Worried about jobs, union protests outsourcing work

A new policy eliminates a search requirement for hiring top administrators.
By JoANNE VIVIANO
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Union officials at Youngstown State University said a board of trustees committee put union jobs in jeopardy and ignored cost ramifications when it voted to outsource an auditing role.
University officials have been asked to determine how to move from an in-house internal audit system to one that is completed by an outside firm, based on the motion approved Wednesday by the finance and facilities committee, acting under the recommendation of its audit subcommittee.
The motion states that the move will "better assure an independent, objective internal audit function."
"The subcommittee was looking for a fully independent internal auditing process where the internal auditors are not in any way part of the administration," said Trustee Larry Esterly, who oversees both the subcommittee and the committee.
Union protests
But the head of YSU's Association of Classified Employees doesn't see it that way.
"The labor community in the Valley is not going to sit by and let this happen," said Christine Domhoff, ACE president. "It's going to cost the university money and it's going to put people out of work. It's losing more jobs in the Youngstown environment, and that's a problem."
Domhoff said the change would affect one ACE member, two members of another union on campus and one manager. But John Habat, YSU's vice president for administration, said that employees would not lose their jobs, but would instead be transferred to other positions.
"I'm thrilled they're finding another place for them to work," Domhoff said, "but we have a reduction in the work force. We won't ignore that."
A union committee prepared a report for Habat showing that contracting out the internal audit function would likely increase costs, union officials said. It also showed that the in-house audit department received four out of seven excellent marks in a recent performance assessment by the state auditor's office.
Policy approved
In another matter, the trustee board approved a policy that allows the hiring of administrative and executive officers without conducting a search.
Until Wednesday, policy in the University Guidebook required administrators to appoint a search committee before hiring for any of the top positions. Affected are vice presidents and the chief technology officer, deans and executive directors.
Regarding deans and executive directors, the new policy allows the university president to approve hiring without a search "where departure offers demonstrable benefits for the University." The board must give final approval when it comes to hiring vice presidents or a chief technology officer without a search.
Trustees approved the move. Trustee Charles B. Cushwa III was absent.
The same issue was presented to the board more than a year ago when Habat was appointed without a search. The trustees' internal affairs committee voted in June 2002 to waive the policy requiring a search for top administrators, voting 6-1 to appoint Habat to the post.
In other matters, the board:
UHeard from Tony Atwater, provost/vice president for academic affairs, that YSU has applied to the Ohio Board of Regents for approval of a bachelor of general studies degree that would allow adults with some college experience to earn a diploma. Atwater said there are roughly 80,000 such adults in the Mahoning Valley. He hopes the program will start next fall.
USwore in newly appointed Trustee Millicent S. Counts, executive director of the United Methodist Community Center, and newly appointed student Trustee Charity Pappas, a special education major.
UHeard that enrollment went up 1.3 percent this fall, compared with a year ago. Numbers increased by 5.9 percent in the college of education and by 13 percent in health and human services. Tuition revenue in fiscal year 2003 was $2.8 million more than expected because of enrollment increases, said Terry Ondreyka, vice president for financial affairs.