YSU trustees approve increased spending budget

YOUNGSTOWN

A Youngstown State University trustees committee approved a $177 million fiscal-year 2016 operating budget, an amount 3.4 percent higher than this year’s spending plan.

The Finance and Facilities Committee approved the measure at a meeting Tuesday with Trustee Ted Roberts casting the only dissenting vote.

Roberts said that although the budget trims the general-fund deficit from $10.3 million in 2015 to $3.1 million in FY16, he wanted the deficit to be eliminated.

“We were almost there – and then we have this $3 million,” he said.

Roberts was referring to $3 million in “strategic investments” included in the budget.

“Strategic investments reflect the university’s commitment to the 2020 Strategic Plan,” the budget document says. “By establishing this pool of funds, the university is better positioned to make strategic investments to foster academic excellence and student success.”

Because most of the spending reductions during the last four years have come from personnel, “it is probable that many of the strategic investments funded from this reserve will be in the form of new positions, both faculty and staff,” it says.

Read more about the financial plan in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.