Chancellor Fingerhut clear about higher ed priorities

As Ohio’s public universities and colleges ride out the economic storm that has forced massive reductions in state spending, the chancellor of higher education has some advice for presidents and trustees: Find ways of operating more efficiently. Underlying that advice from Eric Fingerhut, head of the University System of Ohio, is the warning that if institutions drag their feet, the state will spur them along.

The goal is to make the higher education system more efficient through initiatives such as shared administrative costs, centralized purchasing and shared services. Indeed, during a recent meeting with the presidents, Gov. Ted Strickland reviewed the state’s fiscal situation, detailed the decline in revenue and warned that while higher education remains a priority, tough decisions will have to be made in light of the economic recession.

Higher education funding was spared the cuts in the state’s operating budget that have been made by Strickland in the two years he has been in office, but the universities and colleges may not be so lucky in the next biennium budget the governor is to unveil shortly.

That means presidents and trustees have some major decisions to make.

At Youngstown State University, the pay raises granted to union and non union employees will put a strain on the operating budget if the state reduces funding for higher education.

The tuition freeze that has been in effect may be lifted by the state, which would give YSU the ability to charge students more.

‘Efficiencies’

However, before trustees even contemplate a tuition increase, they should determine what “efficiencies” have been implemented by President David Sweet and his administration. The word “efficiencies” was used numerous times by Fingerhut during a meeting last week with Vindicator writers.

In looking at what other institutions are doing, YSU’s trustees will find, for example, that Ohio University has joined Ohio State University’s drug plan — for a savings of $6 million

Savings could also be derived through collaboration on computer software programming and web networking.

The bottom line, as far as the chancellor of the University System of Ohio is concerned, is that public institutions of higher learning must be affordable, flexible and offer a quality education.

Strickland and Fingerhut have been clear on the role universities and colleges will play in the state’s development, and they intend to make sure that the individuals appointed by the governor to serve on boards of trustees are committed to those goals.

In turn, they expect the trustees to select presidents who understand and embrace the vision for higher education that has been laid out by the Strickland and Fingerhut — and adopted by the Legislature.

The governor protected higher education in the current biennium budget, but reality has dawned.

Strickland and Fingerhut remain firmly committed to raising the level of higher education attainment in the state — and they expect Ohio’s public universities and colleges to do whatever is necessary to accomplish that goal.