Answers to The Devil Strip questions:

My first question: Why hasn't the administration or search committee

explained the differences between the two versions of Dr. Todd A. Rickel's
curriculum vita?
Dr. W. Michael Sherman, senior vice president, provost and chief operating
officer responded to an inquiry from the AAUP-Akron Chapter on this point as
follows: While the discrepancies in Dr. Rickels curriculum vitae were
unfortunate, it was determined that they were not made intentionally with a
purpose to gain an advantage or otherwise present a false representation of
his credentials. The administration believes the clarifying information
provided by Dr. Rickel with respect to the discrepancies offered a
satisfactory explanation.
I have confirmed that three scholarly presentations listed in the preemployment CV are not listed in the program for the listed conferences: The
Sustainable University at the 2013 Western Association of Schools and
Colleges Academic Resource Conference; Technology, Retention and
Sustainability in Practice" at the 2012 United States Distance Learning
Association (USDLA) National Conference; and Higher Education
Partnerships: Mutual benefits across two and four year institutions" at the
2012 American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) annual
convention.
Second question: How does Dr. Rickel explain the absence of those
presentations from the conference programs?
Response from Dr. Rickel: The three errors were careless mistakes and they
were corrected within hours of my being notified of them along with my
submission of evidence for the correct presentations and an apology for the
error.
Three presentations are listed on the post-employment CV that are listed in
the same place as the aforementioned (literally, judging from the font
changes, which makes it appear pasted in from elsewhere), all from 2012.
Each is in the program for the respective conferences listed. However, he
omitted another panel ("Exploring New Frontiers in the Community College
RN to BSN Megatrend") at the same 2012 CCBA conference where he
participated in a panel titled "Community College Baccalaureate Degree
Inflation: Careful What You Wish For," which featured the same moderator
and same participants.
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Question number three: Why was that panel omitted?

Response from Dr. Rickel: I had no records of that panel presentation. There
was nothing untoward about excluding the presentation and if I can secure
evidence for it I will add it to the vita.

Looking at Dr. Rickel's LinkedIn page, I found employment listed at RAZR

Ventures, Conservaco LLC, Rager Media and Bluerock Partners Inc. that
wasn't listed on his CV.
Question #4: Why were past positions like EMT, Residence Hall Director and
substitute teacher (as well as being an Eagle Scout and host when Kurt
Vonnegut visited Kent State) listed on his CV but these more recent
employments were not?
Response from Dr. Rickel: I never received compensation for assistance
provided to RAZR Ventures, Conservaco, Rager Media, or Bluerock Partners. I
was paid for work as an EMT, Residence Hall Director, and as a substitute
teacher. That is the reason the latter appear on my CV.
It is my understanding that an assistant professor hired last fall at a main
campus school was fired this spring after it was discovered she had omitted
a place where she was employed for less than an academic year.
Question #5: Does the same policy govern Deans at the University? If the
University hasn't already started an investigation into these differences, will
they soon be looking into it?
The administration is unaware of any employment termination of an
assistant professor for omitting a previous employer on a CV in the time
frame referenced. However, the administration has knowledge of a situation
that occurred some years ago where a faculty member resigned after being
confronted with information that the faculty member had left a position at
another institution for performance-related issues but had not disclosed that
university as a prior employer. The person would not have been hired had
the disclosure been made and that reference checked. This previous incident
is clearly distinguishable from the presentation omissions by Dr. Rickel and
Dr. Rickel has made the administration aware of his prior business
relationships.

There are some potentially troubling connections as an adviser with

companies that invest in for-profit education and technology ventures. Did
the search committee thoroughly examine those ties to be sure that Dr.
Rickel would not benefit himself or his friends by facilitating deals with the
University of Akron once hired?
More specifically, does Dr. Rickel or his former associates have any known
connections to Trust Navigator or Academic Partnerships, proposals selected
by committees on which he was a member?
Response from Dr. Rickel: Bluerock Partners, to my knowledge, dissolved
upon my departure. No investment in any company occurred. Response to
the technology company was already provided above under Conservaco and
RAZR Ventures. No compensation was ever received by me from these
companies.
I have no connections to Trust Navigator nor, to my knowledge, do any of my
former associates. I never met the principals involved prior to coming to UA.
I have no connections to Academic Partners nor, to my knowledge, do any of
my former associates. I never met the principal involved prior to coming to
UA, although at least in the case of AP, I was aware of the company and the
CEO by reputation only.