YSU TRUSTEES | Board activity
The Youngstown State University Board of Trustees discussed or acted on the following Friday:
Approved a $125.6 million general-fund budget for fiscal year 2005, representing a increase of 4.22 percent over the fiscal 2004 budget. Among revenues, Share of Instruction dollars from the state have decreased from about $41.5 million to about $40.5 million (a 2.54 percent decrease), and tuition fees and other charges have increased by about 8 percent. Among expenditures, personnel costs have risen by 6.84 percent, representing wage increases of 3 to 3.5 percent, $1,000 bonuses for faculty and a 30 percent increase in the cost of temporary faculty.
Heard that a new executive director of the Metro College has been appointed. Dr. William H. Beisel is former dean of work-force development and continuing education at the University of Akron. He has doctorate and master's degrees in education from Penn State University.
Approved master's degrees in American studies, financial economics, computing and information systems and creative writing, pending approval by the Ohio Board of Regents. The master of fine arts in creative writing would be part of a consortium that combines the resources of YSU, the University of Akron, Cleveland State University and Kent State University.
Approved a $450,000 intercollegiate athletics gender-equality plan for 2005 to 2010 to fund scholarships and operations to enhance women's athletic programs.
Elected Larry Esterly as the board's chairman for the upcoming fiscal year, beginning July 1; elected Dr. H.S. Wang as vice president; and reappointed Franklin S. Bennett Jr. as secretary.
Named an amphitheater located in the West Campus Gateway area the F.W. "Bill" Knecht Amphitheater. The designation honors the late Knecht, a 1960 YSU graduate who founded Wendell August Forge and served as a trustee from 1999 until his death earlier this year. In memory of Knecht, his wife, Connie Knecht, has donated $100,000 to the campaign for the Andrews Recreation and Wellness Center on campus. The center, now under construction, is also in the Gateway area.