TRUSTEES

The Ohio State Board of Trustees held its monthly meeting May 2 in Longaberger Alumni House. Ohio State is governed by a board of 11 trustees (including two nonvoting student members) who are responsible for oversight of academic programs, budgets and general administration, and employment of faculty and staff. The governor annually appoints one voting member to a nine-year term and one nonvoting student member to a two-year term.

Committee, board members announced

The board approved the following appointments of board members to committees and boards:

• Academic and Student Affairs Committee: Tami Longaberger, chair; Daniel M. Slane, vice chair; Douglas G. Borror; new trustee; Paula A. Habib

• Fiscal Affairs Committee: Robert M. Duncan, chair; Jo Ann Davidson, vice chair; Dimon R. McFerson; Karen L. Hendricks; new student trustee

• Facility Planning (ad hoc subcommittee of Fiscal Affairs): Duncan, chair; Slane; Hendricks; Borror

• Audit Committee: McFerson, chair; Longaberger, vice chair; Davidson; Hendricks

• Agricultural Affairs Committee: Slane, chair; Fred L. Dailey, vice chair, ex officio; Duncan; Hendricks; new trustee; new student trustee

• Governance Committee: Zuheir Sofia, chair; Longaberger, vice chair; Slane

• Government Relations Advisory Council: Davidson, chair; Borror, vice chair; Slane, McFerson, Habib, new trustee, David L. Brennan, Michael F. Colley, William Blair, Stan Aronoff

• The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital & Richard J. Solove Research Institute Board: Duncan (3 years), chair; Davidson (3 years)

• University Hospitals Board: Duncan (3 years), Davidson (3 years)

• Campus Partners Board: Borror (3 years)
• Research Foundation Board of Directors: Hendricks (2 years)

• University Foundation Board ex officio: Class of Directors: Longaberger (1 year), McFerson (2 years), Borror (3 years)

• Wexner Center Foundation Board: Leslie H. Wexner (2005), Davidson

• Ohio State University Affiliates, Inc.: Affiliated Entities Committee: Sofia (1 year), Longaberger (2 years), Slane (3 years)

• Regional Campus Trustee Liaisons: Davidson, Mansfield; Longaberger, Newark; Duncan, Marion; new trustee, Lima

• Self-Insurance Trust Board: McFerson (3 years)

• Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital: McFerson

Endowed funds named

A new endowed fund honoring the outgoing chair of the Board of Trustees was established at the board's regular meeting May 2. The James F. Patterson Land-Grant University Lectureship Fund will support an annual lecture in Patterson's name that will focus on the university's land-grant mission, bringing to campus a prominent figure to speak on the challenges facing land-grant institutions in the 21st century.

During its meeting, the board accepted 264 research grants and contracts totaling $25.3 million awarded to the university in March and accepted 10 new endowed funds, totaling $1.05 million.

• Herschel and Suzanne Meredith Endowed Graduate Fellowship in the Fisher College of Business, $500,000.

• James B. and Harriett Beard Graduate Fellowship Fund in Turf Grass Physiology/Biochemistry, $155,117.

• Ice Core Paleoclimate Research Endowment Fund, $150,000.

• Dr. Frank L. Himes Associateship in Soil Science Fund, $52,731.

• Garth W. Volk Associateship in Soil Science Fund, $51,506.

• The Cartoon Research Library Program Endowment Fund, $35,333.

• The Edith Cockins Fund, $26,622.

• Carroll County 4-H Endowment Fund, $25,100.

• Washington County 4-H Endowment Fund, $25,000.

• The Jacquelyn L. Wells Endowment Fund in Ovarian Cancer Research, $25,000.

Budget report adopted

Higher than projected enrollment for summer through spring quarters increased the university's student fee revenue by $2.7 million, but was offset by a state budget cut that took $11.2 million from the university's coffers, University Budget Director Lee Walker told trustees.

Trustees adopted the regular third-quarter budget report for the current fiscal year, which also showed that University Health System finances have improved since last year, and the Blackwell Inn is making positive strides, with occupancy increasing each month. The report also indicated that Athletics operations are within budget and benefiting from increased merchandise sales, and the Schottenstein Center is operating within its budget.

Treasurer's report heard

University Treasurer James L. Nichols updated trustees on the value of the university's endowment, which was up 4.4 percent for the month. The endowment stood at $875 million as of April 25, compared to $843 million as of March 31, Nichols said.

SI impact reported

Yuan F. Zheng, professor and chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering, and Peter March, professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics, reported to the board on the impact of the Selective Investment program on their departments.

The Selective Investment initiative identifies some of the university's strongest departments and programs and gives them the resources they need to move to the very top of their fields. The presenting departments have used the investment funds primarily to hire outstanding new faculty and to enhance graduate programs.

Personnel appointments

• Mary Ellen Wewers has been named to the Mildred E. Newton Professorship in the College of Nursing, effective July 1 through June 30, 2007. Wewers is co-director of the Nursing Center for Tobacco Intervention, funded by the American Nurses Foundation.

• David A. Rignery has been named interim chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, effective through Dec. 31.

• Ardine K. Nelson has been reappointed interim chair of the Department of Art, effective July 1 through June 30, 2004.

• Diane W. Birckbichler has been named chair of the Department of French and Italian, effective Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2007.

• Carole A. Anderson has been reappointed vice provost for academic administration, effective July 1.

Property sales approved

The board authorized the university to purchase the following properties:

• 26.4 acres of improved real property located at 650 Ackerman Road, owned by The Ohio State University Foundation, for a purchase price of $16.3 million. The property is adjacent to the Columbus campus and will provide needed space for research and other mixed uses that support the Academic Plan. Funding will be provided by university bond proceeds, with rental income paying debt service and operating expenses.

• Four improved Columbus real properties, located at 226 W. Ninth Ave., 218-220 W. Ninth Ave., 208-212 W. Ninth Ave. and 1549-1569 Worthington St., owned by Thomas D. Thompson and Charles R. Derson. The purchase price of $845,000 will be provided by the Office of Student Affairs. The properties, totaling approximately .57 acres, are adjacent to the site of the university's graduate and professional student housing project and just outside the university's South Campus acquisition area.

Lease option approved

Trustees approved seeking a long-term lease on a four-story brick building located at 1934 Indianola Ave., owned by The Ohio Theta House Corporation, an Ohio not-for-profit organization. The Office of Student Affairs currently is entering into a one-year lease with several one-year renewal options for the property, and it would be beneficial to have a longer lease. The house will be subleased to both fraternity and non-fraternity members beginning Autumn Quarter 2003. This use is consistent with the university's Master Plan and with planning principles established by Campus Partners for the area east of High Street, where the emphasis is on preserving historic structures for Greek housing.

Contracts approved

The board authorized the university to enter into design contracts for the following projects:

• Construction of first-floor retail space in the Graduate and Professional Student Housing facility. Preliminary project estimate is $2.5 million with funding provided by future university bond issues with debt service paid by the Office of Student Affairs.

• Upgrade of patient rooms and renovation of nurses' stations and hallways on the third floor east and third floor south of the James Cancer Hospital. Preliminary project estimate is $1.5-$2.5 million with funding provided by the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.

• Renovation of the patient procedure room and control area of the second floor linear accelerator room and installation of a new cooling system in the room in the James Cancer Hospital. Preliminary project estimate is $250,000 with funding provided by the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.

• Renovation of the third floor laboratory and classroom space at Galvin Hall on the Lima campus to provide additional classroom facilities. Preliminary project estimate is $367,657 with funding provided by House Bill 850.

• Construction of 220 parking spaces on the Marion campus displaced by construction of the Marion Campus Student Services Building. Preliminary project estimate is $359,310 with funding provided by House Bills 675 and 640 and Ohio State Marion.

• Extension of water and sewer service to the Peach Point area of South Bass Island and Gibraltar Island and upgrading existing water and sewer pipes on Gibraltar Island. Preliminary project estimate is $2.5 million with funding provided by future university bond issues.