Beeghly weighs in on Strickland's regents proposal

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Board of Regents is unhappy with legislation introduced in both the state House and Senate Tuesday that would strip the board of its authority, reducing it to advisory status.

House Bill 2 and Senate Bill 2 would put all the responsibility for higher education in the hands of a single political appointee in Columbus, according to Donna M. Alvarado, Granville businesswoman and regents board chairwoman.

The legislation would allow the governor to appoint the chancellor, make the regents an advisory board to the chancellor and transfer the board's duties and powers to the chancellor, she said.

Bruce R. Beeghly, Youngstown businessman and vice regents board chairman, thinks that would definitely be a step backward.

"This will return Ohio to the days of fragmentation and stagnation that caused the Legislature to create an independent Board of Regents in the first place," he warned.

Gov. Ted Strickland and some legislators have called for the chancellor of higher education to be a gubernatorial appointee rather be hired by and report to the Board of Regents.

For full story, see Thursday's Vindicator and Vindy.com