Dear UA community,
Popularized in film, literature and song, the phrase, “it’s GO TIME,” is an expression of urgency and excitement. It implies a shared understanding of tasks, a renewed sense of motivation and a common goal. Its underlying themes of teamwork, collective enthusiasm and inevitable change indicate a critical juncture—a defining moment of commitment.
For The University of Akron, it’s GO TIME.
Organizationally, we find ourselves at a turning point and, in this moment, decisive, institution-defining change is necessary. The mission, purpose and values of The University of Akron do not need refinement; in fact, all across campus, colleagues uphold and uplift those aspects of our great university each day. Instead, we find ourselves treading and repeating within the same operational ruts that we’ve been stuck in for more than a decade. Continual loss in the face of essential growth is simply not sustainable. Together, I want us to create a win. Our students deserve a win. Our faculty and staff deserve a win. Our alumni have a vested interest in an Akron win. We owe a win to our entire community!
Current enrollment numbers are encouraging, and key indicators underscore the fact that another loss is not simply an inevitability. In fact, growth is on the horizon, but that growth potential will not spontaneously become reality—we must be the catalysts that will bring it to fruition. Since my first day as UA’s president, I have discussed transparently with you the need for revitalization efforts in multiple facets. Simply stated, endeavors for enhanced stewardship have already been underway. A necessary budget improvement plan will assist us in obtaining better cash flow to deliver on our promises to students and our greater community. The needs of our students and the marketplace have changed, and so must we. Part of this endeavor includes investments in high-demand fields and a sustainable budget that better reflects the needs and size of our student body.
Two significant calls-to-action have now been made, and the campus community needs to be ready to respond to both.
First, the UA Board of Trustees met earlier today and issued a resolution to achieve significant budget improvements by the end of fiscal year 2026, some of which are already well underway, with subsequent improvements in the following years. The resolution is an endorsement of our campus revitalization efforts and an act of transparency to our stakeholders. This directive will require a substantial and attainable budget improvement plan that I have already set in motion. Let me be clear—a budget improvement plan does not equate to simply making cuts. In fact, the resolution is a codified ratification of efforts our leadership team has already undertaken. From day one, I have signaled the dangers of attempting to cut our way to growth; this hasn’t worked in the past, and it is not the direction we should go now. That’s why we’ve taken steps to increase revenues through a variety of means.
As you know, we have proposed a retrenchment process to better align our academic resources with our enrollment across units. The Joint Committee on Retrenchment (JCR) will soon provide me with its work, outlining a forward-moving plan to efficiently respond to student demand and accomplish the necessary alignments. I look forward to receiving the JCR’s recommendations and quickly acting to increase investment of resources in areas with increasing student and market demand, necessarily pulling back from areas where demand is declining.
While that important work is a start, the Board has further authorized reductions in facilities expenditures. Reducing our square footage has been in the works for years, and we’re very excited that news has spread about the win-win situations we’ve been able to orchestrate with the Medina County University Center and Quaker Square deals. Trimming our real estate footprint and engaging in conversations to exercise proper stewardship over our facilities are integral steps in our future success and the affordability of maintaining our unique campus. Selling underutilized assets and monetizing others will assist in reducing expenses and increasing revenue.
Additionally, UA Athletics will be required to achieve better financial balance and alignment. We have incredible student-athletes and nationally renowned teams, and now is the time to hone operations. Our next director of intercollegiate athletics (AD) will be instrumental in implementing required optimizations in UA Athletics and creating new avenues to increase revenue and donor support to reduce the strain on the general fund.
Further, we must make reductions across our administrative offices. Previously, I announced reduced expenditures in the Office of the President and the transfer of certain positions now being funded by the UA Foundation. This has resulted in annual savings of nearly $1 million. That, coupled with a new fundraising initiative that I started, has significantly lowered the strain that my office places on our overall UA operating budget. In just a couple of months, fundraising efforts have led to more than $300,000 in donations to be used for student experiences and strategic events. To maximize consistency and promote efficiency, other senior UA leaders have been directed to reduce the expenditures of their offices in similar ways.
Second, I have already met with more than 100 of our colleagues who manage student-facing offices. February’s call-to-action meeting was a uniting collaboration for those who have multiple touchpoints with our most important stakeholders—our students. Managers were asked, over the next two months, to implement creative strategies in recruiting prospective students, retaining current students, building out meaningful and unique programming, serving the needs of students and more. We are looking for innovation that transcends mere suggestion. We are looking for pragmatic solutions unbounded by the status quo or perceptions of institutional bureaucracy. Ultimately, there are two goals: inspiring students, faculty, staff and the community to think and speak positively about the institution, and increasing revenue through growth.
Entrepreneurial, creative, critical thought does not begin and end with managers, however. Rather, the rallying motivation extends to all members of our campus community. We need your voice. Frequently, my office receives suggestions for cost-cutting measures, eliminating duplication and increasing sustainable efficiencies; please continue to share those with your supervisors so they can, in turn, share them with senior leadership. As the managers of student-facing units across campus prepare to respond with their action items, please make your own thoughts known to them. Each attendee of the manager call-to-action meeting will report back on service implementations to enhance the student experience. Now is the time to speak up. To further solicit the opinions and assistance of non-management colleagues, I will meet with “frontline” student-facing personnel in a similar call-to-action meeting on April 1.
As president of The University of Akron, I am present, committed and have incredible ambition to lead the institution to ultimate success, made even stronger by my status as a two-time alumnus. It would be ill-advised and irresponsible for me to underplay the seriousness of our current situation. To this point, I have connected with you frequently and honestly. With transparency, I have previously communicated with you the risks in operating, as we have in the past, from our financial reserves. This simply does not have to be the reality for our institution.
The message is clear—we will share sacrifices fairly and foster engagement in the process of change. We must do all we can to ensure a great experience for each and every stakeholder. As such, I am eager to continue implementing the specific budget improvement goals presented by our UA Board of Trustees. As we strive to meet, both in the present and for the future, our strategic values of flourishing people, lifelong learning and social impact, we simply must recognize the pivotal nature of this moment and respond with urgency and decisiveness.
It's GO TIME.
With anticipation and collaboration,
President R.J. Nemer
The University of Akron
Media contact: Cristine Boyd, 330-972-6476, cboyd@uakron.edu