YSU starts academic year with renewed confidence
Higher education in Ohio is undergoing a major transformation, and Chancellor Eric Fingerhut has made it clear he expects all the public universities and colleges to get with the program.
During a recent meeting with Vindicator writers, Fingerhut contended that while the transformation is a collaborative endeavor, those institutions that fail to measure up will be told what they need to do.
The chancellor can speak with such authority because he has Gov. Ted Strickland’s unwavering support as he goes about creating the University System of Ohio.
And so the question: How will Youngstown State University fare?
Quite well — if the tone set by President David Sweet during his State of the University address last week becomes the rallying cry for the campus community. Classes for the Fall Semester begin on Monday.
Sweet told the audience of administrators, faculty, staff and members of the board of trustees that YSU must recognize that changes in higher education in Ohio are inevitable and must act accordingly. He said YSU will play an active role in the restructuring of higher education envisioned by the governor and chancellor.
Toward that end, the president is seeking input from the university community and has scheduled a series of “campus conversations” to discuss issues pertinent to YSU’s future. Sweet has tapped Dr. Sunil Ahuja, president of the Academic Senate, to join him in hosting the sessions. The first one is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at Pete’s Place in Kilcawley Center.
Voices on campus
This is an opportunity for the disparate voices on campus, including those of the stakeholders —the students — to be heard. Participation should be viewed as a duty by those who believe that as the university goes, so goes the Mahoning Valley.
There should be no misunderstanding of what Chancellor Fingerhut and Gov. Strickland expect from each institution of higher learning in Ohio. First, each must not only justify its existence, but must demonstrate how it fits into the University System of Ohio scheme. Second, each must show how it will contribute to the goal of making Ohio competitive in the global economy. And third, each institution must demonstrate how it is meeting the governor’s goal of making higher education accessible to every Ohioan who wants attend at the lowest cost possible.
YSU will be marking 100 years in 2008, and while there will be many opportunities to celebrate the past and the present, there should also be an eye to the future.
For instance, the chancellor has said the state intends to establish a community college in Mahoning County, but he will not commit to it being a part of Youngstown State. Thus the question: What impact would an independent community college have on the university?
Indeed, Sweet and members of the board of trustees would do well to find out why the Strickland administration is reluctant to give YSU dominion over the two-year institution. The answer could provide some valuable insight into Strickland’s and Fingerhut’s perception of Youngstown State University.