The future of the University of Akron’s Experiential Learning Center for Entrepreneurship and Civic Engagement, better known as the EXL Center, might be in jeopardy.
The head of the center resigned Friday, citing a lack of support by UA’s leadership for the venture.
Jeff Hoffman, co-founder of the popular travel website Priceline.com, came to UA a year ago and founded the EXL Center.
Hoffman was hired in July 2015 by former UA President Scott Scarborough.
Hoffman launched his first software company while still a student at Yale University, and over the years has founded a series of successful startup companies worldwide.
“I came here initially to build something big,” Hoffman said. “The challenge issued to me was, ‘Can you build a center for entrepreneurship and experiential learning that could get recognized on the national level?’ and that was a challenge I was interested in. I was under the impression that I would have $4 million to do it, but that didn’t come to fruition. But still with the money we received [$500,000] we got the center up and running and built the best we could.”
He said the center’s initial mission was to build a national center that starts by serving UA and the entire Akron community. That mission was consistent with his personal goal to mentor and teach as many students as possible.
But he said he became skeptical of UA’s dedication to the center’s mission starting at the board of trustees meeting last month, when he expressed disappointment in the lack of money for the program.
He told board members and the interim president that he did not blame the university for its lack of financial support because the financial promises were made by the last administration. But he said outside sources that were willing to fund several programs were questioning why UA wasn’t backing the center.
When his comments fell on deaf ears, he said, he took the silence as a sign of no confidence.
Hoffman became more concerned when a group of administrators and faculty charged with making recommendations to improve the university suggested the EXL Center isn’t needed.
Hoffman said he also saw the omission of the EXL Center in UA’s recent new branding and marketing campaign as another sign of no confidence in the program.
However, UA spokesman Wayne Hill said the $250,000 advertising campaign that launched Sept. 7 couldn’t include all university programs because of costs.
Hoffman resigned in an email to UA Interim President Matt Wilson. His last day is Sept. 30. He offered to continue as a consultant, “which would be more cost effective for the university.”
“With the university’s economic issues and a much smaller budget, they don’t need someone like me to build something small,” Hoffman said in a phone interview Friday. “I realized I can’t deliver what I was being paid to deliver, so in good conscience, this is the right thing for me to do.”
Developing a plan
Wilson said the university appreciates “all that Jeff did in launching the EXL Center and we wish him well going forward.
“University leadership will be working with current staff as well as the EXL Center’s faculty, student and community advisory boards to develop a plan of action for the work and programming that is underway,” Wilson said. “The boards will be looking at what makes the most sense to enhance opportunities. The center has done a lot of good things and realized a lot of good ideas. We will have to look at the mission of the University of Akron and explore the future.”
Praise for director
Ian Schwarber, the resource director at the EXL Center, called Hoffman well connected, a game changer and an adventurer.
“It is a sad day for the EXL Center and a great loss to the University of Akron and the city of Akron,” Schwarber said. “Working with Jeff was one of the most incredible, exhilarating experiences in my entire life. There is no one I’ve ever worked with or for, who demands excellence and inspires you at the same time.”
Hoffman, who was paid $190,000, said he took a pay cut to do the job.
“It is a significant amount of money, but realistically it was a 10 percent pay reduction for me,” Hoffman said. “I agreed on the pay because it was affordable to the university, because I believe in the university and I believe in the city and I want to help students, so this was never about money.”
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.