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Dominic J. Guzzetta
(1971-1984)
Dr. Dominic J. Guzzetta was born in Fredonia, New York in 1919. He earned baccalaureate, master’s, and doctorate degrees from The University of Buffalo in 1948, 1951, and 1953, respectively. He also was the recipient of honorary degrees from five colleges and universities.
Guzzetta taught history in a high school in New York and then became an administrator at the University of Buffalo. He came to The University of Akron in 1954 and held a number of deanships and vice presidencies before becoming the University’s first Provost and Senior Vice President. Guzzetta left UA to serve as President of Marian College in Indianapolis from 1968 to 1971, but returned to become the 11th President of UA from 1971 to 1984.
As President, Guzzetta sustained the campus expansion program initiated by his predecessor. During his tenure, he opened over a dozen new buildings and acquired a half a dozen more. This includes E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall, Mary Gladwin Hall, and Guzzetta Hall, to name a few. He also acquired the Rubber Bowl and oversaw the creation of Wayne College and the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine.
Upon his retirement from the presidency in 1984, Guzzetta became the first President of the I-X Center in Cleveland until 1989 when he accepted a Distinguished Resident Scholar position at New Mexico State University. He returned to Akron in 1995 as a higher education consultant nationally filling various interim top-level administrative positions at colleges and universities.
In 1973, Guzzetta was appointed by President Richard Nixon to the Presidential Commission of the National Council of Educational Research. Guzzetta also was an active participant in professional, cultural, social, and community activities and served on the board of numerous organizations. He received over fifty professional awards, citations, and designations, as well as a variety of community service, state, and national honors and recognitions. Guzzetta and his wife, Nola, had two daughters. He passed away on May 12, 2010 at the age of 90.
“The urban scene . . . is where I believe the future lies. The urban university that has a program geared to the surrounding community does a service to itself by keeping aware of the realities and needs of the real world.”
– Dominic J. Guzzetta
From The University of Akron Photographs Collection in Archival Services of University Libraries
One of the immediate challenges President Guzzetta had to contend with was a fire in 1971 that gutted Buchtel Hall. Offices were relocated to Bierce Library and West Buchtel Hall and North Buchtel Hall. Sentiment was divided on the issue of how best to rebuild, but those who wanted to save Buchtel Hall prevailed, and under Guzzetta’s direction it was renovated and converted into administrative offices.
From The University of Akron Photographs Collection in Archival Services of University Libraries
In the early 1970s, President Guzzetta played a key role in working out a cooperative arrangement with Kent State and Youngstown State universities when the three institutions jointly sponsored the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (now NEOMED). According to the late University Historian Emeritus George W. Knepper, this arrangement has been a “pace-setter nationally, demonstrating how high-quality medical education can be achieved at a reasonable cost.”
From The University of Akron Photographs Collection in Archival Services of University Libraries
During his administration, President Guzzetta oversaw the completion of E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall, which was dedicated in 1973. That year, he also oversaw the completion and dedication of the C. Blake McDowell Law Center.
From The University of Akron Photographs Collection in Archival Services of University Libraries
In 1976, President Guzzetta dedicated Guzzetta Hall during a ribbon cutting ceremony. The $5.5 million music, speech, and theater arts building was the second phase of the University’s long range concept of a performing arts center. It was named in honor of President Guzzetta and his wife, Nola.
From The University of Akron Office of Special Events Records in Archival Services of University Libraries
President Guzzetta had the honor of celebrating a University milestone by presiding at the 1977 commencement. During the ceremony, the 30,000th baccalaureate degree was awarded.
From The University of Akron Photographs Collection in Archival Services of University Libraries
Under President Guzzetta’s leadership, the Wayne General & Technical College (now Wayne College) was founded in 1972 in Orville. The College provides high-quality, accessible credit and non-credit education to the citizens of Wayne, Medina, and Holmes counties. The campus consists of a 120,000-square-foot Main Classroom Building and a 36,000-square-foot Student Life Building on a 160-acre campus.
From the Dominic J. Guzzetta Papers in Archival Services of University Libraries
During his tenure, President Guzzetta traveled abroad extensively meeting with representatives from a number of colleges and universities, especially in China. In this photograph, he is being interviewed by Linn Sheldon on “The Coffee Shoppe” on WUAB-TV following his trip to Communist China.
From The University of Akron Office of Special Events Records in Archival Services of University Libraries
President Guzzetta can be considered one of the modern builders of the University. During his tenure, over a half a dozen new buildings were constructed and he acquired half a dozen more. In 1979, his administration dedicated and opened Mary E. Gladwin Hall and the Charles M. Knight Chemical Laboratory. The following year, Guzzetta dedicated the Buckingham Center for Continuing Education, and in 1984, he opened Folk Hall housing the College of Art.
“Dr. Guzzetta was a man of many talents: a sound educator and scholar, an accomplished leader and administrator, and a passionate musician and supporter of the arts.”
– Luis M. Proenza