Another top staffer of the University of Akron’s Experiential Learning Center for Entrepreneurship and Civic Engagement has resigned.
On Wednesday, Ian Schwarber, resource director of the center, which is offering inaugural courses involving faculty members this fall, notified the university he was leaving.
The center — a project of former UA President Scott Scarborough who resigned earlier this year — provides students with various experiential learning programs aimed at getting them involved in entrepreneurialism and campus and civic issues.
Schwarber’s resignation letter comes days after the center lost its founding director, Jeff Hoffman, prompting speculation that the future of EXL could be in jeopardy.
Schwarber’s departure apparently leaves the center with one staff member, Carolyn Behrman, who is paid through her home department of anthropology in the College of Arts and Sciences. She also receives a stipend for her work at EXL.
Interim UA president Matt Wilson said in terms of moving forward, Behrman will step up to lead the center and will tap into the faculty and community advisory committees about working with one or several of them to keep the momentum going.
Schwarber said in his resignation letter that Oct. 21 will be his last day of work at the EXL Center.
He said he will work closely with Behrman and Jeff Hoffman, the outgoing founding director, “to insure a smooth transition.”
He added that he hopes the EXL Center will move forward with its mission despite his departure.
“I believe in the EXL Center’s purpose ... I put my heart and soul into creating many of the programs, structure, and partnerships that got this initiative off the ground in a very challenging climate,” he wrote. “I am so proud to have been a part of the EXL Center because I love and believe in the value that The University of Akron represents to the economic and cultural vitality of Akron.
In a phone interview, Schwarber said he didn’t feel secure in his position at the center because of the lack of UA leadership support.
“With a different mission and a change in the environment, I didn’t want to just collect a steady paycheck... at a time when the community was literally lining up to crucify the former president, we were still doing something positive with the students and had community engagement... that’s not when you change things,” he said.
Wilson agreed that the EXL Center is a good place for faculty to collaborate across disciplines with a focus on entrepreneurship.
“The plan was to continue with the EXL Center because it was generating some momentum, just on a smaller budget, but Jeff decided to step away and Ian decided to follow,” Wilson said. “Everything we look at now we need to look at in terms of expenses, what makes sense strategically and most importantly what will benefit the students...there may be things that were planned for $4 million at the center, but we don’t have $4 million ...we have to look at something on a smaller scale with a smaller budget going forward this year. Certain plans were laid when Jeff came in and those plans versus the financial reality are very different.”
The UA Board of Trustees budgeted $500,000 for EXL operational costs this fiscal year — much less than the $4 million promised under Scarborough.
In resigning, Hoffman also cited a lack of support by UA’s leadership for the center. A recent report by faculty leaders suggested conducting analysis on whether the EXL Center could be self-sustaining. The program already was the recipient of several grants from local foundations and individual community donations for projects this year.
Hoffman, co-founder of travel website Priceline.com, was hired by Scarborough in July 2015. His annual salary was $190,000.
Schwarber’s salary was not immediately available. He was paid through the University of Akron Research Foundation.
Katie Byard can be reached at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com. Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.