Documents shed little information on hiring process

YSU released the papers, though an official argued they aren't really public.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown State University has provided documents created in the controversial hiring of a forensic science instructor, but so few of the papers exist that they shed little light on the process.
YSU was asked last week by The Vindicator to provide evaluation sheets, job candidate questionnaires and classroom presentation forms that appeared to have been used in the hiring of Joseph Serowik over 15 other applicants, including four finalists, for the full-time $48,000-a-year post.
Serowik's hiring last month as an assistant professor in YSU's criminal justice department has sparked questions and an administrative review ordered by YSU President David Sweet.
At issue is Serowik's former post as an examiner in the Cleveland Police Department crime lab and his role, while holding that job, in sending an innocent man to prison.
On Thursday morning, YSU provided the records sought by the newspaper in Serowik's hiring.
But only a few of the documents appear to exist.
Weren't a requirement
Atty. Holly Jacobs, YSU legal counsel, explained that the documents weren't required to be filled out by faculty and staff involved in the hiring, nor were participants instructed as part of the process to turn in any forms they might have completed.
The Vindicator was given all the forms that were available, Jacobs said.
Those included just two unsigned evaluation sheets, though there appeared to have been five people on the screening committee.
Also provided were what seemed to be three sets of questions for candidates forms, with one of the sets apparently incomplete because it covered only two of the four job finalists.
One complete set of classroom presentation forms was provided.
All the forms were unsigned, were filled out by hand and were partly illegible.
YSU believes the papers aren't actually public records as defined by Ohio law because they're not documents kept by the university itself, Jacobs said.
"They're more personal notes" than official papers, she added.
Despite its contention that the forms aren't public records, YSU released those it could locate in response to the "heightened interest" in the Serowik matter, Jacobs said.
Larry Esterly, YSU trustee board chairman, declined to comment at length on the Serowik hiring.
Esterly would say only that he's pleased the administration is reviewing the matter, and he is awaiting the outcome. The task is to be completed by Sept. 10.
Weren't informed
Sweet and YSU Provost Tony Atwater, who offered Serowik the job, have said they were unaware of the controversy surrounding the new instructor before he was hired, though faculty and staff members who recommended the hiring were aware of the issue.
Atwater has said one goal of the hiring review is determining why he wasn't told of the matter.
Serowik's testimony regarding evidence he examined in a 1988 Cleveland rape trial helped send Michael Green to prison for 13 years.
Green, who was released after DNA evidence proved his innocence, sued Cleveland. The lawsuit included testimony in which experts said Serowik's forensics work was flawed.
In settling the case for $1.6 million, Cleveland agreed to audit Serowik's work in about 50 other cases. That audit continues.