Center for Urban and Regional Analysis approved by Board of Trustees

Ohio State is poised to leverage years of state financial support and the expertise of dozens of faculty members by establishing a Center for Urban and Regional Analysis (CURA) with potential to quickly garner additional external funding and gain national stature.

The University Board of Trustees on April 6 approved the creation of the center, which will foster interdisciplinary research on urban and regional issues at the city, state, regional, national and international level. The center also is intended to serve as a catalyst for the urban research community and to provide a clearinghouse for urban-related materials, data and publications.

The center will position itself as a research-oriented"think tank" with the capability of adding a research focus in urban fields to existing and emerging projects, said Morton O'Kelly, professor of geography and project leader of the Urban and Regional Analysis Initiative, an interim organization charged with establishing the CURA.

Through the hiring of a permanent director and staff, the center will coordinate and promote interdisciplinary research that, to date, has been approached more often on an individual basis by faculty in numerous disciplines at Ohio State. The University boasts highly ranked programs in several fields associated with urban analysis, including geography, city and regional planning, sociology, economics, and public policy and management. Within those fields and others, ranging from the arts and humanities to law and nursing, Ohio State is known for its experts in areas ranging from community health and criminology to housing, transportation, urban sprawl and demographics.

Writers of the center proposal estimate that 100 faculty in many colleges are interested in urban and regional issues."Although Ohio State has significant collective strength in urban/regional analysis, there has been no mechanism for these collective forces to be marshaled more efficiently in the interests of national, regional and local fundamental and policy-relevant research," O'Kelly said.

The state of Ohio has distributed funds to eight universities for urban-related studies and programs for almost 20 years. Ohio State, distributing the funds to date to researchers via the Committee on Urban Affairs, is the last of those schools to create a center focusing on urban concerns. O'Kelly noted that many faculty who have received funding awarded by the Committee on Urban Affairs report that they have obtained external funding that, combined, far exceeds the original investment.

The center is currently housed in Derby Hall, with eventual plans to co-locate with other public policy initiatives. Among its goals are plans to include a strong outreach component. The center also will seek to nurture interdisciplinary groups of scholars working on urban issues by: identifying urban research interests of several important constituencies; informing researchers of grant opportunities as well as each others' work; hosting colloquia and seminars, publishing newsletters and sponsoring conferences as a clearinghouse for urban-related materials; and running a lab to enhance research and outreach.

The center begins with funding from the Office of Academic Affairs, state allocations and matching funds from University units. Within three years, the center is expected to achieve fiscal stability by attracting ongoing external funding for applied and fundamental research.

O'Kelly and Hazel Morrow-Jones, associate professor of city and regional planning and associate project leader, consulted widely in developing the center proposal, which reflects several years of discussion about Ohio State's potential to host such a center.

Saltz among key appointments approved

The University Board of Trustees approved several appointments during its April 6 meeting held at the Marion campus.

The board approved the appointment of Joel H. Saltz to chair the newly formed Department of Medical Informatics in Ohio State's College of Medicine and Public Health. A Johns Hopkins scientist recognized as one of the world's foremost experts in high performance computing, Saltz has been recruited to give a leadership role in the new and rapidly expanding field of medical informatics, a burgeoning discipline that integrates information research and management into the practice of medicine, and provides scientists with the means to obtain and share concise data needed for furthering research initiatives.

Recruited by Fred Sanfilippo, senior vice president for health sciences and dean of the College of Medicine and Public Health, Saltz is one of several high-caliber researchers hired in the past two years by Ohio State to create and spearhead one-of-a-kind research programs.

Saltz, 44, holds a dual appointment as senior fellow at the Ohio SuperComputer Center, and appointments in the Department of Pathology and Department of Computer and Information Science. He also will serve as chief information officer and associate vice president for health sciences, and chair of the Department of Anatomy and Medical Education.

At Johns Hopkins University, Saltz was a professor and director of the division of informatics in the Department of Pathology. He held a second appointment at the University of Maryland, where he was director of the high-performance systems software laboratory. He has a medical degree in pathology and doctorate in computer science, both from Duke University.

During the past three years, Saltz and his research team at Johns Hopkins have designed a software system application termed"Virtual Microscope" that provides realistic digital emulation of high power light microscope slides. The software is designed to mimic the behavior of an actual microscope, complete with varying stage motion and changing magnification.

Sanfilippo said Saltz is considered by many people to be among a select group of"architects" for medical informatics.

"It's very clear informatics technology is changing the way medicine around the world is practiced, and Joel is the standard-bearer for this movement," Sanfilippo said."The Department of Medical Informatics will have considerable impact on the work of our faculty researchers and, in many ways, determine their success and that of the University as it continues to develop into one of the country's more active research campuses."

As professor and chair of medical informatics, Saltz will collaborate with researchers throughout the University, including engineering, biological and physical sciences, to develop sophisticated systems to support diverse research pursuits.

Trustees also approved two other department chair appointments:

• Clark S. Larsen has been named chair of the Department of Anthropology in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, effective July 1 through June 30, 2005. An internationally recognized authority on bioarchaeology, Larsen currently is the Amos Hawley Distinguished Term Professor of Anthropology in the Department of Anthropology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He holds a B.A. in anthropology from Kansas State University and an M.A. and Ph.D. in biological anthropology from the University of Michigan. Larsen is president of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists and will assume the editorship of the American Journal of Anthropology on May 1.

• Kenneth W. Goings has been named chair of the Department of African-American and African Studies in the College of Humanities, effective Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2005. Currently Dunavant University Professor at the University of Memphis in Tennessee, Goings holds a B.S. in education from Kent State University and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Princeton University. He has twice won the Outstanding Book Award on the Subject of Human Rights from the Gustavus Myers Center for his books, Mammy and Uncle Mose: Black Collectibles and American Stereotyping (1994) and The N.A.A.C.P. Comes of Age: The Defeat of Judge John J. Parker (1990). He has also held faculty positions at the College of Wooster, Rhodes College in Memphis and Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.

Marion campus report presented

The board heard a presentation on"The Regional Campus Experience," focusing on the Marion campus. Ohio State's regional campuses excel in their student-focused teaching; their partnerships with community businesses and schools; their efforts at achieving diversity; and the enthusiasm and spirit of their faculty, staff and students, said Marion Dean Dominic Dottavio, who introduced two students, Jillian Bores and Curtis Tuggle, and community member Theresa Lane to speak about their experiences.

Construction work authorized

Trustees authorized the University to hire architects and engineering firms and to seek construction bids for four projects, and approved contracts awarded for four others.

• A construction manager will be hired to assist with the design and construction of the renovations and retrofit of the Wexner Center for the Arts to correct building envelope and system problems, improve public circulation and enhance security. The total estimated project cost is $10 million and total estimated construction cost is $7 million, with $1 million provided by House Bill 640 and the remainder from University funds.

• Architect/engineering firms will be hired and construction bids sought for renovations in the Evans Laboratory Lecture Hall. The total estimated project cost in $679,530 and total estimated construction cost is $449,000, with funding provided by House Bill 640 and House Bill 790.

• Construction bids will be sought to create several small conference/classrooms in Rhodes Hall. The estimated project cost is $508,000 and total estimated construction cost is $402,008, with funding provided by University Hospitals.

• Architect/engineering firms will be hired and construction bids sought for renovations at the Marion campus. The total estimated project cost is $120,626 and total estimated construction cost is $76,276, with funding provided by House Bill 640.

Trustees also heard reports of contracts awarded for:

• The Fisher College of Business Executive Residence, which will provide guest rooms, physical fitness facilities, banquet facilities and informal gathering areas for executives attending programs at the Fisher College. The total project cost is $24 million with funding provided by University bond proceeds, with debt service paid by Ohio State's Housing, Food Services and Event Centers.

• Renovation of the third floor of Galvin Hall on the Lima campus for classroom space will cost $1.1 million, with funding provided by House Bill 850. The estimated completion date is November 2001.

• Construction of a one-story addition to the existing MRI facility will house a new magnet room, control room, changing rooms and patient holding area. The total project cost is $1.2 million, with funding provided by University Hospitals.

• Replacement of a steam line in the South Neil tunnel will cost $1.2 million, with funding provided by House Bill 748, House Bill 850 and the Department of Physical Facilities.

Board hears report on development

Two new endowed chairs and two new named professorships were among the funds accepted by trustees.

The George R. Smith Chair in Engineering has been established with a $1.5 million gift from the estate of George R. Smith, a 1935 graduate of Ohio State's College of Engineering. The annual income from the gift will support a distinguished senior faculty member. The Dr. Benjamin R. and Helen Slack Wiltberger Memorial Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery, established with a $1.3 million gift from Helen Slack Wiltberger in memory of her late husband, will be held by a nationally eminent orthopaedic surgeon/faculty member in the College of Medicine and Public Health.

The C. John Easton Professorship in Engineering was established with sales proceeds from property given to The Ohio State University Foundation by Sensotec Inc. of Columbus and with additional funds from the College of Engineering, totaling $588,552.

The D. Warren Brown Designated Professorship in Leukemia Research, established with a $100,000 grant over a five-year period from the Warren Brown Family Foundation, will provide support for a professorship position in the College of Medicine and Public Health and the Comprehensive Cancer Center -- The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.

In addition, trustees established 19 new named endowed funds for a total of $4.6 million in gifts to the Ohio State University Development Fund and The Ohio State University Foundation. Trustees also accepted $16.3 million in research grants and contracts awarded to the Ohio State University Research Foundation. New named endowed funds are:

• The Ohio State University at Lima Scholars Fund, $200,000.

• The Michael Oliver Garraway Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund, $137,500.

• The Jeanne Lambert Research and Education Fund in Nanotechnology, $125,000.

• The Alfred J. Weisbrod Family Scholarship Fund, $103,755.

• The Dr. Harrison D. and Jeanette L. Fortney Athletic Scholarship Fund, $100,000.

• The Bernice Grimm Student Research Endowment Fund, $80,000.

• The Center for Law, Policy and Social Science Fund, $75,000.

• The O'Connell Family Scholarship/Awards Endowment Fund, $50,000.

• The George R. Smith Fund, $40,575.

• The Paul A. Weber Fellowship Fund in Ophthalmology, $34,195.

• The James R. Thomas Innovation Fund, $31,250.

• The Griffith Family Scholarship Endowment Fund, $28,006.

• The Pendergast Global Leadership Endowed Fund, $27,033.

• The Clarence A. MacDonald Athletic Scholarship Fund, $25,000.

• The O'Connell Family Staff Development Endowment Fund, $25,000.

• The Gale E. Roshon Family Scholarship Fund, $25,000.

• The Pamela and Dr. G. Scott Drew Endowed Scholarship Fund, $15,000.

• The Vernon G. and Jane S. Ward Aeronautical Research Fund, $8,733.

• The Vernon G. and Jane S. Ward Horticulture Fund, $6,247.

Nursing reorganizes; residence named

In other business, the board approved the dissolution of the Department of Adult Health and Illness and the Department of Community, Parent-Child and Psychiatric Nursing within the College of Nursing. The dissolution had previously been approved by the reviewing committee, the Council on Academic Affairs and the University Senate.

• In recognition of the generosity of Ann and Ron Pizzutti, who donated their home at 80 N. Drexel Ave. in Bexley to be used as the official residence of the University president, the board approved naming the house"Pizzuti House."