By Alex Sorrells / The Jambar
Youngstown State University President Bill Johnson and Provost Jennifer Pintar hosted a town hall event to answer questions from an online survey, before opening the discussion to the floor of faculty, staff and students.
They covered topics such as Senate Bill 1, international enrollment and advising concerns in front of a crowd of 50 people in Williamson Auditorium.
Johnson said he wants to see an increase in international enrollment and plans to visit Washington, D.C., to push for all international graduates to receive work visas.
“What I would like to see happen is a college degree earned in the United States at one of our premier colleges and universities, like YSU, equates to a permanent work visa,” Johnson said. “They shouldn’t have to stand in line. They’ve already put in the work and the effort. They’ve already been vetted. Let them go to work.”
Johnson said YSU is not looking to become an online or associate degree-focused university, but to advance as a research university.
“We are the first … four-year university to have a community college structure embedded in our four-year university,” Johnson said. “Community colleges are representative entities, and they’re handled differently in the Ohio Revised Code [3354.02] because of that.”
Pintar referenced a conversation with Ohio Sen. Jerry Cirino when clearing up misconceptions about SB1 and course conduct, with Cirino stating that YSU has it “right on the spot.”
“Controversial topics, you can talk about them. You can make sure that other students, their opinion is welcomed in the class, whether it agrees with a faculty member or not,” Pintar said. “We’re teaching students how to think, not what to think.”
Johnson said the safety of the university is his top concern in light of the shooting that took place Sept. 20. As one part of YSU’s response to the shooting, Johnson said metal detectors will be added for sporting events on campus.
“I can tell you that a young student did get shot,” Johnson said. “There are a lot of questions remaining, but we’ve had to subpoena his health records from [Mercy Health St. Elizabeth Hospital] to find out the information that we are getting, because he’s not being cooperative.”
David Graham, associate provost for student success, said a roadmap has been implemented to identify areas for improvement and centralize academic advising.
“You can’t imagine how different the jobs are across the university when it comes to advising,” Graham said. “The main goal for us is to make sure that we standardize that advising process so students are getting the same experience across the university.”
With the recent changes in dining options on campus, some students were wondering if a pub-style restaurant is feasible. Johnson said he likes the idea and will consider the possibility.
“I want to see a spirit and a life on this campus where students … not only come to be educated, but they come here because it’s exciting to be here,” Johnson said. “What student wants to go away to college and be bored to death when they’re not in the classroom?”