“The Akron-American Association of University Professors called Wednesday for a freeze on all administrative hiring at the University of Akron. The statement also suggested forbiding the use of external search firms, including using a firm to find a replacement for recently fired head football coach J.”
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The Akron-American Association of University Professors called Wednesday for a freeze on all administrative hiring at the University of Akron.

The statement also suggested forbiding the use of external search firms, including using a firm to find a replacement for recently fired head football coach J.D. Brookhart.

According to the Akron Beacon Journal, a search firm generally charges a fee that is equal to 25 percent of the new employee’s first year’s salary and bonus.

UA thus might easily pay such a firm $100,000, which would be a foolish waste of money in the current economic climate, the statement said.

The Akron AAUP statement said UA Athletic Director Tom Wistrcill was hired with the help of a search firm, and is considering using a frim to hire a new football coach.

It is safe to say that the university has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on search firms when simple advertising and networking would suffice, the statement said.

It also stated that Wistrcill should have the competence to find and recommend a capable coach to President Luis Proenza without resorting to the same corporate search firm that recommended him.

At a time when the University of Akron confronts a financial crisis, has raised student tuition… and claims that it cannot maintain competitive staff and faculty salaries, wasteful spending on corporate search firms should come to an immediate halt.

The statement also pointed out these search firms have, in several cases, not produced successful candidates for upper administrative positions.

The time for profligate spending on upper administration and excesses such as external search firms is over, the statement said.

The university claims it must raise student tuition and fees, according to the Akron AAUP statement, and that it cannot afford to offer faculty salaries that are competitive with comparable institutions.

Meanwhile, the ranks and salaries of upper administration have proliferated in the past few years, it said. Akron-AAUP calls on all UA students and the faculty senate to support this call for a freeze on administrative hiring of corporate search firms.

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