Petro presents plan to reduce tuition

The gubernatorial candidate proposes cutting college tuition by 30 percent.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Attorney General Jim Petro, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, took his message on reducing the cost of higher education to Youngstown State University students.
Petro spoke to about 30 students Thursday at YSU's DeBartolo Stadium Club about his plan to reduce Ohio public college tuition by 30 percent.
If elected governor, Petro said he would save more than $1 billion annually by reducing the state work force by more than 11,500 employees through attrition and early-retirement incentives. The plan would be phased in over 18 months.
Petro plans to use $520 million of the annual savings to reduce the cost of higher education for the typical undergraduate student at a state public university.
"We have to make sure we make college affordable for all Ohioans," he said. "Ohio is stagnant, and we haven't put money into the higher education system."
Petro wants to reduce the duplication of courses, particularly doctoral classes, offered by universities in close proximity to each other such as the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University. The gubernatorial candidate also proposes more community colleges and fewer university branch campuses.
Students' response
YSU students hearing Petro's proposal had mixed reviews about it.
A.J. Zalewski, a senior psychology major from Austintown, said he is concerned that Petro's plan to consolidate some courses would make class sizes too large and would eliminate the diversity provided by various professors.
"I don't think you increase the quality of education by doubling the size of classrooms," Zalewski said.
Greg Diamantic, a senior psychology major from Boardman, said Petro is among too few politicians who realize that higher education funding is a major problem in the state.
Polls show Petro trailing Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell in the Republican gubernatorial race. The primary is May 2.
skolnick@vindy.com