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Jim Tressel restructures YSU administration
By Denise Dick
YOUNGSTOWN
The reorganization of President Jim Tressel’s Youngs-town State University administration will save nearly $940,000 through a combination of eliminating positions, combining duties and hiring new personnel.
Of the savings, $75,000 comes from the president’s making less than his predecessor: Tressel’s salary is $300,000 while Randy Dunn’s was $375,000.
The new structure, approved by a YSU Trustees University Affairs Committee on Thursday, eliminates the vice presidents for advancement and student affairs. Scott Evans, who led advancement, made $164,000 before resigning last year to take another job.
Jack Fahey, vice president of student affairs, will retire at year’s end. His annual pay is $143,630.
The changes must be approved by the full trustees board, and a vote is expected June 17.
“We had to do something,” said Trustee Harry Meshel, who is committee vice chairman.
He said Tressel wanted to eliminate some vice-president positions and to create associate vice presidents instead.
Carole Weimer, trustees chairwoman, said the restructuring filled holes and shifted roles in the administration.
“It’s fairly typical when a new president comes on board and structures his management team in a way that functions best for them for their direction and their priorities moving forward,” she said.
Martin Abraham, provost and vice president for academic affairs, makes $205,000, a $20,721 increase from Ikram Khawaja, the former provost; Neal McNally, the new vice president for finance and business affairs, makes $150,000, $25,393 less than Gene Grilli, the former vice president who resigned in early 2014.
McNally’s former position, treasurer and budget director, which paid $113,522, is eliminated.
The duties of vice president for student affairs will be divided between two new positions, associate vice president for student success and associate vice president for student experience, who will earn $130,000 and $122,000, respectively.
The executive directors for student life and student services positions, which paid $107,100 and $107,916, respectively, were eliminated.
Other eliminated positions include chief of staff, $96,900; associate dean of graduate studies and research, $104,000; and executive directors of marketing and communication, $97,606; public services institute, $125,239; and Maag Library, $112,760.
Some new or renamed positions also are part of the reorganization.
The associate vice presidents of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and university relations will earn $148,000 and $110,000, respectively.
The three deans serving in an interim capacity at the colleges of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics; Creative Arts and Communications and Liberal Arts and Social Sciences earn less than those who served in the positions before them, for a $57,130 savings.
Tressel said in a news release that the university’s leadership team also has identified four major areas of focus: creating a culture of community on campus, ensuring the success of all students, developing programs and activities that impact the region and promoting a campus environment that provides for the discovery of knowledge.
“We look forward to putting into place the final pieces of this leadership structure that we believe will allow the university to continue to flourish in the months and years ahead,” he said.