MARIETTA, OH —Washington State College of Ohio (WSCO) is among the 33 Ohio institutions of higher education that received funding this week for security upgrades from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.
The awarded funds are part of the 2022 Campus Safety Grant Program funded with support from the Ohio legislature in Senate Bill 310 of the 133rd General Assembly. The Ohio School Safety Center reviewed the campus safety grant applications in consultation with the Ohio Department of Higher Education, and funds were approved by the Controlling Board and approved on Monday. The Campus Safety Grant Program awards grants to eligible state institutions of higher education to cover expenses associated with physical security enhancements such as security cameras, door locks, alarms, public address systems, and metal detectors. To be eligible for grant funding, colleges and universities conducted a security and vulnerability assessment to identify areas in need of safety enhancements.
“Part of preparing students for future success is ensuring they feel safe on their campuses,” said Ohio Department of Education Chancellor Randy Gardner. “Through these grants, the DeWine-Husted Administration continues to focus on helping our colleges and universities provide for the safest learning environments possible.”
DeWine announced Monday that a total of $5 million in funding was awarded amongst the 33 colleges and universities in Ohio. “These funds will go directly toward helping our institutions of higher education become more secure,” said Governor DeWine. “The importance of campus safety cannot be overstated, and Ohio is committed to supporting efforts that keep our colleges and universities safe.”
Washington State will be receiving a total of $226,345.90. This amount is the fifth-highest award among all institutions with only the University of Akron, Kent State University, Terra State Community College, and Bowling Green State University receiving larger awards.
“We are proud of Washington State’s long history of having a safe campus. We’ve been able to maintain this status because we’ve remained vigilant in our efforts to keep our safety measures updated,” explained WSCO President Dr. Vicky Wood. “The safety of our campus community is our utmost priority and we are grateful for the support from Governor DeWine, our state elected officials, and Chancellor Gardner. These funds will help us uphold our preventative safety standards to the highest level,” said Wood.
This grant will support the campus’ safety projects that include a new radio communications system, continually upgrading cameras, network security, and improved cyber security protocols.
Among WSCO’s safety measures in recent years include a board-approved armed security presence on campus as well as security cameras to provide additional monitoring capabilities, and ongoing ALICE Training to the campus in conjunction with local law enforcement.
Since its creation in 2021, a total of approximately $10 million in funding has been awarded through the Ohio School Safety Center’s Campus Safety Grant Program, with WSCO receiving more than $500,000. Governor DeWine created the Ohio School Safety Center in 2019 to assist local schools, colleges and universities, and law enforcement agencies to prevent, prepare for, and respond to threats and acts of violence, including self-harm, through a holistic, solutions-based approach to improving school safety.
Higher education institutions receiving the 2022 Campus Safety Grant include:
Belmont College – $142,077.65
Bowling Green State University – $278,075.63
Central Ohio Technical College – $50,000
Central State University – $150,000
Cincinnati State Technical & Community College – $148,335
Clark State College – $93,372
Cleveland State University – $174,350.20
Columbus State Community College – $124,393.43
Edison State Community College – $61,460
Hocking College – $100,750
Kent State University – $387,567
Lakeland Community College – $79,300
Lorain County Community College – $145,200
Marion Technical College – $97,550
Miami University – $163,414.23
North Central State College – $50,000
Northwest State Community College – $149,700
Ohio State University – $174,257.25
Ohio University – $124,175
Owens Community College – $177,583.25
Rhodes State College – $87,500
Shawnee State University – $76,013.12
Sinclair College – $118,350
Southern State Community College – $191,539.94
Stark State College – $94,675
Terra State Community College – $338,598
University of Akron – $422,630
University of Cincinnati – $197,649.40
University of Toledo – $114,240
Washington State College of Ohio – $226,345.90
Wright State University – $147,930
Youngstown State University – $62,968
Zane State College- $50,000
