43
$177 million YSU budget approved by trustees committee
By Denise Dick
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.
Personnel expenses are 6 percent – or $6 million – less than FY15.
Neal McNally, interim vice president for finance and administration, said that reduction comes from attrition, changes to collective-bargaining agreements and eliminating vacancies.
The budget calls for no tuition increase for undergraduate students. It’s also based on a $3.5 million increase in state funding compared with last year and is based on a 1 percent enrollment increase.
McNally said the state funding increase and not raising undergraduate tuition both are based on elements of the state budget that hasn’t been finalized.
Legislators are expected to prohibit a tuition increase and provide more state funding, he said.
“The state is basically trying to reimburse us for not raising tuition,” McNally said.
Tuition for graduate students, however, would increase $16.60 per credit hour, from $386 to $403. Room and board at university residence halls also would increase by about 4 percent.
If the state budget is finalized, and the amount of state funding isn’t as expected and a tuition increase is permitted, tuition would be increased by $100 to $193 per year, according to some estimates.
The committee approved the tuition changes with only Trustee Harry Meshel opposed.
The former longtime state senator said the state used to view education as a priority.
“Since then, people have built their reputation on taking money away from universities,” Meshel said.
That’s why he always votes against tuition increases. “The more you do it, you’re pulling their rabbits out of the fire,” Meshel said.
Universities such as YSU are the ones that suffer the most, he said.
“We’re not getting the help we need,” Meshel said.
Before becoming official, both the budget and the tuition changes must be approved by the full board of trustees, who meet June 17.