More than 560 employees joined Kent State University President Todd Diacon for his latest edition of “Talking With Todd,” a live chat he conducts from his office. The topic of the May 1 talk focused on Ohio Senate Bill 83 (or House Bill 151) and the proposed Ohio state budget for higher education.
“I want to begin today with a reminder of our core values and who we are as an institution,” Diacon said. “So, I’ve said ever since my inauguration in 2019 that we are a university not just for the fortunate few but for the meritorious many. We have a long history of access at Kent State University. We have a long history of and commitment to being an ever-more diverse university in terms of enrollment, in terms of employment, and especially with programs in place to help our students thrive and succeed and graduate and go on and do great things after graduation. So, that commitment to access and that commitment to diversity is not just talk.’
“As I walk us through Senate Bill 83, I’m giving you this introduction because I want you to know that the exact form of the work may change with legislation passed in Ohio. It may not change that much. We’ll see how the final legislation looks, but even if it does change, there’s nothing in that legislation that moves us away from staying true to who we are as an institution – one fiercely committed to access and one fiercely committed to diversity and making it a welcoming environment for everybody.”
This was the sixth “Talking With Todd” session held by the president via Teams Live. All university faculty and staff members were invited to join in the conversation to discuss the topics and share their concerns. Diacon also reviewed the May 4 Commemoration activities that will occur this week.