Future of higher education in Northeast Ohio is bright

By James P. TRESSEL, RONALD M. BERKMAN, BEVERLY WARREN and JAY A. GERSHEN

The Vindicator

As the presidents of public universities in Northeast Ohio, we listened with interest as Dr. Scott Scarborough, president of The University of Akron, presented his vision for “Ohio’s Polytechnic University” at the City Club last week. Our colleague predicted that many institutions of public higher education in Ohio may no longer exist in 50 years. Our view of the future of public higher education in Ohio is much more optimistic, and is based on the remarkable contributions of all of our region’s public universities.

As the 12th-largest region in the country, Northeast Ohio is a powerhouse with an economy of $140 billion. Public higher education is a critical component of our economy and an educational, cultural and public-service resource for every Northeast Ohioan. Combined, our region’s five universities have a regional economic impact of more than $6 billion; enroll more than 98,000 students; and have produced 476,000 well-prepared and proud alumni, most of whom apply their education and desire to make a difference in our region and state after graduation.

Our universities are not only graduating today’s workforce, we are also preparing students for tomorrow’s jobs. Working together and in partnership with business, we contribute to the vitality of Northeast Ohio’s growth industries, including health care, financial services, advanced manufacturing, aerospace and aviation, and the automotive industry.

Youngstown State

Youngstown State University’s partnership with the Youngstown Business Incubator – recently deemed the world’s No. 1 university- affiliated business incubator – has helped facilitate the creation of high-value businesses through partnerships that promote innovative technologies throughout the region.

At Cleveland State University’s Washkewicz College of Engineering, students learn and work in a human motion control lab built in partnership with Parker Hannifin, where they study movement for development of prosthetic limbs. Northeast Ohio Medical University’s interprofessional training and four areas of research – auditory neuroscience, community-based mental health, metabolic and cardiovascular disease, and skeletal biology – are key to discovering advances for better patient care.

Kent State University’s College of Nursing addresses the growing need for skilled and advanced nurse practitioners, and as a partner in the region’s largest industry, supplies 43 percent of bedside nurses to area hospitals.

When you add The University of Akron’s renowned Institute of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, it’s clear that our region’s public universities have never been stronger in leading the way in cutting-edge industries.

We believe Northeast Ohio’s future competitiveness requires the individual and collective resources of all of our public universities. We are setting our sights on a future that includes not just a few elite universities, but many public universities that are innovative, entrepreneurial and productive. Why? Because it works!

We already have seen other major metropolitan areas flourish because their higher education community chose collaboration over competition. A shining example is found in the more than 80 public and private colleges in Greater Boston. They have sparked job growth at about twice the rate seen in the private sector, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And the stunning success of North Carolina’s Research Triangle is a byproduct of university collaborations. Northeast Ohio is well positioned for similar success if we, too, maximize the immense power of university partnerships.

Affordable education

The public is counting on us to provide accessible, local options for a high-quality, affordable college education. We are committed to doing just that and much more. We will continue to join forces not only to attract and develop high-quality students, but to also provide creative workforce-development solutions for our region. And we will continue to work together to ensure that our region has the thoughtful leaders and engaged citizens it needs to thrive – public university graduates with strong connections to the region in which they were raised and educated – now, 50 years from now and for the foreseeable future.

James P. Tressel is president of Youngstown State University; Dr. Ronald M. Berkman is president of Cleveland State; Dr. Beverly Warren is president of Kent State; and Dr. Jay A. Gershen is president of Northeast Ohio Medical University.