Staff Advisory Committee plans change in leadership

Cecelia McFadden, chair of the University Staff Advisory Committee, will pass her leadership responsibilities to USAC's vice chair, Richard Wofford, on Nov. 1. McFadden, manager for the Urban Regional Analysis Initiative, is leaving Ohio State for a position in Mayor Michael Coleman's office to work on Columbus technology initiatives.

"There will be a seamless transition during the whole process,"McFadden said. "It has really been a team effort to make things happen this year, with Richard as vice chair and Cheryl Petrilla as secretary/treasurer. The three of us have charted out a course for 2001, and Richard will be very capable of getting those goals accomplished."

In accordance with the bylaws of USAC, the vice chair assumes the chair's duties for the balance of the term, which terminates on July 1. USAC will hold internal committee elections in November to fill the vacated vice chair position and a recommendation will be made to President William E. Kirwan to appoint a new member.

Richard Wofford will assume duties as chair of the University Staff Advisory Committee on Nov. 1.

Wofford, interim director of marketing and communications in the Office of the Chief Information Officer, is in his third year on USAC.

"I want to thank Cecelia for her leadership of USAC. I will miss her, but know this is a wonderful opportunity where she can change people's lives forever. I wish her well in her new position,"Wofford said.

"I'm very excited about the challenges ahead. I want to keep USAC's momentum strong, and continue to advocate staff issues to the president."

Wofford said he wants to work closely with local and regional staff councils, and bring staff concerns to the forefront.

McFadden expressed regret for leaving the University. "I love Ohio State. I have a sincere, fond affection for the provost and the president and this was a tough decision for me. But I feel what I'll be able to accomplish at the city will ultimately impact not only the citizens of Columbus, but also this campus."

USAC has several programs planned for staff this fall, including an informal discussion with Kirwan, "Tea with the President,"from 4-6 p.m. Oct. 31 at Longaberger Alumni House. Refreshments will be available. The sixth annual Hidden Benefits Fair will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 13 in French Field House. Later this fall, Listen Sessions will be held in small venues around the University to solicit staff feedback for USAC's annual Staff Compensation and Benefits Report to the University administration.

USAC was established in 1986 by former 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. Nonbargaining unit 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 president.

For more information, visit USAC's Web site at www.osu.edu/org/usac/.

Ohio State names new chief information officer

Executive Vice President and Provost Edward J. Ray, with the concurrence of President William E. Kirwan, has selected a new chief information officer (CIO) for Ohio State. The appointment of Ilee Rhimes Jr., vice chancellor for information technology and chief information officer for the City Colleges of Chicago, is subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees at its Nov. 3 meeting. If approved, the appointment would be effective Nov. 15.

Rhimes will replace Eileen Strider, who served as interim CIO from March 1 to July 31.

As CIO, Rhimes will oversee the Office of Information Technology (formerly University Technology Services and Administrative Resource Management System), UNITS and Technology Enhanced Learning and Research (TELR). He also will be responsible for leading the development of information technology strategies and programs for one of the nation's largest universities.

Ilee Rhimes Jr. has been selected as the new chief information officer for Ohio State.

Announcing the appointment on Oct. 3, Ray said, "Mr. Rhimes has extensive and solid experience in the methods, operations, development and management of technological systems, both in academia and in the corporate world. I am confident that he will bring the expertise and vision that we need to lead the Office of Information Technology, and I look forward to getting him on board."

Rhimes joined the City Colleges of Chicago, a seven-campus community college system, as vice chancellor for information technology and CIO in October 1999. In the past year, Rhimes restructured and led the completion of the PeopleSoft Human Resource system there, and initiated an integrated technology strategy and planning initiative.

He also has served as a senior principal for American Management Systems, a technology corporation based in Fairfax, Va. Rhimes previously served as CIO for Kent State University, and as the university's interim vice president for business and finance and associate vice president for business and finance.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to become the CIO at The Ohio State University,"Rhimes said. "And I am looking forward to working with faculty, students and staff to build on the success of the past to an even greater future."

Rhimes received a bachelor of arts degree from Governors State University, University Park, Ill., and a master's degree in business administration from Miami University, Oxford.

Countdown in progress to new www.osu.edu

The countdown has begun toward the introduction of a new Ohio State homepage, which will take the University to new heights in Web design and dramatically increase accessibility to campus links.

The New Media staff within University Relations will unveil the page at www.osu.edu on Oct. 16. No content of the existing page will be lost, but plenty will be added -- including more than 100 links to key University sites.

"This site takes us way ahead of other universities,"said Ted Hattemer, director of New Media. "The level of sophistication of our site and the number of times per week information changes on the front page are rare features on university Web sites.

"It's also important to improve Web communication at this time in Ohio State's history, because it will enhance understanding of the University's Academic Plan agenda,"Hattemer said.

The visual rotating "splash page"feature concept will remain, and the site also will rotate highlighted sites detailing the University's key initiatives, such as the Academic Plan and Diversity Action Plan, outreach and engagement, and research and technology.

The top right corner of the homepage will feature an enhanced search function, including direct links to areas currently linked to the front page plus a few additional links: prospective and current students, alumni, faculty and staff, services and centers, libraries, regional campuses, quick facts, key initiatives and athletics. Under those links are layers to even more links, expanding what the front door has to offer.

And then there's more. Users can scroll down to a comprehensive list of links to dozens of hot spots on topics ranging from bus service and the Board of Trustees to course registration and residence life.

"The page is structured with the most critical links at the top, and the index farther down the page, so people with smaller monitors don't experience any less access than those with larger monitors,"said Jim Burgoon, web designer.

Added Editor Jerry Dannemiller, "You can think of it as a newspaper, with information above and below the fold. It's a visual depiction of the way Ohio State is best portrayed -- as forward-thinking."

In this competitive era, appearing otherwise is to be avoided. So the New Media staff, recognizing the previous homepage design had built-in limitations, launched the effort to update its appearance and underlying structure last spring. A student survey -- of both opinions and surfing habits -- drove much of the design; approximately 70 percent of homepage users are students.

The two most popular requests were for more links and a more prominent and powerful search function. In addition, two sessions with the University's Web Interest Group provided valuable feedback to the design concept and content, intended to open up the homepage's possibilities.

"With this new structure, there are a number of stationary links on the site that expand our options in terms of information we can plug into," said Ellen Hoover, web designer.

The next step will be to improve the design and accessibility of the links one layer beyond the homepage. A revamped prospective student site is expected to surface soon, and a new diversity Web site (www.osu.edu/diversity/) for the University went live on Sept. 28.

"The University's new diversity site embraces the concept of diversity to its core,"said Dave Ferguson, associate vice president for University Relations and a member of the University's Diversity Action Plan Committee. "We want this site to function as a comprehensive calendar and information base for and about our rich community, and to highlight progress made toward our institutional goal to enhance the richness of Ohio State's diverse community."

The New Media unit is relatively new at Ohio State, launched with the arrival of Hattemer in January 1999. Burgoon joined the staff in August 1999, and Dannemiller and Hoover rounded out the unit when it expanded in June.

Though available expansion of the "real estate"on the homepage remains limited, the New Media staff will accept suggestions and materials for the rotating feature pages. Staff can be reached by e-mail at hattemer.1@osu.edu, burgoon.5@osu.edu, dannemiller.8@osu.edu or hoover.5@osu.edu.

OSU receives gifts from Nationwide, Trustee Slane

Ohio State has announced a five-year grant of more than $4.5 million from the Nationwide Foundation in support of a variety of programs and initiatives:

• College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences: Ohio 4-H Center, creation of centralized program space, $2 million; Center for Education and Economic Development (CEED), $300,000; Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Program, $100,000.

• Max M. Fisher College of Business: Innovation Fund, $1 million.

• WOSU Stations: Digital format support, $500,000.

• Student Affairs: Nationwide Living-Learning Community on Diversity and Public Service: Diversity Transcript and Certificate of Diversity Leadership (namings are pending trustees approval), $325,000.

• Frank W. Hale Jr. Black Cultural Center: Martin Luther King Jr. Lounge, $250,000.

• Critical Difference for Women Program: Nationwide Re-Entry Scholarship for Women (naming pending trustees approval), $100,000.

"Nationwide has long been one of the University's most treasured community partners,"said Ohio State President William E. Kirwan. "I am very pleased by this generous grant, which reflects our strong alliance, and I look forward to future Ohio State-Nationwide collaborations."

Nationwide's generous tradition of support for Ohio State includes past grants to the Fisher College of Business; the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences; the Department of Athletics; WOSU Stations; the Wexner Center for the Arts; the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute; and numerous other programs across campus.

"Nationwide is pleased to add a new chapter to its long history of supporting Ohio State,"said Nationwide Chairman Dimon R. McFerson, also a University trustee. "This gift represents the largest single grant that Nationwide has provided the University to date. It allows us to further our mutual heritage in agri-business, as well as to provide new support to other vital components of Ohio State."

The Nationwide Foundation is the charitable arm of Nationwide.

Ohio State also has received a gift of $1 million from University Trustee Daniel M. Slane. The gift will benefit the College of Law, the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, and the Manuel Tzagournis, M.D., Medical Research Endowment Trust.

"Dan's gift exemplifies the spirit of his service to the Board of Trustees and his deep level of personal investment in Ohio State,"Kirwan said. "I am delighted by and grateful for his extraordinary leadership and generosity."

Slane is the founder and co-owner of The Slane Co., which developed, owns and operates 88 shopping centers and commercial developments in 12 states. A two-time graduate of Ohio State, he also earned a M.A. in international law from the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Slane came to Ohio State on a wrestling scholarship and believes that his experience here changed his life. "I'm very indebted to Ohio State because it gave me the opportunity to make something of my life,"he said.