Vol. 38, No. 18

3-1-2006
By: onCampus staff

Newsbriefs 3/2/06

Ohio State to close primate center
Ohio State officials have decided to close the chimpanzee research center and retire the nine resident primates to an animal refuge in Texas, where they will live out the remainder of their lives. No research is allowed on animals kept at the refuge.
The decision was the culmination of a four-year effort to find a new home for the animals - a task that proved difficult given that institutions across the country, including the Air Force, the National Institutes of Health and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, have elected to reduce the amount of primate research they conduct.
For the full story, visit http://researchnews.osu.edu.

Three faculty earn Distinguished Service Awards
Valerie Lee, chair of the Department of English, Ellen Mosley-Thompson, professor of geography, and Lynne Olson, professor of veterinary biosciences, are the recipients of the 2006 Faculty Award for Distinguished University Service. The annual award recognizes up to three faculty whose contributions to university policies and programs through non-administrative roles have been extensive and made documentable impact on the quality of the university. The Office of Academic Affairs awards recipients a $3,000 cash award and an increase of $1,200 to their base salary. The winners will be honored at a reception on March 29.

Search committee appointed for Graduate School dean
Executive Vice President and Provost Barbara Snyder has appointed a search committee for the dean of the Graduate School. The search committee members are: Richard Freeman, dean of the College of Mathematical and Physical Sciences and chair of the committee; Michael Beattie, chair, Department of Neuroscience; Annie Bessera, graduate student, Department of Dance; David Denlinger, professor, Department of Entomology; Carla Jackson, doctoral student, Department of Political Science; Mei-Po Kwan, professor, Department of Geography; Gregory Washington, associate dean for research, College of Engineering; Timothy Watson, graduation services manager, Graduate School; and Susan Williams, professor, Department of English. The call for nominations and position description will be shared widely when available. Self-nominations are encouraged.

Retention hitting all-time high
Returning students came back to Ohio State in record numbers last fall, raising the university's retention rate to an all-time high just shy of 90 percent. In addition, the retention gap between majority and minority students has nearly closed: 88.1 percent of first-year African American students and 87.4 percent of Hispanic students returned for their second year, both all-time highs. The improvement in African American student retention was particularly dramatic, rising by nearly eight
percent in a single year. Mabel Freeman, assistant vice president for undergraduate admissions and first year experience, credits the continuing, universitywide support of students as they participate in classroom, residence hall,
co-curricular and community activities as the reason more students are thriving.

New scholarship fund to honor former Battelle president
A $1 million gift from Battelle has established the Battelle/Bertram D. Thomas Scholarship Fund in the Department of Chemistry in memory of Thomas, president of Battelle from 1958-68 and a member of the university's Board of Trustees from 1965-69. The new fund will support five scholarships each year and is aimed at outstanding junior or senior undergraduate chemistry majors, with particular attention to - but not limited to - minority students.

Henkin wins National Academy of Sciences award
The National Academy of Sciences has awarded Tina Henkin, Ohio State professor of microbiology, the NAS Award in Molecular Biology. Henkin received the award for discovering that certain genes in the bacterium Bacillus subtilis use RNA, instead of proteins, to determine whether to make specific substances that are critical to a cell's survival. A better understanding of how B. subtilis regulates gene expression could help scientists design more potent antibiotics to attack bacteria that cause diseases like tuberculosis and pneumonia. The award will be presented April 23 at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., during the academy's 143rd annual meeting.

OSU librarian named ACRL award winner
Graham Walden, professor and collection manager for communication, Germanic languages and literatures, and humanities and social sciences reference librarian at the OSU Libraries, has been named the 2006 recipient of the Association of College and Research Libraries Law and Political Science Section Marta Lange/CQ Press Award. Established in 1996 by LPSS, the award honors an academic or law librarian who has made distinguished contributions to bibliography and information service in law or political science.

onCampus Home