Excerpt from the Dayton Daily News
Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger will serve as Wright State University’s spring commencement speaker, just a year after he warned legislators about working with the school.
Rosenberger, a 2012 WSU graduate, will speak at the commencement ceremony set for 10 a.m., April 29 in the Nutter Center, said board of trustees chairman Michael Bridges said today. Rosenberger, R-Clarksville, is a 2012 WSU graduate.
“My thing is going to be about congratulating the students and wishing them well,” Rosenberger said, quickly adding that he told Wright State officials that he would also address recent administrative problems at the university. “It was expressed to me that they would have it no other way.”
Rosenberger said graduating students and their families trusted Wright State and future students need to be able to have that trust as well so the university can continue to serve its mission.
Rosenberger said he is glad to see course corrections are being made at the university. Early last year, he told the Dayton Daily News that he advised his fellow lawmakers when dealing with WSU: “I said use caution on everything because clearly they can’t handle themselves right now.”
Then-WSU president David Hopkins said he was “deeply saddened” by Rosenberger’s comments. Hopkins resigned as president just over a month ago.
Since Rosenberger’s 2016 remarks, Wright State’s fortunes have not improved much.
The school must cut $25 million form its next budget in order to regain financial footing. Layoffs and budget cuts are expected to be announced later this spring.
