As the Fall 2024 Semester kicked off, the UA student body saw a lot of changes. From new parking procedures and new bookstore incentives to new classes. Another new addition was the induction of Newest University of Akron President, R.J. Nemer. I had the opportunity to sit down with President Nemer and ask the questions we all have been looking for answers to.  Here are some of them: 

Q: As a former dean of the college of business, what were your initial thoughts when taking on this role and what were your main goals when taking on the position as president?  

A: “My initial thoughts were that I need to broaden my scope because I was used to focusing on just one college. But now, I had many colleges that I wanted to learn about, and not only that, but the many other functions we perform as a university. I also wanted to make sure that faculty have opportunities as well and it [UA] is a place where you can come and feel energized and heard.  

I am spending a lot of time trying to empathetically listen to employees and stakeholders, both internal and external. My goal as President really focuses on one word: growth. That can be growth in terms of our student population and retention, but also growth in terms of our name recognition, our offerings, career growth for employees, growth in terms of research, donors, and our connection to the community.”

Q: Where do you think the most beautiful place on campus is? 

A: “I mean it is a very pretty campus, especially this time of year. There is something special though, about walking up to Buchtel Hall in the morning between Zook and Leigh Hall because I took that walk so many times when I was a student here, under those same trees. It is something personally beautiful to me because of the nostalgia I feel every day when I do that.”

Q: As you may know, the financial situation here at the University of Akron can be questionable at times. What are your goals for the university in terms of financial recovery? 

A: “No enterprise, whether it’s public or private, can ever escape periods of time when they don’t have financial difficulty or hardship. If you recall back to the real estate crash of 2008, you know some of the biggest corporations in the world had to file for bankruptcy protection.

So, any enterprise has peaks and valleys. We are in the process of really focusing on how we can best deploy our resources, how we can effectively manage those resources, all while at the same time, realizing the best way to get out of a rut is to grow and increase. This would be in terms of our student populations, our offerings, all those things.”  

Q: Where do you think the best place to get lunch is on campus?  

A: “I go to Rob’s a lot. It is not unusual for me to be in the student union for lunch or with students. I’ll say this so you can make sure to include it, if you see me sitting in there come up and say hello. I know some student may be hesitant but, I sit in there to be with the students, and I enjoy it.”

Q: How important is the recruitment and retainment of the student body within the University and surrounding cities to you in terms of future goals you may have? 

A: “I don’t want to look at recruiting as purely a local exercise. We have a world class facility, world class faculty, and world class capabilities and we should think of ourselves as such and market ourselves as such.”

Q: Where is your favorite place to relax on campus?  

A: “I like the Adirondack chairs beck at Coleman Commons. Those are nice.”

Q: A big question that rose this year was UA partnering with the Cleveland Browns. We know that it is a partnership that deals with student engagement and internship opportunities. What else is important to know about this partnership? 

A: “I first started looking at it [Browns’ Partnership] when I was the Dean of the College of Business. Initially, the structure was to only be for the College of Business. But, while negotiating with the Browns, I became the President, and that is when I wanted to widen and broaden the partnership to be able to offer unique experiential opportunities for all our colleges and schools, which it does.

The partnership has many initiatives that have already been started. So, the main reason for entering that partnership was opportunities for our students and faculty to have experiences that could differentiate themselves from other universities. Because it is all not sports related. It is a worldwide brand and having affiliations with a worldwide, renowned brand on a resume or CV is really powerful in terms of career path and career growth.

Apart from that, the fact that we would have signage at the games and branding is always affecting buying and consumer behavior. We also have access to their facilities for a number of events. These could be used for alumni events, recruiting, and donor events. It is very multi-layered.

It is a non-traditional step, but I am a non-traditional president and the landscape around education has changed quite a bit, and we need to think of the way that we market ourselves, position ourselves, and bring benefits to our faculty and students.”  

Q: What is your favorite Zippy Halloween costume?  

A: “I would say Wonder Woman.”

Q: We see a lot of you being extremely involved with the student body. How important is being engaged with students on campus to you?  

A: “Extremely important. I want to hear from them. It is also something I selfishly enjoy most about the job is the students. Hearing their hopes, their aspirations, and why they are here. Also, what their goals are and if I can lend a hand or offer some insight from my decades of experience and my career journey. I enjoy doing that. I’m trying to think of a way to connect with students, current and perspective, meeting them where they are, which happens to be through social media, so I take advantage of that.” 

Q: In your time being president thus far, what are some notable experiences you have taken away from being involved with the student body? Do you think being closely knit to the college campus through events helps you stay motivated for your goals? 

A: “Aside from the wobble dance video, which was just sort of fun. What I take away is how committed our students are to accomplishing their goals, the reason why they are here, and how they are hoping to have a transformational experience here. I draw inspiration from their work ethic, in terms of balancing, academic challenges, campus involvement, their tenacity, and their strength. I have the perspective now to sit on the sidelines and watch and cheer them on. And that’s a really rare and wonderful opportunity for me. So, I think it is safe to say it is a big motivational factor for me.”