Heart & Lung Institute receives $10 million gift

A $10 million gift from the foundation representing one of Ohio State's most generous supporters will advance research at the newly opened OSU Heart & Lung Research Institute.

The gift, announced Oct. 13 at the institute's opening ceremony, was made possible by the William H. Davis, Dorothy M. Davis, and William C. Davis Foundation. In making the announcement, University President William E. Kirwan said the building will be named the Dorothy M. Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute.

"The love and devotion Dorothy Davis had for this University was truly extraordinary," Kirwan said. "Her profound compassion for all people will have a continued presence in the medical research conducted at Ohio State and the discoveries that will someday help end the pain and loss of life caused by heart and lung disease."

Davis, a Westerville resident who died in 1996, and her husband, the late William H. Davis, were lifelong supporters of Ohio State. The Heart & Lung Research Institute is the third campus structure bearing the Davis name, in honor of the family's philanthropic generosity and support.

Fred Sanfilippo, senior vice president for health sciences and dean of the College of Medicine and Public Health, said the Davis gift will accelerate and strengthen research initiatives that can lead to new treatments for cardiac and pulmonary disorders.

"The Dorothy M. Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute will provide scientists with an exceptional research facility and resources to study diseases at the most basic level -- that of cells and genes," Sanfilippo said.

"Researchers and clinicians working in concert will be able to develop protocols and treatments and make them available to our patients, in many cases years before such treatments are available elsewhere."

The facility, with a staff of 40 celebrated principal investigators, will be one of the nation's only free-standing institutions devoted entirely to research of diseases affecting the heart, lungs and vessels.

Other gifts to Ohio State by Dorothy Davis, her family and foundation include:

• The William H. Davis Chair in the American Free Enterprise System in the Fisher College of Business;

• William H. Davis Medical Research Center Fund supporting research related to normal aging at the William H. Davis Medical Research Center on the medical campus;

• William H. Davis Endowment for Basic Medical Research;

• Dorothy M. Davis Chair in Cancer Research at The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute; and

• A gift from Dorothy Davis in memory of her stepson, William C. Davis, helped make possible the new Bill Davis Baseball Stadium at Ohio State.

By Kevin Fitzsimons Frank W. Hale Jr., center, who was vice provost for minority affairs for 10 years before retiring in 1988, participates in a 1998 panel discussion on the value of diversity with President Kirwan and Clark Kellogg. Kirwan appointed Hale to the position of distinguished University representative/consultant in 1999. Mac Stewart, dean of University College and associate provost for undergraduate studies, is serving as interim vice provost.

OMA looks forward to energized future

For the Office of Minority Affairs (OMA), the year 2000 provides a chance to recognize a respected past and the opportunity to look forward to an energized future.

Founded in 1970, OMA has been an Ohio State institution for 30 years. The office, which focuses on recruitment, retention and graduation of racially and ethnically diverse students, is a key player in working toward Ohio State's goals for diversity.

"This is an interesting time for OMA, with a 30-year anniversary and with a change of leadership," said Mac Stewart, interim vice provost for minority affairs. Stewart, dean of University College and associate provost for undergraduate studies, will lead the office until a search for a permanent vice provost is completed.

OMA is taking a careful look this year at its role at the University, Stewart said. "We're looking to see if we want to continue with the goals and mission from 30 years ago, or if it is time to modify them," Stewart said.

The recent release of the University's Diversity Action Plan will have an impact on OMA. "This particular office will be intricately involved in the implementation of the Diversity Action Plan," Stewart said. "The diversity plan has given us some new guidelines. Not only do we need to grow in retention, we also need to develop more faculty mentors."

Executive Vice President and Provost Edward J. Ray agreed. "This is a time for both celebration and rededication to the goals that led to the establishment of OMA," Ray said. "One lesson we have learned is that creating and maintaining both diversity and a sense of community on this campus is everyone's responsibility. Too much has been asked of OMA for too long. As we move forward in enhancing diversity on campus, OMA will play a vital role in determining whether we succeed or fail, but partners are needed in every corner of the University if we are to realize the promise with which OMA was created 30 years ago."

As part of its anniversary celebrations, OMA is hosting a Minority Alumni Reunion Weekend Nov. 2-5. "We've decided to focus on the success of our minority alumni," Stewart said. Alumni will have the chance to attend a Diversity Forum with President William E. Kirwan, take tours of the Frank W. Hale Jr. Black Cultural Center, and meet at college- and OMA-sponsored receptions (see schedule below).

"This is the first time we've invited alumni back," Stewart said. "There appears to be a lot of excitement about the event, even for those who can't make it to campus."

OMA was formed out of the same student activist movement that called for the creation of Ohio State's Department of Black Studies (see related story, this page). William J. Holloway was the office's first vice provost.

"OMA provides a platform for helping groups celebrate their diversity, to help communities understand what diversity is, and to help them appreciate that diversity," said Frank W. Hale Jr., vice provost and professor emeritus and distinguished University representative/consultant. Hale succeeded Holloway as vice provost for minority affairs in 1978, and held that position until his retirement in 1988.

Hale came to the University in 1971 as associate dean of the Graduate School and chair of the fellowship committee. He worked with OMA, the Graduate School and professional colleges, and the presidents of black colleges and universities to initiate Graduate and Professional Schools Visitation Days, which served to recruit minority students with strong undergraduate academic records to Ohio State. When he became vice provost for minority affairs, the visitation program was transferred to OMA.

"The program became the premier program in the nation for recruiting black students, and has been replicated by many institutions," Hale said, noting that Ohio State in the early 1970s ranked first in the nation in producing African American Ph.D.s.

The Minority Scholars Program was also begun during Hale's tenure. "In about 1980, I became concerned about our lack of ability to attract some very high-ranking high school seniors," Hale said. He had observed that many promising minority students were leaving the state to attend prestigious colleges. "I spoke to the president and provost about initiating a pilot program in Columbus high schools to identify students with GPAs of 3.0 and above and provide them with scholarships to come here," he said.

In 1982, the program attracted 26 students. OMA expanded the program to include the entire state, and it now supports several hundred students a year.

Hale also looks back with pride on the Community Advisory Council, which kept University officials in touch with Columbus-area leaders, and on the strong relationships OMA formed with community churches, schools and businesses. Hale regularly led teams of Ohio State faculty and staff in making presentations about University programs and meeting with prospective students and their families.

"It was a wonderful chance to speak about opportunities at Ohio State and to show that at this large university, there were points of contact," Hale said.

Hale said Ohio State's successes were a product of efforts to form a welcoming environment through collaborations in departments and offices across the University, strong financial aid incentives, development of social support services and the presence of minority faculty.

The Hale Center was originally proposed by the Department of Black Studies when William E. Nelson was chair. Discussions with students, faculty and staff led to the recommendation that the center, which opened its doors to students in 1989, be operated by OMA.

OMA's anniversary is a time for reflection, Hale said, but also a call for action. "We have to admit we've got a job to do in terms of diversity on campus," he said. "The 30th anniversary is to remind us of what accomplishments have happened over the past 30 years, but it also reminds us that we don't need to stop there -- we need to continue to turn out top people in every area. It's not going to work until we know diversity is the business of everybody on campus."

Stewart concurred that OMA and the University have many goals to work toward, but said the office has a lot of strong programs in place.

"We continue to be very proud of the Graduate and Professional Schools Visitation Days," he said. "Another strong program is our Minority Scholars Program. We continue to get very fine students through that program, and are getting them in larger numbers." As additional examples, he cited the Young Scholars program, the Freshman Foundation program, the many services offered through the Hale Center, and annual programs like the Career and Job Fair, the Faculty/Staff Colloquy and the Big Ten Minority Affairs Conference.

"Recently, we haven't been where we wanted to be, but the key is there was a period when Ohio State was undisputed as a leader," Stewart said. "We know that this institution can be better, because we have been there."

Alumni reunion details

Cultural Center Tours, 8:30 a.m.- 7 p.m. Nov. 3, Hale Cultural Center.

Diversity Forum: 6-7:30 p.m. Nov. 3, 100 Mendenhall Lab.

Alumni Reception: 7:30-9:30 p.m. Nov. 3, Faculty Club.

Tailgate Party: 2 1/2 hours prior to kickoff Nov. 4, University Plaza Hotel.

Farewell Breakfast: 8-10 a.m. Nov. 5, University Plaza Hotel.

Visit the OMA Web site at www.osu.edu/minorityreunion

AAAS arrives at 30-year teaching milestone

As it celebrates its 30th birthday this year, the Department of African American and African Studies (AAAS) enjoys a reputation as one of the largest, most comprehensive departments in its discipline in the country.

When AAAS, formerly the Department of Black Studies, began in 1970, it was a product of that era's student activist movement.

"This has been a long, long journey," said William T. McDaniel Jr., interim chair of AAAS. "Unlike other departments, we had to wage a fight to get to this point. Many students, faculty and staff had to make great sacrifices to bring this department to campus."

By Jo McCulty   Among African American and African Studies outreach activities is the Seniors Only Computer Series at the AAAS Community Extension Center. Student volunteers have assisted 112 seniors since the program began in 1999.

The department's primary mission today is to stimulate teaching and research about the black experience in the U.S., Africa and throughout the African Diaspora, and to encourage students and others to assess various strategies for advancing human progress through the examination of the worldwide struggle for black freedom.

AAAS offers approximately 115 courses leading to the bachelor of arts and master of arts degrees, with courses offered in literature, music, the social sciences, community development, and the Swahili, Yoruba, Hausa and Zulu languages.

The Black Studies Library, in room 210 of the Main Library, is lauded as one of the best repositories of black resource material in the country, with an extensive collection of African American newspapers, periodicals and books.

Community outreach is a focus area for the department, which sponsors the AAAS Community Extension Center at 905 Mt. Vernon Ave. The center conducts research projects, hosts symposia and national conferences, and offers credit and noncredit courses to OSU students and community residents.

As part of the activities recognizing the department's 30-year history, a panel discussion on the creation of the department was held Oct. 13 in the Frank W. Hale Jr. Black Cultural Center.

The seven panelists, all of whom were students, faculty or administrators on campus in the late 1960s and early 1970s, outlined the events that led to the formation of a Black Studies Department at Ohio State.

Panelist William E. Nelson, professor of African American and African studies and political science, served as the department's chair for 13 years. He came to the University in 1969 to teach political science.

Student requests for a Black Studies program led to an investigation of the need for such a unit. When that investigation resulted in a recommendation that a program in Black Studies be started, a committee was formed in the fall of 1969 to coordinate that process.

Nelson served on the committee, which he said ran into difficulties finding a home for the program that would begin as the Division of Black Studies.

The group found a welcoming atmosphere in the College of Humanities. "Dean (Charles) Babcock was truly supportive. He was genuine and committed and gave not only his political support but his resources, as well," Nelson said.

Charles Babcock, faculty emeritus in Greek and Latin and former dean of the College of Humanities, was also a panelist in the discussion. "We were a more fertile field on which to throw those seeds at that particular point of time," he said.

"On Oct. 13, 1969, the faculty of the College of Humanities voted unanimously to establish a Black Studies Division," Babcock said. "There was a good deal of support, particularly for the interdisciplinary nature of Black Studies."

The coordinating committee recommended dual majors for all Black Studies students, and dual appointments for all faculty, with salaries paid by Black Studies. After a nationwide search, the committee nominated Charles Ross, a political activist and professor of social work at the University of Chicago, for the position of director.

When the University administration proposed a smaller budget for the program than anticipated, student organizers became upset, Nelson said. During late April and early May of 1970, protests on campus escalated. The National Guard was called to campus on April 29, and on May 6, 1970, President Novice Fawcett declared a seven-day shut-down of the University.

During the shutdown, administrators and faculty met and agreed on a budget appropriate to start a department, Nelson said.

In October 1970, Black Studies was granted formal division status by the College of Humanities. Ross led the division for its first year. Nelson was selected as interim director the following year. In December 1972, Black Studies received departmental status, and in 1973, began to offer graduate training.

Other panelists included former student protesters Machuma Bandele, Paul Cook and Ako Kambon; Ross, associate professor of social work; and E. Okechukwu Odita, professor of history of art and African American and African studies.

The panelists encouraged current students and faculty to remain active, and to make the department more than just an academic unit. "Some of the issues we were dealing with, you are still dealing with. Every day, even in the year 2000, we are still fighting for things that ought to be naturally ours," Kambon said.

A variety of events will take place this year in honor of the anniversary. Highlights include a photography exhibit on display in the Hale Center this fall, Bricker Hall this winter, and the AAAS Black Community Extension Center in the spring. Six public issues forums are being held at the extension center. The next forum, "The State of the Black Community: A View from City Hall," will be held Nov. 16.

A national symposium, "30 years of Black Studies: Transforming our Discipline, Transforming Ourselves," is scheduled for May 3-5, 2001. A film festival also is planned for next May.

Visit http://aaas.ohio-state.edu/ for a complete listing of upcoming events.

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