Doctoral programs at Kent State previously thought to be in danger of losing funding due to Ohio’s Innovation Incentive Program will now have more time.

This is the latest development in the state-mandated shift in doctoral funding that went into effect last spring. The Innovation Incentive Program requires all universities receiving doctoral funding from the state to donate money from some doctoral programs to those programs aligned with the Third Frontier, or science and technology.

In a statement sent to the Ohio Board of Regents yesterday, Peter Tandy, acting vice president for research at Kent State, specified where the money would go, but not where it would come from.

In a preliminary statement on March 11, however, Tandy recommended stopping funding for the history doctoral program, citing a low ranking according to university criteria. But because the Board of Regents does not yet require universities to say which programs will donate the money, Tandy said he has now decided to refrain from designating programs.

“We’re going to take advantage of the Board of Regents not requiring us to say which programs will be donors,” he said.

Provost Paul Gaston said this information will have to come eventually.

“Next year, in the third year of the program, universities will be expected to identify programs from which resources have been, or are to be withdrawn,” he said.

For John Jameson, history chair and professor, and Nathan Fry, history doctoral student, this latest development is “good news.”

To keep history from being designated for donation next year, Jameson said he has a few goals.

“We’re going to keep working toward recruiting the best faculty and students, and keep trying to build our endowment,” he said.

He said he also plans to inform people of how important a liberal arts education, which involves programs such as history, is.

Fry agreed.

“Hopefully this year we’ll be able to show that the history department is important,” he said.

Fry also said he and the other history doctoral students plan on going to local schools to discuss topics such as the history of May 4, 1970, and the city of Kent in order to show they are establishing a connection with the community.

Contact academics reporter Christina Stavale at [email protected].