Good Day!
WELCOME TO OSUToday, the latest news and information for faculty and staff of The Ohio State University for Monday, June 18. The deadline for submissions is noon the prior business day.

Headline news

SUMMER'S FIRST CAMPUS HOP SET FOR JUNE 21

Celebrate summer in the University District with the Campus Hop on Thursday (6/21). The Campus Hop will feature a free outdoor film, “The Big Heat” on the Wexner Center plaza. Activities along High Street, at South Campus Gateway and on the Oval include live music, food specials, sidewalk sales, historic tours and other free fun from noon-midnight. View the complete schedule online. Campus Hops also are scheduled for Thursday (7/19) and Thursday (8/16).

BARTLETT TO DELIVER ANNUAL FASS LECTURESHIP JUNE 21

John Bartlett, professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Maryland and the recipient of the fifth Annual Fass Lectureship Award for Distinguished Achievement in Infectious Diseases, will deliver “Clostridium Difficile Update” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday (6/21) in 170 Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute. The award is presented by the Division of Infectious Diseases and the Department of Pharmacy. One CME credit is available and registration is not needed. Contact: watson.10@osu.edu

HEALTH SYSTEM RATES FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH PROJECTS CHANGING

Beginning Sunday (7/1), the OSU Medical Center will be using new rates for research related hospital services. The Health System rates for clinical research projects are changing to provide a consistent and simplified rate structure. Also starting Sunday (7/1), all requests for research rates involving hospital services can only be obtained by calling the Research Billing Helpline at 293-2103. Individuals with research projects that were contracted before July 1, should call the Research Billing Helpline for information on how these changes impact the rates associated with existing research projects. For cancer clinical trials facilitated through the Comprehensive Cancer Center, the new research rates will apply, but all rate requests and study processing will continue to be coordinated by the OSU CCC Office of Contract Development and Coordination at 293-3156. For details, view the Clinical Research Rates FAQ.

COMIC STRIP STORYTELLING ON DISPLAY STARTING TODAY

“To Be Continued: Comic Strip Storytelling,” on display in the Cartoon Research Library’s Reading Room today (6/18)-Friday (8/24), presents compelling continuity stories from a century of newspaper comic strips. The exhibit features 10 examples of stories from the funnies that kept Americans talking, speculating, and, most importantly, buying newspapers. The stories chosen for this exhibition represent the evolution, the variety and the impact of continuity storytelling in newspaper comics over the last century. Read More >

STONE LAB GUEST LECTURE SERIES CONTINUES JUNE 21

Ohio State’s Stone Lab on Lake Erie continues its annual summer guest lecture series beginning at 7:45 p.m. Thursday (6/21). Stan Gehrt, OSU School of Natural Resources will present “Urban Coyote Ecology: Separating Myths from Truths.” Lectures will take place every Thursday evening throughout the summer at Stone Lab. Read More >

BUSINESS LIBRARY DATABASE OF THE MONTH

Looking for an authoritative source for business intelligence on a company? The Corporate Affiliations database available through the OSU Libraries may help in your research. The database contains corporate linkage information and company profiles on nearly 200,000 global public and private parent companies and their affiliates, subsidiaries and divisions. Parent and family member company records usually include: corporate reporting hierarchy with ultimate controlling company, business description including NAICS and SIC codes, sales, earnings, and more. Corporate Affiliations includes historical information as well - going back more than 10 years. Access using your OSU e-mail address. Contact: 292-2136

WOSU HOSTS COLUMBUS WORLD WAR II ROADSHOW

WOSU will host a Columbus World War II Roadshow from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday (6/23) at WOSU@COSI, 333 W. Broad St. The event will coincide with Ken Burns’ “The War,” a seven-part, 14-hour television series that will air in September on WOSU TV. Veterans, family members, and anyone with a WWII interest are invited to bring World War II photos, letters, souvenirs, and mementos and share family stories. Items will be videotaped and posted to WOSU’s ohiowarstories.org (currently under development and set to launch in July), and some will be included in a local WOSU TV program airing in September. To reserve time for your story, contact wosu@osu.edu or 292-9678. Read More >

ARP RATE CHANGE ANNOUNCED

Beginning in August 2007 and due to a decision by the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, a portion of employer contributions to Alternative Retirement Plans will go directly to OPERS instead of the accounts of individual employees. Ohio State’s contribution to the ARP will remain at 13.77 percent, but starting in August, 13.23 percent will go to ARP accounts and 0.54 percent will be redirected to OPERS. ARP participants will see this contribution change in the August 2007 payroll period. Ohio Revised Code Section 3305.6(d) allows OPERS to withhold a portion of the employer’s contribution to offset any negative financial impact the OPERS Traditional Plan may experience by the offering of alternative retirement plan options. Contact: service@hr.osu.edu or call 292-1050. Read More >

OPERS RETIREMENT FORUM JUNE 21

Human Resources and the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System are offering an on-campus forum from noon-1 p.m. Thursday (6/21) in B100 Starling Loving Hall, in an ongoing effort to educate and help eligible staff with their decisions regarding available retirement choices under OPERS. The seminar is designed for staff who have been at the university for less than 180 days. At the forum, OPERS representatives will review, compare and summarize the three OPERS retirement plan options. Contact: 292-1050. Read More >

EARN POINTS FOR HEALTHY HABITS THIS SUMMER

Whether exercising or attending a health-related workshop summer is the perfect time to focus on wellness while earning points for healthy habits through the 2007 Faculty and Staff Incentive Program. Eligible employees can earn up to 125 points for participating in healthy activities through Sunday (9/30). Accumulated points will be converted into an equivalent dollar value (1 point equals $1) and will be paid to participants in November, less applicable payroll taxes. Read More >

LIBRARIES CHANGING FINES/FEES PAYMENT OPTIONS

Fines and fees owed to the OSU Libraries can be paid with Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, BuckID and checks. Beginning Sunday (7/1), the University Libraries will no longer accept cash payments. Contact: sliemers.1@osu.edu