Editing University of Akron (section)

===Construction, dropping enrollment, and lay-offs===
[[File:Uakron student union.jpg|right|thumb|University of Akron's student union at night]]
During the tenure (1999-2014) of its 15th president, [[Luis M. Proenza]], the University of Akron underwent a $627 million construction project, called "A New Landscape for Learning."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uakron.edu/about_ua/history/campus_then_and_now.dot|title=Campus Then and Now : The University of Akron|work=uakron.edu}}</ref> A new football stadium, [[InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field]], was also constructed on campus. The new stadium opened for its first game on September 12, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gozips.com/sports/2017/5/25/athletics-facilities-InfoCision.aspx|title=Athletics Facilities - InfoCision Stadium|website=University of Akron Athletics}}</ref> The stadium replaced the [[Rubber Bowl]], which is {{Convert|3|mi}} from campus and was built in 1940.

The university purchased the [[Quaker Square|Quaker Square Crowne Plaza Hotel]] and shopping complex and uses it as a residence hall space. The university did a land-swap with the city of Akron so that the city may find a new downtown hotel. This means the University of Akron campus is made up of 82 buildings on {{convert|222|acre|km2}} near downtown Akron with a total property value of $1.84 billion.<ref name="dotquickfacts">[http://www.uakron.edu/about_ua/quick_facts.dot Quick Facts: "Brief History of the University"] Retrieved September 22, 2010</ref><ref>[http://www.uakron.edu/ir/QuickFacts.php "Quick Facts" - uakron.edu] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070602031136/http://www.uakron.edu/ir/QuickFacts.php |date=June 2, 2007 }} Retrieved September 22, 2010</ref>

In 2015, the university eliminated over 200 positions as the result of a $6 million budget deficit. Subsequently, in May 2016, Moody's Investors Service, downrated the university's bonds from stable to negative, because of low enrollment and high debts and pension burdens.<ref>Fernanda Zamudio-Suaréz, "U. of Akron's Financial Outlook Is Downgraded to 'Negative' by Moody's" ''Chronicle of Higher Education'' May 11, 2015, [http://chronicle.com/blogs/ticker/u-of-akrons-financial-outlook-is-downgraded-to-negative-by-moodys/111261] accessed June 28, 2016</ref> Moody's upgraded the university's outlook to stable in 2018, citing improved enrollment, rising donations and steps to reduce expenses.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2018/03/university_of_akrons_financial_1.html|title=University of Akron's financial outlook upgraded to 'stable' by Moody's|first=Karen|last=Farkas|date=March 20, 2018|website=cleveland.com|access-date=May 18, 2019}}</ref> Still, between 2011 and 2020 the university's enrollment went down almost 40 percent,<ref name=myskow>{{cite journal |url=https://www.chronicle.com/article/an-assassination-of-our-careers?cid=gen_sign_in |title= 'An Assassination of Our Careers': How faculty layoffs have forever changed the University of Akron |first=Wyatt |last=Myskow |date=August 9, 2022 |journal=[[Chronicle of Higher Education]] |accessdate=August 10, 2022}}</ref> from 25,190 in 2011 to 15,385 in 2020.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.uakron.edu/ir/docs/Fall%202020%20Enroll%20Profile.pdf |title=Enrollment Summary Fall Semester 2020 |publisher=The University of Akron |date=Fall 2020 |page=2 |accessdate=August 10, 2022}}</ref>

On October 1, 2019, Gary Miller became Akron's 18th president; formerly the chancellor of [[University of Wisconsin–Green Bay]], he was given a five-year contract with a base salary of $475,000, with an annual $25,000 in a deferred compensation plan, monthly stipends of $3,500 and $750 for housing and a car, and $36,000 for moving expenses.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cleveland.com/education/2019/08/university-of-akron-president-elect-gary-millers-base-salary-will-be-475000.html |title=University of Akron President-elect Gary Miller's base salary will be $475,000 |newspaper=[[The_Plain_Dealer#Cleveland.com|Cleveland.com]] |date=August 16, 2019 |first=Robin |last=Goist |accessdate=August 10, 2022 }}</ref> In May 2020, president Miller announced that the university will consolidate its eleven academic colleges into five due to budget issues resulting from the [[COVID-19 pandemic]];<ref>{{cite news |last1=Goist |first1=Robin |title=University of Akron to eliminate six of 11 colleges as part of cost-saving measures due to coronavirus pandemic |url=https://www.cleveland.com/education/2020/05/university-of-akron-to-eliminate-six-of-11-colleges-as-part-of-cost-saving-measures-due-to-coronavirus-pandemic.html |access-date=May 12, 2020 |publisher=cleveland.com |date=May 4, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> the cut is meant to reduce administrative costs, and "the plan does not cut or change any degree program offerings."<ref name="Trustee approve consolidation">{{cite web |last1=Goist |first1=Robin |title=University of Akron trustees approve plan to consolidate colleges to cut costs due to coronavirus pandemic |url=https://www.cleveland.com/education/2020/05/university-of-akron-trustees-approve-plan-to-eliminate-six-colleges-to-cut-costs-due-to-coronavirus-pandemic.html |website=Cleveland.com |date=May 29, 2020 |access-date=June 16, 2020}}</ref> The "redesign", as Miller called it, was termed a "bloodbath" by the faculty union president, and would eliminate "97 full-time professors out of about 570"; the union commented that "names were selected regardless of rank or tenure status".<ref name=flaherty>{{cite news |url=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/07/16/budget-bloodbath-university-akron |newspaper=[[Inside Higher Education]] |accessdate=August 10, 2022 |title=Budget 'Bloodbath' at University of Akron: Governing board votes to eliminate 97 full-time faculty positions |first=Colleen |last=Flaherty |date=July 16, 2020}}</ref> One study suggested that "women and professors of color were laid off at a disproportionate rate".<ref name=myskow/> After earlier layoffs and faculty taking early retirement, that added up to a loss of almost a quarter of the university's faculty since the start of the pandemic.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.chronicle.com/article/with-latest-layoffs-u-of-akron-has-lost-almost-a-quarter-of-its-faculty-since-pandemic-began |journal=[[Chronicle of Higher Education]] |accessdate=August 10, 2022 | title=With Latest Layoffs, U. of Akron Has Lost Almost a Quarter of Its Faculty Since Pandemic Began |first=Danielle |last=McLean |date=July 15, 2020}}</ref>

The university's chapter of the [[American Association of University Professors]] had advocated the university also consider cuts to athletics and leave [[NCAA Division I]],<ref name=flaherty/> which had lost $215 million during that decade,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://akronaaup.org/akron-aaup-position-paper-on-athletics-spending-at-the-university-of-akron/ |title=Position Paper on Athletics Spending at The University of Akron (Executive Summary) |date=July 5, 2020 |publisher=Akron AAUP |accessdate=August 10, 2022}}</ref> but the university said it would cut only $4.4 million from athletics.<ref name=flaherty/> The ''[[Chronicle of Higher Education]]'' reported in August 2022 that thirty-six of the professors who had been fired were hired back by the university, but as adjuncts, with a similar workload and lower pay--in one case, at $18,000 a year, one-third of their former salary.<ref name=myskow/> In 2021, the Board of Trustees extended President Miller's contract, praising him for "consistent and decisive leadership". They increased the annual deferred compensation to $40,000, promised additional bonuses for 2025-2027 for a total of $107,000 if he remained on the job, and increased his housing and car stipends to $4,000 and $1,000, respectively.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/2021/10/06/trustees-approve-contract-extension-bonus-university-of-akron-president-gary-miller/6021749001/ |title=University of Akron trustees approve contract extension, deferred bonus for President Gary L. Miller |first=Jennifer |last=Pignolet |newspaper=[[Akron Beacon Journal]] |date=October 6, 2021 |accessdate=August 10, 2022}}</ref>