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Gateway to partner with Wexner Center for film space

November 18, 2009

Campus Partners and the Wexner Center for the Arts have formed a partnership that will significantly expand the range and quality of film offerings within the entire region.

Scheduled to debut in early January, the Gateway Film Center will augment its current programming of the best of mainstream film with significantly increased programming of award-winning independent, international and cutting-edge titles — by devoting two of its screens to Wexner Center-selected films on a continuous basis.

“We are excited by the new direction and the opportunities this will bring to the wonderful arts community in central Ohio,” said Doug Aschenbach, president of Campus Partners, the developer of South Campus Gateway. “The physical and programming changes will not only mean a reinvention of our products and services but will allow us to serve an even larger group of central Ohio moviegoers.”

“This novel partnership between the Wexner Center and Gateway Film Center is an ideal collaboration — one where each brings to the table its respective resources and expertise for the benefit of both,” said Sherri Geldin, director of the Wexner Center. “We’re delighted to join with Campus Partners to expand the cinematic repertoire for the campus community, our members and the filmgoing public alike.”

Campus Partners for Community Urban Redevelopment, a non-profit redevelopment corporation established by Ohio State in 1995, is the developer of South Campus Gateway and has spearheaded the neighborhood planning and revitalization efforts.

South Campus Gateway and the Gateway Film Center are an important strategic investment in the larger revitalization plan for the University District.

Campus Partners has tapped theater industry veteran Chris Hamel to serve as president of the Gateway Film Center. Hamel brings more than 20 years cinema experience, most recently serving as executive director of sales for Unique Screen Media, a Cinedigm company. Previously, Hamel has served as Columbus promotions director for Cinemark Theaters, director of operations for CAPA (Ohio, Palace and Southern theatres), vice president of operations for the Drexel Theatres Group and president and executive director of Movie Media.

“Our goal is to create a memorable experience for moviegoers that will add to the urban vitality that the University District has brought to the area,” said Hamel. “Our patrons can expect an experience unlike what they’d find at any other theater in the city, especially in the exciting and challenging titles the Wexner film/video program will bring to the programming mix.”

Wexner Center Film/Video Curator David Filipi has been with the center since 1994. He oversees 170 screenings each year in the Wexner’s landmark building at 15th and High, mixing acclaimed new films from festivals around the world, director’s retrospectives, restored classics and an active visiting director series with such luminaries as Milos Forman, Jim Jarmusch, Gus Van Sant and dozens of others.

“For 20 years, the Wexner Center’s film/video program has successfully mixed art-house titles with archival restorations, retrospectives and experimental fare,” Filipi said. “We’re thrilled that our partnership with the Gateway will provide us with two additional screens so we can give selected films a longer run than we’ve been able to do on our single screen here at the Wexner.”

The films programmed by the Wexner Center will fall under the “Wex@Gateway” tag. Wexner Center members will receive member rates for Wex@Gateway films at all times and for other Gateway films shown Sunday through Thursday.

Hidden Benefits Fair makes a move to 4-H building

November 18, 2009

By Adam King

In its 15th year, the Hidden Benefits Fair on Dec. 2 will be appearing in a new location that aims to make it easier for the thousands of faculty and staff who plan to attend.

Up until last year, the Hidden Benefits Fair, which welcomes university and outside vendors, was held at the French Field House. The University Staff Advisory Committee, which sponsors the fair, wanted to make it even more centrally located, especially for those employees who didn’t have easy walking or bus route access.

Moving it to the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Building puts the event right on a CABS route, and the Jerome Schottenstein Center parking lot, which is directly across the street, will be available. No parking permits will be needed in the lot during the 11 a.m.-2 p.m. fair.

CABS busing will be available via Campus Loop North and North Express that both stop at the agriculture campus, a block and a half walk to the 4-H center. The Med Center Express, which runs every 15 minutes, will be adding a special stop from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in front of the 4-H building on Dec. 2 only.

But there was another reason the move made sense to USAC.

“Our committee members are big fans of the sustainability impact of the beautiful facility,” said Hallie Fargnolli, co-chair of USAC’s Outreach Committee and one of the main organizers of the event. The 4-H building is currently the only certified “green” building on campus.

The Hidden Benefits Fair was created to show faculty and staff the many benefits available to them as Ohio State employees. OSU units and organizations are able to highlight goods and services that sometimes fly under the radar at such a large university, and outside vendors often provide substantial OSU-only discounts or specials, and the fair is one way they let employees know about their offers.

“For these reasons it is important for faculty and staff to attend, and supervisors are encouraged to promote employee participation,” Fargnolli said. “While the fair is aimed at tapping in to discount programs and services, there also will be a focus on wellness and health coaching opportunities.”

The new location will provide a separate room for extra privacy for those who are planning to take a biometric screening through Your Plan for Health, the vendor layout will have some purpose and a new area for food samples will be in place. And the fair will no longer be a hindrance for OSU athletes who need to use the field house for training.

For more information about the Hidden Benefits Fair and the vendors that will be attending, visit usac.osu.edu.

Top 3 on 2, 11/19/09

November 18, 2009

Why did you choose to work at Ohio State?
I joined Ohio State as a student employee. I was actually offered a position with a local company and accepted it a few short hours before I was hired by Ohio State, so I worked both jobs for a while. It didn’t take long to determine that Ohio State would be my permanent home and I’ve been here ever since.

What do you like about your job?
The greatest part of my job is the opportunity it affords me to interface with some of the greatest minds in higher education. Every day is a learning experience, and I’ve been exposed to new ideas and experiences I would have never enjoyed anywhere else.

What would you improve at Ohio State?
If there is one thing I could change, it would be to introduce a higher level of cooperation and collaboration between colleges/business units. I believe President Gee’s vision of “One University” is spot on.

If you weren’t working at Ohio State, what would you be doing?
I would probably be a ship’s captain. Or, perhaps, flying commercial airliners. Since I don’t have a captain’s or pilot’s license, I suppose I’ll stay at Ohio State.

What advice would you give a new employee?
Communicate. The key to success at this university is communication. Don’t be afraid to ask questions; you may be surprised by the answers you receive.

What is your favorite activity outside of work?
I have too many favorite activities to list; let’s just say I keep a full schedule. The real headliners would have to be camping, boating, ATVing and tinkering with antique tractors. I’m also a huge fan of my pet rabbit.

Of what honor or recognition are you most proud?
Certificates, medals, plaques: They’re all nice things to hang on the walls, but a true honor is to, every day, have the opportunity to serve the mission of a great college and a great university.

Who is your hero?
My heroes would have to be Mom and Dad.  Without their hard work and dedication, I would have never had many of the opportunities I have experienced.

What are you going to do when you retire?
My hobbies could easily take the place of a full-time job if I would let them, so I’ll probably just pick up a few more.

If you were the university president for a day, what would you do?
I would merge vacation and sick leave for staff into one category called “paid time off.” I think employees should have the choice to use earned time as they see fit.

To nominate a staff member for an upcoming issue, e-mail oncampus@osu.edu.

The Ohio Union’s grand ballroom, at 17,716 square feet, will hold up to 1,700 patrons once it’s opened to the public this spring. For now, the floors are prepped for staining and the massive chandeliers have been put in place.

Sure, top 10 lists are entirely subjective, but Time magazine thought enough of Ohio State President Gordon Gee and his push to reshape the university, and ultimately higher education, to name him one of the nation’s top college presidents and devote the main story to his vision. The featured issue hit newsstands Nov. 13 (also visit time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1937938_1937934,00.html)

Of Gee, Time wrote, “A poll a while back found that he could easily be elected governor in a state that calls itself the Cradle of Presidents. Gee, however, has something different in mind. As president of the Ohio State University and one of the most experienced university executives in the US, he is campaigning for a revolution in higher education at a time when the field is more important, and perhaps more troubled, than ever before.” Time touched on Gee’s prolific political efforts to keep higher education a state priority, his hectic scheduling to fit as much as he can into a single day and willingness to buck the status quo.

Also on the list were the presidents of New York University, the University of Michigan, Arizona State University, Tulane University, Middlebury College, the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, Miami Dade College, the University of Texas-Brownsville and the University of California-Oakland.

Virginia Richardson, College of Social Work

November 18, 2009

How does caregiving affect a person’s health?
Caregiving is an increasingly important issue as people live longer and die from chronic illnesses more often than in the past. Although there are many gifts that come from caring for a loved one who is ill, spousal caregivers also confront many challenges. Caregiving is especially stressful when loved ones suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or some other protracted illness. Some caregivers develop adverse psychological and physiological effects especially if their caregiving is protracted, they become socially isolated, they have limited family supports or they care for spouses who suffer before dying. Some spousal caregivers develop complicated grief reactions that affect their well-being and immune systems and increase their likelihood of illness, depression and hospitalization.

I am currently working with several other researchers to test a new model of bereavement, the Dual Process Model of Bereavement, that Margaret Stroebe and Henk Schut of the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands proposed 10 years ago. The first empirical findings will be reported in a special issue of Omega: Journal of Death and Dying in 2010.

And during the November 2009 meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, a group of us will present our findings about the physiological stress effects of caregiving during bereavement. We use longitudinal data from the Changing Lives of Older Couples (CLOC) study that was collected by the University of Michigan. These data include interviews with more than 1,000 older couples, which were conducted once before bereavement and six months, 18 months and 48 months after bereavement, and urine and blood samples taken before and after bereavement. We found that spouses who were involved in long-term caregiving had higher levels of cortisol and other stress hormones 18 months after bereavement than spouses who were not caregivers. We found that levels of stress hormones were significantly higher among bereaved spouses than among a control of similarly matched older married persons. Although others have found that caregiving can cause adverse stress reactions, these data show that the stress reactions are strongest for those whose spouses died long, protracted deaths and presumably required extensive caregiving.

What’s being done to help these caregivers?
In future research by an inter-university partnership between researchers from OSU’s College of Social Work, including assistant professors Holly Dabelko-Schoeny and Keith Anderson, and Miami University’s Scripps Gerontology Center, we plan to identify and evaluate the community services and other supports that most effectively reduce caregivers’ stress and prevent complicated grief reactions during bereavement. If we can strengthen the effective supports and determine evidenced-based interventions, we may be able to reduce complicated grief reactions among those at greatest risk. Early intervention during the most stressful times of caregiving should enhance bereaved spousal caregivers’ well-being, strengthen their immune systems and prevent them from becoming ill, ultimately reducing their need for medical care and health care costs. However, this requires a longitudinal research design that allows us to monitor participants for many years.

Newsbriefs, 11/19/09

November 18, 2009

Ohio State vs. Michigan Web exhibit highlights football rivalry
Spend some time before the big game immersed in trivia and traditions surrounding one of college football’s greatest rivalries. The University Archives’ redesigned OSU vs. UM site includes the latest stats, as well as photographs and historical information about the teams at library.osu.edu/sites/archives/OSUvsMichigan/osuvsmichigan.htm. This Web exhibit, which was created in 2004, makes use of the collections of the Ohio State University Archives and the Bentley Historical Library at the University of Michigan. The staff in both archives worked to combine resources to create an exhibit that recognizes the excellence of both the football teams and the materials in the archives.

Veterinary Hospital establishes behavior medicine services for pets
The holidays are coming, and it’s possible your pet feels the tension that comes along with the merriment. Does your pet show signs of distress, such as eliminating or destroying things in the house while you are out holiday shopping? Does your dog cower under the bed or misbehave when a crowd comes to dinner? Whether related to the holidays or not, the Behavioral Medicine Clinic at the Ohio State Veterinary Hospital can help with a pet’s problem behaviors.

The clinic, headed by Meghan Herron, offers services to owners of dogs and cats with behavioral issues including, but not limited to, separation anxiety, inappropriate elimination, fears, phobias, compulsive behaviors, human-directed aggression, inter-pet aggression and cognitive dysfunction. The goal of the behavior appointment is to help owners understand their pet’s behavior and help their families live together with the pet more comfortably and safely.

Appointments can be made by calling 292-3551. Afternoon, evening and Saturday appointment hours are available to accommodate most schedules. More information about the services offered can be found at vet.osu.edu/3354.htm or via e-mail at Behavior.Medicine@cvm.osu.edu.

Tiberi, Brass receive inaugural James Hope Awards
Congressman Pat Tiberi (R-Ohio), a member of the US House Ways and Means Committee, and Alan Brass, chairman of the OSU Board of Trustee’s Medical Affairs Committee, were the inaugural recipients of the James Hope Award presented by the OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute during a Nov. 16 ceremony at The James. The award will be presented annually to individuals or organizations committed to the advancement of the highest quality of cancer care, education and research and/or improving healthcare access for cancer patients in Ohio and beyond.

Ohio State joins national volunteer recruitment registry
Ohio State’s Center for Clinical and Translational Science is one of 51 participants in the first national, disease-neutral, volunteer recruitment registry, ResearchMatch.org. Central Ohioans wishing to participate in research studies can now connect via the not-for-profit Web site with researchers from across the country. ResearchMatch is the product of the Clinical and Translational Science Awards Consortium, which is led by the National Center for Research Resources, a part of the National Institutes of Health.

Rose Bowl packages now available
The Ohio State football team is headed back to the Rose Bowl for the first time in more than a decade to face the PAC-10 champion. Faculty, staff, students and parents can purchase a limited number of four-night bowl packages online, by phone (247-2695) or in person (cash sales only, Uniglobe Travel Designers, 3471 E. Broad St., 43213). For complete bowl package information, visit ohiounion.osu.edu/bowltour/main.asp.

Library’s lead construction company lauded
Accolades for the renovation of the Thompson Memorial Library continue to pile up. On Nov. 13, Turner Construction Co. received a 2009 Build Ohio award in the Construction Management Category for its lead role in overseeing the library project. The award is sponsored by the Association of General Contractors of Ohio. The criteria used by the panel of retired construction professionals in determining the winners included excellence in project management and client service, innovation in construction techniques and materials and meeting the challenge of a difficult job.

Trundle advises National Geographic on science education
An associate professor of science education in the College of Education and Human Ecology is one of only four national experts advising National Geographic on innovative teaching methods for K-12 students. The publisher asked Kathy Cabe Trundle and the other advisors to develop its first core science program. The team’s plan included more than 200 books for kindergarten through second grade that can be used in “inquiry investigations,” which involve active research into science questions instead of memorizing facts. Literary skills are emphasized, and students will have access to National Geographic’s vivid nature photographs. Trundle was selected because of her research on teaching young learners science, particularly about earth and space science concepts.

Calendar, 11/19/09

November 18, 2009

Art
Dec. 4,  Juried Showcase: Retro-spectroscopic, 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Haskett Hall Gallery and Soundstage, 156 W. 19th Ave., free, artandtech.osu.edu.

Dance
Nov. 19-21, Resident and Visiting Artist Concert: Bales, Giffin, Petry and Uris, 8 p.m., Sullivant Theatre, Sullivant Hall, 1813 N. High St., admission, 292-7977.

Events
Nov. 19, University Libraries Read Aloud Program, Melanie McGurr, University Libraries, and readers from her class will share a collection of readings in honor of Jane Austin, 3-4 p.m., Thompson Library, ground floor northwest, opposite to the Berry Café, 1858 Neil Ave., library.osu.edu/blogs/readaloud.

Nov. 25, Biometric Health Screenings, Super Screening Day, spouses and domestic partners welcome, 8 a.m.-noon, Agricultural Administration Building Auditorium, 2120 Fyffe Road, registration required, yourplanforhealth.com.

Nov. 26-27, Thanksgiving Day and Columbus Day (observed), no classes, offices closed, 292-9051.

Life as a Glass Blower panel presentation

Dec. 2

A panel discussion on “Catching the Glass Bug: Life as a Glass Blower” will inaugurate ”Digging Deeper,” a new series of presentations at the Franklin Park Conservatory, co-sponsored both by the Arts and Sciences and the Institute for Collaborative Research and Public Humanities at Ohio State and by the Conservatory. This first presentation will be held from 6-7 p.m. Dec. 2  at the conservatory. Moderated by Kelly Stevelt Kaser, whose master’s research focused on the professionalization of studio glass artists, the panel will include Richard Harned, professor of art and director of OSU’s Glass Art Program, and community glass artists Adam Kaser, Kami Meighan; and Dan Schreiber. To provide a framework for the Chihuly exhibition, the panel will discuss the history of the studio glass movement, the changing career path for studio glass artists, and the influence that Chihuly has had in central Ohio. Contact Elizabeth Lantz at  Lantz.38@osu.edu

Dec. 2-3, Chadwick Arboretum and Learning Gardens 2009 Events, Pi Alpha Xi (PAX) Poinsettia Sale, 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Howlett Greenhouses, 680 Vernon Tharp St., chadwick.osu.edu.

ATI hosts free program on saving home energy
Dec. 3
Allen Zimmerman of the OSU Agricultural Technical Institute and construction management students from the school will present “Saving Home Energy: First the Facts and Then the Audit” from 7-9 p.m. in the Local Roots building, 140 S. Walnut St., in Wooster. Admission is free and open to the public.

The program will look at practical, affordable ways to save money, energy and the environment. Among them will be reducing hot and cold water use, reducing electricity use, improving air sealing and insulation, improving heating and cooling systems and having a home energy audit done.

For more information, contact zimmerman.7@osu.edu.

Exhibits
Through Nov. 19, Department of Art Faculty Exhibition, “Black, White and Re(a)d All Over,” Hopkins Hall Gallery + Corridor, 128 N. Oval Mall, free, 292-5072.

Through Nov. 19, New Works Exhibition: Tony Mendoza and Richard Harned, Hopkins Hall Gallery + Corridor,  128 N. Oval Mall, free, 292-5072.

Through Dec. 12, “The Monuments of Columbus,” artist reception 5-7 p.m. Dec. 4, OSU Urban Arts Space, 50 W. Town St., free, 292-8861.

Through Dec. 18, Group exhibition featuring watercolors, oils, pastels and bronze and ceramic sculpture by Elaine Freeman, Judith Hazen, Anastasia Horowitz and Rebecca Taft, Faculty Club, ohiostatefacultyclub.com or 292-2262.

Through Dec. 18, “Works by Neighborhood Design Center: Proposing New Possibilities,” artist reception 5-7 p.m. Dec. 4, OSU Urban Arts Space, 50 W. Town St., free, 292-8861.

Through Jan. 15, “Jaroslav Malina: Paintings and Designs,” artist reception 5-7 p.m. Dec. 4, OSU Urban Arts Space, 50 W. Town St., free, 292-8861.

Through Feb. 6, “Tactile Color,” artwork of SallyB, artist reception 5-7 p.m. Dec. 4, OSU Urban Arts Space, 50 W. Town St., free, 292-8861.

Nov. 30-Dec. 11, BFA Senior Projects Exhibition – Fall 2009, Hopkins Hall Gallery + Corridor, 128 N. Oval Mall, free, 292-5072.

Films
Nov. 18, Autumn 2009 Latin American Film Series: São Paulo on the Big Screen 2006-08, “Não por acaso/Not by Chance” (Philippe Barcinski, 2007), 7:30 p.m., 180 Hagerty Hall, 1775 College Road, free, clas.osu.edu/filmSeries.php.

Dec. 1, Office of International Affairs, “Irony of Fate” (1975), 6 p.m., 031 Hitchcock Hall, 2070 Neil Ave., free, oia.osu.edu/events/html.

Dec. 2, Autumn 2009 Latin American Film Series: São Paulo on the Big Screen 2006-08, “A Via Láctea/The Milky Way” (Lina Chamie, 2007), 7:30 p.m., 180 Hagerty Hall, 1775 College Road, free, clas.osu.edu/filmSeries.php.

Lectures
Nov. 19, Department of Statistics and Biostatistics Colloquium Series, “Likelihood Ratio Tests and Singularities,” Mathias Drton, University of Chicago, 3:30 p.m., 170 Eighteenth Avenue Building, 292-5194.

Nov. 19, Humanities Institute, Religious Studies Roundtable, 6 p.m., Knight House, 104 E. 15th Ave., wiles-op.1@osu.edu.

Nov. 19, Center for Folklore Studies Special Events, “Changing Patterns of Korean Shamanism,” Laurel Kendall, 4 p.m., Wexner Center Film/Video Theater, 1871 N. High St., cfs.osu.edu/activities/spcevents/default.cfm.

Nov. 20, Institute for Chinese Studies 2009-10 Lecture Series: China in Global Context, “Ritual and Memory in the Making of the Descendants of Confucius,” Christopher Agnew, University of Dayton, 2:30 p.m., 062 Hagerty Hall, 1775 College Road, ics.osu.edu/lecture_series.html.

Nov. 20, Humanities Institute, Symposium on the report of the Knight Commission on the information needs of communities in a democracy, “Informing Ohio Communities,” 9 a.m., Barrister Club, Moritz College of Law, 25 W. 11th Ave., hanson.94@osu.edu.

Nov. 20, Humanities Institute, Public Sphere and Modern Social Imaginaries Working Group, “The Space of the Political,” Philip Armstrong, Comparative Studies, 2:30 p.m., 451 Hagerty Hall, 1775 College Road, fischer.5@osu.edu.

Nov. 20, Humanities Institute, Diversity Enhancement Program Research Working Group, 3:30 p.m., Knight House, 104 E. 15th Ave., allen.559@osu.edu.

Nov. 23, Mathematical Biosciences Institute, Colloquium Series, “Density Dependence and the Structure of Ecological Behavior,” Peter Abrams, 2:30-3:30 p.m., 355 Jennings Hall, 1735 Neil Ave., mbi.osu.edu/seminars/colloquium.html.

Nov. 24, Physics Department 2009-10 Colloquium, Deborah Jin, NIST-Boulder, 3:45 p.m. reception, 4 p.m. colloquia, 1080 Physics Research Building, 191 W. Woodruff Ave., 292-5713.

Nov. 30, Humanities Institute, Public Sphere and Modern Social Imaginaries Working Group, “Relational Aesthetics,” Kai Hammermeister, Germanic Languages and Literatures, 2:30 p.m., Knight House, 104 E. 15th Ave., fischer.5@osu.edu.

Nov. 30, Office of International Affairs Lecture, “Women and Islam in Central Asia,” Gulzar Muradova, 5:30 p.m., 060 Page Hall, 1810 College Road, oia.osu.edu/events.html.

Dec. 1, Marion Science Café, “Ohio Farming: Environment, Ethanol, Energy and Economics,” Fred Yoder, National Corn Growers Association and Natalie Walston, Ohio Corn Growers Association, 7 p.m., The Infinity Restaurant, Harding Hotel, 267 W. Center St., Marion, marion.ohio-state.edu/sciencecafe.

Dec. 1, Melton Center for Jewish Studies, “Shaping of Israeli Media in Global Context,” Jonathan Cohen, University of Haifa, 7:30 p.m., Columbus JCC, 1125 College Ave., 292-0967.

Dec. 2, Science Café, “Ohio’s Forests Under Siege: The Clear and Present Danger Posed by Invasive Insects,” Daniel Herms, 6:30 p.m., Gateway Movie Theatre, South Campus Gateway, 1590 N. High St., kim.2487@osu.edu or tinyurl.com/osusciencecafe.

Dec. 3, Department of Statistics and Biostatistics Colloquium Series, information about using new departmental Web pages presented by Web design committee, 3:30 p.m., 170 Eighteenth Avenue Building, 292-5194.

Dec. 3, Darwin: The Growth of an Idea 150th Anniversary Events, “Charles Darwin: The Concise Story of an Extraordinary Man,” Tim Berra, 7 p.m., Fawcett Center, 2400 Olentangy River Road, columbuszoo.org/CharlesDarwinTheConciseStoryofanExtraordinaryMan.aspx.

Dec. 4, Humanities Institute, Graduate Student Interdisciplinary Seminar on Literacy Studies, 11:30 a.m., Knight House, 104 E. 15th Ave., hooks.28@osu.edu.

Dec. 4, Humanities Institute, Qualitative Inquiry Working Group, “Found Data: Learning from Personal Stories in the Digital Archive of Literary Narratives,” Cynthia Selfe, English, and Lewis Ulman, English and Digital Media Studies, 2 p.m., 4012 Smith Lab, 174 W. 18th Ave., moritz.42@osu.edu.

Dec. 4, Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Mementos, Keepsakes and Tokens 2009-10 Lecture Series, “Fetishism and Funerals,” Peter Stallybrass, University of Pennsylvania, 2:30 p.m., 090 Science and Engineering Library, 175 W. 18th Ave., cmrs.osu.edu or 292-7495.

Dec. 8, Melton Center for Jewish Studies, “Israel and its Arab Neighbors: The View from the Local Neighborhood,” Matthew Silver, Ohio State, 7:30 p.m., Columbus JCC, 1125 College Ave., 292-0967.

Meetings
Nov. 19, University Senate, 3:30-5:30 p.m., 130 Drinko Hall, senate.osu.edu.

Nov. 19, Lunch and Learn, “The Key to Prevention May be Your Past: Importance of Family Medical History,” noon-1 p.m., Film/Video Theater (no food allowed), Wexner Center, 1871 N. High St., registration required, osuhealthplan.com/wellness/program.asp or 292-1894.

Dec. 1, Succeeding Financially, “Estate Planning,” Todd Gourno, Prospera Financial Group, noon-1 p.m., Office of Human Resources, Room 425, Suite 430, 1590 N. High St., registration required, hr.osu.edu/finseries or 247-7961.

Dec. 3, Lunch and Learn, “Healthy Holiday Luncheon,” 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Faculty Club Grand Lounge, 181 S. Oval Drive, registration required, send $11 cash or check payable to the OSU Faculty Club and indicating Lunch and Learn Holiday Lunch to Michele Erlenwein, OSU Health Plan, Suite 580, 700 Ackerman Road, osuhealthplan.com/wellness/program.asp or 292-1894.

Dec. 7, Lunch and Learn, “Moody Teens: How to Deal with the Highs and Lows of Teenage Life,” noon-1 p.m., 115 Biomedical Research Tower, 460 W. 12th Ave., registration required, osuhealthplan.com/wellness/program.asp or 292-1894.

Dec. 9, Health Benefits Choices Forum for New Hires, noon-1 p.m., Office of Human Resources, Suite 430, Room 421, 1590 N. High St., hr.osu.edu/benefits or 292-1050.

Music
Nov. 19, Gospel and Spiritual Ensemble, 8 p.m., Hughes Auditorium, 1899 College Road, admission, 247-7036.

Nov. 19, Collegiate Winds and University Band, 8 p.m., Weigel Auditorium, 1866 College Road, admission, 247-7036.

Nov. 20, OSU Opera: Cabaret Urbain, 7 p.m., OSU Urban Arts Space, 50 W. Town St., $25 admission, 247-7036.

Nov. 20, New Music Collective, 8 p.m., Weigel Auditorium, 1866 College Road, admission, 247-7036.

Nov. 22, Men’s Glee Club, 3 p.m., Weigel Auditorium, 1866 College Road, admission, 247-7036.

Nov. 23, Percussion Ensemble, 8 p.m., Weigel Auditorium, 1866 College Road, admission, 247-7036.

Nov. 24, University Chorus, MasterSingers and Ladies First, 8 p.m., Weigel Auditorium, 1866 College Road, admission, 247-7036.

Dec. 1, Wind Symphony, 8 p.m., Weigel Auditorium, 1866 College Road, admission, 247-7036.

Dec. 2, Symphony Orchestra, 8 p.m., Weigel Auditorium, 1866 College Road, admission, 247-7036.

Dec. 3, Ohio State Lima, Winter Choral Concert, 8 p.m., Martha Farmer Theatre for the Performing Arts, 4240 Campus Drive, lima.osu.edu/communications/events.php.

Dec. 4, School of Music 17th Annual Musical Celebration Concert, 8 p.m., Mershon Auditorium, 1871 N. High St., admission, 247-7036.

Dec. 6, First Year Orchestra and Community Orchestra Concert, 3 p.m., Weigel Auditorium, 1866 College Road, free, 247-7036.

Nominations, Grants and Awards

Learning Technology Impact Grant available
Deadline: Dec. 4
Looking for the opportunity to increase student engagement, enhance instructor efficiency or enable anytime/anyplace learning? Applications for the Learning Technology Impact Grant, which offers support for key or large departmental courses, are due. Recipients receive up to 200 hours of learning technology expertise and up to $15,000 (required 1:2 in-kind support ratio) during 2010. An open Q&A session will be held Nov. 20 from 10-11 a.m. in 060 Science and Engineering Library. For more information, visit lt.osu.edu/grants or email ltgrants@osu.edu.

Theater
Nov. 19-20, Department of Theatre Special Performances, Staged Readings, “The Persians,” 8 p.m. Nov. 19, Mount Hall Studio Theatre, 1050 Carmack Road, 4:30 p.m.

Nov. 20, Drake Performance and Event Center, 1849 Cannon Drive, free, 292-2295.

Nov. 19-21, Department of Theatre, “Palmer Park,” 7:30 p.m., Roy Bowen Theatre, Drake Performance and Event Center, 1849 Cannon Drive, admission, 292-2295.

Nov. 19-21, Ohio State Newark Department of Theatre, “Painting Churches” by Tina Howe, 8 p.m., Black Box Theater, LeFevre Hall, 1179 University Drive, admission, williams.1343@osu.edu or (740) 366-9474.

Nov. 19-21, Department of Theatre, “Summer and Smoke,” 7:30 p.m., Thurber Theatre, Drake Performance and Event Center, 1849 Cannon Drive, admission, 292-2295.

Nov. 20 and 22, Ohio State Lima Department of Theatre, “An Irish Folktale” by Brian Keegan, 7 p.m. Nov. 20, 2 p.m. Nov. 22, admission, contact Jane Higbie at (419) 995-8382 or higbie.10@osu.edu for more information.

Nov. 24, Office of International Affairs, “Cross-Cultural Misunderstandings in Plagiarism and Academic Integrity,” 11:30 a.m., Roy Bowen Theatre, Drake Performance and Event Center, 1849 Cannon Drive, free, oia.osu.edu/events.html.

Training
Nov. 19, Financial Training and Documentation, “University Expenditures Policy,” 9-11 a.m, 231 Mount Hall, 1050 Carmack Road, registration required, oit.ohio-state.edu/hrfin/trainingregistration.html.

Nov. 19, College of Social Work Training, “Overlooked and Underestimated: Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drugs,” 9 a.m.-4:15 p.m., 115 Stillman Hall,  1947 College Road, earn six CEU/clock hours, open to the public, for description and registration visit csw.osu.edu/trainingforprofessionals/trainingcalendar/091119.

Nov. 19, Management Advancement for the Public Service, “Personnel Issues for Public Employees,” 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Fawcett Center, 2400 Olentangy River Road, admission for non-members, registration required, glennschool.osu.edu or 292-3242.

Nov. 23, Financial Training and Documentation, “Managing Your Department’s Capitalized Equipment,” 12:30-4:30 p.m., 231 Mount Hall, 1050 Carmack Road, registration required, oit.ohio-state.edu/hrfin/trainingregistration.html.

SIS Faculty Center forum addresses grade posting
Dec. 1
Instructors interested in learning more about posting grades in the Student Information System Faculty Center are invited to attend an open forum from 9-10:30 a.m. in 255 Townshend Hall. Registration is not required. Questions about the Faculty Center should be referred to registrar@osu.edu or call 292-9330.

Dec. 1, Management Advancement for the Public Service, “Public Information Law,” 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Fawcett Center,
2400 Olentangy River Road, admission for non-members, registration required, glennschool.osu.edu or 292-3242.

Dec. 1-2, Financial Training and Documentation, “The Reconciliation Process,” 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. both days, 231 Mount Hall, 1050 Carmack Road, registration required, oit.ohio-state.edu/hrfin/trainingregistration.html.

Dec. 2, Management Advancement for the Public Service, “Project Management,” 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Fawcett Center,
2400 Olentangy River Road, admission for non-members, registration required, glennschool.osu.edu or 292-3242.

Dec. 2-3, Human Resources Training, “Manage Job Data,” 1-5 p.m. both days, 191 Mount Hall, 1050 Carmack Road, registration required, oit.osu.edu/hrfin/hrschedule/html.

Dec. 3, OIT Administrative Systems Reporting Training, “Using eReports Portal – Financials,” 8 a.m.-noon, 191 Mount Hall, 1050 Carmack Road, registration required, oit.osu.edu/hrfin/trainingregistration.html.

Dec. 3, Management Advancement for the Public Service, “Being the Best Boss,” 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Fawcett Center, 2400 Olentangy River Road, admission for non-members, registration required, glennschool.osu.edu or 292-3242.

Dec. 4, Financial Training and Documentation, “Introduction to Your Business Responsibilities at OSU,” 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 231 Mount Hall, 1050 Carmack Road, registration required, oit.ohio-state.edu/hrfin/trainingregistration.html.

Dec. 4, Financial Training and Documentation, “University Expenditures Policy,” 2-4 p.m, 231 Mount Hall, 1050 Carmack Road, registration required, oit.ohio-state.edu/hrfin/trainingregistration.html.

Dec. 4, College of Social Work Training, “Prevention, Intervention and Treatment: Who Belongs Where?” 9 a.m.-4:15 p.m., 115 Stillman Hall, 1947 College Road, earn six CEU/clock hours, open to the public, for description and registration visit csw.osu.edu/trainingforprofessionals/trainingcalendar/091204.

Dec. 8, Human Resources Training, “Manage Additional Pay,” 1-4:30 p.m., 191 Mount Hall, 1050 Carmack Road, registration required, oit.osu.edu/hrfin/hrschedule/html.

Dec. 8, College of Social Work Training, “Treatment Implications for Sex and Porn Addicts,” 9 a.m.-4:15 p.m., 115 Stillman Hall, 1947 College Road, earn six CEU/clock hours, open to the public, for description and registration visit csw.osu.edu/trainingforprofessionals/trainingcalendar/091208.

Dec. 8-9, Financial Training and Documentation, “Stewardship of Endowment and Gift Funds,” 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. both days, 231 Mount Hall, 1050 Carmack Road, registration required, oit.ohio-state.edu/hrfin/trainingregistration.html.

Dec. 10, College of Social Work Training, “Civic Engagement for Older Adults with Physical and Cognitive Limitations: Social Work’s Roles and Responsibilities,” 9 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging, 174 E. Long St., earn three CEU/clock hours, open to the public, for description and registration visit csw.osu.edu/trainingforprofessionals/trainingcalendar/090618.

Wexner
Through Nov. 30, The Box, “In the Air” (Liza Johnson, 2009), Mon.-Wed. 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Thu.-Fri. 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m., The Box is located across from the Wexner Center Store, free, 292-3535.

Through Jan. 3, onView, “Susan Philipsz: the Shortest Shadow,” Wexner Center Galleries, admission (free to visitors the first Sunday of the month and every Thursday after 4 p.m.), 292-3535.

Through Jan. 3, onView, “Harry Shearer: the Silent Echo Chamber,” Wexner Center Galleries, admission (free to visitors the first Sunday of the month and every Thursday after 4 p.m.), 292-3535.

Through Jan. 3, onView, “Luc Tuymans,” Wexner Center Galleries, admission (free to visitors the first Sunday of the month and every Thursday after 4 p.m.), 292-3535.

Nov. 19-20, Visiting Filmmaker, “Earth Days” (Robert Stone, 2009), 7 p.m., reception 6 p.m. Nov. 19, introduced by the director on Nov. 20, Film/Video Theater, admission, 292-3535.

Dec. 1-31, The Box, Ohio Short Film and Video Showcase 2009, The Next Generation, Mon.-Wed. 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Thu.-Fri. 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m., The Box is located across from the Wexner Center Store, free, 292-3535.

Dec. 3, Zoom: Family Film Festival, “A Town Called Panic,” (Stephane Aubier and Vincent Patar, 2009, Belgium), 7 p.m., Film/Video Theater, admission, 292-3535.

Dec. 4, Zoom: Family Film Festival, “Tahaan,” (Santosh Sivan, 2008, India), 7 p.m., Film/Video Theater, admission, 292-3535.

Dec. 4, onStage, “Block Ice & Propane,” Erik Friedlander, 8 p.m. Performance Space, admission, 292-3535.

Dec. 5, Zoom: Family Activities, Saturday Morning Cereal and Pajama Party, 9:15-10 a.m., Wexner Center, 292-3535.

Dec. 5, Zoom: Family Activities, Ice Cream Social, 3-5 p.m., Wexner Center, 292-3535.

Dec. 5, Zoom: Family Film Festival, Kid Flix Mix, 10 a.m., Film/Video Theater, admission, 292-3535.

Dec. 5, Zoom: Family Film Festival, “Beauty and the Beast,” (Jean Cocteau, 1946, France), noon, Film/Video Theater, admission, 292-3535.

Dec. 5, Zoom: Family Film Festival, “What’s On Your Plate?” (Catherine Gund, 2009, USA), 2 p.m., Film/Video Theater, admission, 292-3535.

Dec. 5, Zoom: Family Film Festival, “The Adventures of Prince Achmed,” (Lotte Reiniger, 1926, Germany), 4:15 p.m., Film/Video Theater, admission, 292-3535.

Dec. 5-6, Zoom: Family Film Festival, “Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation,” (Eric Zala, 1982-89, USA), 7 p.m. Dec. 5, 1 p.m. Dec. 6, introduced by Eric Zala and Chris Strompolos, Film/Video Theater, admission, 292-3535.

Dec. 6, Zoom: Family Film Festival, “Mr. Bug Goes to Town,” (Dave Fleischer, 1941, USA), 3:30 p.m., Film/Video Theater, admission, 292-3535.

Dec. 8, New Documentary, “Crude” (Joe Berlinger, 2009), 7 p.m., Film/Video Theater, admission, 292-3535.

Workshops
Dec. 9, University Faculty and Staff Assistance Program, “How to Manage Stress and Depression,” 5-6:15 p.m., Managed Health Care Systems, Suite 580, 700 Ackerman Road, free, registration required, borelli.3@osu.edu or 292-1709.

Dec. 10, OHRC Workshop, “Sexual Harassment 101,” 10-11:30 a.m., Office of Human Resources, Room 425, Suite 430, 1590 N. High St., registration required, hr.osu.edu/ohrc/learningdevelopment.

Faculty & Staff, 11/19/09

November 18, 2009

Books
Rudolph Alexander Jr., Social Work, Human Behavior in the Social Environment: A Macro, National and International Perspective, December 2009 (Newbury Park, Calif.: SAGE Publications Inc.).

Jesus Lara, Landscape Architecture, wrote a chapter, “Sustainable Phoenix: Lessons from the Dutch Model,” in Visualizing Sustainable Planning, by Gerhard Steinebach, Subhrajit Guhathakurta and Hans Hagen, August 2009 (Springer Berlin Heidelberg – Publishing Co. Inc.).

Grants
Stan Ernst, Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, received a $2,252,008 USDA CSREES Organic Research Extension Initiative grant for “Mental Models and Participatory Research to Redesign Extension Programming for Organic Weed Management,” along with

Doug Doohan, Robyn Wilson, Deb Stinner, M. Tucker, K. Gibson, E. Gallandt, R. Smith.

Sandy Velleman, Animal Sciences, received a $25,000 grant from the Midwest Poultry Research Program for her research project “Regulation of the Growth of Poultry Skeletal Muscle.”

Presentations
Toni Ansley, Psychiatry, presented “How Do You Stack-Up? Benchmarking Administrative Salaries in Academic Medical Centers” and “Preparing a Comprehensive Survey to Benchmark a Psychiatric Hospital/Department,” at the Administrators in Academic Psychiatry fall meeting, New Orleans, La., Nov. 5-6.

John Brooke, History, presented “Patriarchal Magistrates, Energetic Improvers and Jealous Monitors: Visions of Self-Government in the Early American Republic, 1760-1840,” at the Conference on State and Citizen in British America and the Early United States, 1763-1865, Oxford University, Oxford, Great Britain, April 17-18; and “Malthus Refuted, or Qualified? World History and the New Science of Abrupt Climate Change,” at the Department of History Lecture Series, State University of New York, Binghamton, N.Y., May 7.

Jill Clark and Elena Irwin, Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, presented “Exurban Farming in the Current Market: Past Effects, Future Possibilities,” at the Baldwin Center Inaugural Symposium, Charlottesville, Va., Oct. 16.

Steven Fink, English, presented “The Wide World of Jewish Graphic Novels: A Conversation with Steve Sheinkin,” at the Columbus Jewish Community Center, Columbus, Nov. 10; and “Changing Perceptions about Jewish American Holocaust Literature,” at Congregation Beth Tikvah as part of a two-part mini-course, Columbus, Nov. 8 and 22.

Claudio Gonzalez, Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, gave the keynote lecture on “Financing Rural Development and Food Security,” at the Latin American Seminar on Food Security, Rural Finance and Development, Cuetzalan, Mexico, Aug. 26; and presented “Opportunities and Risks for Development Banks in Promoting Greater Financial Inclusion,” at FIRA, Mexico City, Mexico, Aug. 27.

Leila Heil, Music, presented “Strategies for Developing Tone in the Vocal Jazz Rehearsal,” at the 2009 American Choral Directors Association national conference, Oklahoma City, Okla., March 3-6.

Daniel Herms, Entomology, presented “Ohio’s Forests Under Siege: The Clear and Present Danger Posed by Invasive Insects,” at the Fireside Garden Club, Wooster, March 2; “Management Options for Emerald Ash Borer: Green Industry Professional Perspective,” at the OSU Extension Greene County Update, Xenia, March 4; “Confronting a Hidden Enemy. Managing Wood Borers in the Urban Forest,” at the Minnesota Shade Tree Short Course, Minneapolis, Minn., March 18; and “The Emerald Ash Borer Invasion: How Can a Secondary Pest Threaten the Existence of an Entire Genus?” at the 60th Western Forest Insect Work Conference, Spokane, Wash., March 25.

David Huron, Music, gave a keynote address, “Why is Rubato So Important? Empathy, Embodied Cognition and the Role of Animacy Cues in Music Performance,” at the Symposium on Performance and Analysis, Indiana University, Bloomington, Ind., Feb. 20; and gave the keynote address “The Art of Listening: Music Scholarship in an Age of Fragmentation,” at the joint regional meetings of Music Theory Mid-West and the Midwest chapter of the Society for Ethnomusicology, Minneapolis, Minn., May 16.

Jesus Lara, Landscape Architecture, presented “Sustainable Urban Design Approaches for Phoenix through the Transfer of Knowledge of Best Practices” at the American Collegiate School of Planning annual conference, Reinvesting in America: The New Metropolitan Planning Agenda, Crystal City, Va., Oct. 1-4; and presented “Global Perspectives for Urban Sustainability: Toward Responsive and Adaptive Environments that Focus on People and Place,” at the School of Architecture/Landscape Architecture, Victoria University of Wellington, Te Aro Wellington, New Zealand, Aug. 13.

Klaus Lorenz, Environment and Natural Resources, presented “Carbon Sequestration in Forest Soils Disturbed by Coal Mining and Urban Land Use in Ohio,” (co-author Rattan Lal, Environment and Natual Resources) at the 5th International Conference of Soils in Urban, Industrial, Traffic, Mining and Military Areas, New York, N.Y., Sept. 21-25.

Kevin Tavin, Art Education, gave a keynote address at a Creativity, Innovation, Culture and Youth Conference in Brussels, Belgium, sponsored by the Flemish and Dutch Ministries of Culture and Education. Twenty-five countries were represented in this gathering of EU policymakers, March 12-13.

Roger Williams, Environment and Natural Resources, presented a series of lectures on forest management and forest products trade with China at Guangxi University and Guangxi Forest Research Institute, Nanning, China, June 23-July 1.

Publications
Vesta Daniel, Art Education, “Self-Definition: Is It Still a Racial Matter in Art Education?” NAEA News, April 2009.

Jane Hathaway, History, “Representations of an Ottoman Chief Harem Eunuch: El-Hajj Beshir Agha (term 1717-46),” Abdeljelil Temimi, ed., Melanges en l’honneur du Prof. Dr. Suraiya Faroqhi, Tunis, Publications de la Fondation Temimi pour la Recherche Scientifique et l’Information, 2009, pp. 169-87.

Lee Martin, English, “Drunk Man,” Arts & Letters Journal of Contemporary Culture, Vol. 22 (2009), pp. 72-81.

Danielle Pyun, East Asian Languages and Literatures, “Curricular Models for Heritage Korean Learners in US Colleges,” Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Korean Language Education, Seoul, Korea, pp. 343-59; and reviewed “Teaching Chinese, Japanese and Korean Heritage Language Students: Curriculum Needs, Materials and Assessment,” The Modern Language Journal, Vol. 93, No. 2, pp. 319-21.

Amanda Rodewald, Environment and Natural Resources, “Urban-associated Habitat Alteration Promotes Brood Parasitism of Acadian Flycatcher,” Journal of Field Ornithology, 2009, Vol. 80, pp. 234-41.

Douglas Southgate, Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, “Population Growth, Increases in Agricultural Production and Trends in Food Prices,” Electronic Journal of Sustainable Development, Vol. 1, No. 3 (Summer 2009), pp. 41-48.

Elizabeth Weiser, English, ”Who Are We? Museums Telling the Nation’s Story,”  International Journal of the Inclusive Museum, Vol. 2.2 (2009), pp. 29-38.

Recognition
Steve Boyles, Animal Sciences, received the Plimpton Outstanding Young Teacher Award which recognizes and encourages faculty who exemplify excellence in and commitment to teaching.

Robert Ladislas Derr, Art, had his work exhibited in “Playing the City,” curated by Matthias Ulrich at the Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfort, Germany, April 20-May 6.

Maurice Eastridge, Animal Sciences, received the Outstanding Service to Students award at the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences annual recognition banquet. This award is given by the CFAES Student Council to recognize a faculty or staff member who shows outstanding support to students and their activities.

Bill Meezan, Social Work, was named chairman of the Publications Committee of the National Association of Social Workers. During his four-year term, Meezan will lead the committee in making recommendations on all programs related to the NASW Press, publishing and general communications.

Marilyn Page, Allied Medical Professions, received the 2009 Retired Educator’s Commendation from the American Occupational Therapy Association.

Service

Katherine Borst Jones, Music, was guest artist for the Luther College Dorian Festival, in Decorah, Iowa. She presented a master class for Luther College flute students, conducted the Dorian Festival Flute Choir in performances, performed “Silhouettes” by OSU graduate Roger Cichy with the Luther College Concert Band and gave clinics for band directors. More than 600 students from four states participated in the festival, Feb.28-March 2.

Kathy Fagan, English, judged the 2008 Georgia Author of the Year Awards (poetry), Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Ga., 2009.
Sydney Walker, Art Education, served on an external program review team for the art department at Northern Iowa University in Cedar Falls. She also is a curriculum consultant for the Bradley Bourbannais School District in Bradley, Ill., in 2009.

Mo Yee Lee, College of Social Work

November 18, 2009

Mo Yee Lee is a professor in the College of Social Work and recently co-authored the book Integrative Body-Mind-Spirit Social Work: An Empirically Based Approach to Assessment and Treatment.

What are your five favorite books and why?

On Creativity by David Bohm
David Bohm describes creativity as a state of the mind rather than talents or special talents or abilities belonging to a few. We usually think of the creative process as complex and extraordinary. Instead, Bohm suggests a person creates by the everyday, fundamental, simple and ordinary process of “trying something out and seeing what happens, then modifying what one does (or thinks) in accordance with what has actually happened.” What distinguishes a creative person from others is the ability to maintain an extremely perceptive state of intense passion and high energy that dissolves the take-it-for-granted assumptions of commonly accepted knowledge and enables him or her to see something in a new or unfamiliar way that extends the frontiers of knowledge. I appreciate such a perception of creativity, as it is inclusive and also insightful.

No Boundary by Kenneth Wilber
Ken Wilber convincingly speaks about the problem of creating an imaginary boundary between the “self” and the “not-self.” I guess this is a by-product of a linear and reductionistic thinking style that permeates our culture. While this boundary creates a sense of self-identity for individuals and also advances knowledge in useful ways, it also leads to polarities, oppositions and conflicts. He speaks insightfully about the idea of “shadows” that exists in every phenomenon when we try to create a boundary, to define what is right or wrong, good or bad, healthy or unhealthy, etc. To me, the idea of “shadows” reminds me to be more humble, embrace differences, and be appreciative of the dynamic balance of diverse forces in life that help us to change and grow.

The Seven Life Lessons of Chaos by John Briggs and David Peat
John Briggs and David Peat are both interested in chaos theory. The Seven Life Lessons of Chaos is a thoughtful translation of the principles and ideas of chaos theory into everyday life. The courage to embrace and appreciate uncertainty and even crisis as a window for change is uplifting.

The Song of the Bird by Anthony de Mello
This is a book that I read when I was younger. However, the simple but thought-provoking stories still challenge me to revisit assumptions about life, religion, knowledge, etc.

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
This is the inspiring story of Greg Mortenson, a mountaineer, who, after getting lost in a failed K2 expedition, was saved by locals of a small Pakistani village, and then promised to build them schools. He kept his promise to build schools, especially for girls, in the remote region of Pakistan’s Karakoram Himalaya. It is the courageous story of how an ordinary person can change the world, and how one can change the world in a different way. To me, it is also a story of a man who carefully makes a promise and actually keeps his promise despite difficulties. I think that this is an inspiring reminder for us in our hyper-speed world where we hastily make all kinds of promises and are not always able to live by them.

To nominate an Ohio State faculty or staff person for a future Booktalk column, e-mail harris.587@osu.edu.

From excellence to eminence

November 4, 2009

By E. Gordon Gee

Two years since my return to Ohio State, I have become convinced that this is — without question — the university’s unmatched moment of potential. Our time to push forward strategically, aggressively and creatively. Our time to fulfill our great promise.

Because this university is exceptionally strong, wonderfully complex and truly comprehensive, we have a limitless capacity to do good in the world: To feed the hungry; to cure disease and solve the most vexing problems in global health; to bring joy and enrichment to others through arts and culture; to help emerging democracies establish sound foundations; to educate students fully prepared for leadership in a global context; and, through realizing our potential in those areas, to help create a strong future for our state and our nation.

That is neither presidential posturing nor wishful thinking. After three decades of leading universities, I have acquired some perspective on higher education. And I know the markers of exceptional quality. Ohio State is a place of vast intellectual capital, enormous imagination and manifest vitality. We are blessed with unparalleled support from elected officials, alumni and friends. Taken together, our resources at this moment are without peer.

A few days after returning to Ohio State in October 2007, I outlined six strategic priorities that guide my decision-making and those of our senior administrative team. Succeeding in those areas requires us to create the environment — the campus culture — that enables us to match our great human expertise to the great human needs in our communities.

But making real, tangible and enduring progress against those priorities requires the university to function in new ways.

This university is a massive enterprise, and we must use that to our great advantage. We must determine how to be both big and entrepreneurial in approaching our work.

Our task today is to make the changes necessary, in ourselves and in the university’s academic and administrative structures, which enable us to achieve the eminence that is within our grasp.

That means simplifying our processes, realigning our efforts and changing the ways we interact with one another.

Together, we must create a high-performance culture that values collaboration, tolerates risk and rewards shared success.

We must think and act as a unified, integrated and cohesive institution. Shed old habits and mindsets that do not move us or our students forward. Nurture the best in ourselves and in one another. Seek partners across the institution and outside of it. And act quickly when opportunities arise. We must move from being risk-averse to risk-tolerant. Well-calculated gambles that incorporate strategic direction will produce results that are otherwise unattainable.

Whether we are faculty members, admissions counselors, veterinary technicians or nurses, we must be mindful of two things: First, making a career at this university is not a job — it is a calling; and second, our work is of first-order importance. Abraham Lincoln signed the law creating our land-grant institutions during the darkest hours of the Civil War because he understood that higher education was the key to improving lives, enhancing communities and sustaining our democracy. Those noble purposes form the core of our daily activities.

Each day, I approach my work with a mix of passion and impatience that stems from seeing the institution’s exceptional potential.

I am fully committed to assuring that we realize our aspirations, and I am grateful for your partnership in that effort.

How we’ll get there

November 4, 2009

By Jeff McCallister

Just days after he returned for his second term as president of Ohio State two years ago, Gordon Gee set down his vision of the path that would take the university, in his words, “from excellence to eminence.”

From their first utterance to a gathering of faculty leaders, Gee’s six imperatives have taken hold at the university; from colleges that use them as they create their own specific strategic plans, to individuals who have them posted on their office walls for a source of daily inspiration.

“Those imperatives are precisely what we ought to be doing, in the near and far terms,” Gee said. “I measure everything we do against those and I want to get everyone else to do the same. They are at 10,000 feet, and what we are working on each day is to develop very specific strategies to make them happen.”

Those specific strategies, created in consultation with the Board of Trustees and faculty, staff and student leaders — and fully incorporating the Academic Plan that’s been in place since 2000 — have helped form a set of thematic goals that make the imperatives more concrete, definable and measurable.

The thematic goals, including the strategies and tangible action needed to attain them, form a Strategic Roadmap to success, and that is how Gee himself is to be judged on his performance as president by the board.

“We have to always remind ourselves that we do not simply have a job, we have a calling, and that calling is to make a difference in others’ lives,” Gee said. “We have to be tenacious in pursuit of the greatness of the institution.”

• One University

We must create a sense of “One University” where everyone is driven by a shared common vision, supports trans-institutional execution and is aligned by a strategic planning process and one integrated Master Plan.

The Board of Trustees already has noted the progress in this area by way of the completion of a clearinghouse for university policies, the establishment and funding of two collaborative Centers for Innovation and three Innovation Groups and realigning the governance of the Medical Center.

• Students First with Academic Excellence and Access

We will develop and execute strategies to consider needs of “Students First” in all that we do; move Ohio State rapidly into the academic front ranks of American public universities; promote full diversity; and facilitate university system-wide strategies for positive student outcomes and higher education access for all qualified Ohio citizens.

The quick and decisive movement toward the conversion to a semester calendar is part of that, and success in the area also shows in the across-the-board improvement in numerous national rankings, high student retention rates and the ever-improving quality of the freshman classes being admitted.

• Faculty, Staff Talent and Culture

We will assemble a diverse and talented leadership team that will recruit, support and retain world-class faculty and staff while creating a high-performance culture driven by our Institutional Principles and high standards of ethics and compliance.

The transformation to a high performance culture continues across the university. A Faculty Talent workgroup has been appointed and recommendations made, and new ways to measure the competitiveness of faculty compensation have been created. Also, Trustees have approved a plan to modernize the university’s Classified Civil Service rules, and the first set of those changes has been implemented.

• Research Prominence

We must support and encourage innovative, ground breaking within-discipline and across-discipline research contributing the quality of life in Ohio and beyond, thereby also enhancing our world wide reputation to one of consistently recognized excellence.

Much work is being carried out to develop research pipelines and partnerships, including the establishment of the Industry Liaison Office, master planning for SciTech and expanded partnership with Battelle — a partnership typified by the recruitment of Battelle’s CEO, Jeff Wadsworth, to head the realigned Medical Center Board. The university also is developing stronger relationships with the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense.

• Outreach and Collaboration

We will develop public and public-private partnerships focused on economic development for our communities, the University, and the State of Ohio, while also developing ventures that establish our international leadership.

Two of the most recent outreach efforts outreach efforts typify this goal — a $12.9 million partnership to prepare teachers to be successful in high-need areas for the Columbus City Schools; and the hiring of an internationally recognized expert on internationalization of higher education who now has preliminary plans to open International gateways in China, Brazil and India, with several others in the works.

• Operating and Financial Soundness and Simplicity

We will move the University to a more robust financial position with new levels of productivity and higher return-on-investment using transparent, simple and flexible systems, thereby attaining a high level of financial responsibility and stability.

Operating margins, days of cash on hand and other metrics have stayed at or better than target ranges; the university reported $94 million in savings from improved operating efficiencies last year; the University has maintained its AA2 credit rating; and fundraising has been consistent. Numerous offices have implemented simplification procedures in advance of University-wide implementation.

The university also is making substantial progress on its fund-raising efforts, even in the turbulent economic times. The inaugural Pelotonia event was a rousing success, putting more than $4.5 million directly into the hands of researchers at The James.

Gee said the progress that’s been made toward reaching his imperatives has been laudable, but is only the beginning.

“I believe the times are really quite remarkable — people see this as a moment of real challenge, and it is. But I also view it as a moment of real opportunity,” Gee said. “One only needs to read the newspapers to understand that there is a massive process of change and challenge going on out there. But this time of great change enables us to act and think differently, to make difficult choices for the long-term good of our institutions.”

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