Check out why Kent State University received an F grade in our Report Card below.
Kent State University is a public university located in Northeast Ohio. Across all 8 campuses, Kent enrolls over 34,000 students and offers over 300 degrees. The main campus—located one hour south of Cleveland and 3 hours northeast of Columbus—enrolls over 25,000 graduate and undergraduate students, making it the third-largest university in Ohio.
Alumni from Kent State include a number of famous actors like Steve Harvey, Michael Keaton, and Arsenio Hall. A number of prominent football coaches are also alumni, such as Nick Saban, Gary Pinkel, and Lou Holtz.
The university is most infamously known for the Kent State Massacre. During anti-Vietnam protests on campus in May 1970, National Guardsmen fired into the crowd of demonstrators, killing 4 and wounding 9 others.

Kent State University receives a &#8220;C&#8221; grade by <a href="https://www.whatwilltheylearn.com/schools/3037" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What Will They Learn?</a> which takes into account the university’s educational prowess. Factors include composition, literature, foreign language, U.S. government or history, economics, mathematics, and natural science.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-79" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06151308/c-e1671667169543.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

What Will They Learn? Academic Score 

Kent State University receives a &#8220;D&#8221; grade for the Average Salary of Recent Graduates. As of 2021, alumni with 0-5 years of experience after graduating from Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree make $49,500 on average according to <a href="https://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report/bachelors">Payscale</a>.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-85" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06165831/d-e1671666996995.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Average Salary of Recent Graduates 

Kent State University receives a &#8220;D&#8221; grade for the Average Salary of Graduates Mid-Career. As of 2021, alumni with 10+ years of experience after graduating from Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree make $88,600 on average according to <a href="https://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report/bachelors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Payscale</a>.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-85" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06165831/d-e1671666996995.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Average Salary of Graduates Mid-Career 

Kent State University receives an &#8220;F&#8221; grade for the Percent of Graduates with Debt (Federal and Private). In 2020, 71% of graduates accumulated student debt from federal and/or private sources according to <a href="https://ticas.org/interactive-map/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Institute for College Access &amp; Success</a>.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-83" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06163659/f-e1671666890828.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Percent of Graduates with Debt (Federal and Private)

Kent State University receives a &#8220;C&#8221; for the Average Debt of Graduates (Federal and Private). In 2020, graduates accumulated $31,665 of debt on average from federal and/or private sources according to <a href="https://ticas.org/interactive-map/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Institute for College Access &amp; Success</a>.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-79" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06151308/c-e1671667169543.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Average Debt of Graduates (Federal and Private)

Kent State University receives a &#8220;B&#8221; grade for Mandated Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Training for Staff. While diversity training is offered by the <a href="https://www.kent.edu/diversity/diversity-education-and-training-lab-offerings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">university</a>, it is not mandatory for employment. Courses offered include, &#8220;Discovering DEI,&#8221; &#8220;Intersectionality 101,&#8221; &#8220;Understanding Race and Racism,&#8221; and, &#8220;White Allyship.&#8221;
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-82" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06154915/b-e1671667012553.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Mandated Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Training for Staff

Kent State University receives an &#8220;A” grade for not having a Bias Reporting System or a Bias Response Team. Bias Reporting Systems and Response Teams are systems or teams of faculty, staff, and sometimes law enforcement.
According to <a href="https://speechfirst.org/bias-reporting-systems/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SpeechFirst</a>, students are “encouraged to report ‘bias incidents’ to these boards (or teams) in the name of inclusion and tolerance, but it’s often unclear what the school considers ‘bias’ in the first place. Overly broad or vague definitions of bias put all kinds of speech at risk of being reported – even unpopular speech which is protected by the First Amendment.”
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-84" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06164434/a-e1671667004869.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Bias Reporting System or Bias Response Team

Kent State University receives a &#8220;B-&#8221; grade for the Ratio of Right-Leaning Clubs to Left-Leaning Clubs. Out of a list of 20 clubs (10 from each side), <a href="https://www.kent.edu/csi/student-organizations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the university</a> has two right-leaning clubs compared to three left-leaning clubs. Turning Point USA and Kent State Flashes for Life are the two right-leaning clubs. Students for a Democratic Society, Students for Justice in Palestine, and &#8220;PRIDE! Kent,&#8221; are the three left-leaning groups.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-81" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06154457/b-minus-e1671667020486.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Ratio of Right-Leaning Clubs to Left-Leaning Clubs

Kent State University receives an &#8220;A&#8221; grade due to having an active and thriving <a href="https://www.kent.edu/csi/turning-point-usa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Turning Point USA chapter</a>. Unfortunately, universities and Student Governments around the country often use their power to prevent certain clubs from operating on campus.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-84" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06164434/a-e1671667004869.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Denied Turning Point USA Chapter 

Kent State University receives a “D” grade for In-State Tuition for Illegal Immigrants. The <a href="https://www.higheredimmigrationportal.org/state/ohio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ohio Board of Regents</a> allows DACA students to receive in-state tuition if they are able to prove residency.
&#8220;Ohio <a href="http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/3333.31" target="_blank" rel="noopener">State Statute 3333.31</a> actively bars the state’s undocumented students from accessing in-state tuition. However, the Ohio Board of Regents <a href="https://ochla.ohio.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=bNqntRa--Ys%3D&amp;portalid=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concluded</a> in July 2013 that the state’s DACA recipients qualify for in-state tuition at all of the state’s public colleges and universities if the students fall into one of three <a href="http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/3333-1-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resident categories</a>:
<ol>
<li>Students whose spouse, parent, or legal guardian have been a resident of the state of Ohio for twelve consecutive months or more immediately preceding their enrollment in a higher education institution;</li>
<li>Students who resided in the state for at least twelve consecutive months immediately preceding their enrollment without receiving financial support from non-Ohio residents during this period; or,</li>
<li>Students whose parent, legal guardian, or spouse who “has accepted full-time, self-sustaining employment and established domicile in the state of Ohio for reasons other than gaining the benefit of favorable tuition rates” the first day of enrollment.&#8221;</li>
</ol>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-85" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06165831/d-e1671666996995.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

In-State Tuition for Illegal Immigrants

Kent State University receives an “A-” grade for the Amount of Foreign Funding Received. According to <a href="https://sites.ed.gov/foreigngifts/">College Foreign Gift Reporting</a>, the total amount of foreign funding the university has received is $102.42 per current undergraduate student. Oftentimes, foreign parties will convey their influence by funding certain courses, activities, professors, and organizations on campus. In certain cases, universities must abide by restrictions dictated by foreign parties to receive funding. In addition, there have been <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/top-universities-took-billions-in-unreported-foreign-funds-u-s-finds-11603226953">reports</a> that claim that universities underreport foreign funding. The figure above only takes into account reported foreign funding.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-98" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/11154510/a-minus-e1671666943472.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Amount of Foreign Funding Received

Kent State University receives an &#8220;F&#8221; grade for Required Equity, Diversity, or Inclusion Courses for Students. According to the University website, &#8220;As part of the <a href="https://catalog.kent.edu/undergraduate-university-requirements/diversity-course-requirement/#:~:text=Requirements,come%20from%20the%20Kent%20Core." target="_blank" rel="noopener">requirements</a> for any bachelor&#8217;s degree at Kent State, all students must satisfy the diversity requirement, consisting of one course addressing domestic (U.S.) issues and a course addressing global issues.&#8221; Courses include, &#8220;Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender: Critical Perspectives&#8221; and &#8220;LGBTQ Theatre&#8221; among others.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-83" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06163659/f-e1671666890828.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Required Equity, Diversity, or Inclusion Courses for Students

Kent State University receives a &#8220;C&#8221; grade for Segregated Dormitories, Graduations, and Classes. The university has a segregated convocation (a <a href="https://www.kent.edu/lavender-graduation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lavender</a> graduation) and <a href="https://www.kent.edu/housing/living-learning-programs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">segregated</a> living-learning communities (multicultural and LGBTQ+ housing).
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-79" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06151308/c-e1671667169543.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Segregated Dormitories, Graduations, and Classes

Kent State University receives a “C” grade for Protests and Canceling Speakers. In 2023, the Kent State University College Republicans were <a href="https://www.campusreform.org/article?id=22796" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protested by several dozen leftists</a> for hosting a screening of “What is a Women?” At one point, a protestor tore a sign out of the hands of a conservative attendee.
On April 16, 2024, hundreds of students protested conservative speaker Kyle Rittenhouse and his pro-2nd Amendment views. <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/17rSCft8R14PVd8QqkzlbB56e4-urq68i/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Akron Beacon Journal</a> said Kent students circulated a Change.org petition opposing the Rittenhouse&#8217;s visit as well as urging the university and Turning Point USA to the event.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-79" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06151308/c-e1671667169543.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Protests and Canceling Speakers 

Kent State University receives an “A” grade for Mask and Vaccine Mandates. <a href="https://www.kent.edu/coronavirus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The university</a> does not mandate or encourage vaccinations and the use of masks to prevent the infection of COVID-19. As of May 15, 2023, university&#8217;s COVID Response Team will no longer be operating, no recommendations or encouragements for students.
<img decoding="async" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06164434/a-e1671667004869.png" />

Mask and Vaccine Mandates

Kent State University receives a “D” grade for the Percent of Students Graduating with STEM Degrees. According to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Center (<a href="https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/use-the-data" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IPEDS</a>), as of 2020, 3.36% of the current undergraduate student population graduate with a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) degree. Across the United States, students who graduate with STEM degrees tend to earn more on average than their other student counterparts.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-85" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06165831/d-e1671666996995.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Percent of Students Graduating with STEM Degrees

Kent State University receives an “A” grade for Crime Rates in University City or Town. According to the <a href="https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2018/crime-in-the-u.s.-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Federal Bureau of Investigation</a>, the Kent, Ohio violent crime rate was 119.74 per 100,000 people in 2018, lower than the 2018 national average of 380.56 per 100,000 people. While campus safety is of utmost importance, it is also pertinent to consider the crime rates of the surrounding town or city as students often tend to venture off campus, especially after their freshman year.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-84" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/06164434/a-e1671667004869.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Crime Rates in University City or Town

Kent State University receives a “C” grade for Required Western Civilization Courses for Students.
Among the university&#8217;s Core Requirements, students must take at least six credits in Humanities. Courses that <a href="https://provostdata.kent.edu/roadmapweb/05/Kent-Core-2022-bachelors.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fulfill this requirement</a> include:
<ul>
<li>&#8220;Colloquium: The Western Identity&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;Early America: From Pre-Colonization&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;The Greek Achievement&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;The Roman Achievement&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;Introduction to Shakespeare&#8221;</li>
</ul>
However, these courses can be bypassed for left-leaning or biased options, such as &#8220;Black Experience.&#8221;
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-170" src="https://cdn.deanslist.org/be/2022/12/26114647/c-1-e1672082589419.png" alt="" width="80" height="80" />

Required Western Civilization Courses for Students 

Kent State University

Check out why Kent State University received an F grade in our Report Card below.

Kent State University is a public university located in Northeast Ohio. Across all 8 campuses, Kent enrolls over 34,000 students and offers over 300 degrees. The main campus—located one hour south of Cleveland and 3 hours northeast of Columbus—enrolls over 25,000 graduate and undergraduate students, making it the third-largest university in Ohio.

Alumni from Kent State include a number of famous actors like Steve Harvey, Michael Keaton, and Arsenio Hall. A number of prominent football coaches are also alumni, such as Nick Saban, Gary Pinkel, and Lou Holtz.

The university is most infamously known for the Kent State Massacre. During anti-Vietnam protests on campus in May 1970, National Guardsmen fired into the crowd of demonstrators, killing 4 and wounding 9 others.

kent-state-university

julio-cesar-pino

Julio Cesar Pino

Dr. Julio Cesar Pino, an Associate Professor at Kent State University faced an investigation by the FBI for connections to ISIS. He is strongly anti-Israel and calls Israel the “spiritual heir to Nazism”. According to Campus Reform, Pino wrote a eulogy in 2002 for a Palestinian terrorist in a campus newspaper.
In 2018, Pino was <a href="https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/crime/former-kent-state-professor-julio-pino-gets-5-months-in-prison-for-lying-to-fbi/95-598307079">sentenced</a> to 5 months of house arrest for lying to the FBI about his interactions with a man that had threatened to murder &#8220;hundreds&#8221; of people.

Dr. Julio Cesar Pino, an Associate Professor at Kent State University faced an investigation by the FBI for connections to ISIS. He is strongly anti-Israel and calls Israel the “spiritual heir to Nazism”. According to Campus Reform, Pino wrote a eulogy in 2002 for a Palestinian terrorist in a campus newspaper.

In 2018, Pino was <a href="https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/crime/former-kent-state-professor-julio-pino-gets-5-months-in-prison-for-lying-to-fbi/95-598307079">sentenced</a> to 5 months of house arrest for lying to the FBI about his interactions with a man that had threatened to murder "hundreds" of people.

screen-shot-2023-04-27-at-9-14-35-am

Screen Shot 2023-04-27 at 9.14.35 AM

<a href="https://www.kent.edu/multidisciplinary-studies/lgbtq-studies-0/meet-director" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lauren Vachon</a> is an Assistant Professor of LGBTQ Studies and the Coordinator for the LGBTQ Studies Minor Program at Kent State University. According to her <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-vachon-8284b45b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LinkedIn</a>, Vachon is a “queer activist and educator” who says her research interests include “LGBTQ history, queer pedagogy, creative writing as pedagogy, using oral histories in the classroom, and collecting queer oral histories.”
On March 20, 2023, the Kent State College Republicans <a href="https://www.thecollegefix.com/professor-says-its-not-about-free-speech-after-what-is-a-woman-is-painted-on-campus-rock/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">painted</a> “What Is a Woman?” on a free speech-style rock on campus to promote their showing of Matt Walsh’s documentary.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-2952 aligncenter" src="https://backend.professorwatchlist.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Screen-Shot-2023-04-27-at-9.17.01-AM.png" alt="" width="621" height="403" srcset="https://backend.professorwatchlist.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Screen-Shot-2023-04-27-at-9.17.01-AM.png 621w, https://backend.professorwatchlist.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Screen-Shot-2023-04-27-at-9.17.01-AM-300x195.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 621px) 100vw, 621px" />
According to <a href="https://kentwired.com/96504/latest-updates/its-not-about-free-speech-members-of-the-lgbtq-community-speak-out-against-anti-trans-message-fusion-collab/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kent Wired</a>, Professor Vachon was very upset about the rock’s painting and said:
“A value that this community has and shares is a value of freedom of thought, speech and expression and that’s super important to protect. So I think it’s not to say [&#8230;] you can tell a group that they can’t bring the documentary, although it has been banned from platforms for being considered hate speech. We know that the intent was antagonism. I do think there should be consequences for that. It’s not about free speech.” 
Vachon claims, “The intent in bringing the documentary and the intent in even promoting it was antagonism against the LGBT community. Further, she believes the response from students is justified, saying:
“The natural consequences of this kind of antagonism toward the LGBT community is what’s happening, which is student outrage and planned protests and change.org petitions and pressure on the administration to address it, and [&#8230;] protect[ing] LGBTQ communities who feel unsafe in this kind of political environment.” 
Kent Wired writes that Vachon “thinks the overall treatment of trans people has improved, but incidents like the rock painting and documentary advertisement create a ‘hostile environment.’”
“This is happening in a moment that is already really scary and fraught for trans people and already a very politically charged moment. That is a scary big picture that is harming trans people right now.” 
Vachon was quoted in another <a href="https://kentwired.com/813/latest-updates/gender-inclusion-efforts-continue-across-campus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kent Wired</a> article titled, “Gender inclusion efforts continue across campus.” Vachon said she encourages faculty members to use their pronouns in their email signatures and discussed her “inclusive syllabus.”
“When an opportunity came up among faculty to share materials on building an inclusive classroom, I was inspired by other universities and practices they had put in place. The inclusive syllabus designates space for a pronoun usage policy which assures students that they’re safe in my classroom, and that I’ll use pronouns they ask me to use.”
&nbsp;
Published &#8211; April 27, 2023

<a href="https://www.kent.edu/multidisciplinary-studies/lgbtq-studies-0/meet-director" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lauren Vachon</a> is an Assistant Professor of LGBTQ Studies and the Coordinator for the LGBTQ Studies Minor Program at Kent State University. According to her <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-vachon-8284b45b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LinkedIn</a>, Vachon is a “queer activist and educator” who says her research interests include “LGBTQ history, queer pedagogy, creative writing as pedagogy, using oral histories in the classroom, and collecting queer oral histories.”

On March 20, 2023, the Kent State College Republicans <a href="https://www.thecollegefix.com/professor-says-its-not-about-free-speech-after-what-is-a-woman-is-painted-on-campus-rock/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">painted</a> “What Is a Woman?” on a free speech-style rock on campus to promote their showing of Matt Walsh’s documentary.

<img class="size-full wp-image-2952 aligncenter" src="https://backend.professorwatchlist.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Screen-Shot-2023-04-27-at-9.17.01-AM.png" alt="" width="621" height="403" />

According to <a href="https://kentwired.com/96504/latest-updates/its-not-about-free-speech-members-of-the-lgbtq-community-speak-out-against-anti-trans-message-fusion-collab/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kent Wired</a>, Professor Vachon was very upset about the rock’s painting and said:
“A value that this community has and shares is a value of freedom of thought, speech and expression and that’s super important to protect. So I think it’s not to say [...] you can tell a group that they can’t bring the documentary, although it has been banned from platforms for being considered hate speech. We know that the intent was antagonism. I do think there should be consequences for that. It’s not about free speech.” 
Vachon claims, “The intent in bringing the documentary and the intent in even promoting it was antagonism against the LGBT community. Further, she believes the response from students is justified, saying:
“The natural consequences of this kind of antagonism toward the LGBT community is what’s happening, which is student outrage and planned protests and change.org petitions and pressure on the administration to address it, and [...] protect[ing] LGBTQ communities who feel unsafe in this kind of political environment.” 
Kent Wired writes that Vachon “thinks the overall treatment of trans people has improved, but incidents like the rock painting and documentary advertisement create a ‘hostile environment.’”
“This is happening in a moment that is already really scary and fraught for trans people and already a very politically charged moment. That is a scary big picture that is harming trans people right now.” 
Vachon was quoted in another <a href="https://kentwired.com/813/latest-updates/gender-inclusion-efforts-continue-across-campus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kent Wired</a> article titled, “Gender inclusion efforts continue across campus.” Vachon said she encourages faculty members to use their pronouns in their email signatures and discussed her “inclusive syllabus.”
“When an opportunity came up among faculty to share materials on building an inclusive classroom, I was inspired by other universities and practices they had put in place. The inclusive syllabus designates space for a pronoun usage policy which assures students that they’re safe in my classroom, and that I’ll use pronouns they ask me to use.”
&nbsp;
Published - April 27, 2023

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