Options to boost YSU enrollment without hiring a chief for $130K

Options to boost YSU enrollment without hiring a chief for $130K

Youngstown State Uni- versity’s enrollment has dropped several hundred students: What to do?

Let us hire someone for $130,00 a year to tell us that after years of passing costs on to the students, tuition has become unaffordable for many. He can tell us that the students and/or parents need to borrow the equivalent of a mortgage in order to pay for the tuition. He can also tell us that the local community college is a lower-cost alternative to the university, even offering free tuition to some.

How could YSU compete with that?

YSU could lower the cost of tuition. If Ohio Northern could lower tuition by 25 percent, so could YSU.

YSU could offer its students a chance for free tuition for a semester, or for a year. Take that $130,000, and give either 26 students free tuition for one semester, or 13 students a full year free. It would be random, not a scholarship, just credit their bill that semester/year. It could be called a “penguin grant”.

YSU could hire some of its graduates as paid interns for one year, giving them real-world experience.

Both the university and the graduates would benefit. The students would get a financial windfall, and YSU could advertise a chance for free tuition and the hiring of its graduates.

The result would likely be an increase in enrollment.

Christopher Peyko, Boardman

Our world should pay heed to the powerful message of Malala

A year has passed SINCE the attempted assassination on the life of Malala Yousafzai in Pakistan. Malala was a 15-year-old student when she received a bullet to her head from a Taliban radical. It is miraculous that she is alive and thriving today. Her message to those who threaten her life is that she does not fear death.

Just what was it about this beautiful young woman that was so threatening to these terrorists? Her plea was a simple demand that the young girls of her country be educated. It would seem that school books, in the hands of young women, pose a greater challenge to the ideology and weapons of radical extremists in that part of the world.

Currently nations are expending significant monies on wars and conflicts that could be better spent on educating the youth of the world. Imagine the ultimate impact in redirecting those dollars to schools, books and related electronic teaching devices.

Consider future societies where profit generators are designed around educational centers and away from weapon industries whose devices kill or maim innocent human beings, euphemistically referred to as “collateral damage.”

Malala’s life is reminiscent of another young woman from the Second World War, Anne Frank. Both cry out to the adult world and against the inhumanity of wars and terrorism.

Malala’s voice calls out to all to join in her crusade.

Tom Flynn, Warren

Mahoning Valley sorely needs a renaissance in political parties

As a Youngstown resident, citizen, taxpayer and voter, I am now witnessing a shallow but great renaissance taking place in the city of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley.

But yet I, as a voter, like many voters, am still appalled by the lack of any renaissance in our politics and political parties in Mahoning County.

To me as a voter and city resident, it’s a real disgrace to the legacy of Youngstown founder John Young and other founding fathers of Youngstown. The best our Mahoning County Democratic and Republican parties, elected political leaders, voters, stakeholders, educators, religious, business, civic leaders, etc., can do each election year is to support, put up with and condone the status quo.

As only one voter and one voice, it truly is appalling and outrageous to me.

I believe as a resident, voter and stakeholder in Youngstown that it is time to demand a new 21st-century renaissance of our county Democratic and Republican parties.

Willie James Richards, Youngstown

Let the tea party drown

I recently saw a very interest- ing analogy by Rachel Maddow on MSNBC. Here is her analogy:

A maddened, insane, harpooned whale (the ultra-right, tea-party Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives) is attached by a rope from the harpoon to a small whaling boat (containing the “crew” of middle-class and working poor Americans).

Unable to escape its pursuers, the whale is about to sound (dive) to the bottom of the sea, intending to drown the boat’s crew (the vast majority of intelligent Americans).

What does the captain of the boat do to save the crew? Here was Ms. Maddow’s suggestion: Cut the rope.

Mr. President, save our country. Cut the rope, and let the tea party drown by itself.

Judy Guy, Boardman

Ohio bill to clamp restrictions on teen drivers is sorely needed

I urge lawmakers to pass Ohio House Bill 204, a life-saving bill that would help protect teen drivers.

In 2011, more than 180 people in Ohio died in crashes involving teen drivers. One of those people was my son’s friend, Kevin. My son, Ben, then 17, was driving with his friend on June 16, 2011, at about 10:30 p.m., one week after the two finished their junior year in high school.

Ben lost control of the SUV as he went around a curve, veered off the road and struck a tree. Kevin, also 17, passed away. In the blink of an eye, so many lives were changed forever.

Ben had been licensed for one year. His inexperience behind the wheel and poor choices that night all added up to a catastrophic event for two families and a town. Learning how to drive safely is a long process — one that continues well after teens receive their licenses. Inexperience, night-time driving , and alcohol are a deadly combination — one that teens cannot anticipate. There are so many “what if’s” from that night, and I wish I’d taken the time to research the statistics.

Maybe the outcome would have been different. I would give anything to go back in time, but that isn’t possible, so I try to move forward. As a parent, at this point in time, I would not have allowed Ben to obtain his driver’s license at 16. H.B. 204 would prohibit teen drivers from carrying any passengers younger than 21 without parental supervision and prohibit driving after 10 p.m. Both actions would reduce teens’ high crash risk.

I joined the HEARTS Network, an initiative of the National Safety Council, to help draw attention to teen crashes and educate people about how to keep teens safe.

HB 204 is a clear example of how we can effectively protect our most inexperienced drivers. Strong teen driving laws are proven to reduce crashes and will make Ohio’s roads some of the country’s safest for teen drivers.

Jennifer Streb, Canfield