YSU State grant pleases officials

The reallocation won't affect the city's civic center proposal.
By RON COLE
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- It wasn't quite like having Ed McMahon show up on your doorstep with a big sweepstakes check for $1.5 million, but it was close.
Youngstown State University officials were jubilant, elated and outright bubbly Wednesday about receiving an unexpected $1.5 million in the state capital budget.
"It was a total surprise," said John Habat, special assistant to YSU President David Sweet.
"We didn't initiate it. We didn't orchestrate it. We didn't participate, but we did say we'd be happy to have the money if it was going to go somewhere."
The state Senate passed a bill Wednesday that included reappropriating $1.5 million within the state's capital budget to help upgrade YSU's administrative computing systems.
Funds set aside: The state set the money aside two years ago to help build an arena in downtown Youngstown under a now-defunct project led by businessman Bruce Zoldan.
There was a risk the area would lose the money, Zoldan said, with the funds spread across the state. So Zoldan, with the help of former state Senate president Harry Meshel, lobbied lawmakers to send the money to YSU.
Mayor's comments: Mayor George McKelvey said the action won't affect the city's plans to build a downtown civic center.
He said the city has $26.8 million in federal funds for its project and never anticipated using the $1.5 million in state funds. He also applauded Zoldan for keeping the money in Youngstown.
"There was every possibility that the money would have been appropriated to another community," McKelvey said.
YSU will use the money to upgrade or replace its administrative computing systems, a multimillion-dollar project recommended a year ago in a performance audit by state Auditor Jim Petro.
Needing an upgrade: Among the systems that need to be upgraded are e-mail, payroll, accounts payable, accounting records, budgets, financial aid, student records and the bursar's office, according to Petro's report.
"Our current administrative computing systems are relatively antiquated, they're patched together, they desperately need upgrading," Habat said. "This is really an unexpected shot in the arm so the university can proceed."
Habat said he's not sure how much the computing upgrades will cost. A similar upgrade at Cleveland State University cost nearly $16 million, the auditor's report said.
Last week, Sweet proposed spending $1 million in YSU's 2002-03 general fund budget for the computing upgrades. That, combined with the state money, will make $2.5 million available for the project.
"It's an excellent start," Habat said.