YSU Faculty Working With Administration to Save Programs

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – In response to ongoing discussions about possible program adjustments and eliminations, YSU-OEA, the faculty union representing Youngstown State University’s full time faculty, is reaffirming its commitment to working with YSU’s administration to save the university’s diverse programs.

“YSU is a place where anyone can attend and learn new skills with programs in everything from studio art to engineering,” YSU-OEA spokesperson Cryshanna Jackson said. “We all are working tirelessly to preserve that.”

Provost Brien Smith and VP of Finance and Business Operations Neil McNally published an op-ed in The Vindicator arguing that YSU faces a decline in state support, caps on tuition, declining enrollment and student demand for particular types of degrees.

Smith and McNally explained that program review and decisions about discontinuing programs have been an ongoing process at YSU.

“Faculty are hoping to avoid eliminating programs and faculty lines for a second year in a row,” Jackson said, “And we have been working within our colleges to ensure that our programs are viable and current. There are hundreds of changes in process right now, including updating course offerings and condensing programs to meet YSU’s efficiency goals.”

“The diversity of our programs and the services and activities we provide in the community – from Empty Bowls fundraisers and theater performances in Fine and Performing Arts, to STEM days for K-12 students, income tax preparation for community members in business, and the English Festival in Liberal Arts and Social Sciences – all of this is possible because we have so many diverse programs led by dedicated faculty. We want to keep it that way,” Jackson said.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.