Campus Safety Grant Program awards Lorain County Community College $145,200

The state of Ohio’s Campus Safety Grant Program has awarded $145,200 to Lorain County Community College. The funds will be used to pay for upgrades to on-campus security measures.

State Representative Gayle Manning, a Republican serving North Ridgeville, and Governor Mike DeWine made the announcement of the award on November 21, 2022. State Representative Manning voted for the legislation that funded the grant program at the state level.

Manning was quoted on the program by The Chronicle, saying, "As a former educator, I take the safety and security of both children and young adults on campuses very seriously. It is my hope that this new funding for the program will deliver enhanced security for our local higher education facilities."

House Bill 687 contains the language providing the funding, which Manning co-sponsored. Money from the Safety Grant Program will be used to pay for expenses accrued by purchasing physical security upgrades like security cameras, public address systems, alarms, metal detectors, and door locks.

The Campus Safety Grant Program has provided funding to several state institutions that provide higher education. The goal of the program is to help higher education institutions improve the safety and security of their students in their buildings on campuses across the state.

Universities and Colleges that want to be considered for grant money need to take a security and vulnerability assessment to show what safety and security measures could be improved on campus.

Governor DeWine noted that so far over $5 million has been divvied out to 33 universities and colleges in Ohio this year.

He was also quoted in The Chronicle as saying, "These funds will go directly toward helping our institutions of higher education become more secure. The importance of campus safety cannot be overstated, and Ohio is committed to supporting efforts that keep our colleges and universities safe."

Since the program began last year, over $10 million has been awarded.

Randy Gardner, who works as the Ohio Department of Education Chancellor, spoke on the importance of security on campus, saying, "Part of preparing students for future success is ensuring they feel safe on their campuses. Through these grants, the DeWine-Husted Administration continues to focus on helping our colleges and universities provide for the safest learning environments possible."

More information about Lorain County Community College can be found at the school’s website.