Time for YSU to benefit from Ohio’s Third Frontier Project

When Gov. Ted Strickland announced last week a $122 million partnership between the Ohio Third Frontier Project and the University System of Ohio, the question that immediately came to mind was this: What’s in it for Youngstown State University?

We contacted the Ohio Department of Development, headed by Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, for an answer. What we found out is that YSU has just as much chance as any other university or college in the state to share in the $122 million, but it must be prepared to compete.

“Our staff has worked closely with the university to help outline opportunities that exist within Third Frontier and have presented ideas that will allow them to become more competitive,” a development department official said in a written response.

While that sounds encouraging, it doesn’t guarantee success.

Last year, YSU submitted applications for two grants totaling $36 million from the Third Frontier high-technology initiative. The applications were rejected during the technical review phase conducted by an independent group.

It should be noted that Republican Gov. Bob Taft, who launched the Third Frontier initiative, was in office during that time. Whether having Strickland, a Democrat who lived in Lisbon before he moved to Columbus, as the state’s chief executive will make a difference remains to be seen.

Campaign pledge

During last year’s campaign, Strickland made it clear that the Mahoning Valley deserved to part of the state’s push to join the global high-technology sweepstakes, and he pledged that guidance would be provided to local entities, such as Youngstown State, to enable them compete for the money.

We are confident that Strickland remembers that commitment — and will instruct his people to assist Valley leaders in developing a strategy for securing some of the $122 million.

In announcing the Third Frontier-higher education partnership, the governor said it “creates an unprecedented and powerful collaboration between the Ohio Third Frontier Project and higher education. The pledge announced today reinforces out administration’s commitment to building on our existing strengths in research and technology to bring the best talent to Ohio, and keeping them here.”

It’s time for YSU to be an active participant, which means university officials must identify research projects that would fall under one of the five technology focus areas: advanced materials; biosciences; information technology; power and propulsion; and instruments controls, and electronics.

The research goals were defined by the governor, Chancellor Eric Fingerhut, Lt. Gov. Fisher, who is chairman of the Third Frontier Commission, and Mark Collar, chairman of the Third Frontier Advisory Board and president, special assignments, The Procter & Gamble Co.

It’s clear from what occurred last year with YSU’s applications that the state isn’t about to bend the rules just because the Mahoning Valley is making a bid. Thus, the onus is on the region to submit proposals that not only meet all the criteria, but are innovative and forward-thinking.