Dear Members of the Kent State University Community,
I am pleased to announce two leadership appointments that will take place early this summer.
Douglas (Doug) Kubinski, J.D., will return to Kent State on June 23 as the university’s vice president and general counsel. He served as associate counsel at Kent State from 2013-2022 prior to joining Cleveland State University’s Office of General Counsel. At Kent State, Doug was lead counsel for all sponsored research, technology transfer and research compliance matters; served as chief negotiator for complex procurement contracts; and managed outside counsel on litigation for regulatory matters, contract and construction disputes, and personal injury and property damage claims. He led Kent State effectively through complex negotiations, including developing a program services operating agreement with Ideastream Public Media for operation of the university-licensed WKSU and memorandums of understanding with The Podiatry Foundation following the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine’s merger with Kent State. At Cleveland State, he has led complex construction, procurement and land acquisition projects. Doug also has a decade of experience in local government with the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, culminating in his role as divisional deputy city solicitor, real estate and economic development division. He earned both his Bachelor of Arts in telecommunications and a Master of Public Administration from Kent State and his Juris Doctor from Temple University School of Law. In this role as vice president and general counsel at Kent State, Doug also holds an appointment as assistant attorney general from Ohio Attorney General David Yost.
Chris Jenkins has been named director of public safety and chief of police effective June 1, after holding the position on an interim basis since May 2024. This appointment by Mark Polatajko, Ph.D., senior vice president for finance and administration, ensures outstanding leadership and continuity for our public safety forces. Chris joined Kent State as a police officer in 1995 and was promoted to lieutenant in 2006. He was assigned to the Investigations Section in 2009 and has served in several administrative roles since 2019. He earned his Associate of Applied Science in criminal justice from the University of Akron and both his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Administration from Kent State. He attended the FBI National Academy, where he earned a graduate certificate from the University of Virginia. Chris is passionate about community engagement and collaboration in alignment with Police Services’ strong commitment to a community policing philosophy. He is a highly respected partner on and off campus, and he will continue to provide outstanding leadership to our nationally recognized, fully accredited police department.
Our gratitude and congratulations to Doug and Chris upon accepting these important leadership roles for Kent State. Our thanks to David Ochmann, J.D., for his dedicated service, first as acting and then interim general counsel since January 2024. I also express appreciation to the colleagues who served as members of the vice president and general counsel search committee.
Sincerely,
Todd Diacon
President