Defending against terrorism
David Lewis, Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Service, leads an exercise during a day-long "train the trainer" program titled "Terrorism Awareness and Prevention," an initiative being launched by the Governor's Office. Hosted by University Public Safety July 15 at the Wexner Center's Film and Video Theatre and attended by about 60 of Ohio State's security, safety and law enforcement personnel, the intent of the seminar was to teach safety officials to deliver the program to faculty, staff and students.
	By Kevin Fitzsimons

Ohio State makes decision on tobacco research grant

By EARLE HOLLAND, Research Communications

Ohio State officials announced this month that they will accept a research grant from a tobacco company and in doing so, risk losing a separate grant from the state agency dispersing money won in the state's suit against tobacco manufacturers.

The university chose to accept a research grant totaling $590,000 from the Philip Morris External Research Program (PMERP) to support research into how nicotine affects receptors in the nerve cells of zebrafish. Since the embryonic stages of humans and zebrafish are remarkably similar, researchers use the latter as a model for human development.

In doing so, the university may lose a grant of $540,000 from the Ohio Tobacco Use and Prevention Control Foundation (TUPCF) intended to support a broad-based smoking cessation program in Vinton and Ross counties.

Stipulations in the grant award from TUPCF prohibit a grantee's institution from accepting research support from companies that manufacture tobacco products. The proposed grant from PMERP contained no similar restrictions on any of the university's research efforts.

University officials have been struggling with the dilemma of the two competing grants for months as they sought a way out of an "either-or" decision. Administrators from the Office of Research have discussed the proposed research with the involved faculty, held meetings to discuss the issue and solicited feedback from colleges and departments across the university. Administrators also polled member universities from the Committee for Institutional Cooperation and the decision is in line with what other CIC universities have decided when faced with similar issues.

President Karen Holbrook said that she and her senior cabinet had discussed the quandary at length, but in the end, determined that it was a decision that had to be made by the institution's research leadership. "Tom Rosol is interim vice president for research and, as such, is the head of our research enterprise. It was his call to make and we support his decision," Holbrook said.

"In the end, it came down to an issue of academic freedom," Rosol said. "The existing guidelines TUPCF was using regarding this grant would have unfairly restricted other researchers throughout the institution from undertaking other investigations in related areas for the three-year life of the grant.

"We simply cannot accept grants in which the sponsors place restrictions on our other investigators to pursue their research."

When the TUPCF was established, its bylaws clearly prohibited institutions that submitted grant proposals from accepting any tobacco company support. Subsequent discussions with TUPCF officials resulted in their revising their grant guidelines so that academic departments will be considered the grantee organization instead of the entire university.

"That modification will really prevent similar dilemmas in the future," Rosol said, "and we are most grateful to the TUPCF governing board for its deliberations. But the changes could not apply to research proposals that already had been submitted. That forced us to decide between the two current proposals."

A third alternative -- to choose to accept neither of the two proposals -- was also an option that might have avoided the dilemma entirely. But Rosol said he ruled that option out fairly early.

"Refusing both grants wasn't a good answer either. Doing so would have resulted in both of these excellent research groups losing support. That could have had a chilling effect on the progress of that work and delayed any advances that arose from the work," Rosol said.

Both Rosol and Holbrook emphasized that the university's decision was in no way a referendum on support for tobacco manufacturers, tobacco supporters or any other player in this passionate debate. The decision relates only to the facts surrounding these two particular grant proposals.

Rosol said that the current grant-funding dilemma also shows that the university's research efforts are broad, current and comprehensive. "There was a time when public institutions such as Ohio State would not have faced this problem," Rosol said. "But as a major national research enterprise, we will continue to face this kind of dilemma. Our challenge is to go forward and make the right decisions for the people of the state of Ohio and of the nation."

Salaries, medical premiums to increase Sept. 1

By SUSAN WITTSTOCK, onCAMPUS staff

College and vice presidential areas are each expected to distribute a salary pool of at least 2.5 percent for 2003-04 salary increases, with each unit encouraged to exceed that percentage by an amount equivalent to 1 percent above the market increases in their field, said Ed Ray, executive vice president and provost.

"The average external market increase is still unknown, with so many state budgets in disarray, but colleges will likely make reasonable estimates for their benchmarks," Ray said. "We are still committed to making progress with respect to the compensation levels of our benchmark institutions."

Salary increases and medical premium increases will go into effect on Sept. 1. Because of the delay in salary increases, faculty, staff and graduate associates will receive a one-time retroactive payment in their September paychecks for income lost during July and August.

Salary increases

The university's compensation initiative calls for exceeding the average external market increase by up to 1 percent.

"In spite of a difficult budget year, we feel it is important to continue pursuing the goals outlined in the Academic Plan. Faculty, staff and graduate associates play an indispensable role in the success of this institution, and as such, should be appropriately compensated for their work," Ray said. "Recruitment and retention of an excellent work force remains a top priority for Ohio State."

Increases for individual faculty and staff for 2004 will be determined by merit, as well as by market and equity considerations, with zero increases still possible. In determining a budget for salary increases, unit administrators are expected to give consideration to the overall market position of the college/unit, the goals of the compensation initiative, the availability of funds and expected increases at comparable institutions and markets.

Any units that propose to distribute a salary compensation pool greater than 3.5 percent, or that would include a differential of 1 percent or more between faculty, unclassified staff and classified staff, are required to receive prior approval from the Office of Academic Affairs.

Faculty and staff who receive no salary increase or less than the expected external market salary increase for their department because of performance or market position are required to be notified in writing with supporting rationale.

A new federal tax law also will have an influence on faculty and staff paychecks for wages earned after July 1. The Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 introduced new withholding tables.

"Most faculty and staff will see an increase in net pay as a result of this law," said Larry Lewellen, associate vice president for human resources.

Medical premiums

A plan for recouping the medical premium increases lost in July and August was announced by the President's Planning Cabinet on June 25. Ohio State had delayed the implementation of premium increases for university medical plans from July 1 to Sept. 1 to allow the state budget process to be completed first.

"We chose to delay the premium increases to provide faculty and staff with some financial relief during the time frame that compensation decisions were delayed," Lewellen said. "This plan, with the administration and medical plan members sharing the responsibility for the premium increase costs, is a compromise designed to ensure that quality health care remains affordable for the university and its constituents."

The university will absorb the cost of half of the premium increase incurred during July and August, with the central university providing funding for faculty and staff on general fund accounts, and auxiliary units paying for half the cost for their faculty and staff.

"I'd like to note that it was important to the university's senior administration, including Provost Ed Ray, Senior Vice President Bill Shkurti and Vice Presidents Bill Hall, Reed Fraley and Bobby Moser, that their auxiliary units contribute half of the retroactive medical plan increase," Lewellen said. "I'm extremely pleased with their desire to share this one-time cost."

Individual faculty and staff will be responsible for the other half, meaning each plan member will be asked to pay half of the premium increase incurred in July and August for the plan he or she is enrolled in. That amount will be spread out over a 10-month period beginning in September and will be automatically deducted from paychecks.

For example, those enrolled in OSU PrimeCare family coverage will pay an additional $2.41 per month above the new 2003-04 rates previously communicated for the rest of the year. Generally, anyone enrolled in other plans or coverage levels will pay less. This will not be a separate deduction, but will be added to the monthly/biweekly premium deduction.

P-12 Project names new director

By DAVID BHAERMAN, University Relations

Ohio State has named Nancy Nestor-Baker as the new director of its P-12 Project, which is designed to strengthen the university's commitment to P-12 education throughout the state with a special emphasis on the education of underserved young people. Executive Vice President and Provost Ed Ray announced the appointment July 9.

As director, Nestor-Baker will provide the leadership to continue to develop the project beyond the substantial foundation that already has been accomplished by former director Daryl Siedentop, who is stepping down from the post at the end of summer. Among the current initiatives of the P-12 Project are the Learning Bridge, a neighborhood revitalization project in the University District; Community Connection, which matches faculty and students with neighborhood schools and community service organizations; and the Early Childhood Education Center, which will serve youngsters in the Weinland Park neighborhood.

Nestor-Baker comes to Ohio State from the University of Cincinnati, where she is assistant professor of education and coordinator of its educational administration program. She holds her bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in education from Ohio State. An active member of the education community, Nestor-Baker is a longtime member of the Westerville City Schools Board of Education and is currently the board president.

"Nancy's commitment to P-12 education and her considerable knowledge of the education community will serve her well in her new position," Ray said. "I am extremely pleased that she will be joining us."

Among the goals of the P-12 Project are to develop and implement a strategic outreach plan, provide an organizing structure for campuswide outreach, help improve schools and increase student performance, help improve the initial preparation and continuing professional development of educators, and assist in the development of statewide policies and programs.

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