By Elizabeth Coss
The board of trustees at Youngstown State University held a meeting on June 23 to discuss resolutions and hear from many members of the YSU community.
According to the board, YSU achieved complete compliance and also had at least five best practices that were identified in relation to Ohio’s Sunshine Law.
The audit subcommittee within the board also approved a plan allowing the university to partner with Kent State University on a shared service agreement for providing internal audit services.
Secretary to the board of trustees Molly Seals said the plan is new to the state as well as universities.
“This partnership is the first of its kind in the state of Ohio and could really serve as a model for other types of collaborations among state universities.”
The audit subcommittee also gave an update on the audit of the fiscal year for 2022. The audit is scheduled to be completed by October.
By the September 2022 meeting, the board expects to receive a plan from the administration for a sustainable future of the university including modeling the scope and size through 2030.
The Office of Academic Affairs will create administrative procedures aiming to optimize the quality of the student experience. Some of these are to be implemented in fall 2022.
The 14-day preliminary enrollment numbering is also to be presented and considered for an updated 2023 operational budget.
This meeting was the first for two newly appointed trustees. Laura Lyden was appointed by Gov. Mike Dewine in March and her term will run until April, 2026. Julie Centofanti was named the student trustee by Gov. Dewine in May, and her term will run until April, 2024.
This meeting was the last for trustee James Roberts as his term closed after this meeting. He will be succeeded by Dr. Sergul Erzurum starting June 27, who was appointed by Gov. Dewine on June 18, and her term will run until April, 2031.
Nancy Wagner, Centofanti School of Nursing Director, spoke to the board about the growing program and the new Associates Degree in Nursing that will be offered in the upcoming fall semester.
“We had an associate degree program, which started 55 years ago in 1967. That program fazed out in 1989 when our BSN program started and started to grow,” Wagner said. “However, times have changed, the workforce has changed and we need nurses in our community, especially our Youngstown community.”
The board also heard from the Student Government Association President Nikiforos Mastorides about the future involvement SGA plans to have on campus.
SGA was able to appropriate funds of about 70 student organizations on campus equating nearly $127,000 used to fund student activities and events on campus.
Some goals for the next year according to Mastorides include pushing for an expansion on solar powered charging stations and tables, expansion of Aunt Flow menstrual products across campus, creation of a garden for the Penguin Pantry and hosting a presidential luncheon for student leaders to help work on retention of members in organizations.
The men’s basketball head coach Jerrod Calhoun spoke at the meeting and discussed how they focus heavily on academics.
“I think it speaks volumes to the kids we’re bringing in here –– 100% graduation rate in my time as a coach and then [an academic progress rate] three-year average of 967,” Calhoun said.
Calhoun also mentioned the desire for new bleachers in Beeghley Center and the possibility of new practice facilities for players.
President Jim Tressel was also a key point for most of the meeting. For more information on Tressel and his latest announcement on stepping down, visit thejambar.com
