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Putting the pieces together

March 22, 2009

Ohio State’s Athletics Department is a moneymaker.

It’s one of the few collegiate athletics programs in the country that operate in the black (although it faces a small deficit this year) and it ranked eighth overall in a Chronicle of Higher Education fundraising survey of 55 college programs in the six major conferences soliciting donations during 2007-08. Continue reading ‘Putting the pieces together’

Steven Fink

March 19, 2009

Steven Fink is an associate professor of English and the author of Prophet in the Marketplace: Thoreau’s Development as a Professional Writer. Continue reading ‘Steven Fink’

Supporting employees in distress

March 19, 2009

New Campus Campaign fund gives employees a way to help colleagues who need it

by Adam King

Yeah, there’s a fund for that.”

That’s usually the answer Director Tina Thome can give when someone inquires if Ohio State’s Campus Campaign, which began Feb. 1 and continues through April 30, supports something they would consider worthy.

With more than 8,000 funds, faculty, staff and retirees who wish to give back to the university never run out of options.

But every year it seems a new idea makes its way into the campaign that merits an addition in spite of the current breadth of choices.

This year it’s the OSU Employee Emergency Fund (#312955), which is designed to provide one-time assistance of up to $1,000 to employees who face a catastrophic situation — such as an accident, a death in the immediate family or a devastating fire — and can’t get the help they need from local charities.

“There are faculty and staff who actually face these kinds of issues,” said Sharon Schrock, director of employee and volunteer services in the Medical Center, who is chairing a committee to help set up the fund.

“Many of us have gotten calls when something like this happens to someone in a department, and employees on their own have taken on collecting money for a departmental fund. But there has never been a universitywide fund to contribute to so we can help these kinds of situations.”

The fund was originally a grassroots effort from Medical Center employees who wanted to be able to support their distressed coworkers. But what began as a Med Center-only fund quickly expanded to encompass all of OSU when the idea caught fire with other leaders around the university.

“We’ve been working on this fund for two years, and we’re thrilled it’s come to fruition and all of campus is embracing this concept,” Schrock said. “We would be happy if it never gets used, but the reality is it will. The University of Michigan had 14 cases in a year, and we have a larger population than they do.”

Money won’t be available for disbursement until 2010, which gives the fund time to build up its resources since many contributions through Campus Campaign are through payroll deduction.

When the fund is ready to go, employees who are at least 50 percent full-time equivalent and have worked at least 12 months at OSU will be able to submit a request to the University Faculty and Staff Assistance Program.

The money will be tax-free for the recipients and donors get a full tax deduction since the fund is considered a charity.

Last year the Campus Campaign drew almost $3.4 million in donations with 42 percent participation from faculty and staff. Emeritus faculty and staff retirees accounted for $2.2 million.

“This tells us that people really believe in Ohio State and what we’re doing here,” Thome said.

“We’re coming into our 24th year, and over that time we’ve seen a lot of ups and downs, but people still make a gift because cancer will still be here and cars will still need improving. We have research happening here that people want to support.”

Thome said it’s not important how much a person gives to any of the funds. Even $5 per month can have a significant effect, not only on the program being supported but on the university as a whole.

“There may be five other people or 50 other people giving $5, but it enables our development officers, when they talk to other donors and organizations, to say our faculty and staff believe so much in our university that even they donate back to it,” Thome said.

More than 4,500 funds can be searched online at campuscampaign.osu.edu, with more being added all the time.

New Campus Campaign funds
• OSU Employee Emergency Fund (#312955) — a fund of last resort that provides up to $1,000 in one-time assistance to qualified employees who face a catastrophic situation.

• Solar Decathlon Team Fund (#312733) — supports the College of Engineering student team that will compete in the Solar Decathlon, a competition to build the best sustainable home.

• The J.F. Buckley Memorial Scholarship for Sexuality Studies (#312831) — will award a new or continuing scholarship of up to $1,000 to an OSU Mansfield student in honor of former Professor Buckley, who promoted diversity on campus.

• The Geography and Environmental Sciences Scholarship (#312867) — offers a new or continuing scholarship to OSU Mansfield students of up to $1,000. Established by the estate of former Professor Bill Bradfield.

Jason Gray

March 5, 2009

Jason Gray is the journals manager at Ohio State University Press and author of Photographing Eden (Ohio University Press, 2008), winner of the Hollis Summers Prize. Continue reading ‘Jason Gray’

Tell me a story: Library ReadAlouds bring campus and community together for tall tales

March 4, 2009

By Julia Harris

Ah, the ancient ritual of the bedtime story: Children tucked in and fighting sleep, listening to tales of mystery and morality in the dim glow of lamplight.

It’s a great combination, really — a thought-provoking story, a bit of quality time with the family and a comforting way to end a day. Continue reading ‘Tell me a story: Library ReadAlouds bring campus and community together for tall tales’

Not just kids’ play: OSU Kid Corps takes on early literacy for Columbus preschoolers

March 4, 2009

By Julia Harris

Aaron Robertson knows he can’t make every preschooler in the Columbus metropolitan area fall in love with reading. But that doesn’t stop him — and about 90 Ohio State students — from trying.

For the past four years, Robertson has been spearheading a group called OSU Kid Corps, an intrepid and steadily growing band of college students who work with local preschool providers to develop early literacy skills. Continue reading ‘Not just kids’ play: OSU Kid Corps takes on early literacy for Columbus preschoolers’

Energy on demand

March 4, 2009

By Jeff McCallister

Rich Housh knew he had a good idea, one that could be lucrative for years to come as the world moves away from automobiles powered by internal combustion engines.

What he didn’t have was a way to develop it, a place to test it or a means to improve it.

It didn’t take him long to find a solution. Continue reading ‘Energy on demand’

Newsbriefs, 3/5/09

March 4, 2009

Ohio Supercomputer Center announces $4 million addition to flagship system
The Ohio Supercomputer Center is expanding its flagship supercomputing system with a $4 million addition, which will more than double the center’s current computing power and memory, significantly increase computational capacity dedicated to Ohio’s bioscience and research efforts and further increase the state’s competitive advantage. Located on West Campus, OSC provides Ohio industries and universities, including Ohio State, with a reliable high-performance computing and networking infrastructure.

Profiles in Research video series spotlights innovative work
Profiles in Research is a new video series that tells the stories behind some of the remarkable faculty at Ohio State and their groundbreaking work at an up-close and personal level. The storytellers in the videos are the researchers themselves.

The initial series contains the stories of more than 20 researchers, spotlighting distinguished faculty in a wide range of fields. Viewers will learn why they do what they do, how they do it, and in some cases, how they navigate the infrastructure of one of the largest universities in the country.

Current featured faculty include David Denlinger, Barbara Andersen, Mary Ellen Wewers and Ellen Mosley-Thompson.

Previews can be viewed on the Ohio State YouTube channel at youtube.com/osu (look for the “Research News” playlist). Complete interviews and background can be accessed at research.osu.edu/profiles.

Register for academic processional by March 13
Faculty planning to march in the academic processional at Winter Commencement on March 22 in St. John Arena should notify their college or regional campus dean’s office by March 13. On commencement day, faculty registered to participate in the processional should assemble by 12:30 p.m. in cap and gown in the northeast corner of French Field House. The ceremony begins at 1 p.m. For further details, call the Office of Commencement and Special Events at 292-9051.

The Office of Investments relocates to Gateway
The Office of Investments has moved from Riverwatch Tower, 364 W. Lane Ave., to office space in the South Campus Gateway, near the intersection of High Street and 11th Avenue. The new address is Gateway Building C, 1590 N. High Street, Suite 420, Columbus, 43201. The Office of Investments strives to earn the highest risk-adjusted investment returns possible for the university’s Long Term Investment Portfolio. For questions or more information, call 292-3219.

Standardized process for establishing international agreements now in place
The Office of International Affairs has finalized a set of protocols to assist the university community in establishing international agreements with institutions around the globe. These policies provide a series of steps that will enable the university to expand its international connections through Memoranda of Agreement (MOA) and Student Exchange Agreements (SEA), which will link Ohio State to international institutions for broad cooperation and specific collaboration.

The Office of International Affairs is responsible for monitoring the establishment of MOAs and SEAs, assisting in the goal-setting process of all international agreements, maintaining records and securing the required signatures.

Proposals for a new MOA with an international university should be discussed with Joanna Kukielka-Blaser, program manager, at the OIA from the outset to ensure productive negotiations in support of Ohio State’s goals. For the establishment of SEAs, contact should be made with Kukielka-Blaser as well as Grace Johnson, director of study abroad, and Gifty Ako-Adounvo, director of international students and scholars at the OIA.

A list of the procedures to establish an MOA or an SEA, as well as templates for the agreements, can be found at oia.osu.edu and clicking on “International Agreements” in the Quick Links section.

Connect by Hertz drives on to OSU campus
Connect by Hertz, The Hertz Corp.’s global car sharing club, has signed its first two university clients: Ohio State and Pepperdine University. Beginning in late January, Connect by Hertz cars, which include the Toyota Prius and Camry and Ford Escape, were strategically placed around campus providing students, faculty and staff an environmentally friendly, economical alternative to car ownership. The cars will be available to drivers 18 years and older with gas, maintenance, insurance and parking included in the hourly rate.

Cars are currently located at the south dorms, north dorms, south French Field House and the Medical Center, with more locations to come. Through June 30, membership signup is free by using promo code “1845255.” For more information, visit connectbyhertz.com or call Member Care Services at (877) 654-4400.

Sen. Brown announces legislation to expand access to cancer treatment options
US Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) announced legislation on Feb. 26 that would protect access to treatment options for patients diagnosed with cancer. Brown’s Cancer Clinical Trials Act prevents insurance companies from denying patients participating in clinical trials coverage for the services they would otherwise receive under their health care plans. Companion legislation has been introduced in the US House of Representatives by Congressman Steve Israel (D-NY).

According to OSU’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, an estimated 20 percent of patients who attempt to enroll in clinical trials are denied coverage by their insurance.

USAC calls for greater educational benefits, career pathing

March 4, 2009

By Adam King

In the past when the University Staff Advisory Committee submitted its compensation and benefits report to the university leadership, the report ran more than 20 pages and covered every result from its survey to staff.

That left a lot of information for the president and his or her vice presidents to thumb through and put a lot of suggestions for action on the table at once. Continue reading ‘USAC calls for greater educational benefits, career pathing’

Biomechanics work lands Marras in NAE

March 4, 2009

By Pam Frost Gorder

A career devoted to preventing workplace injuries has earned William Marras the highest professional distinction accorded to an engineer.

Marras, professor and Honda Endowed Chair in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Ohio State, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) for “developing methods and models used to control costs and injuries associated with manual work in industry.” Continue reading ‘Biomechanics work lands Marras in NAE’

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