YSU trustees reverse course, refuse public comment during meeting
YOUNGSTOWN - The Youngstown State University Board of Trustees were met with push back during their Thursday meeting, after they told the audience it would be closed to public comment.
At the previous trustees meeting in November, Board members promised that students, faculty and staff would be able to voice their concerns over the process of appointing Congressman Bill Johnson as university president during today's meeting.
However, once the meeting began, trustees told those in the audience that the meeting would be closed to public comments.
In between student presentations, people in the crowd did not stay quiet. Attendees voiced their concerns to the trustees, and were met with calls to "behave" and act like adults.
One attendee could be heard asking trustees, "What about the LGBT students on this campus? Johnson doesn't think their marriage is equal." His question was ignored by trustees.
After students, athletes and coaches spoke, another audience member stood up and again tried to bring up the concerns surrounding Johnson's presidency.
"We are thankful for the students for their presentations, and we are thankful for the coach letting us know about the open process to bring students of excellence to this university, an open process is the hallmark of shared governance and good university protocol," they said.
The same audience member asked trustees to uphold the promise they made at the November 21st meeting where they said they would hear comments from the public. Their comments were ignored. After this, many people left the meeting early.
At the end of the meeting, Board of Trustees member Mike Peterson addressed the Board's decision to appoint Johnson.
"The Board chose to conduct a confidential search, which simply means that the names of the candidates are kept confidential during and after the search process," said Peterson.
Several YSU community groups, students, faculty, staff, donors and former Board members have raised concern's over the lack of transparency in the trustees process.
Peterson said that the decision to conduct a confidential search came at the urging of several search firms, and that confidential searches have become the best approach when it comes to higher education.
"Let me be clear, the Board made it's choice, Bill Johnson is YSU's next president, he'll take office no later than March," said Peterson.
After this, the meeting was adjourned, and trustees left the room without talking to the public.
