Staff photos / R. Michael Semple Youngstown State University Provost Jennifer Adams and President Bill Johnson answer anonymously submitted questions from university faculty members and staff during a campuswide town hall forum in the auditorium of WIlliamson Hall on campus Tuesday morning.

YOUNGSTOWN — If one who is engaged in a recreational activity has fewer opportunities or resources that will lead to the main goal, a key strategy may be to expand those resources.

“With fewer fish in the pool, we need to cast a wider net,” Youngstown State University President Bill Johnson said. “We’ve got a lot of irons in the fire.”

Johnson was referring generally to continuing and expanding efforts the university is making to attract more students amid a shrinking population and available pool in the region.

That was among a variety of topics he discussed during a Presidential Conversations series town hall Tuesday morning in the Williamson College of Business Administration.

The one-hour event was the second such campuswide gathering to allow faculty and staff to ask questions or state concerns they had submitted online or wished to have addressed in person to Johnson, as well as Provost Jennifer Adams. The event, which drew about 50, was rescheduled after having been postponed in anticipation of the Jan. 25 snowstorm.

The first such university town hall, which also was aimed at providing open dialogue and greater transparency, was in October, Rebecca Rose, university spokeswoman, said.

This spring semester’s 14-day report confirmed an enrollment increase for the third consecutive semester, despite challenges such as population decreases and inflation, Johnson noted. That also aligns with YSU’s vision to be “an anchor university for northeast Ohio,” he added.

After a long hiatus, the university is bringing back a summer concert series at Stambaugh Stadium, in conjunction with Y-LIVE, which is expected to draw 40,000 to 50,000 to the campus for a weekend in July. Among the headliners will be country singer and songwriter Travis Tritt, who is scheduled to perform there July 10, Johnson said, adding that the concert also will be something that “ups our brand.”

In addition, YSU will host a variety of activities, programs and events this year that are aligned with America250 and geared toward celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, he continued.

STEUBENVILLE UPDATE

Also discussed was an update on YSU’s presence in the former Eastern Gateway Community College building on 13 acres in Steubenville, a project that got underway in December 2023 at the request of Gov. Mike DeWine.

Plans are in the works to have an open house and community feedback in early April, Johnson said, adding that if all goes as planned, classes should begin in the fall.

Adams outlined more than 20 startup classes and certification offerings, based on research, to find the best fits for students in the Steubenville region. Those include industrial maintenance, medical assisting and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning certifications, along with degree offerings in information technology, business administration, radiology technician classes, criminal justice, radiology and social work courses. Also offered will be certifications and degrees in welding.

Once the YSU campus is established in Steubenville, students will be able to take coursework at both locations if they desire, Adams said. She also stressed that YSU continues to be focused on community-engagement efforts while striving to teach classes aimed at excellence in workforce readiness.

In addressing a question about being fiscally responsible and operating within its means, Johnson acknowledged that many faculty and staff members seek higher pay against a backdrop of continual cost-of-living increases. The lowest paid part-time faculty personnel earn about $44,000 per nine months, which equates to “$58,000 on an annualized basis,” the president said, adding that YSU has “a competitive salary structure.”

The university also relies heavily on faculty and data metrics to review and evaluate programs annually, amid a population that is declining and aging, Adams said. The process is more complex than merely adding programs, she added.

FURTHER OUTREACH

Also, YSU is working to entice students who left the university to return to finish their degrees while offering reduced tuition rates for active military members, Adams said.

Efforts continue to strengthen and develop partnerships between the university and the downtown business community, as evidenced by YSU working closely with new Youngstown Mayor Derrick McDowell, Johnson said. Along those lines, YSU had its homecoming parade downtown last year and plans to do so this year, and many students have formed relationships with the area’s businesses, he added.

In addition, the university’s staff turnover rate in the past year was around 7%, with 8% being considered stable. Another priority is to ensure all faculty and staff feel valued, Adams said in addressing an online question.

Another lingering concern Johnson alluded to was what many feel is a lack of adequate parking spaces, to which he mentioned the possibility of changing the status of some reserved spots that are rarely used.

“I understand it’s a frustration,” he said.

Someone submitted an online question regarding YSU’s website, which, the questioner said, has been the source of complaints from those who say that, despite a recent update, it still contains outdated pages. Johnson replied that it’s important to be specific as to what needs to be updated or removed.

“If we know what it is, we can attack it,” he said.

Johnson also praised YSU Penguins quarterback Beau Brungard, who was the recipient of the 2025 Walter Payton Award and was named Ohio Division VI Offensive Player of the Year in 2021. The Payton Award is distributed annually to the most outstanding offensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision.

The president added that he hopes to set up opportunities for Brungard to give presentations.