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# Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/02/2007 – 10:11.
It makes sense for universities (public and/or private) to collaborate whenever possible. However, I feel it is important for education to remain convenient for potential students. Cleveland and Akron are only 35 miles apart, but that can be a long 35 miles for students who often work while attending school or have family responsibilities. Organizing majors/program so that they are at only one location can unintentionally lead to decreased enrollment in specific programs, or a decline in people who actually finish their degrees. Those are not outcomes that will help NEO.
# Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/02/2007 – 10:41.
Not only NO but HECK NO.
This is exactly the sort of thing that must be avoided. This ‘raid’ of a non-Cleveland, non-Cuyahoga County institution, Akron University, can be seen as more of the same. These are two institutions with different public images. What does the faculty and studebts of Akron U. have to gain by this adventure? What does the faculty and students of Cleveland State have to gain?
What does the region have to gain? Will this do anything to build trust between tween the Cleveland -Cuyahoga County elements and the rest of northeast Ohio.
If the merge is a good idea then why not make Cleveland State Univ. be a branch of Akron, University?
The better idea is to tell Eric Fingerhut, “No thank you.”
# Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/02/2007 – 11:41.
It has also been suggested that if the two schools were to merge that the new institution might start a medical school of its own. If that is the case, I would like to see it come to pass. CSU already has a nursing school program and has a pre-med as well. Imagine the advantages for medical and nursing students and the greater NEO community, especially the lower income bracket. The lower income and poor people could finally have decent access to top notch quality health care by students who would be learning from faculty how to care for such people through a state-run facility. People like myself wouldn’t have to sign up for some charity program through a local institution.
# Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 10/03/2007 – 06:09.
Want to have a merge or institutions that will save commuter time, offer medical and nursing edducation at a huge acale, not to mention law school? A merge that won’t require an intercity railway, gasoline or long commutes!
Merge CSU and CWRU. I realize theat Case is a ‘private’ university. True. But I’ll bet a saltine cracker it is not without substantial ‘public’ support. Ok. don’t call it a mreger. Call it a consortium. Students enrolled in either school can take courses in either. This merer/ conrotrium would have two nursing school, two engineering pscools, a medical school and two law schools. In addition it would offer two MBa’s
An added attraction for this would be that it could be the northern anchor of the Cleveland / Pittsburgh development corridor.
# Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/02/2007 – 12:19.
Not without a decent public transportation system that includes rail.
# Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/02/2007 – 12:47.
Merging the Browns and Steelers would be much more conducive forming a super-region.
# Submitted by Grace Sue Morgan on Tue, 10/02/2007 – 13:31.
CSU and Akron U would be good complement to each other. That is what happens when differing groups work well together. Distance is irrelative as so many of our higher education providers’ satellite availability according to geographic populous numbers in need. This can be seen in the new Wellington Branch for Lorain County Community College and the Medina branch for Akron U. Another alternative for those with distance issues would be to support a new mass transit like the TGV which travels about 200 mile per hour through France. WE need to think/act on alternative solutions. It is time for change.
# Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/02/2007 – 14:10.
KSU is geographically much closer to AU. Why would CSU be a better choice? Any merger will require a lot more information before I can provide my opinion on the merits.
The comments about the distance between the student’s work and family obligations and the school are spot on. As tuition has risen more students have to work to pay their way. Living at home is one way for students to minimize their expenses while in school. A merger would likely mean that some classes would only be offered in one location as a way to save money by eliminating duplicate classes — but it would also mean that some students wouldn’t be able to take the class because of other obligations and/or lack of fast and affordable transportation.
I also agree with the comments concerning the need for faster and better intercity rail service in the region, but I don’t see that as a major factor in whether we should merge universities. It is highly unlikely that we will see high speed rail service in the US in the next thirty years, but some rail service would be a nice alternative to driving.
# Submitted by From The Heights (not verified) on Wed, 10/03/2007 – 01:03.
I’ll be the first to support virtually any and every effort at trying to consolidate and regionalize government in Cleveland/NEOhio. That said, although I initially thought an outright UA/CSU merger would be a good idea, at this point, I’m not so sure. I really like what is happening to the U of A’s main campus in Akron, which seems to be contributing quite a bit to the reinaissance of Downtown Akron. I am concerned that a merger of UA and CSU might throw the balance of administrative power and momentum up to CSU’s campus in Cleveland, stealing away a great deal of the new life and energy that UA has breathed into itself and Akron over the past several years.
It just seems to me that Akron has a lot more to lose than what Cleveland would have to gain in this particular case, given that CSU is hardly among the chief social and economic drivers for Cleveland, compared to what UA is and has been for Akron. Cleveland can easily survive without CSU, but Akron takes a massive hit if UA is subordinated to a mere branch campus of CSU.
If any merger does take place, however, as one of the previous posters suggested, U of A should at least be designated the Main Campus, and CSU as a major branch. That makes the most sense, given Akron’s central location in the region and its’ substantially larger campus. I think it would also promote a sense of resource-sharing throughout the region. Cleveland is and must be the flagship city of NEOhio, but if regionalization is going to work, there has to be the realization that the region is so much more than just what is within the present Cleveland city limits.
# Submitted by David Greene (not verified) on Wed, 10/03/2007 – 15:48.
Northeastern Ohio has many problems that are common to cities along the Ohio River. Most of the industry is gone and that takes the high paying jobs and support retail/commercial uses. Population, wages and property values are declining. These issues can be addressed more sucessfully if a region is created to slove the problems.
An Ohio River Cities group would be able to promote the benefits of the area. The Ohio River Valley is still a great natural region with surrounding famland and potential to use both features to generate transportation, agricultural, food processing and recreation. The Columbia River Gorge in Oregon is an area of great beauty between Oregon and Washington and made a regional generator for jobs and redevelopment. The multi-county agreement between two states sreves to protect the natural beauty of the area for tourism and recreation, promote local food industries, historical sites and river transportation.
The Oho RIver cold benefit from the same regional effort. Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and W. Virginia could combine efforts to protect the river and promote appropriate development. W. VIrginia currently has a “Made in W. Virginia” state agency to promote locally grown food products. A similar effort could be done for the surrounding states and Ohio River recreation and historical sites.
The benefit is more recognition of the area vs individual small cities that have great difficulty competing with large urban areas. The change to non-polluting tourism and food industries would benefit the area. Jobs in preservation and reclaimation would benefit the economy. The region will never regai the peak population levels but the local economy woul dbe more stable and local incomes would be predictable.
David Greene
COl OH 43209
[email protected]
# Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 10/03/2007 – 17:43.
If this region is to move forward, this is exactly the kind of coordination that we need to consider. Lots of details to be worked out, of course. But it makes sense broaden the scope of these two universities and in so doing, hopefully broaden the outreach and availabilty. (I thought NEOUCOM was going to be included….good idea)
If we are to grow and thrive in NEOhio, we need to explore new approaches and new relationships. Same ol’ will leave us trailing forever. Hooray for welcoming new ideas.
# Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 10/13/2007 – 16:17.
Voted no for an outright merger, and the above replies have summarized how I feel nicely. Where would it be? Brecksville, Independence, Richfield, somewhere else midway on I-77?
I don’t have too much of a problem with creating a consolidated “Northeast Ohio University System” but with keeping independent campuses for, say Kent, Akron, CSU, YSU, etc. much as California has a set of consolidated systems in Cal State, Cal, etc. although there would have to be significant organizational advantages beyond naming (as there are in CA.) The transfer-from-a-community college system could be helped through this as well, with how you see many more students in states like California, Kansas, Oklahoma, etc. save money by starting out at local community colleges and transferring to UC-Berkeley, KU, OkState, OU, etc.
On a similar note, perhaps CSU could be brought in with the YSU/Kent/Akron NEOUCOM establishment.
# Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 10/13/2007 – 16:19.
Another thing, how many of you have actually contacted representatives about this? I know I will.
