YSU is master of its destiny as higher ed changes occur

When Chancellor Eric D. Fingerhut talks about the challenges confronting higher education in Ohio, two things become abundantly clear:
1. There is no retreating from Gov. Ted Strickland's plan to make the state's universities and colleges key players in Ohio's drive to compete in the global economy.
2. Each institution must not only justify its existence, but must have a clearly defined mission and identify areas of excellence.
Fingerhut, a former congressman and state legislator, should not be dismissed as just another state government bureaucrat. He has already been appointed by the Ohio Board of Regents. But the General Assembly is poised to pass legislation, supported by Strickland, that will make the chancellor a member of the Cabinet and change the role of the board of regents to an advisory one.
Fingerhut's vision of a coordinated higher education system in Ohio is the governor's vision.
And, his insistence that the status quo will not prevail is the governor's insistence.
Bottom line: A sea change is coming, and there is no opting out -- without being penalized.
So, how does Youngstown State University fit into the administration's plans for higher education?
It's up to President David Sweet, members of the board of trustees and the campus community.
YSU is somewhat the master of its own destiny.
But participation comes with a price: YSU must enter into a compact with the state that says there will not be a tuition increase for the academic year beginning in the fall, and no more than a 3 percent increase in the following year. In return, the state will increase funding to YSU by 5 percent over what it received in the current biennium budget.
In addition, YSU's future must be charted within the context of Strickland's goal to create a higher education system that would give Ohio a competitive edge in the global economy.
"This community needs to be very clear what it needs from YSU to drive this area's economy," Fingerhut told Vindicator writers recently -- echoing the governor's sentiment that taxpayer-supported institutions of higher learning can no longer view themselves as members of an exclusive club. That is why the administration is pushing the concept of the compact, which is designed to control costs and make college affordable to more Ohioans.
Cost reduction
Colleges and universities participating in the compact will be required to reduce spending by 1 percent next year and 3 percent the following year.
Whether Fingerhut and Strickland recognize that YSU is already the most efficient in the state system, with the lowest per-student spending and the lowest tuition rate, remains to be seen.
Fairness dictates that Youngstown State be given credit for already meeting the goals established by the governor. It has done so despite having to live with a state-funding formula that punishes institutions that offer comparatively few higher-level undergraduate courses and have a limited number of graduate and postgraduate programs.
An open-admissions university like YSU defines the governor's vision for higher education in Ohio.