43
YSU would get about $11 million if approved by the legislature
By Denise Dick
COLUMBUS
Youngstown State University would receive nearly $11 million — for maintenance and upgrade projects — in the state budget if recommendations by the Ohio Higher Eduction Funding Commission are approved by state legislators.
It’s an increase from the $9.4 million YSU received in the capital budget two years ago. The Ohio Education Funding Commission released its recommendations Thursday. Gov. John Kasich asked the state’s higher-education leaders to collaboratively agree on a list of capital projects. This marks the second round of that process.
“No one got absolutely everything they asked for, and that’s not necessarily all that unusual ,” said Ron Cole, a YSU spokesman. “We’re pleased, and we’re satisfied with what is being included in the proposal, and we’re thankful to the governor for including the projects that are in the proposal.”
Ohio State University got the most of all of the state’s colleges and universities with more than $79 million.
Renovations to Bliss Hall and concrete replacement were on the initial list of YSU’s requests and were not recommended for funding.
The commission recommended that investment be focused on maintenance and repair, reducing operating expenses, modernizing classrooms, enhancing technology, expansion and completion.
YSU projects included in the recommendations are elevator safety repairs and replacements throughout campus, utility-distribution upgrades/expansion, instruction-space upgrades, Moser Hall Advanced Manufacturing Lab improvements, restroom renovations across campus, campuswide building-system upgrades, roof repair and replacements and campus core exterior-lighting upgrades.
“These projects will allow us to continue to make improvements to areas of campus that are in need of some work,” Cole said.
The total amount recommended for all of the state’s colleges and universities is $404.5 million.
Eastern Gateway Community College would get $1.5 million toward projects if the recommendations are approved. All of it would be for projects at the Jefferson County Campus.
“We are pleased that the amount of overall funding has improved and that the focus is on the sustainability of current structures,” Laura Meeks, Eastern Gateway Community College president, said in an email. “Additionally, the focus of the work on this capital bill was aimed at work-force development.”
The latest recommendations call for an increase of about $600,000 from the previous capital bill.
“This was a collaborative process,” Meeks said. “Community-college leaders were well informed of the process and the time lines were very reasonable.”
Kent State University at Trumbull would get $950,000 for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning repair and replacement at its campus in Champion while Kent State University at Salem and KSU at East Liverpool would receive $500,000 for a science-lab expansion and $420,000 for classroom building renovations, respectively.
Northeast Ohio Medical University in Rootstown would get about $2 million for HVAC and roof repair and replacement.