YOUNGSTOWN — Leslie Cochran, a former Youngstown State University president, is calling for the board of trustees to rescind its offer to make U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson the next president and for the congressman to withdraw from job.

Based on past comments from Johnson and trustees, neither is going to happen.

Cochran, who was YSU president from 1992 to 2000, sent an open letter Thursday outlining his objections to the controversial decision to hire Johnson, a conservative Republican congressman with no higher education experience as president.

Cochran wrote rescinding the job offer and having Johnson withdraw would “bring closure to what most people see as a nightmare for YSU and the expanded Youngstown community.”

He accused the trustees of turning “their collective backs” on “decades of achievement, victory and success” with the decision to hire Johnson, who has served in Congress for 13 years.

Cochran joins a growing list of those objecting to the decision to hire Johnson. That includes alumni, faculty, students, former YSU trustees and donors.

Also, the YSU Academic Senate approved “no confidence” votes Dec. 16 against the trustees for the hiring and to Johnson, who will resign in February or early March from Congress to lead the university.

The objections have been to Johnson’s politics, including his votes objecting to the 2020 presidential election — in which Republican Donald Trump, who Johnson supports, claims was stolen — as well as his positions opposing gay marriage and abortions, and what he says is “indoctrination” at some universities.

Opponents have raised concerns about the confidential search process used by the trustees that includes the university’s refusal to release the names of the other candidates for the job and there not being an opportunity for public meetings with Johnson and the supposed two other finalists. Cochran also objected to the process in his Thursday letter.

Johnson, whose hiring was approved Nov. 21 by the trustees, has said he has no intentions of not taking the job. Also, Michael Peterson, the president of the board, said the trustees won’t rescind the hire.

The search was confidential, Peterson has said, in order to get the most-qualified candidates. But Cochran said WittKeifer, the search firm hired by YSU, is known for emphasizing confidentiality “above all other ideals.”

In his letter, Cochran wrote: “Concerns of impropriety, conflict of interest, unethical behavior, indiscretion and a host of other questionable actions permeate the YSU presidential selection process. It’s clear there were mechanisms in place for a few members to control the outcome.”

Cochran pointed out that three of the eight trustees who voted for Johnson – Richard C. Fryda, Joseph J. Kerola and Charles T. George – were major donors to the congressman.

The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle reported Nov. 21, the day Johnson was hired by an 8-1 vote, that the three gave more than $70,000 to Johnson’s political campaigns.

Molly Seals was the lone “no” vote.

Becky Rose, YSU spokeswoman, said the university doesn’t have a response to Cochran’s letter.

Cochran wrote: “The eight board members became so focused on getting their man in office, they neglected the university and failed to fulfill their obligations as trustees. Throughout this debacle, I doubt if one of the eight reminded his / her colleagues that the trustees served the public trust. Did any of the members remind the others of the values and principles that guide and shape higher education in the public (not personal) interest?”

Cochran added: “With so little regard for fulfilling their responsibility as board members and the damage they have inflicted on the institution, I wonder with all reason how they can continue to serve as board members. Don’t the eight understand when they allow their personal interest to prevail over the public welfare, they jeopardize the future of the institution?”

Regarding Johnson, Cochran directly addressed him in the letter writing: “Even if the questions about your partisan views and qualifications were not looming in the background, you would still not be able to repair the damage. The ugly head of this fiasco will appear and reappear on a regular basis, and you will pay the price.”

Johnson has said he will leave his personal politics out of the decision-making process as YSU president and will continue to make YSU a place of inclusion.

Regarding his detractors, Johnson has said, “I hope they change their minds, and I do hope that over time that they see I’m more than capable of leading a diverse organization, an institution like Youngstown State. I’m hoping that I’ll win many of them over. For those that I don’t, I’m not going to look behind. I’m going to look ahead.”

Johnson is supposed to start March 15 as YSU president though Peterson said he wants him here as early as possible.