Budget worries delay action on adding 2 jobs to YSU admissions

By Denise Dick

denise_dick@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Although members of the administration stressed the importance of creating two student-affairs positions to benefiting Youngstown State University’s enrollment efforts, a YSU trustees committee opted to wait until the budget process is finished.

“As a member of the budget development committee, I understand the gravity of placing two positions in front of you at this time and I don’t do it lightly,” Gary Swegan, associate vice president for enrollment and planning management, told trustees’ University Affairs Committee at a meeting Thursday.

One position proposed was an undergraduate transfers coordinator, who would earn between $31,196 and $42,000 annually, and the other is a systems coordinator, whose annual salary would be between $40,300 and $54,400.

The undergraduate transfers coordinator would plan and implement recruit- ment strategies primarily for transfer students and serve as the liaison to undergraduate admissions to community college advisers, among other duties.

The systems coordinator would ensure the integrity of data, analyze admission technical workflow and manage technical aspects of admission.

“In my six months at YSU, I’ve found many needs,” Swegan said. “These two needs rise above every other — at least in my corner of the world.”

The systems coordinator, in particular, is crucial because of the risks to data integrity and data security presented by not having someone in that role, he said.

YSU’s admissions staff is lower compared with the state’s other public universities, he said.

“Is this something that can wait a couple months?” asked Trustee Harry Meshel. “I don’t know if we have the money for this.”

Trustee Ted Roberts agreed.

“We’re going through the budget process,” he said. “We need to get the big picture in place before we get the cameo picture.”

Jim Tressel, president-designee, who attended Thursday’s committee meetings, suggested approving the search and then deciding at the next round of quarterly meetings if creating the positions is a priority.

If the board waits until September, the next round of meetings, to search for the positions, that’s when the university is gearing up for another student recruitment period, he said.

“No admission people are going to leave a job at the beginning of a recruitment period,” Tressel said.

Roberts said he still believes it’s better to wait.

“I would prefer we finish the budget process first and see then if it’s a fit or not a fit,” he said.