Student Affairs proposes new office

Students may not reach their full potential at Ohio State if all of their needs are not met by the University, Mary Daniels, assistant vice president for student affairs, told the Board of Trustees at their June 4 meeting.

The Student Affairs Assessment Task Force is working on the development of an assessment office to better understand the student experience. Such an office could provide ways to expand use of existing data and gather new information to better understand the impact of University programs, services and facilities on student learning, development, retention and graduation, Daniels said.

"We want to augment and enhance the information base on our students, their college experience and student issues," Daniels said. "This will help the University make more informed decisions concerning the student body."

For the past several months, Daniels and the Student Affairs Assessment Task Force have been mapping out a plan that includes ways to promote coordination of institutional assessment activities.

$12 million approved for ARMS project

The board authorized spending $12 million on the University's Administrative Resource Management System (ARMS) project. The money will support the next phase of the project, which includes the implementation of a revised work plan for the campus's new human resources, procurement and general ledger systems.

Trustees previously authorized spending $52.5 million from the time the ARMS project began in November 1994 through last June 30. An additional $9.6 million in partial funding for the current budget year was approved last July.

ARMS was first implemented at Ohio State two years ago with a new human resources information system that integrated the employment, benefits and payroll systems. The procurement system, which currently is being implemented, replaces the systems for purchasing, accounts payable, equipment inventory, and stores and receiving with one system.

The general ledger system, which will replace OSU's accounting system that has been in place since 1977, will be implemented in the summer of 2000.

Board accepts 16 new endowed funds

Trustees heard a report on fund-raising efforts, including the establishment of 16 new named endowed funds with gifts totaling almost $950,000.

• The Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education Development Fund, $38,660.

• Donald G. Lux Scholarship in Technology Education, $25,000.

• Lawrence County 4-H Endowment Fund, $15,000.

• The Executive Committee Award for Outstanding Administrative, Clerical, and Secretarial Performance, $5,000, providing support for awards in the College of Humanities.

• The John D. Hathaway M.D. and Besse D. Hathaway Memorial Fund, $279,991, supporting medical scientist training in the College of Medicine and Public Health.

• The Ohio State University Foundation Unrestricted Endowment Fund, $157,808, providing resources for fundraising.

• The Cardiology Recruitment and Development Fund, $150,563, supporting faculty recruitment in the Division of Cardiology.

• The Richard E. Durst University Scholars in Chemical Engineering Fund, $49,172, providing merit scholarships in chemical engineering.

• The Katherine Miles Durst University Scholars in Early Childhood Development Fund, $49,172, providing scholarships in early childhood development.

• Dominic J. Bagnoli, Jr., Scholarship Fund, $26,840, providing football scholarships with preference to pre-med majors.

• The John R. Jacob University Scholar Fund, $26,500, providing merit scholarships, with preference for students from the Canton, Ohio, area.

• The William and Anne Altschule Professional Student Scholarship and Endowed Fund in Pharmacy, $25,000.

• The Lloyd Roberts Evans Endowed Scholarship in History, $25,000.

• Robert M. James and Donna B. James Scholarship Fund, $25,000, for football scholarships.

• The Smith Family Athletic Endowment Fund, $25,000, providing scholarships to athletes.

• Langdon T. Williams Scholarship Fund, $25,000, providing athletics scholarships, with preference given to those majoring in chemical engineering.

Trustees authorize hiring of contractors

Trustees authorized OSU to hire architects and engineering firms and request construction bids for work at University Hospitals East, the Golf Course and the Ohio Union Parking Garage.

Plans at University Hospitals East, 1492 E. Broad St., include renovating the surgery areas and expanding the area to provide space to create a muscular skeletal institute in the College of Medicine and Public Health's new Department of Orthopaedics. University Hospitals is funding the $3 million project.

Work at the golf course will include upgrading the locker room areas, and the heating and air conditioning and lighting systems. The project also includes the addition of a private locker area for the men's golf team. Athletics is funding the $435,000 project.

Transportation and Parking Services is funding the $280,777 renovation at the Ohio Union Parking Garage, which will upgrade the east elevator area.