I think we should all quiet down on the merger talk, unless we are ready to be known as Ohio State - Athens Campus.

But seriously, I just don't ever see that happening.

I do find the huge Stark State College building going up a few miles from the University of Akron interesting. If politicians are letting that happen, then why would they ever consider consolidating higher education?

I think there's a ZERO chance of that happening. In the case of KSU-Akron and BG-UT, you would be looking at correcting the historical mistake of not having folded the bankrupt metro university into the existing nearby state university. Throw in the economic issues driving such a forced merger, and the situation is completely dissimilar. Ohio certainly isn't a rich school, but it's not an economic basket case either. Also, I doubt OSU has any desire to assimilate OU. They do have a desire to see redundant grad and research programs eliminated and those mergers would kill a whole lot of them.

OUPride:

Semi-related . . . I was at an OHIO mathematics award dinner last evening. I was there because there is a graduate scholarship awarded every year named after my father. It is an endowed scholarship. I got to greet and congratulate the recipient. The first woman to be awarded this scholarship. She has her masters and is starting in the Ph.D. program in the fall.
What was interesting is that the mathematics Ph.D. program is growing and doing very well. They are awarding six Ph.D.s this year (assuming the one who has yet to defend his dissertation is successful), and anticipate six next year. I talked with a number of faculty members, including the chairman, and they all said that the quality of their graduate students has been getting better in recent years.

I'm certainly not an unbiased reporter here, as the Ph.D. program in mathematics was begun when my father was the department chairman, however, I think it is accurate to say that this Ph.D. program is doing well and a credit to "olde OHIO."

Very cool news. I hope it continues to grow and thrive. Nice legacy for your father also.

Thanks.

One thing I didn't mention was that most of the current crop of mathematics Ph.D.s who were introduced last night are U.S. nationals. A few years ago there were many stories lamenting the disproportionate number of foreign nationals receiving advanced degrees in the U.S. in the STEM subjects. At, OHIO, at least that trend seems to be reversing.

Re: Stark state...its a community college*, isn't it? Why would politicians (akron loyal or otherwise) object? Its not like the state is opening a new 4-year university (i.e. place that offers BA and BS degrees) across the street from Zip-town

*Their website states that they offer "...associate degrees, certificates, and professional development...."