legality of such a tax, he said the university and the student body already provide the city with significant revenue.
"I think we're doing our fair share," Lefton said, adding that he isn't particularly worried about it.
Kathleen Rice, president of the Akron Roundtable board of trustees, said Lefton was chosen as a speaker because Kent State is a key institution in the area. She said the speakers that are chosen are those that fit the Roundtable's slogan, "bringing the world to Akron."
"They're leaders of the community that are providing ideas that are important to the region," she said.
The next speaker at the Akron Roundtable is John C. Green, director of the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics." His topic will be "The Faith Factor: How Religion Influences American Elections." The speech and luncheon will be April 19 at 11:45 a.m. at Tangier Restaurant in Akron.
Contact administration reporter Tim Magaw at tmagaw@kent.edu.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
H.C. Earwicker
posted 3/16/07 @ 1:54 PM EST
Interesting that President Lefton chose a retail-customer analogy to express his view of what public universities (KSU)should offer. It is precisely the university as business paradigm first instituted by Carol Cartwright that took a rather good university and reduced its full-time faculty to below fifty percent, out-sourced many of its services resulting in a decline in the quality of those services, eliminated core liberal arts university programs (try to do a graduate program in strictly literature in our English department today--the courses just aren't there),changed the University Health Service to a fee for service unit while reducing the number of full-time physicians (starting with its most senior physicians)closing its laboratory and terminating two extremely experienced and respected Physician's Assistant's in favor of barely experienced Nurse Practitioners,and created a top-heavy administration while eliminating hourly civil service positions. (Continued…)
A.L. Plurabelle
posted 3/16/07 @ 2:05 PM EST
Let us hope that President Lefton has both a sense of humor and a broad enough academic background to identify the pseudonyms used in this comment and the previous comment. (Continued…)
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