Aired April 20, 2007

The top official overseeing higher education in Ohio says he wants to change the way state universities operate. The new Chancellor of the Board of Regents, Eric Fingerhut, told a Cleveland audience that he wants the schools to better serve the needs of the Ohio economy. ideastream's Mark Urycki reports.

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More than 700 people attended a conference this week on northeast Ohio's bio-tech efforts. Several panelists expressed concern that the only thing standing in the way of success is a lack of trained workers. Eric Fingerhut told them the Board of Regents is listening.

Governor Strickland agrees with the state legislature that state universities need to be more linked to the Ohio economy. Fingerhut says the schools have been operating too independently and he's been charged with building a university system. It would start with a vision for the 4-year state universities in Northeast Ohio.

A commission of local business and academic leaders are working on a plan that the chancellor will submit to the Governor in January.