Draft Academic Plan undergoes second iteration

Response to the draft Academic Plan has been substantial and thoughtful -- so much so that presentation of a final version has been delayed for a couple of months, said Edward J. Ray, executive vice president and provost. Distributed in mid-December for campus review, the plan's original timeline called for a final version to be delivered to the Board of Trustees in March. However, the volume and quality of responses have necessitated extending the review and rewriting period, Ray said.

"The comments from faculty, staff and others have been insightful, detailed and extremely helpful," he said. "There is a clear sense that, while there is great support for the concept of charting a clear vision and goals for Ohio State, the draft plan missed the mark in some areas. I am confident that, thanks to the very thoughtful input we have received, the next version will come much closer to articulating a strategy we can all embrace for moving Ohio State into the top rank of America's great public universities."

The plan was printed in the Dec. 9 onCampus and has been linked to the University's homepage since then.

President Kirwan told trustees at their March meeting that alumni and business response to his recent presentations about the Academic Plan has been positive, with much support shown for Ohio State's aspirations.

In a discussion with University Senate in February, Kirwan expressed appreciation for the feedback from faculty, staff and students, which he said showed some consistent threads of concern. Those issues will be fully considered and many of the suggestions will be incorporated in the next version of the plan, he said.

A definite date has not been set for presenting the next version of the plan, but Kirwan and Ray indicated they hope to have a version to the trustees before the end of spring quarter.

Benchmark report illustrates Ohio State's value

Ohio State provides a quality student experience at a reasonable cost, especially when compared with top public institutions in other states and other schools in Ohio, William J. Shkurti, senior vice president for business and finance, told the Board of Trustees March 3 in an annual financial report.

Shkurti outlined how the University's revenue and spending compare with benchmark institutions and within the state. The benchmark institutions are nine universities that are highly ranked academically and comparable to Ohio State in mission, size and configuration. They are Pennsylvania State University and the universities of Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and California, Los Angeles.

At $25,334, Ohio State has 19 percent fewer resources per student than the $31,227 average of its peers. Despite that, Ohio State has maintained its in-state undergraduate tuition and fees 5 percent below the average of $4,355 of the benchmark institutions and 6.3 percent below the $4,386 average of others in the state, Shkurti told trustees. UCLA has the highest revenue per student at $41,393, while Michigan has the highest annual tuition at $6,735.

Compared to benchmark institutions, Ohio State spends above the average for instruction and public service, but well below the average for most other noninstructional services, Shkurti said. The University spent 128 percent of the benchmark average for public service and 108 percent of the average for instruction, but significantly less on support services outside the classroom such as physical plant and student support services.

"Despite limited resources, Ohio State has continued to improve the quality of its academic programs and the quality of the experience of its students," Shkurti said. "This University is a tremendous value to the taxpayers in Ohio."

Ohio State was ranked 37th in academic reputation by U.S. News and World Report in 1997 and has an annual in-state tuition of $4,110 for the 1999-2000 academic year, while Miami University was ranked 65th with tuition of $6,112. Ohio University was ranked 84th and had tuition of $4,800; the University of Cincinnati ranked 116th with tuition of $4,998; and Kent State University was ranked 148th with tuition of $5,014.

Hogan appointed dean of Humanities

Michael J. Hogan, interim dean of the College of Humanities at Ohio State, has been appointed to the position on a permanent basis. The nomination, approved March 3 by the Board of Trustees, was announced Feb. 25 by President Kirwan and Executive Vice President and Provost Edward J. Ray.

Kirwan said Hogan, who previously served as chair of the Department of History, is especially qualified to assume the leadership of the college.

"Dr. Hogan brings a deep commitment to maintaining and increasing the College of Humanities' strong momentum," Kirwan said. "He is widely respected as a scholar and an able administrator. He has a clear vision for the college and he brings to the position the deep respect and support of faculty throughout the college and all those who know him across the campus."

Michael Hogan

Ray added: "Under Mike's leadership, the Department of History earned not only the University Departmental Teaching Award but also a Selective Investment Award. These two awards demonstrate that excellence in teaching and excellence in research thrive side-by-side in a creative and dynamic environment. Mike's stewardship is precisely the leadership we want as we move Ohio State to the top tier of universities in this nation."

Hogan, 55, received his B.A. from the University of Northern Iowa, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. He taught at Miami University for nine years before joining Ohio State in 1986.

Hogan served as chair of the Department of History from 1993 until 1999, when he was named interim dean, succeeding Kermit Hall, who resigned to become provost and vice chancellor at North Carolina State University.

"I am deeply honored by the confidence that President Kirwan and Provost Ray have shown in me," Hogan said. "I believe that the College of Humanities has never been stronger. We have excellent faculty, a deeply committed staff and some of the best students to be found anywhere. The future is indeed bright, and I am optimistic and enthusiastic about what the college will yet achieve."

Hogan's teaching and scholarly interests are in American diplomatic and recent U.S. history. The author of three books, including a prize-winning history of the Marshall Plan, he also is the editor of five additional volumes and a recipient of the University's Distinguished Scholar Award.