(The Center Square) – Against a backdrop of the recent murders of college students at the University of Virginia and the University of Idaho, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced 33 Ohio colleges and universities will receive a total of $5 million for security projects designed to enhance the safety of students and staff.
The grant is funded by the 2022 Campus Safety Grant Program, an initiative monetized by support from the Ohio General Assembly’s Senate Bill 310 of the 133rd General Assembly. The Ohio School Safety Center, a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, reviewed the campus safety grant applications in conjunction with the Ohio Department of Higher Education.
“These funds will go directly toward helping our institutions of higher education become more secure,” said DeWine. “The importance of campus safety cannot be overstated, and Ohio is committed to supporting efforts that keep our colleges and universities safe.”
A grant may be used to cover expenses associated with physical security enhancements such as security cameras, door locks, alarms, metal detectors and public address systems.
In order to gain eligibility for a grant, colleges and universities conducted a security and vulnerability assessment to identify areas in need of safety reinforcements.
Since DeWine signed an executive order creating the Ohio School Safety Center in 2019, under the auspices of Ohio Homeland Security, it has awarded about $10 million in funding.
