Tressel aims to avoid layoffs amid budget blues

January 21, 2015 at 10:55p.m.

Jim Tressel

YOUNGSTOWN

As Youngstown State University’s battle with financial challenges continues, President Jim Tressel says his goal is to avoid personnel layoffs.

Last June, the university eliminated 43 vacancies and announced plans to eliminate 43 more vacant staff positions and seven vacant faculty positions to trim a projected $10 million deficit.

More reductions are expected, but Tressel said he’s hoping the university can generate more revenue through student retention as well.

“I do believe retention is a big part of it,” he said Wednesday in his first appearance on Vindy Talk Radio, The Vindicator’s online radio program.

Tressel expects spring enrollment to be on target with what the university planned.

Officials developed budget numbers based on a 1 percent retention increase from fall 2014 to spring 2015, compared to last year’s numbers. Official enrollment numbers are expected next week.

“We had the best freshman class this year,” Tressel said, based on student ACT, SAT and grade point averages.

Higher retention numbers are an outgrowth of that.

Read more of his remarks in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.