TRUSTEES

The Ohio State Board of Trustees held its monthly meeting on Sept. 6 in the new College of Veterinary Medicine Academic Building. 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.

Transportation and parking services plans ahead for upcoming challenges

Balancing customer needs and available resources, minimizing inconveniences caused by construction, and addressing new parking demands when major construction projects are completed are key issues being examined as the University enters the final year of the Transportation and Parking Five-Year Plan approved by trustees in June 1998.

Addressing the University Board of Trustees on Sept. 6, Sarah Blouch, director of Transportation and Parking Services, outlined a three-phased approach that will be implemented over the next four years to address access, mobility and parking in a changing campus environment.

To minimize inconveniences during this unprecedented period of construction now underway, Transportation and Parking is taking the lead in a collaborative effort to communicate construction impact on traffic, transportation and parking. The Campus Area Bus Service is a quick fix to solve parking and access issues, Blouch said, and is totally funded from parking revenue.

"The expanded routes on and around campus are popular with students, staff and faculty. University customers depend on the six-minute bus service to and from remote parking locations to meet academic and work schedules," Blouch said.

However, meeting customer needs is becoming costly. As Transportation and Parking continues to balance customer needs and available resources, various options -- including service reductions -- will be presented this fall for campus-wide discussion and consideration.

During FY 2003-04, recommended service changes will be implemented and remote parking will continue to be used to offset parking losses to construction.

A shift in parking and an increase in demand will occur in FY 2004-05 as new buildings and parking garages open, Blouch said. The opening of the Hospitals and Neil Avenue garages will create 1,625 central campus parking spaces. As displaced customers move back to central campus, the opportunity to consolidate park and ride locations will be possible.

Finally, Blouch told trustees Transportation and Parking will reassess the campus environment in FY 2005-06 and develop a new five-year plan to address access and parking supply and demand.

Blouch asked trustees in June to approve a 10 percent rate increase on all parking permits as previously recommended in the plan for FY 2002-03. The additional revenue -- along with revenue from existing resources -- has resulted in increased campus bus ridership; plans for two new parking garages; improved bus, garage and lot maintenance; and a continued emphasis on safety, Blouch told trustees during an update at the June session.

Construction projects approved

The board authorized the following construction-related matters:

• Employment of an architect/engineering firm and a construction manager for the renovation and construction of an addition to the Thompson Library, which will include re-landscaping a portion of the Oval, providing swing space during construction, and construction of a new module to the Library Book Depository. The total conceptual project cost is $99 million in 2006 dollars, with funding anticipated by future capital appropriations and gifts to University Libraries.

• Employment of an architect/engineering firm for construction of a three-floor addition to Fry Hall to house additional clinical and office areas for patient-based research for the College of Optometry. The total conceptual project cost is $8.1 million, with funding anticipated by future capital appropriations, a National Institutes of Health grant and Optometry.

• Request for construction bids for the renovation of the Camera Center, which is being leased by the University, to relocate the Community Ambulatory Care Center. The total estimated project cost is $10 million with funding provided by University Hospitals.

• Request for construction bids for the first phase of a future central chilled water plant for the Medical Center. The total estimated project cost is $4.4 million with funding provided by the Ross Heart Hospital and Health Sciences.

• Request for construction bids for the Health Sciences Quadrangle as provided for in the South Campus District Plan. The total estimated project cost is $2.9 million with funding provided by the Ross Heart Hospital, Transportation and Parking Services and Health Sciences.

• Request for construction bids to complete a portion of the basement shell space in the Davis Heart and Lung Institute to house five laboratories with associated offices and space for shared equipment. The total estimated project cost is $1.16 million with funding provided by gifts to the College of Medicine and Public Health.

• Employment of an architect/engineering firm and request for construction bids to renovate space on the first and third floors of the Wilce Student Health Center to provide new physical therapy and clinical laboratory space. The total estimated project cost is $1.1 million with funding provided by future University bond proceeds with debt service paid from patient revenue.

• Employment of an architect/engineering firm and request for construction bids to renovate the Vivarium in Graves Hall for University Lab Animal Resources. The total estimated project cost is $814,720 with funding provided by the Board of Regents, the National Institutes of Health and the Office of Research.

• Request for construction bids to relocate the WomenÕs Field House from its current location south of Cunz Hall to east of Lincoln Tower for use as an educational classroom building. The total estimated project cost is $671,935 with funding provided by the Department of Physical Facilities and the Office of Student Affairs.

• Employment of an architect/engineering firm and request for construction bids to renovate the present executive dining room in Pfahl Hall. The total estimated project cost is $494,700 with funding provided by the Office of Student Affairs.

• Request for construction bids to renovate a portion of the shell space in the lower level of the Davis Heart and Lung Institute to provide a wet lab space. The total estimated project cost is $398,812 with funding provided by gifts to Health Sciences.

• Employment of an architect/engineering firm and request for construction bids for remodeling three rooms on the ground floor of the Tzagournis Medical Research Facility to house an MRI and related research lab. The total estimated project cost is $312,270 with funding provided by the College of Medicine and Public Health.

• Employment of an architect/engineering firm and request for construction bids to renovate and modernize the Moritz College of Law courtroom to accommodate contemporary modes of trial practice instruction and courtroom technology. The total estimated project cost is $300,000 with funding provided by the College of Law.

Property sale

Trustees authorized the sale of an undivided one-half interest in improved real property located at 1375 S. Hamilton Road for $202,000. Purchaser is DeMarco. Proceeds will be reinvested in the University endowment.

Building named

The board approved the naming of the Ohio 4-H Center as the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center. The center will be located at the corner of Lane Avenue and Fred Taylor Drive. The naming recognizes the financial gifts of the two entities and their commitment to youth development programs. A groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility was held Sept. 7.

Fiscal matters approved

University Treasurer James L. Nichols updated trustees on the UniversityÕs endowment, which stood at $898 million as of Aug. 31. In his quarterly statement, he said the University finished the fiscal year with 3,179 funds in the endowment, an increase of 1,248 funds over the last 10 years.

Nichols estimated the income distribution for FY 2003 at $64 million.

• The board also heard a recommendation to modify the funding plan for University Development that was adopted in July 2000 to support fund-raising efforts without using General Funds. As of July 1, the charge of 1.1 percent against all endowments has increased to 1.33 percent to support fund-raising and other stewardship and custodial activities.

• In other business, trustees were briefed on the long-term lease of 1.56 acres on West Lane Avenue to the developer of an adjacent shopping center. The unimproved land is owned by the state of Ohio for use by Ohio State, but is unsuitable for University development. Proceeds from the lease would be deposited in the land-purchase account to support future property acquisitions.

Amendments approved

Trustees approved a series of amendments to the bylaws and rules and regulations for staff in the Ohio State Medical Center and the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, including those reflecting requirements of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.