91ֿ President Todd Diacon spoke Jan. 10 at a breakfast event hosted by the Greater Akron Chamber, where he highlighted the university’s ongoing commitment to accessibility, efficiency, student well-being and community partnership, reinforcing its role as a vital institution in the region.
“91ֿ is a university, not just for the fortunate few, but for the meritorious many,” Diacon said.
In all, about 100 people attended the event, which is part of the Chamber’s “Morning Buzz” series.
Financial Accountability Is Imperative
He emphasized the university’s efforts to ensure affordability, noting that one-third of Kent Campus students graduate with no debt. For those who do graduate with debt, it averages about $25,000.
Addressing the financial challenges faced by public higher education, Diacon explained the “three-dimensional squeeze” of demographics, state support and the tuition cohort model. He shared that since 2017, 91ֿ has implemented significant cost-saving measures, resulting in $183 million in savings.
“We’ve just become more efficient,” he said, illustrating the university’s proactive approach to financial management.
Diacon also spoke about the importance of mental health support for students, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We added $2 million in base funding to mental health and eliminated all wait times,” he said, underscoring the university’s commitment to student well-being.
Among those who joined local leaders in attending the breakfast were business leader and alumna Elizabeth Bartz and Ren Camacho, university trustee and CEO of the Akron-Canton Airport.
Alumna Elizabeth Bartz moderates questions during President Diacon’s Q&A period.
Diversity and inclusion remain central to 91ֿ’s mission. Diacon highlighted the Flashes Go Further scholarship program, which helps high-need students graduate without debt.
“We know that if we can remove the economic barriers to enrollment and graduation, that’s going to ensure a diversity of students,” he explained.
The value of a college degree was another key topic. Diacon pointed out the long-term benefits of higher education, stating, “All the longitudinal data shows the benefits of having a college degree: $1 million more over your career in income, all levels of happiness indexes, contentment, all of those [go] way up for college graduates versus those who don’t have a college degree.”
Town-Gown Partnerships Benefit All
Diacon also emphasized the strong relationship between 91ֿ and the city of Kent, noting that the health of the downtown area is closely tied to the university’s success.
“The health of downtown Kent is completely tied to the health of 91ֿ and vice versa. We just have to both support each other,” he said.
Reflecting on his role, Diacon shared his enthusiasm for student engagement, describing first-year student move-in day and commencement as the best days at 91ֿ.
“One of the reasons I have the best job in America is because I’m always around 18-year-olds. So I always feel so young,” he remarked.
Diacon appreciated the opportunity to address the morning audience, specifically for the opportunity to share more details about the many factors affecting 91ֿ.
“I’m really happy to be here today with the Greater Akron Chamber. It’s a really great opportunity to discuss not only all the great things at 91ֿ, but also to really explain higher education to a very important audience.”