U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, a Republican from Marietta, has submitted a letter of resignation to Congress, and will begin his tenure as president of Youngstown State University earlier than expected.
Johnson will join the university later this month, on Jan. 22. He submitted his letter of resignation on Jan. 2, according to a letter sent to the campus community by Michael Peterson, chair of the YSU Board of Trustees. The effective date of Johnson's resignation from Congress will be Jan. 21, Peterson said.
"With his contract indicating he would start prior to March 15, 2024 we are excited to have him on campus earlier than anticipated," Peterson wrote. "In the meantime, Bill will continue to visit campus as often as his schedule allows to continue meeting with students, faculty and staff. Bill brings a commitment to advancing our institution's mission, and we eagerly anticipate the contributions he and his wife LeeAnn will make to our community.
Johnson, a six-term Republican Congressman representing eastern and southeastern Ohio, including Mahoning County, is closely aligned with former President Donald Trump. The university’s selection of Johnson - and the secretive process the trustees used to hire him - has proven controversial with students and faculty, and donors and alumni have said they will drop support for the university.
Peterson and the trustees, who voted 8-1 to appoint Johnson as president in November, have defended the selection of Johnson, arguing he's the right person for the job. Johnson has also said he will leave politics at the door, and would support all students in his role as president. However, in his resignation letter, provided by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's office, he struck out at "elites," including those in "academic" spaces, who have disregarded the region he serves.
"As you know, the hardworking men and women who call the 6th district, old and new, home – from Youngstown to Portsmouth, from St. Clairsville to Zanesville – are proud and patriotic," he wrote. "But they are too often disregarded by America’s elites, be they political, media, corporate, and/or academic. These blue-collar communities, like countless others in 'flyover country,' were critical in building our great nation and will play a pivotal role in America’s future. I am extremely humbled to have been repeatedly elected to serve them.”
Johnson's base salary will be $410,000 per year, according to a copy of his contract. His predecessor, Jim Tressel, earned $375,000 in the final year of his contract. Johnson's contract also provides him with housing on campus. He'll also be eligible for a bonus each year of the three-year contract, if he meets goals set out by the board of trustees, equal to 25% of his base salary.
