With state financial support for Ohio’s universities dwindling, the state is allowing universities to go to the bond market to generate funds. Over the next 3 years Kent State expects to make $170-million from the market.  The university’s Board of Trustees has approved spending $1million on buildings across campus to better comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. University President Lester Lefton says many of the buildings constructed in the 19-50s, 60s and 70s are out of compliance.

Lefton:  “Some buildings have narrow doorways and only stairs that someone in a chair cannot get through.  And we have people coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan missing arms and legs.  We’re trying to make the campus more accessible as well as comply with the law.”

Lefton says the university is doing well financially. And he expects to present the board with a list of another $50 to $100 million in bond revenue projects in September. The university board also approved next year’s $616-million budget. That’s about $ 50-million more than this year.