YSU Sweet discusses finances as budget decision looms

By IAN HILL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
COLUMBUS -- A final decision on state funding for public universities this year is expected in November, says Dr. David C. Sweet, Youngstown State University president.
YSU is facing a $1.8 million budget shortfall this year, partly because of unexpected proposed state budget cuts. The Ohio Board of Regents proposed cutting the university's state allocation by $2.9 million, or 6.5 percent, from $44 million to $41.1 million for this year.
The proposal was made July 10, 12 days after YSU trustees approved their budget for 2002-03.
Sweet said Richard L. Petrick, vice chancellor for finance for the Ohio Board of Regents, told him the final decision on the state allocations will be made at the board's Nov. 14 meeting. Sweet said the two discussed the allocations Tuesday in Columbus before a meeting of the Inter-University Council of Ohio.
Board officials could not be reached to comment.
The numbers
The board has proposed cutting state allocations to seven of the state's 13 four-year public universities. YSU's loss is the second-highest, behind a $3.5 million projected decline at the University of Cincinnati.
Six schools would get additional money, including a $3.45 million increase at the University of Akron and a $2.45 million jump at Kent State University.
Petrick has said the proposed allocation change stems from a $100 million cut in higher education funding statewide and a 4.5 percent growth in statewide enrollment.
Sweet said the presidents of Ohio's public universities and community colleges have been working to determine if the proposed allocation can be changed to lessen the blow to schools such as YSU. Members of the Inter-University Council of Ohio include the presidents of Ohio's 13 public universities and two free-standing medical colleges.
Tuesday's meeting, the presidents learned that their universities may receive a total of $4.2 million in additional general funding that had been slated for doctoral programs, Sweet said. The funding could be reallocated because of a drop in enrollment in doctoral programs, he said.
Sweet added that state officials have discussed reallocating some of the $90 million they use to help pay for the education of graduate students who come to Ohio from other states. He stressed, however, that he feels graduate education is important to Ohio's future, and that reallocating the funds could be a mistake.
Donating salaries
In response to the funding cuts, some presidents have donated portions of their salaries to scholarships at their universities. Dr. Luis M. Proenza, University of Akron president, decided to donate the $7,721 he was slated to receive as a raise this year to student scholarships.
On Sept. 25, the YSU trustees voted to increase Sweet's salary 6 percent from $192,000 to $203,520. Sweet's annual housing allowance also was increased 38.9 percent from $36,000 to $50,000.
The raises were retroactive to July 1.
Sweet said he spoke to Proenza briefly Tuesday about the donation to the University of Akron. He said Proenza stressed that each university president makes different decisions based on the financial situation he or she faces.
"Every university has to deal with its local circumstances," Sweet said.
Sweet said he plans to continue to donate to university and community charities as he has done in the past.
hill@vindy.com