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The University of Akron is seeking legislative approval to sell its presidential home -- the same home that the former president spent $1 million renovating, Cleveland.com reported. Spending on the home -- while many university departments were facing budget cuts -- contributed to the unpopularity of Scott Scarborough, who resigned last year and moved out. The new president, Matthew Wilson, has opted to live in his own home.
While presidential home renovations are sometimes controversial, the Akron home's expenses drew widespread ridicule. They included $1,742 for a headboard, $2,693 for two night tables and $1,844 for a mirror. But attracting the most attention was $556.40 for a decorative olive jar (without olives). Olives became a theme of campus protests, such as a faux food bank to collect olives for the president. An Akron spokesman told Cleveland.com that he expected the home's contents, including the olive jar, would be sold as part of any process that receives legislative approval.
