COCHRAN: PROVOST FOR SOUTHEAST GETS YOUNGSTOWN POST

Southeast Missouri State University Provost Leslie Cochran has been named president of Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio.

The university's nine-member Board of Trustees unanimously selected the 52-year-old Cochran during a 50-minute closed-door meeting Monday night.

Cochran will succeed Neil D. Humphrey, 63, who is retiring June 30 after serving as president for nine years. Cochran will officially take over as president of the university July 1. But he said Tuesday that he expects to make a number of campus visits to Youngstown before that date.

The selection of Cochran culminates a search that began last August in the aftermath of a controversial internal search.

Last June, a search committee recommended three candidates, but the board instead picked Canfield, Ohio, attorney Paul Dutton in a closed meeting. Students, faculty and community leaders criticized the appointment and within a week Dutton's name was withdrawn.

Cochran said that he's looking forward to the challenge of heading up Youngstown State University, which is facing state budget cuts.

"I have always had a great deal of satisfaction being a problem solver," observed Cochran, who has served as provost at Southeast for the past 12 years.

"I think when an opportunity like this comes forward you get caught up in the excitement."

He called his years at Southeast "the happiest and most productive of my life." But he said that becoming president of Youngstown State University is "a once-in-a-lifetime career opportunity."

Youngstown State University trustees said Tuesday that efforts are under way to finalize a contract with Cochran.

"Hopefully, we will have the contract done before the week is over," said John Geletka, board chairman.

The current president, Humphrey, receives a salary of $118,000, plus a $24,000 housing allowance.

Cochran said he expects to reach quick agreement on a contract. He said he plans to attend the trustees' regular board meeting Friday.

Southeast will be losing not only Cochran, but Cochran's wife, Linda, who serves as the university's economic development director and operates a private business consulting firm.

Cochran said his wife plans to open a consulting business in Youngstown.

Southeast's president, Kala Stroup, said the leadership of the Cochrans will be missed.

"We will miss Provost Cochran," said Stroup. "He has made significant contributions to this university. He has led the reform effort in teacher education and University Studies, general education, and in forming the College of Health and Human Services, and in leading our planning efforts."

She said Linda Cochran would be missed for her leadership in re-establishing the Small Business Development Center and her work in economic development.

Stroup said she supported the provost's candidacy for the Youngstown job because "he is a very good leader and higher education needs strong leaders."

She said that the university will now have to look at filling the position of provost, but that no timetable has been set at this point.

Cochran was selected from among about 100 applicants. He was one of three finalists for the position. But one of the finalists, Janet Greenwood, former president of the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut, withdrew Monday.

The university's 15-member search committee recommended both Cochran and H. Ray Hoops, vice chancellor of the University of Mississippi, for the position of president.

Mark Lyden, a member of Youngstown's Board of Trustees and chairman of the search committee, said the board chose to hire Cochran at least partly because of his academic experience.

"He brings to us a wealth of academic experience," said Lyden.

The trustee also cited Cochran's role as a community leader and in developing academic programs at Southeast.

"We liked his involvement in the community," said Lyden. "We thought he brought some fundamental fund-raising skills we need to strengthen our programs here.

"He has a strong understanding of intercollegiate athletics, which is important," added Lyden. Youngstown State competes in Division I athletics and Division I-AA football. The university's football team won the national Division I-AA championship last season.

Geletka said that not only the board, but also administrators, faculty and students supported Cochran.

Geletka said Cochran's ability to raise funds for university programs is particularly important at an urban university such as Youngstown.

The university, situated in the city's downtown area, has an enrollment of more than 15,000 students. Youngstown State was converted from a municipal to a state university in 1967. It is the largest employer in Youngstown, employing more than 1,700 people, including more than 600 faculty members.

Youngstown is a city of about 100,000, situated 60 miles from Cleveland and an equal distance from Pittsburgh.

"He definitely wanted the job and it is not going to be an easy job," said Geletka, pointing to state budget cuts.

Cochran said Youngstown State is facing a 9 percent budget reduction and the city itself is trying to recover from economic problems resulting from the loss of 27,000 steel mill jobs over the past decade.

"I think they are looking for leadership from the campus and the presidency in particular," pointed out Cochran.

He said that he will take over a university that is in transition in terms of administration. The university's provost retired in December and the position of financial vice president has not been filled.

Cochran said that leaves him with a "tremendous opportunity" to fill those positions and develop an administrative team.

Cochran has served as provost at Southeast since 1980. He served as acting president of Southeast during the spring 1987 semester, while then university president Bill Stacy was on sabbatical.

Prior to coming to Southeast, Cochran served 12 years as a faculty member and administrator at Central Michigan University, including four years as vice provost for academic administration.

Cochran began his career teaching industrial education at Western High School in Detroit.