WSCC receives more than $200k for campus safety improvements | News, Sports, Jobs

Washington State Community College is utilizing a portion of the Campus Safety Grant funds awarded in 2021 to upgrade the entrances of several buildings across campus.
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Washington State Community College is among the 33 Ohio institutions of higher education that received funding this week for security upgrades from Gov. 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.

he 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 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 DeWine. “The importance of campus safety cannot be overstated, and Ohio is committed to supporting efforts that keep our colleges and universities safe.”

WSCC 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 WSCC 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 Gardener. 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, said a press release from WSCC.

Among WSCC’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 WSCC receiving more than $500,000. 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 Community College – $226,345.90

¯ Wright State University – $147,930

¯ Youngstown State University – $62,968

¯ Zane State College- $50,000