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WELCOME TO OSUToday, the latest news and information for faculty and staff of The Ohio State University for Wednesday, Oct. 31. OSUToday is published daily Monday-Friday. The deadline for submissions is noon the prior business day.

Headline news

REPORT: FOCUS ON OHIO'S FARMLAND PROTECTION COULD SHIFT

Ohio has one of the highest proportions of prime agricultural soils in the nation. And now, the focus on protecting that land could shift to new areas, thanks to a new report from Ohio State's Center for Farmland Policy Innovation. Jill Clark, director of the center, and Heide S. Martin, the center's planning and policy coordinator, will discuss the report, "Planning on Farming Ohio? A Model for Understanding the Opportunities for Innovation," at the Eighth Annual Ohio Farmland Preservation Summit on Thursday (11/1) at the Ohio Department of Agriculture in Reynoldsburg. The full report is available online at http://cffpi.osu.edu.

CLEAN MARINAS PROJECT KEEPS TONS OF PLASTIC OUT OF LANDFILLS

Saving enough shrinkwrap to cover Ohio Stadium 13 times, a new recycling project is keeping tons of plastic out of landfills. Boat owners store their boats out of the water wrapped up in super-tight waterproof plastic to keep out the dirt, rain and snow during winter. In spring the stuff is taken off and typically thrown away. Now a two-year pilot project, set in the counties along Lake Erie, is showing a better solution. The Boat Shrinkwrap Recycling Program, part of the Ohio Clean Marinas Program, has collected and recycled nearly one-half million pounds, about 240 tons, of boat wrap and greenhouse plastic. Contact: comer.29@osu.edu or (937) 599-4227. Read more >

ROYSTER TO ADDRESS HONOR SOCIETY INITIATION CEREMONY

Jacqueline Royster, executive dean for the Colleges of the Arts and Sciences is the featured speaker for The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi’s annual initiation ceremony, to be held at 3:30 p.m. Thursday (11/1) in Weigel Hall. Phi Kappa Phi alumni and the OSU community are invited to attend. Contact: shearer.14@osu.edu

EXPERT ON ANIMAL AND HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS IS WEXNER GUEST NOV. 1

James Serpell, a leading expert in the study of human-animal interactions, will discuss these mutually beneficial relationships in relation to William Wegman’s work (currently on view in the Wexner Center galleries) at a free lecture at 4:30 p.m. Thursday (11/1) at the Wexner’s Film Video Theater. The lecture is presented in collaboration with the College of Veterinary Medicine. Serpell is professor of Humane Ethics and Animal Welfare and director of the Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine and the author of “In the Company of Animals” and “The Domestic Dog.” Read more >

NEXT REALWORLDS PRESENTATION: LOCAL GOES GLOBAL

The Fall 2007 RealWorlds lecture series continues at 12:30 p.m. Thursday (11/1) with Ohio State alumnus Orian Williams, financial leadership development program analyst with Johnson & Johnson. Williams will discuss his work in financial audit in the Pacific Rim and domestically for a Fortune 100 company that has taken him to Taiwan, China, South Korea, and Japan. Within the context of Ohio State's commitment to becoming a truly global university, the Institute for Chinese Studies’ new RealWorlds Lecture Series features a diverse lineup of successful business professionals. Read more >

DEBATE ON PORNOGRAPHY FREE TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE

OUAB is hosting a Debate on Pornography with Ron Jeremy and Craig Gross at 8 p.m. Sunday (11/4) at Mershon Auditorium. The event will be moderated by Martin Bashir of ABC's Nightline as it will also be filmed and featured on an upcoming episode of the show. Faculty and staff can now pick up two free tickets at the Ohio Union Information Center located at the east side of the Ohio Stadium between gates 22 and 24. Read more >

HOPKINS HALL GALLERY AND CORRIDOR EXHIBITION NOV. 1-9

Hopkins Hall Gallery and Corridor and the Department of Design will host the exhibition "Florence Knoll Bassett: Defining Modern (excerpt)" from Thursday (11/1)-Friday (11/9). An informal talk for students with Knoll Furniture's David Bright will start at 3:30 p.m. Monday (11/5) in 246 Hopkins. The same day, a reception will take place from 5-7 p.m. in the gallery area, and Bright will talk about Knoll branding during a public discussion at 5:30 p.m. in 162 Hopkins. The exhibition, an excerpt of one that premiered at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 2005, highlights some of the extraordinary designs of Florence Knoll Bassett and celebrates her accomplishments. Contact: 292-5072

NEW CONTACT FOR CCS DISABILITY SEPARATIONS

Human Resources has announced that effective Thursday (11/1) the management of Classified Civil Service Voluntary and Involuntary Disability Separations will be transferred from Organization and Human Resource Consulting to Benefits - Integrated Disability. Contact: weeks.56@osu.edu or 292-2815. Read more >

FIND NEW PETS ON THE ONCAMPUS BULLETIN BOARD

A blue fronted amazon parrot for sale. Free kittens to good homes. A yellow lab named Jack needs a new home. Check out the animals section of the onCampus Bulletin Board. The bulletin board is available to all OSU faculty and staff. All you need to do is register using your OSU Internet ID (name.#).