The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
LCCC to receive $155K for security upgrades
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced Aug. 30 that the state is awarding 27 institutions of higher education a total of $5 million in grants to fund security enhancements.
Lorain County Community College will receive $155,350, according to a news release from the Governor’s Office.
“The commitment to school safety is one that I take seriously,” DeWine said in the release. “By awarding these grants, campuses can go beyond identifying areas that need to be improved by developing and executing plans that promote the wellbeing of staff and students.”
The awarded funds are part of the 2021 Campus Safety Grant Program funded as part of Senate Bill 310 of the 133rd General Assembly.
The Ohio School Safety Center reviewed the campus safety grant applications in consultation with the Ohio Department of Higher Education, and the Ohio Controlling Board approved the release of the funds Aug. 30.
“I want to thank the governor and the General Assembly for their leadership and for making campus safety a priority,” said Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Randy Gardner in the release. “It is important as we begin a new school year to provide this opportunity to enhance security and make our campuses even safer for students, staff and families.”
“The safety and security upgrades will assist campus law enforcement agencies and area first responders better prepare for and respond quicker to emergencies,” said Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Tom Stickrath in the release.
To be eligible for grant funding, schools conducted a security and vulnerability assessment to identify potential areas for improvement.
Eligible expenses include improved lighting in parking lots, security cameras at building entrances and secure doors.
The Campus Safety Grant Program is one of two new school safety programs launched by the Ohio School Safety Center this year, the release said.
The 2021 K-12 School Safety Grant Program, administered in partnership with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, will award an additional $5 million to qualifying public K-12 schools for similar school safety expenses, according to the release.
Eligible school districts are being contacted by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission. Grant applications will be accepted until Nov. 1, with awardees being announced in early 2022. DeWine created the Ohio School Safety Center in 2019.