It's time nonstudents at YSU shared the financial burden

What are we missing? In August, Dr. David Sweet, president of Youngstown State University, contended that the university had been able to weather the financial storm triggered by the loss of $5.4 million in state funding. But last week, in arguing for another tuition increase, the president blamed state budget cuts. What changed in the past three months? Did the state further reduce the allocation that had been earmarked for YSU?
That aside, we reiterate our strong objection to making students bear the university's financial burden. Rather than increasing tuition, the president and board of trustees should have sought an across-the-board freeze in the pay raises the faculty and staff will be receiving next August, the third year of the three-year contract.
Indeed, Sweet and the trustees could have argued that since administrative salaries have been frozen, it is only fair to extend the freeze to others. In addition, they could have sought concessions from the unions, such as copayments for health insurance premiums.
During his State of the University speech in August, the president struck an optimistic note, using words like successes and strong foundation to describe what has taken place on campus. "We are the architects of our future, and today I can report, with our strategic plan in place, we are building our future," he said.
Word of caution
And while we applauded the progress being made, we offered a word of caution with regard to YSU's financial well-being. Here's what we said, in part: "... we are mindful of the fact that YSU still faces financial challenges and, therefore, reiterate our objections to the pay raises that were granted to most employees on campus. When Sweet thanks the university community for the 'sacrifices' it has made, we wonder what word he would have used had administrators, faculty and staff agreed to concessions, such as copayments for health insurance premiums."
And we added, "Given Ohio's economic collapse and slim chance of a quick recovery, Sweet and the board of trustees would do well to develop a cost-cutting plan that focuses on salaries and benefits, which account for a major portion of the operating budget.
"A tuition increase should be the last resort. Students have unfairly borne the brunt of the current fiscal crisis."
And yet, last week, the board of trustees' Finance and Facilities Committee recommended an 8 percent increase in tuition for fall 2004. What's so unfair about that, given Sweet's insistence that the new tuition rate would still remain below the current 2003 fall average for state universities in Ohio, and below the 2003 rate for all but two of the other 12 universities?
Well, it has to do with students' ability to pay -- without being forced to work additional hours or hold more than one job to make ends meet. It is important to remember that over the past five years, students have seen tuition increases of about 40 percent. That's a big bite.
During that period, however, faculty, staff and administrators have not had their pay frozen and have not had to pay anything toward their health insurance.
We marvel at the ability of YSU's administrators, faculty, classified employees, professional staff and police to look students in the eye -- while picking their pockets.