A congressman who voted against certifying the 2020 presidential election will become the next president of Youngstown State University, in Ohio — prompting pushback from some students, faculty, and alumni.
The public university’s Board of Trustees voted on Tuesday to approve the hiring of U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, Republican of Ohio, who has not previously worked in higher education. Johnson served for 26 years in the Air Force, retiring as a lieutenant colonel, and worked as a technology executive before his election to Congress. Johnson posted on the social-media platform X that he will not seek an eighth term in Congress as a result of his hiring.
The trustees announced last week that they had offered Johnson the position from a group of three finalists, sparking concerns from students, faculty, alumni, and parents over his political record and the hiring process, which had been kept secret until Johnson was selected. Students and faculty protested outside of an administration building on Monday and during the board’s 8-1 vote finalizing Johnson’s selection.
In addition to voting against certifying the 2020 presidential-election results, Johnson, who has represented Ohio’s sixth district since 2011, has voiced opposition to gay marriage and supported then-President Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban on several majority-Muslim countries.
But Johnson said at a news conference on Tuesday that he plans to leave his politics at home. “I am committed to an inclusive and respectful environment at the university, regardless of political, religious, or personal affiliations,” he said. “My focus will be on fostering open dialogue, understanding diverse perspectives, and contributing positively to the well-being of every student.”
Mark C. Vopat, professor of philosophy and president of the Youngstown State chapter of the Ohio Education Association, the university’s faculty union, said he doesn’t know how “the university, a place where we’re supposed to be teaching critical thinking,” can hire a leader who doesn’t acknowledge that the current U.S. president was “properly elected.”
“Quite frankly,” he said, that disconnect is “a little embarrassing.”
Youngstown State had previously tapped presidents through an open search process, in which finalists visited campus and met with community members. Historically, many public colleges were required to identify finalists, but that’s changed in recent years; some institutions have shifted toward hiring presidents without public input.
Senior administrators and board members argue that keeping presidential searches confidential is important to attract a robust applicant pool; many prospective college leaders don’t want their current employers to know that they’re job hunting. Faculty, staff, and students often argue that this approach effectively excludes them from the decision-making and breaks the promise of shared governance.
Anita A. Hackstedde, a Youngstown State board member, said at Tuesday’s news conference that conducting an “open search has had a hampering effect” on finding the best candidates for leadership roles in academe. Therefore, the board opted for a “confidential search,” she said.
Vopat said the faculty union’s primary concern was what it saw as a lack of transparency. He said of the many people who gathered ahead of the vote, he was among a small group called into the room during the board’s executive session to express concerns.
A group of five alumni sent a letter to the trustees on Monday, saying that they were “alarmed” by the university’s selection of Johnson and demanding that the board “rescind its offer” and “conduct a presidential search that involves the university at large.” In two days, more than 2,300 alumni, faculty, students, and parents signed on to the letter, said Ashley E. Orr, a 2016 graduate who co-wrote the letter.
When Orr was a student, she witnessed two presidential hiring processes that involved campus visits from candidates, who gave presentations on their plans for the university and participated in question-and-answer sessions.
This time around, Hackstedde said, the university began its selection process by asking the community “what qualities and skills” they wanted in their next president, and the university’s executive-leadership team participated in interviews of the three final candidates.
Johnson said in a statement last week that he “wasn’t looking for another job,” but was interested in “helping to prepare the next generation of Americans to lead.” At Tuesday’s news conference, he emphasized that Youngstown’s purpose is to “educate people, not indoctrinate them, not politicize them.”
Johnson’s lack of professional experience in higher education also drew scrutiny. But Michael A. Peterson, chair of Youngstown State’s board, said that Johnson’s leadership capabilities are demonstrated through his Air Force career, his business background, and the work he’s done as an elected official serving the district Youngstown resides in.
“We are not hiring a politician,” Peterson said. “We are hiring a president of Youngstown State University who must work with every YSU stakeholder, student, faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners.”
Johnson will begin his position as president in March. He said his timeline for resigning from Congress is to be determined.
A spokesperson from Youngstown was not available for an interview. Representatives for Johnson did not return a request for comment from The Chronicle.
