YSU HIRING PROBE Reforms were due, Sweet says

YSU's president supports the practice of hiring felons in certain instances.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Changes being implemented in Youngstown State University's instructor hiring practices should strengthen the system and help avoid questionable appointments, said YSU President Dr. David Sweet.
Sweet met with The Vindicator editorial writers Monday to discuss changes announced late last week after a review of the university's hiring practices.
The scrutiny was sparked by the hiring in August of Joseph Serowik, a forensic science professor whose previous work in Cleveland is being questioned.
YSU's appointment process was again challenged when it was disclosed recently that the school had a drug felon, Kevin Chakos, teaching a prescription drug course last spring.
Chakos, who was hired part time, no longer teaches at YSU. Serowik, a full-time instructor, continues to teach.
Tighter screening
The hirings prompted the university to bolster reference checking, implement background checks and require disclosure statements.
Sweet said YSU's hiring practices have served the school well for the most part. He noted dozens of instructors have been hired without controversy.
But he acknowledged changes were needed.
"We feel we've improved our screening process," he said.
One thing that won't change is the hiring of felons.
YSU will continue to permit hiring ex-cons, but only under certain circumstances, such as someone who had been convicted in a civil rights protest.
Ex-criminals who have paid their debt to society and who have something to offer as an instructor shouldn't be automatically excluded from teaching at YSU, Sweet said.
Every such case will be reviewed individually, he added.
Scrutiny
Sweet said he supports university Provost Tony Atwater's intent to further scrutinize what Atwater has termed "problematic hiring" in YSU's Bitonte College of Health and Human Services.
Atwater said without elaborating last week that there will be consequences in the Bitonte College stemming from the situation.
The Bitonte College is where both Serowik and Chakos were hired.
YSU's review of the Serowik hiring stated that Bitonte College Dean Dr. John Yemma knew that Serowik's past work in Cleveland was being questioned, but he failed to disclose that to Atwater, who approved Yemma's recommendation to hire Serowik.
Yemma also approved hiring Chakos. Yemma has said he didn't know Chakos was a felon.