Recruitment drive

Courtesy of the Faculty Club The Faculty Club, located on the Oval, is recruiting staff for membership.

Faculty Club seeking to increase staff membership

By RANDY GAMMAGE, onCAMPUS staff

The Faculty Club has opened another door in its long history by launching a recruiting effort focused on increasing staff membership.

Located on the Oval overlooking Mirror Lake Hollow, the club was opened in 1923 exclusively for faculty, but began welcoming alumni in 1964 and staff in 1994. Yet, the perception has remained that the club is for faculty, said Executive Director Jeff White. The club has 2,150 members: approximately 600 are faculty, 400 are alumni, and 50 are staff; the remainder are honorary members and representatives from corporations and OSU departments.

A recruitment drive that began about six months ago included a spring mailing of letters to 2,000 administrators and staff on the Columbus campus encouraging them to join.

"We're really just trying to get the word out," White said. "Our biggest challenge has always been to make sure that people know the club is here and that the doors are open to everyone."

As an enticement, staff may dine at the Faculty Club for lunch or dinner during Staff Appreciation Week Aug. 18-22 without paying the required $5 non-member service charge. For those who choose to become members during that time frame, White said the $100 initiation fee would be waived. Monthly membership dues for staff are $20. White said the club also plans to get involved in other areas, such as the annual Hidden Benefits Fair and helping the University Staff Advisory Committee in hosting an ice cream social on the Oval from noon-2 p.m. Aug. 20 to increase staff awareness of the club and its offerings.

Steve Sterrett, community relations director for Campus Partners and program and publicity chair for the Faculty Club, has been a club member for five years. He said membership has given him a greater sense of belonging to the university community.

"Sometimes you have to get out of the office and out of the lab and the Faculty Club provides an opportunity to interact with folks with common interests," Sterrett said.

Georgina Dodge, director of the university's African American and African Studies Community Extension Center and chair of the Faculty Club membership committee, joined the club six years ago while she was an assistant professor of English. She has enjoyed the networking opportunities and comfortable, welcoming environment.

"It's a nice little respite in the midst of the chaos of all the things that are going on around campus, particularly when you are teaching," Dodge said.

Considering that she now works off campus, she said the Faculty Club helps her stay connected to OSU and serves as a home base when on campus where she can prepare for a meeting, converse with acquaintances in the club's library or grab a quick meal.

Facilities

"In its 85-year history, the Faculty Club is probably in its best shape ever -- from its physical appearance to its financial status," White said.

The club has spent more than $1 million to remodel the entire interior, with all funds coming from membership dues and food and beverage revenues, White said.

The library is an ideal setting for quiet conversation or reading, and offers more than 50 current publications. The member's lounge is open throughout the day for coffee and conversation, and features a rotating art exhibit showcasing the work of an artist with an OSU connection. Currently on display is "Thoughts and Reminiscences in Watercolor," a collection of paintings by Edwin C. Shuttleworth Jr., associate professor emeritus of neurology.

The Faculty Club serves a diverse lunch and dinner menu throughout the day, with a Sunday brunch held each month. Dishes are prepared fresh daily by Executive Chef Anton Thurn and staff, and are served in one of several dining areas: the main dining room, the grand lounge, six private dining rooms and Colleagues, which includes a cocktail lounge, outdoor seating and a weekday lunch buffet from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

The facilities also may be reserved for weddings, birthday parties, family gatherings and business meetings.

Special events

This year the Faculty Club will host more than 120 special events exclusively for members, ranging from tailgate parties to wine tastings.

Broadway Series shows that include a gourmet dinner and a trip to a downtown theater production are immensely popular, White said, as are tailgate parties held before and after home football games that include jazz bands and buffet dinners. A pig roast is scheduled for the Aug. 30 home opener when the Buckeyes take on Washington at 8 p.m. A Spanish wine and tapas tasting is set for 6:30 p.m. July 25. The Columbus Zoo will bring in some of their traveling animals for an educational program in conjunction with the Sept. 28 Sunday brunch.

The Faculty Club is a member of the Association of College and University Clubs (ACUC) and the International Club Network (ICN). Members enjoy reciprocal privileges at more than 350 faculty, staff, alumni and country clubs throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.

For more information about the Faculty Club or membership details, call 292-2262 or visit its Web site at www.ohio-statefacultyclub.com.

Staff Appreciation Week set for Aug. 18-22

Compiled by SUSAN WITTSTOCK, onCAMPUS staff

Ohio State will observe Staff Appreciation Week Aug. 18-22. The Office of Human Resources sponsors the week to thank staff members for their contributions to the university. All colleges, offices and departments are encouraged to acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of staff in some special way during the week.

A number of universitywide events and staff discounts are planned, including:

Events

Arts and crafts exhibit registration

Aug. 20, noon-4:30 p.m.; Aug. 21, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; and Aug. 22, 7:30 a.m.-noon, 105 Bricker Hall.

Administrative/professional and classified civil service staff are invited to submit one piece of their personally created artwork to enter in the 12th Annual Staff Arts and Crafts Exhibit. See the Office of Human Resources Special Events Web site at http://hr.osu.edu/special/home.htm for guidelines regarding artwork size, weight and other details. The exhibit will be on display from Sept. 8-Oct. 24 on the first and second floors of Bricker Hall. Call 292-4341 for more information.

Astronomy

Aug. 19, 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1015 McPherson.

"Building the Biggest Telescope in the World." The Astronomy Department is hosting an open house to showcase its participation in the Large Binocular Telescope project. The event will include a video presentation showing the process of building the telescope and describing contributions Ohio State is making. For more information, contact gnewsom@astronomy.ohio-state.edu.

Chadwick Arboretum

Aug. 22, noon, gazebo in front of Howlett Hall.

The Chadwick Arboretum and Learning Gardens will offer a tour of their new Learning Gardens. The gardens include extensive collections of perennials, annuals, tropicals, container plantings, wildflowers and dwarf conifers as well as annual trial gardens. They are adjacent to the Cyber Cafe in the Parker Food Science Building, where visitors can buy lunch or pick up an ice cream cone. R.S.V.P. by contacting Mary Maloney at 688-3479 or maloney.23@osu.edu.

Health screenings

All week, University Health Connection, 100 Parks Hall.

The University Faculty and Staff Wellness Program will offer free health screenings to OSU faculty and staff throughout the week (and summer). The screening includes total cholesterol, glucose and blood pressure. Additional free services available include osteoporosis bone density screening (please wear a removable sock), chair massage therapy and body fat composition. Plan to spend approximately 10 minutes per extra service. Staff should complete an online confidential health screening questionnaire before the event at www.osumhcs.com/wellness, and choose the health risk assessment questionnaire link. To make an appointment, call Peg Cook at 688-0703.

Historic Costume Collection

Aug 21 and 22, noon-1 p.m., Campbell Hall.

"Ohio Pioneers of the Art Quilt." Take a tour of the Historic Costume Collection Gallery and view more than 30 quilts featuring works by noted Ohio quilt artists. Exhibition hours are 11 a.m.-4 p.m.Wed.- Sat. For more information, call 292-7316.

Ice cream social

Aug. 20, noon-2 p.m., south end of Oval by the Faculty Club.

The University Staff Advisory Committee and the Faculty Club are sponsoring an ice cream social. Staff can stop by and try a free scoop. For more information, contact usac@osu.edu or 688-8722.

John Glenn Institute

Aug. 20, 1- 3 p.m., 400 Stillman Hall.

The John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy will host an open house. Stop in for informal discussion about the institute and its programs; meet the architects for the Page Hall renovation and hear about future plans for the building; learn about the John Glenn Archives; and find out more about the Emerson Burkhart murals on the institute's walls. Snacks will be provided. For more information, call 292-4545 or e-mail glenninstitute@admin.ohio-state.edu.

Library Book Depository

Aug. 19, 8-10 a.m. and 1-3 p.m., 2700 Kenny Road.

Take a tour of the Ohio State University Library Book Depository, a remote facility located 2.5 miles from the main campus that is used for storing 1.6 million items, including archives and records that are permanent and important parts of the collections of the libraries but that are little used. This 9,000 square-foot, 36-feet high warehouse-type facility was designed and constructed to provide high density shelving, an excellent environment for preserving materials, and an inventory and retrieval system for easy and rapid access to materials for library users. For more information, contact Donna DeGeorge, manager, at degeorge.1@osu.edu.

Longaberger Alumni House

Aug.18, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Longaberger Alumni House.

Guests will enjoy a tour of all floors of the aumni house. The tour will begin promptly at 11:30 a.m. and last until noon. A free boxed lunch will be provided in Sanders Grand Lounge from noon-12:30 p.m. for all of the tour guests with a small presentation of what actually goes on in the Alumni House. To R.S.V.P., call 292-3067 or write bennett@ohiostatealumni.org.

Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic

Aug.19 and 21, noon-1 p.m., 110 Kottman Hall.

The C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Clinic will offer 15- to 20-minute tours of its facilities. The clinic provides service to anyone needing help identifying problems with landscape plants, field crops, fruit, vegetables, turf, houseplants or insect problems. Clinic staff test for diseases, identify plants and insects, and assist anyone needing recommendations for management of problems. For more information, contact Georgia Meyer at 292-5006 or meyer.25@osu.edu.

Ohio Stadium

Aug. 18, 19 and 20, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and noon-1 p.m., north entrance of stadium under the rotunda.

Tours of Ohio Stadium, sponsored by the Department of Athletics, will include views of the new Band Center, Recruitment Room, Press Box, Huntington Club and more. Each tour group is limited to a maximum of 30 people. To R.S.V.P., contact the Office of Human Resources/Special Events at 292-0641.

Orton Geological Museum

Aug. 20, 3 p.m., Orton Hall.

"Ohio ­ a long time ago and very far away: A guided tour of the Orton Geological Museum." See what this state was like 420 million years ago, when the land we call Ohio was south of the equator and under a tropical ocean. That ocean teemed with life, and during this tour, staff will handle fossils of some of those ancient creatures such as trilobites and corals. For more information, call Curator Dale Gnidovec at 292-6896.

WOSU Stations

Aug. 21, 11:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., WOSU Stations (in the Fawcett Center).

During Staff Appreciation Week, tours of the WOSU Stations will be available. Visitors will have an opportunity to see the radio and television studios (and the radio newsroom), as well as learn more about how the WOSU Stations operate. To R.S.V.P., contact Gay Taylor, WOSU volunteer coordinator, at 292-9678, ext. 49811.

Discounts

The Blackwell

The Blackwell is offering a weekend get-away package for faculty and staff before and after the appreciation week. Dates offered are the evenings of Aug. 15, 16, 22 or 23. The cost is $99 plus state and local tax. The package includes overnight accommodations, a three-course dinner for two and a breakfast buffet for two, both in Bistro 2110. The Blackwell is the university's new upscale hotel and offers the finest in guest service, comfort and state-of-the-art technology. For reservations, contact Stefanie Patsiavos, Blackwell reservations manager, at 247-4003 or patsiavos.1@osu.edu.

Additionally, faculty and staff with a valid OSU ID can receive a 20 percent discount off the entire check at Bistro 2110, with the exception of weekday lunch. This offer is available year-round.

Faculty Club

Staff who are not members of the Faculty Club may enjoy lunch and dinner in Colleagues or the Main Dining Room throughout the week and will not be charged the non-member service fee. VISA, MasterCard and cash payment only. Reservations are requested for lunch in the Main Dining Room and for dinner in Colleagues. Colleagues is open 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and 5-8 p.m. Tues.-Fri. The Main Dining Room is open 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Mon.- Fri. For more information, call 292-2262.

Hospital gift shop

Staff will receive a 20 percent discount at the OSU Hospital Gift Shops throughout the week. A valid OSU ID is required. Exceptions to the discount will include: books, magazines, newspapers, plants, flowers, courtesy sales, scrubs, volunteer jackets, balloons and food. A Silpada Designs sterling silver jewelry trunk show will take place Aug. 22 at the Main Gift Shop. (Discount will not apply.) The Main Gift Shop hours are 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat. and Sun. The East Gift Shop hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. For more information, call 293-8942.

Oxley's at the Fawcett Center

Staff will receive a 10 percent discount on lunch at Oxley's at the Fawcett Center. Oxley's hours are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. For more information, call 292-1342.

Physics on the upswing

Department goes with the successful flow

By JONI BENTZ SEAL, onCAMPUS staff

What goes up must come down -- at least according to the law of gravity. The Department of Physics, however, has been defying that law for some time, with unstoppable progress in enrollment, faculty hiring and a new building on the horizon.

William Saam, chair of the department, said it's hard to point to any subject that has had greater affect on the lives of people. "During the 500 years since Newton, physics has changed our lives and our society immeasurably, and therefore, some training of the ways of science and physics is crucial for an educated person."

‘Our progress will increase our national stature and ranking and will provide more opportunities for Ohioans to train at a world-class facility.' -- William Saam

The program has experienced steady enrollment growth and a slight shifting in its student profile during the past five years. Boasting 190 undergraduate students and 150 graduate students, about 20 percent and 13 percent, respectively, are women. "Our figures reflect the national average pretty accurately," Saam said. "It's an area of recruitment we're very conscious of, but given the field's historically male composition, it's not easy to affect. This is also true of minority recruitment."

Aside from the department's high national rankings -- in the top 25 overall according to both U.S. News & World Report and the National Research Council, Saam attributes the increased interest in Ohio State to an excellent program and numerous recruitment efforts.

Saam considers the Physics Open House, which occurs each fall, the principal recruiting event. The open house offers high school students a one-day introduction to the exciting world of physics.

When thrown into the equation, tuition assistance in the form of grants, internships, research assistantships and scholarships also attract future physicists to Ohio State. The Physics Academic Achievement Scholarship, for instance, provides four years of tuition support to one freshman each year. Saam said such funding helps get students involved in research while undergraduates -- an experience he feels is an important part of a collegiate career.

Educational enhancement

Once enrolled, physics majors find Smith Laboratory more than just a classroom building. Each student receives a key to the building, a computer account and a personal mailbox, Saam said. Study areas, computer labs, lounges and meeting rooms serve as the nucleus of student and faculty interaction.

"We try to foster a community of scholars in the physics department," Saam said. "Students feel a much bigger part of the learning process when they rub elbows with their peers who are performing research, and interact with nationally and internationally renowned faculty. This type of atmosphere adds to our recruiting efforts."

In September 2004, that atmosphere will improve tremendously with the completion of the Physics Research Building. The new building will house mostly offices and research facilities for graduate and undergraduate students and faculty, but no classrooms, although some conference space will be available. Still, about 30 percent of physics facilities will remain in Smith Lab, including classrooms and teaching labs, Saam said.

The department continuously re-energizes with program enhancements, new course offerings and options. In addition to an honors section, the program offers six tracks -- some of which cater to the nearly half of the program's graduates who choose jobs in the private sector over graduate school. New courses also are in development, including a new undergraduate course in computational physics and a new GEC course, Science of Sports, which is being developed by Professor Terry Walker and is slated for a 2003-04 rollout.

A number of extracurricular activities further extend student and faculty interaction, including the Society for Physics Students, which facilitates discussions on the hottest topics occurring in the field and provides social networking.

The faculty force

Of course the biggest attraction to topnotch students is the caliber of faculty and the breadth of research being conducted. At Ohio State, 51 faculty and 40 post-docs cover the major areas of physics -- from atomic to molecular, and from nuclear to particle. With the aid of Selective Investment funds, awarded in 1999, the department is expanding into key areas -- most recently experimental nanoscale physics and biophysics -- with the hiring of Eminent Scholar Chris Hammel, and Assistant Professor Dongping Zhong, respectively.

The credentials of the entire physics faculty are impressive, and include numerous memberships, awards, honors and fellowships, both within Ohio State and nationally. Many are fellows of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, including Saam and Distinguished University Professor Art Epstein, who were inducted into AAAS last year.

"Selective Investment hires at the senior level include string theorists Arkady Tseytlin and Samir Mathur, and nuclear theorist Ulrich Heinz," Saam said. "Mathur was one of this year's recipients of the Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching, which shows a nice connection between Selective Investment and teaching."

Saam is confident the hiring and research permitted through Selective Investment will enhance the global visibility of both the physics program and Ohio State.

"Our progress will increase our national stature and ranking and will provide more opportunities for Ohioans to train at a world-class facility," he said. "It also will earn us a more prominent role in the hot areas of biophysics, nanophysics and optical physics, current target areas for personnel recruitment."

Distinguished University Professor Bunny Clark hopes some of those appointments will be women. One of three women faculty, Clark said the department has become much more cognizant of the under representation of women in the field of physics, and has taken strides to recruit more of them.

"Even on an international scale, the increase of women involvement in this particular science has been slow," said Clark, who has served as chair of the American Physical Society's Committee on the Status of Women in Physics. "But during the past 10 years, the physics department at Ohio State has greatly improved the climate for women and minority faculty and students, whose contributions and success are helping to change the face of the discipline."

Clark referenced the Women in Physics luncheons that the department sponsors several times a year, and the outreach efforts -- especially those targeted toward K-12 teachers and students in Columbus suburbs as well as rural areas.

Reaching out

The department also drives various outreach efforts, which serve not only to recruit students, but to teach and inform various constituencies about physics, Saam said.

For instance, department representatives regularly visit central Ohio schools and libraries, performing laboratory demonstrations to stimulate interest in the field from kids and teachers. Physics teachers who prefer a more focused approach to continuing education may choose to update their skills during a weeklong course offered in the summer.

Also each summer, Ohio State hosts a 10-week physics research program, which competitively solicits undergraduate physics students from universities across the country. The Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program hosts 10-15 students each year, and according to Program Coordinator and Professor of Physics Tom Lemberger, serves to raise Ohio State's profile among undergraduate physics majors, which helps with recruiting graduate students.

Physics Professor Bob Scherrer, right, discusses research results with University of Florida senior Matt Kistler, a participant in the department's summer Research Experience for Undergraduates program. By Kevin Fitzsimons

"There is a certain amount of prestige in hosting an NSF-funded REU program, considering the select group of host institutions, which includes the University of Chicago and the University of California, Berkeley," Lemberger said. He added that faculty who advise REU students generally do so because teaching young people about science and developing new scientists is a major component of their chosen profession, and they enjoy doing it. "Having these bright young scholars in our midst over the summer helps maintain a high level of intellectual vitality in the physics department," he said.

Saam said the ultimate goal is to foster, in the best way possible, a scientifically literate public and a high-caliber scientific workforce, at the same time advancing the frontiers of knowledge about the physical universe. "While the physical amenities, perks and privileges conferred upon physics students make college a little more interesting, the success of the program -- and ultimately that of the students we graduate -- depends on the caliber of the faculty."

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