Kent State University Receives Safety Grant Money

Kent State University has been awarded a $500,000 campus safety grant from the state of Ohio, to enhance security. The grant is part of a program, announced by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, aimed at enhancing security at higher education institutions.

Kent State University Sgt. Vance Voyles said the funding is welcomed at the Kent State Police Department. Grants like these can help with costs that might not be normally associated with doing business, but Voyles said right now the university has not decided how it will use the money. “I can tell you that it will be used for safety, but most likely safety equipment…it could even be for staffing,” he said. 

Previous rounds of the program have provided upgrades to multiple Ohio campuses, and this third wave is bringing deeper investments. The Campus Security Support Program Grant offered $1.9 million, with a $50,000 maximum base award, in December, 2024 for vulnerability improvements. 

Ohio School Safety Center Public Information Officer Natalie Everetts, said, “Some universities used funding for lighting outside in parking lots or decks, access control for doors, public address systems, radios and cameras.”

Administered under House Bill 2, the Campus Safety Grant Program enables institutions to submit security and vulnerability assessments to the Ohio School Safety Center, in conjunction with the Department of Higher Education. 

In a news release, Governor DeWine said, “These grants will allow us to continue this important work so students can focus on thriving in their studies, chasing their career goals, and reaching their full potential.,”

For now, Kent State has flexibility to figure out what the campus needs most. “We want to make sure that we’re staffed. We want to make sure that there’s always law enforcement presence on campus.We want to make sure you succeed,” Voyles said.