Ohio’s new higher ed chief should avoid hasty decisions

It is clear that Republican Gov. John Kasich and the Republican controlled General Assembly view last November’s election as a mandate to change the course that former Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland had charted for Ohio.

From taking on the public employee unions, to revamping the state’s job-creation mechanism, to proposing privatization of prisons and other assets, such as the turnpike, Republicans are wasting no time in putting their stamp on Ohio.

But there is one issue that requires a non-partisan approach and a willingness by the governor to acknowledge that his predecessor, Strickland, had the right idea: Higher education.

In 2008, Strickland and the chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents, Eric Fingerhut, unveiled the “Strategic Plan for Higher Education,” which was designed to make the University System of Ohio a significant driver of the state’s economy.

The 10-year plan, developed by Strickland, Fingerhut, presidents of the state’s universities and colleges, legislators and experts in higher education, is based on a central premise: The education level of Ohioans is inextricably tied to the state’s growth and prosperity.

Last year, Fingerhut presented a progress report that showed the steps taken to make the university system more accountable and transparent to the taxpayers.

“Fundamentally, what has changed is a renewed focus on the collective power of Ohio’s unmatched higher education infrastructure when institutions collaborate with each other and their local businesses and communities,” Fingerhut told The Vindicator.

As an example of such collaboration, the chancellor pointed to the new Eastern Gateway Community College, which was authorized by the Ohio General Assembly in July 2009. The college serves Trumbull, Mahoning, Columbiana, and Jefferson counties, and is designed to make college education accessible and affordable.

Strickland, working with the General Assembly, made the chancellor a member of the governor’s cabinet. But the Democrat’s defeat last November and the election of Kasich meant that Fingerhut would not be in the cabinet. Even though he had a year left on a five-year contract with the Ohio Board of Regents, he recognized the political realities and resigned.

Veteran politico

Kasich has appointed a veteran of Ohio politics, Jim Petro, to serve as chancellor. Petro has been a state representative, state auditor, attorney general and Cuyahoga County commissioner. He knows the state well and is familiar with the higher education establishment by virtue of having been the state’s lawyer and auditor.

Although he is a Republican, Petro’s record reflects a willingness to leave partisan politics at the doorstep and to act in the best interest of the people of Ohio.

He knows the Mahoning Valley and is familiar with the challenges this region has long faced. Petro also knows the importance of Youngstown State University, Eastern Gateway and the satellite colleges to the Valley.

We urge him to consider the commitments that have been made by the previous administration as he puts his and Kasich’s stamp on higher education.