Jim Tressel was named the next president of Youngstown State University.
Credit: Lantern file photo
Former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel was announced as the next president of Youngstown State University Friday after being one of three finalists considered for the job.
Youngstown State Board of Trustees voted unanimously for Tressel, who is the current vice president for student success at the University of Akron. It was announced Thursday he had not been chosen as the next president of the University of Akron, where he was also a finalist.
The Akron Board of Trustees instead chose Scott Scarborough, the provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of Toledo.
Tressel is set to be Youngstown State’s ninth president, but according to a university press release, the appointment isn’t final until a contract is negotiated.
Former Youngstown State President Randy Dunn resigned in March after seven months in the position to assume the president of Southern Illinois University.
Tressel isn’t a stranger to Youngstown State – he served as its football coach for 15 seasons from 1986 to 2000.
Youngstown State Board Chair Sudershan Garg said Tressel was chosen for his attributes.
“After fully examining each and every candidate and reviewing the input from hundreds of individuals across the campus and the community, the Board of Trustees believes Mr. Tressel is the right individual at the right time to lead Youngstown State University,” Garg said in a released statement. “Mr. Tressel has the personality and leadership skills, in addition to widespread community support, to dramatically raise YSU’s profile and prominence across Ohio and the nation.”
Ron Cole, public information officer in Youngstown State’s Office of the President, emailed a statement on behalf of Tressel and his family Friday afternoon.
“We are honored and privileged to accept the Board’s offer and we are humbled by this opportunity to return to the area and school that we deeply love. We look forward to working with the Board, the faculty, staff, students and the entire Mahoning Valley community to build on what has been more than a century of service and success at the university,” the statement read.
Tressel tweeted about the announcement from his personal account, @JimTressel5, Friday morning.
As coach at OSU from 2001-2011, Tressel compiled a 106-22 record and led the Buckeyes to a national championship in his second season at the school. He resigned in May 2011 after an improper benefits scandal, dubbed the Tattoo-Gate scandal.
The NCAA suspended five OSU players for the first five games of the 2011 season for selling memorabilia and receiving improper benefits from a tattoo parlor and its owner. Another player received a one-game ban.
Editor’s note: This story was updated May 9 with a statement from Jim Tressel.
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