UA Thinking About Barberton Campus

By Carol Biliczky, The Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio

Apr. 6–The University of Akron is looking into beefing up its presence in southwestern Summit County.

The first step is a survey of Barberton-area residents next month on what they’d like in a satellite campus.

That could pave the way for the college presence that city officials long have hungered for.

“I think it would be real positive to be able to provide further education right here in our own community,” Barberton Mayor Randy Hart said. “Access is an important key to education.”

He and other community leaders approached UA a couple of years ago about the possibility of offering courses in the city.

They have identified land that UA could use for a small campus — about four acres across from the Lake Anna YMCA Community Center being built on the site of Barberton schools’ old Industrial Arts Building.

Barberton City Schools already has offered its high school, at least for the short run. That would make a branch easy to start up as early as this fall.

As for what would be offered, that’s what the survey, funded by a $24,000 grant from the Barberton Community Foundation, should show.

Over three weeks in May, the survey will aim to get responses from at least 1,000 people.

The survey will ask how courses should be “delivered,” or instructed — that could range from traditional classes to distance learning — and the best times to offer them.

Carol Biliczky can be reached at 330-996-3729 or cbiliczky@thebeaconjournal.com

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