Photo: Sean Barron. Youngstown State University President Bill Johnson delivered his first State of the University address Tuesday at YSU’s Ford Theater.
YOUNGSTOWN — When it came to assessing the financial and enrollment situation at Youngstown State University, YSU President Bill Johnson said the university “is in a really good place.”
“There is optimism in the air,” the former congressman said during his first State of the University address Tuesday morning at the university’s Ford Theater.
A major reason for hope about the university’s future is its finances, which, in an ever-changing and changing market, come two-thirds from grants and tuition fees and the rest from state and federal funds, he noted.
“I can assure you that YSU is financially sound,” Johnson spoke to a packed auditorium of several hundred students, administrators, faculty members and others.
During his hour-long presentation, Johnson outlined several goals he hopes to accomplish given the numerous challenges facing YSU and other colleges, beginning with the start of the fall semester on Monday.
Johnson, who took office on Jan. 22, said his main goals are to make YSU the anchor university in Northeast Ohio and to improve the student experience so that they will even more confidently trust their future with YSU. In that sense, it doesn’t matter how or why they come to the university, he said; what matters is that they have the tools to succeed.
“I want us to lead, not follow” Johnson said that an essential part of the university’s vision is to “To be an institution of opportunity. YSU inspires people, improves the future and enriches lives. We have been doing this for a long time; we will continue to do it on steroids.”
Johnson said Jennifer Pintar, provost and vice president for academic affairs, is working with YSU faculty, staff and the Academic Senate to develop an academic master plan that will provide students with the “Primary product” a solid education. He compared YSU to a manufacturing company and their role to that of a plant manager, saying Pintar’s job is to understand the students, work with companies that need what they have to offer, and “Design and Development” training students for the labour market. It is also important that it works to “manage the assembly line” to offer this training with university-wide support, he said.
To improve student life, Johnson said work continues on a major renovation project of the Kilcawley Center, estimated to cost $40 million. The building, which serves as a center for student services and retail, was completed in the 1960s, but no such work has been done since at least the late 1970s.
Johnson said he takes steps to improve relationships with his students. He welcomes them to the university but also encourages them to set goals to graduate and not give up when times get tough. He also makes the students he meets aware of available faculty and counselors who can help them graduate and prevent them from accumulating large amounts of debt. He added that YSU has the third-lowest tuition among the state’s four-year universities.
Efforts are underway to develop a fall leadership series to survey the campus and work together to invite diverse speakers and improve the advising process for students, some of whom have been annoyed by having multiple advisers, a situation that makes it harder to articulate a clear view and path forward, Johnson explained.
“It is not a human problem, but a process problem.” he said.
In addition, Johnson discussed an innovation investment fund that would cover a single academic year to create opportunities for greater interdisciplinary collaboration. “to research, evaluate or implement innovative strategies” on the topic of teaching and learning, with reference to artificial intelligence.
Another important goal is to increase enrollment – something that Johnson “the elephant in the room.” He noted that YSU has about 11,000 students and has seen a 6% increase over last year.
Still, YSU, like most universities across the country, faces stiff competition for student enrollment and retention. The main reason for this is the annual decline in student enrollment, which results in a shrinking pool of potential YSU students, Johnson says.
The problem is exacerbated by “false narrative” by some who believe higher education is no longer necessary and too expensive. Still, 68% of respondents to a recent Gallup poll said they have some or a lot of confidence in the value of higher education, Johnson said.
To continue to increase enrollment, YSU must, above all, cast a wider net by using tools and methods that resonate with prospective students and by remaining competitive by managing its cost structure. “because the vultures are circling”, he said.
In addition, the YSU must align its programs even more closely with the needs and desires of business and industry, he said.
“We need to be nimble, flexible, adaptable and agile, because the need for workers in this ever-changing and technologically advancing global economy is like quicksand beneath our feet,” said Johnson.
To that end, work continues to accommodate students affected by the closure of Eastern Gateway Community College. Pintar and other YSU officials have been working to add more than 60 new EGCC programs, including those geared toward the aviation and transportation industries, he noted.
However, more work needs to be done before YSU can expand its presence and offer courses at EGCC’s Steubenville location, Johnson said.
The university also intends to increase enrollment and remain competitive by adopting a multidisciplinary philosophy that includes a balanced offering of online and in-person courses, Johnson said, dispelling rumors that YSU is on track to become an online-only university.
Although YSU faces numerous difficulties and uncertainties in the future, its staff, professors and other stakeholders remain committed to maintaining high standards and improving the lives of students, Johnson said.
“Despite our challenges, we have many outstanding achievements,” he added.
