Cecella McFadden

USAC elects new chair, looks forward to the new year

For Ohio State's University Staff Advisory Committee, the past 12 months have served as a time of speaking up -- bringing staff issues and concerns to the table in a variety of forums. The past year also has served as a time of listening, with USAC sponsoring more than 20 "listen sessions" around campus and hosting two town meetings with President Kirwan.

"We made some definite contributions on behalf of staff this year," said USAC Chair Jamie Mathews-Mead, director of MBA career programming for the Fisher College of Business. On July 1, she will pass on leadership responsibilities to Cecelia McFadden, manager for the Urban Regional Analysis Initiative.

"It has been a fantastic year for USAC,"Kirwan said. "I could not be more impressed by the work of this committee. This University is so blessed to have such dedicated faculty and staff."

As one of the past year's highlights, Mathews-Mead pointed to USAC's role, partnering with the Office of Human Resources, in the formation of a Commission on Staff Development and Work/Life. The commission is charged with facilitating a comprehensive study of Ohio State's nonbargaining staff.

"It will help us to hone in on the quality of life for staff at the University and will give us concrete data regarding staff issues, in addition to the more anecdotal information we collect over the year,"she said. "We're very committed to following up after the survey, and taking action on the findings, where appropriate."

Mathews-Mead said USAC also was proud to have two members serve on the Presidential Commission on Faculty Governance. "I think it is very important to have staff be involved in that dialogue,"she said. The commission was convened in the winter to review the structure of the University Senate and its effectiveness as part of an overall look at University governance.

Noting the all-campus town meetings held at the College of Law in February and at the University Medical Center in April, Mathews-Mead said, "I couldn't be happier with the relationship we have had with President Kirwan this year. I think our outreach events with him went really well. He gave us a lot of his time."USAC also organized three lunches with the president, held in his office, to give smaller groups the chance to talk with him. Kirwan hosted staff from the offices of Residence Life and Environmental Health and Safety and the Medical Center.

Other activities undertaken by USAC this year include: presenting the annual Staff Compensation and Benefits Report to the University's senior administrators; helping initiate a staff discount for COTA bus passes; organizing the annual Hidden Benefits Fair; hosting a pep rally; approving changes to USAC by-laws to maintain continuity in leadership transitions; and volunteering for the WOSU Fund Drive, Welcome Week and Homecoming.

McFadden, USAC's chair for 2000-01, said she is looking forward to the next year. "We want to continue the work we're doing with the Commission on Staff Development and Work/Life and continue to be active on the President's Commission on Faculty Governance,"she said.

"We'd also like to establish a staff voice in the technology issue," McFadden said. "Right now, there is no formal voice for staff, even though we often have different technological needs than students and faculty."

Other plans on the horizon include working more closely with local staff advisory councils and assisting in the formation of new councils. This year's "listen sessions,"in which University staff were given the chance to raise issues and concerns in a discussion format, were co-hosted in many cases by department- or college-level staff committees.

USAC also may initiate a speakers series in the coming year. "We're talking about sponsoring speakers in participation with other organizations around campus to speak on issues important to staff,"McFadden said.

USAC was established in 1986 by President Edward Jennings, and has evolved from a committee of 17 to 30. Members serve three-year terms, with 10 new members rotating on each year. Classified civil service, unclassified administrative and professional, and senior administrative and professional staff members with a minimum of two years of University service are eligible. Members are appointed by the University president.

USAC officers are elected by the members of USAC. Next year, Richard Wofford, editor for the Office of the Chief Information Officer, will serve as vice-chair, and Cheryl Petrilla, public relations specialist for WOSU, will serve as secretary/treasurer.

New USAC members appointed by President Kirwan for three-year terms are: Adel S. Awadallah, office staff coordinator for transportation and parking services; Eva-Marie Banks, information assistant for human resources; Taisha A. Caslin, manager of business services for the Ohio Union; Lesley A. Holland, manager of campus mail for University mail services; Julee M. Klima, student orientation coordinator for University College; Charles J. Klink, associate director of the counseling and consultation service; Brenda Lesko, business manager for OARNET; Ann M. Pavlov, program coordinator for the University honors and scholars; Barbara J. Preston, facilities office manager for athletics; and Madeline Weisz, consultant for organization and human resources development.

Student GPAs will determine graduation honors designation

Honors designations for graduation at Ohio State will be determined by student grade-point averages rather than enrollment unit percentages in coming quarters.

The University Board of Trustees on June 2 approved amendments to the Rules of the University Faculty altering the standards for the cum laude, magna cum laude and summa cum laude designations. Under the new rules, the designation summa cum laude may be granted to students with a 3.9 GPA or higher, magna cum laude is achievable by students with at least a 3.7 GPA, and students must earn at least a 3.5 GPA to receive the cum laude designation.

The previous rule limited the number of students to receive the Latin honors to 10 percent of a graduating class and further limited summa cum laude and magna cum laude designations to 6 percent. The number of students accorded summa cum laude was not to exceed 3 percent of the graduating classes of an enrollment unit.

"The current percentage formula means some students don't receive Latin honors even though they're academically very strong,"Carol Bininger, chair of University Senate's Council on Enrollment and Student Progress for 1999-2000, told senators this spring. The council proposed the change to Senate based on a recommendation from the Secretaries of the Colleges. Senate approved the changes in May and forwarded the proposal to trustees for final approval.

Bininger, an assistant professor in the Department of Community, Parent-child and Psychiatric Nursing, added that Ohio State's increasingly stronger student body has led to a higher number of students attaining eligibility for honors designations when they graduate.

In proposing the change, the council noted that the GPA standard would make Ohio State's rules more similar to standards at comparable higher education institutions, as well as several in Ohio.

Bininger also said several OSU enrollment units already had begun disregarding the percentage requirements because of the limitations they placed on appropriately recognizing student achievement.

"The students in several enrollment units are unfairly disadvantaged by the current standards,"the council's Senate resolution stated. Finally, the council emphasized that the GPA standard will give students a specific target to pursue.

The proposal was intended to become effective for the next full quarter after Board of Trustees approval. The rule continues to allow the Council on Academic Affairs to adopt standards for graduation "with distinction" or "with honors"in special subjects, and allows enrollment units to establish additional stipulations for the Latin honors beyond the minimum GPA standards set for the entire University.

New residence is donated for OSU presidents

Presidents of Ohio State will be getting a new home thanks to the generosity of longtime University supporters.

Ron and Ann Pizzuti will donate their home at 80 N. Drexel Ave. in Bexley as a residence for the University president in exchange for the home now used as the University Residence, located at 2416 Commonwealth Park N., also in Bexley.

The Pizzuti residence is appraised at $2.3 million. The difference between the appraised value of the Pizzuti home and the eventual selling price of the current University Residence will represent the actual gift from the Pizzutis to Ohio State.

The current residence is expected to sell for $1 million, representing a $1.3 million Pizzuti family gift. The gift is being made to The Ohio State University Foundation, which also owns the current University Residence.

"This is a gift of enormous value and significance to the University," said Jerry May, vice president for development and president of the OSU Foundation. "The new residence will be not only a great home for Ohio State presidents but also an adaptable and useful facility for multiple University uses. We deeply appreciate the Pizzutis' generosity and thoughtfulness, and their continuing support of Ohio State."

The president's residence is used extensively for University events for students, faculty and staff, and for receptions, recognition dinners, and other activities in support of Ohio State fund-raising efforts and community outreach programs. More than 50 events involving up to 3,000 people are expected to be held at the residence next academic year.

The Pizzuti house will be more conducive to this type of use. The Pizzutis purchased the house in 1975 and made extensive renovations and additions during the mid-1980s, more than doubling the first-floor entertainment area. It has nearly 8,900 square feet and can seat more than 100 for dinner, whereas the current University Residence has about 5,100 square feet and can seat no more than 35 for dinner.

The new residence has ample space for outdoor entertaining as it is located on 1.3 acres, compared to the .46 acres of the current residence. The Pizzuti residence has off-street parking for small events, as well as accommodations for housing overnight University guests -- a feature not available in the current residence.

The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of the calendar year. The Pizzutis will sell the Commonwealth Park North property and move to Miranova, a new downtown residential tower, in late fall. President Kirwan and his wife, Patty, are expected to move into the new residence early next spring following modifications to make it accessible in accordance with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.