DAYTON, OHIO

Some Ohio legislators want to force Central State University to merge with another institution of higher education despite a graduation rate for Black students that exceeds that of nearly half of the state's public universities.

One of the suggested merger partners is, ironically, the very institution from which CSU split exactly fifty years ago--Wilberforce University, one of the nation's oldest, private, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Wilberforce is located across the street from CSU in southwestern Ohio. The chairman of the board of trustees at Wilberforce has embraced the possibility of reuniting the two schools, although Central State supporters say they'll oppose any attempt to strip the school of its status of a four-year, independent university.

In response, Raymond Pierce, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U. S. Department of Education, wrote to Ohio governor George V. Voinovich to inform him that talk of the merger has prompted a resumption of an Office of Civil Rights (OCR) investigation into Ohio's higher education system.

In May of 1981 the OCR found Ohio to be in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 because of its segregation of Central State University. The federal government and the state of Ohio have had several agreements to develop a plan for Central State. However, Pierce said in his letter, "OCR has no reasonable expectation that the state will provide OCR with a plan to remedy this matter. "

The reopening of the OCR's discrimination complaint against the state of Ohio over its funding and treatment of CSU could lead to a federal lawsuit or the withholding of federal funds from Ohio. [See box for excerpt from letter.] Central State is battling for its political and financial life after the school amassed a debt estimated by some state officials at nearly $20 million. An interim report of an investigation by Ohio's Inspector General suggested that CSU officials engaged in "numerous instances of fraud, waste and abuse" that could result in criminal prosecution. Some legislators--particularly Republicans who control both sides of Ohio's legislature--say the school has squandered previous bailouts and should be either closed or merged with another school such as Wilberforce or Ohio State University.

CSU's supporters say the school has been neglected and underfunded for years by a state government that three decades ago chose to build another four-year state university--Wright State University--only eleven miles away. They say preserving the publicly supported HBCU, which had a winter-quarter enrollment of 1,664, is a worthy investment.

Fred Ransier, a Columbus, Ohio, attorney and Central State graduate who serves as chairman of CSU's board of trustees, says the school has made great progress in the last seven months in cutting costs and restoring sound fiscal management. He and eight fellow trustees were sworn in en masse last summer after Gov. George V. Voinovich asked the previous board of trustees--the majority of whom the governor had appointed--to step down.

Ransier said Central State still provides the nurturing atmosphere that African American students cannot find at other public universities in the state. During a legislative session, he referred to a Dayton Daily News study which showed that CSU's graduation rate of Black students was about average among state universities. That study, which utilized state and federal enrollment and graduation data along with National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) graduation-rate data, showed:

* Central State graduated more Black students between 1990 and 1994 (1,252) than any other public university in Ohio.

* The school's graduation rate for Black students entering college in the late 1980s (an average of 23 percent over the period) places it in the middle of the pack among Ohio public universities' graduation rates for Black students.

* Wright State University--the newer and larger school eleven miles away that some legislators had suggested as a potential merge r partner for Central State--had the lowest Black graduation rate (17 percent among all state-supported universities.

Some legislators scoffed at CSU's reported graduation rates saying they should be even higher if the university is to be successful at their mission of providing a nurturing atmosphere Key lawmakers began talking about tying any future operating money allocated to Central State to a requirement that CSU link with another school. The university gets about half of its operating money from its state subsidies.

Two Republican legislators held an exploratory meeting with Wilberforce University President Dr. John Henderson and John L. Walker, a Merrill-Lynch vice president who serves as chairman of Wilberforce's Board of Trustees. Walker said he would welcome a reunification with CSU if the state of Ohio made an adequate financial commitment to the arrangement.

"I personally feel it would be a great thing to he together again," Walker said. "But I certainly don't want an albatross around our necks that could pull us down." Wilberforce--affiliated with the A.M. E. Church and with a fall enrollment of 897 -- has operated with a balanced budget for the last seven years and has an endowment of between $8 million and 59 million, Walker said.

"We run a tight ship, and we watch every penny. " Walker said, adding that the merger could "put Wilberforce University back on top" among HBCUs. The institution now known as Central State originated in 1887 as a department of Wilberforce University, which was founded before the Civil War. The Ohio General Assembly expanded the department in 1941 to provide four-year degree programs. In 1947, it began operating independently under the name Wilberforce State College. It became Central State College in 1951, and Central State University in 1965. In recent years, the school has endured a series of financial crises, but supporters say its continued survival is essential.

Jeff Johnson, a state senator from Cleveland and the president of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, said he and other CSU supporters will lead the fight to preserve the school's independence. "Whatever it takes for this university. we'll do," Johnson said. Dr. George E. Ayers, the Washington D.C.-based consultant who has headed a management team that has operated Central State since last July, said neither legislators nor the inspector general has fully recognized the university's progress in recent months.

The university has hired a private accounting firm to help tighten fiscal controls, enforced stricter admissions and student-conduct standards and trimmed the school's workforce by more than fifty positions through terminations, resignations and retirements, Ayers said. The school has about 325 employees.

"We have bitten the bullet," Ayers said. Ayers, who served as president of Chicago State University from 1982 to 1989, has told trustees he will remain until a permanent president is hired. Trustees hope to hire a new president in May, though some trustees say the uncertainty over the school's future has hampered recruitment of potential candidates.

RELATED ARTICLE:

The following is an excerpt from the letter from Raymond C. Pierce, deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, to George V. Voinovich, governor of Ohio: I am writing to inform you that the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has determined that it will be necessary to resume immediately its investigation of Ohio's higher education system and, specifically of Central State University. Over fifteen years have passed since OCR issued its letter, dated May 15, 1981, finding the state to be in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C.

2000d, for the unlawful racial segregation of Central State. In all that time and to the grave detriment of the educational opportunities afforded Central State students, the State has not agreed to resolve this outstanding violation... We are aware of the efforts being made to stabilize the situation at Central State this year, including the passage of the deficit reduction legislation for Central State. Our focus must be, however, upon the future of Central State and we are especially concerned by media accounts suggesting that the state is considering merging Central State with another university.

OCR will resume its investigation immediately, beginning with a request for additional data from the State of Ohio. OCR will then take whatever enforcement measures are necessary, including the possible referral of the case back to the United States Department of Justice or the initiation of administrative proceedings seeking the termination of state higher education funds from the U.S. Department of Education...

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