Central State set to replace faulty fire alarm system in dormitory

State approves funding request following October safety declaration; university to undergo full-scale facility assessment
Central State University Board of Trustees Chair Jacqueline Y. Gamblin took questions from the Ohio Controlling Board on Nov. 10, 2025, regarding the university's appropriation requests.

Credit: Provided

Credit: Provided

Central State University Board of Trustees Chair Jacqueline Y. Gamblin took questions from the Ohio Controlling Board on Nov. 10, 2025, regarding the university's appropriation requests.

A $1.2 million combined appropriation was approved Monday for Central State University to repair faulty fire alarms in its Foundation Hall II dormitory and to make “critical bathroom repairs” and HVAC upgrades on campus.

Another appropriation approved in the same meeting will hire an independent contractor to “evaluate the physical condition of University facilities, identify maintenance and life safety needs, and provide prioritized recommendations to guide future capital and maintenance planning,” according to state documents.

Both appropriations were unanimously approved by the Ohio Controlling Board, which vets requests for previously set aside state funds.

According to the appropriation request from Central State University, $200,850 will cover the cost to repair the damaged fire alarm system. The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) had issued a public exigency declaration on Oct. 13, mandating the university take “exigent action” to evaluate and replace the damaged system.

In addition, the appropriation sets $850,000 toward HVAC updates and maintenance and $150,000 toward bathroom repairs.

Monday also saw the approval of a separate appropriation request for $236,600, this time from the OFCC.

The money will be paid out to Thomas Porter Architects for the completion of a three-phase assessment that will produce condition assessment reports for every building on campus, along with with broader reports that “synthesize findings, provide updated campus maps, photographs, and stakeholder input, and highlight maintenance and life safety items requiring immediate attention.”


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