YSU edges closer to enrollment goal

Photo

YSU President David C. Sweet

By HAROLD GWIN

VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown State University hasn’t reached its goal of a student enrollment count of 14,000 this fall, but it’s close.

The university reported 13,424 students in class on opening day Aug. 25, and that figure had climbed to 13,745 one week later. That’s a 1.8 percent increase over the same time last year.

It should stay close to that number when the university does its official head count on the 14th day of classes, which is the basis for YSU’s state subsidy, said Dr. Thomas Maraffa, special assistant to the president.

The university had hoped to reach the 14,000 mark as part of its centennial year celebration. Dr. David C. Sweet, president, said at his State of the University address last month that he was encouraged by preliminary reports that showed enrollment would reach or exceed 13,700.

Although the state is contemplating significant changes in the funding formula for support to state colleges and universities, the current funding scheme is based primarily on enrollment numbers, Maraffa told the YSU Board of Trustees on Tuesday.

YSU is receiving $46.8 million from the state this year, and 93.5 percent of that amount is based on enrollment. Another 5 percent is based on “success” (degree completion) and just over 1 percent is based on “access” (the types of students admitted), Maraffa said.

There is a state plan to alter the funding basis, with declining emphasis on enrollment and increasing emphasis on degree attainment, meeting mission specific goals and other criteria, he said.

The funding change is proposed to begin in fiscal year 2010 and be fully implemented by fiscal year 2013, with enrollment being only 60 percent of the funding basis by that time.

Maraffa said the state has indicated it will control the impact of the change on colleges and universities to avoid any immediate funding shortfalls. It is guaranteeing that everyone will get at least 99 percent of their 2009 funding in 2010 and 98 percent of their 2009 funding in 2011.

The state support represents 34 percent of YSU’s budget, he said.

Sweet said the final version of the new funding formula hasn’t been approved yet by the governor or the Legislature, leaving the state universities with some uncertainty about the future.

“We’re really in uncharted waters at this point in time,” he said.

gwin@vindy.com