TRUSTEES

The Ohio State Board of Trustees held its monthly meeting July 11 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.

University focusing on cost management practices

Energy savings more than $2.5 million a year

By RANDY GAMMAGE, onCAMPUS staff

The Office of Physical Facilities continues to deploy energy cost management practices to keep the escalating demands for energy consuming services at Ohio State in check.

Associate Vice President for Physical Facilities Jim Stevens told the Board of Trustees July 11 that energy rates are being contained by wholesale purchasing of electricity, locking in gas prices before price surges and burning low-cost Ohio coal as much as possible, resulting in more than $2.5 million in avoided fuel costs in fiscal year 2003.

Utility bills for the university are averaging from $24-$28 million a year, Stevens said. Energy costs continue to rise due to increased computer use; more intensive building use with expectations of 24-hour air conditioning; security concerns requiring more exterior lighting; and energy demands of new laboratory space that requires high rates of outside air ventilation.

Stevens outlined additional cost management steps -- with expected savings -- to be implemented in the immediate future:

• Replacement of the oldest four of the six McCracken Power Plant boilers because of age, condition and environmental issues, will result in annual fuel savings of between $300,000 and $500,000.

• The addition of more chillers and buildings served, and a proposed chilled water plant on College Road could result in savings of $21 million in net capital and operating expenses over the next 26 years.

• A project to replace an old, less reliable electrical distribution system -- already funded and currently under design -- will increase distribution capacity.

• A rebuilt coal burner that will assure consistent operation could result in $1 million to $2 million in avoided gas costs per year, depending on natural gas prices.

Stevens also is counting on the OSU community to buy into an energy conservation campaign previously launched by Physical Facilities to encourage campus energy users to turn off lights, computers and other equipment when not needed. Academic and support units are billed on square footage, not actual usage, though self-supporting units like the hospitals and residence halls are usage billed.

"The problem is that individual staff, student or faculty members may not see any direct feedback from the billing to provide them with incentive to control costs," Stevens said.

Initiatives have included the forming of an energy management committee, and training of architects and engineers in the Leadership Energy Environmental Design program -- a national program for promoting and rating energy-efficient and environmentally friendly buildings.

• Trustees also heard an update from Larry Lewellen, associate vice president for human resources, on cost and quality management for faculty and staff health plans. The university has taken several cost containment steps in provider contracting, improved plan administration and benefit plan design that will result in significant annual cost savings.

Conduct revisions approved

The Ohio State Board of Trustees on July 11 approved a revision to the Code of Student Conduct that requires students to disperse from a riotous crowd when requested by either university or law enforcement officials. Failing to do so would subject students to the university's judicial process.

The University Senate approved the provision at its June meeting.

Bill Hall, vice president for student affairs, said that, while the Code of Student Conduct was last revised in 2001 to extend the university's jurisdiction over students living in the off-campus area, it did not address the issue of "crowd watchers" at riots.

"When you look at the recent off-campus disturbances, it has been clear that onlookers contribute significantly to the problem," Hall said. "The code now allows the university to pursue disciplinary action against students who encourage others to commit senseless acts of violence, and makes them responsible for their actions.

"At the same time, the code specifically protects students' rights to be involved in peaceful demonstrations, picketing, boycotts or other forms of peaceful dissent."

The Council on Student Affairs, a senate committee primarily composed of students, brought the new language to the full senate after reviewing the code following the riots that occurred after the Ohio State/Michigan football game.

J. Briggs Cormier, chair of the council during the review and former president of the Council of Graduate Students, said the group wanted to do its part to prevent riots from recurring.

"Students felt strongly that the code should be more explicit about riot behavior and that the issue of onlookers should be addressed," Cormier said. "Two years ago, part of the reason for extending the code's off-campus jurisdiction was to set a clear standard. But the code still didn't take care of the people standing around and watching the riots. The new provision to the code will address that issue."

In addition to the "failure to disperse" provision, code language was modified to make it clear that students on interim suspension are not permitted to participate in or to complete academic work, including by e-mail or other electronic means.

The board's approval of the code revision comes as state lawmakers enact legislation that requires students convicted of participating in riots or other disturbances to be immediately expelled from state-supported colleges for a year and to be ineligible for state financial aid for two years.

Endowed funds named

Four new endowed faculty chairs and a named endowed professorship were established with gifts to the university from alumni and friends. Trustees also established 22 additional named endowed funds with gifts given to the university during May 2003 and accepted 250 research grants and contracts totaling $23.6 million from governmental, industrial and other agencies awarded in May to Ohio State.

Trustees accepted the following named funds:

• The Endowed Chair for Director of The Ohio State University Marching Band, $1,532,163.

• The Ford Motor Company Chair in Global Business Management, $1,581,281.

• The Dr. Edward E. and Sylvia Hagenlocker Chair in Physics, $1,578,460.

• The Alice Louise Ridenour Wood Chair in Mathematics, $846,415.

• The University Pathology Services Anatomic Pathology Professorship, $750,000.

• The Leo Yassenoff Foundation Endowment Fund, $635,649.

• The Longaberger Student Diversity Leadership Fund, $500,000.

• The Major General Raymond E. Mason Jr. Scholarship Fund, $150,000.

• The Schooley Architecture Library Fund, $101,124.

• The Angela Marie and Mary Francis Valentino Physics Academic Achievement Scholarship Fund, $100,000.

• The Herschel T. Meredith Athletic Scholarship Fund, $84,268.

• The Suzanne G. Meredith Memorial Athletic Scholarship Fund, $84,268.

• The Dr. Elizabeth Wagner Scholarship Fund, $79,000.

• The Marjorie Weaver Heart Research Fund, $52,315.

• The Stephen J. Kovacik Jr. and Mary B. Kovacik Endowed Scholarship Fund, $40,000.

• The Nelson E. Lyttle Scholarship Fund, $36,000.

• The Jack and Carol Evans Scholarship Fund in Music, $31,225.

• The Eric Kohring -- PFLAG Scholarship Fund, $30,446.

• The Robert M. Hoge Scholars Fund, $28,565.

• The William Copeland Jr., M.D., Endowment Fund for Pancreatic Cancer Research, $25,382.

• The Laurence and Molly Ruben Endowment Fund for Cancer Genetics Research, $25,230.

• The Susan Salopek Endowed Nursing Scholarship Fund for Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Program, $25,179.

• The Ardith K. Nolte Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering Scholarship Fund, $25,080.

• The Professor Milton Ain Fund for Practicum Support, $25,000.

• Rebecca Lucile Cornetet Endowed Scholarship Fund, $25,000.

• The Darrell K. Root Scholarship Fund, $25,000.

• Jack Root and Helen Root Entomology Travel Endowment Fund, $25,000.

Personnel appointments

• Stanley C. Ahalt has been named executive director of the Ohio Supercomputer Center, effective through June 30, 2008. He will hold a concurrent position as a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering.

• Anil Arya has been named professor and holder of the John J. Gerlach Chair in the Fisher College of Business, effective through June 30, 2008.

• Janet Box-Steffensmeier has been named associate professor and holder of the Vernal G. Riffe Professorship in Government and Politics in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, effective through June 30, 2008.

• Robert A. Bornstein has been named associate vice president for health sciences in the College of Medicine and Public Health, effective July 1. He previously served as the college's associate dean for academic affairs.

• Michael A. Caligiuri has been named director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center, effective July 1. He will hold a concurrent position as director and professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology.

• Ching-Shih Chen has been named professor and holder of the Charles H. Kimberly Professorship in Pharmacy in the College of Pharmacy, effective Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2006.

• Barbara Z. Kiefer has been named professor and holder of the Charlotte S. Huck Professorship in Children's Literature, effective Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2008. Kiefer currently is associate professor and holder of the Robinson Professorship of Children's Literature at Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, N.Y.

• Robert E. Michler has been named professor and holder of the John G. and Jeanne Bonnet McCoy Chair in the Ohio State Heart Center in the College of Medicine and Public Health, effective through June 30, 2007. He holds a concurrent position as director of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery.

• Michael F. Para has been named professor and holder of the Frank E. and Mary W. Pomerene Professorship in the Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases in the College of Medicine and Public Health, effective through June 30, 2007.

• David E. Schuller has been named associate vice president for health sciences, effective July 1. He holds a concurrent position as chair of the Department of Otolaryngology and director of The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.

Reappointments

• Susan W. Fisher, professor of entomology and veterinary biosciences, has been reappointed secretary of the University Senate in the Office of Academic Affairs, effective Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2006.

• Dev S. Pathak has been reappointed interim dean for public health in the College of Medicine and Public Health/School of Public Health, effective through Sept. 30.

Appointment of chairs

• Richard Davis has been appointed chair of the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures in the College of Humanities, effective through June 30, 2007.

• Mary Jo Welker has been reappointed chair of the Department of Family Medicine in the College of Medicine and Public Health, effective through Sept. 30.

• David E. Schuller has been reappointed director of the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, effective through Sept. 30.

• Steven Reiss has been reappointed director of the Nisonger Center, effective through Sept. 30.

• Thomas N. Hansen has been reappointed chair of the Department of Pediatrics in the College of Medicine and Public Health, effective through Sept. 30.

Construction approved

The board authorized the university to enter into design contracts for renovation of cold rooms in Scott Hall to house the ice cores for the Byrd Polar Research Center. Project estimate is $203,742 with funding provided by House Bill 675.

The board authorized the university to enter into construction contracts for:

• Construction of graduate and student housing on Neil Avenue between Ninth and 10th avenues. Since the board approved the project in March 2002, the cost has increased by $3.1 million to $32.3 million due to schedule acceleration and site delays. The project cost increase will be funded by future university bond proceeds with debt service paid by Student Affairs.

• Construction of retail space on the first floor of the Graduate and Professional Student Housing facility. The project cost is $2.5 million to be funded by future university bond proceeds with debt service paid by Student Affairs.

• Construction of a modular storage facility to house animals at the Laboratory Animal Facility on Godown Road. The expected total project cost has increased from $500,000 to $883,000 due to changes in project HVAC specifications necessary to meet environmental conditions. Additional funding will be provided by the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the offices of Research, Academic Affairs, and Business and Finance.

• Construction of a student services facility and parking lot relocation on the Marion campus. The project cost is $6.1 million with funding provided by House Bill 640, Marion general funds and a loan from the treasurer's debt service pool, with debt service to be paid from Marion campus funds.

• Renovation of the first floor lobby area of Meiling Hall to include the installation of fire sprinklers and additional work in the basement and second floor. Construction document project cost is $910,125, with funding to be provided by the College of Medicine and Public Health.

Department renamed

The board approved changing the names of the Department of Human Nutrition and Food Management and the undergraduate program of Human Nutrition and Food Management to the Department of Human Nutrition and the undergraduate program in Human Nutrition. In 2001, the department faculty specializing in hospitality management were transferred to the Department of Consumer and Textile Sciences. The remaining faculty specialize in human nutrition. The name change reflects the departmental plans to enhance the quality of its academic programs and scholarly activities in nutrition sciences.

Properties approved

Trustees authorized the university to purchase improved property at 237 E. 17th Ave. from David W. Pettit for $360,000. Acquisition of the property was deemed critical for the preservation of the traditional Greek community east of High Street. Funding will be provided by Student Affairs.

• The board also approved the purchase of 2.43 acres of improved property at 960 Kinnear Road from GOAT Real Estate LLC for $1.9 million. The property is located within the West Campus acquisition area. Funding for the acquisition and operating costs will be provided by building occupants.

Funding authorized

The board authorized continued funding and support for Campus Partners' initiatives through the opening year of the Gateway Center, set for completion in summer 2005. Up to $650,000 per year for 2003-04 and 2005-06 can be released from current operating funds set aside for this purpose to support Campus Partners projects.

Investment report heard

University Treasurer Jim Nichols reported that Ohio State's endowment stands at $956 million as of June 30.

• The board approved the appointment and reappointment of a number of external investment managers who assist the university in the management of its endowment fund. The investments committee of the Board of Trustees periodically reviews the results obtained by the investment managers and the amount of funds assigned to them and makes adjustments as economic conditions and performances change.

• The board adopted amendments to the investments policies for the university regarding the Endowment Fund Investments Policy and the Non-Endowment Fund Investments Policy to provide for the overall management of the university's investment portfolios.

• Trustees authorized the issuance and sale of general receipts bonds, Series 2003 B, in the principal amount not to exceed $175 million and variable rate demand general receipts bonds, Series 2003 C, in the principal amount not to exceed $130 million.

Federation highlighted

Michael J. Hogan, executive dean of the Colleges of the Arts and Sciences, reported to the board on the ongoing progress of the federation of the university's five colleges of arts and sciences, approved by trustees in June. The federation aims to reduce redundancies and costs by consolidating a number of their operations. The colleges already share a central development effort and have agreed to a shared communications operation.

Plans call for a consolidation of human resources, fiscal and technology support operations in the near future. A strategic plan is being drafted that will identify new directions and additional areas of interdisciplinary collaboration for the federation.

Outreach reviewed

Trustees heard an update on the Office of Outreach and Engagement, which was formed in 2000. A Program Review Committee, formed in April, is currently identifying ways to better publicize outreach and engagement activities across campus, and is addressing the infrastructure needed to support and further the reach of Ohio State's academic resources.

Program summarized

Trustees heard a presentation on a Student Affairs Summer Internship Program that employs Columbus high school juniors and seniors as temporary summer workers for a 10-week period. Currently, 75 students are working as housekeepers and food service workers, supporting the university's summer conference housing operations.

Along with a paycheck, the students gain work skills, mentoring and academic enrichment, as well as internship credit for their high school transcripts. Students take part in weekly hour-long seminars about issues affecting students who are planning to pursue a college education.

Faculty rules amended

Trustees approved several amendments to the Rules of the University Faculty, including the establishment of a Recreational Sports Committee that will initiate recommendations and review proposals affecting the university's recreational sports facilities and programs. The committee will report annually to the council on student affairs.

Medical rules changed

Trustees approved a number of amendments to the University Hospitals East Medical Staff Rules and Regulations primarily regarding procedural matters. The amendments were approved by the University Hospitals Board in May.

Committees amended

The board approved the following amended appointments to committees and boards:

Academic and Student Affairs Committee: Tami Longaberger, chair; Daniel M. Slane, vice chair; Douglas G. Borror; Walden O'Dell; Paula A. Habib.

Fiscal Affairs Committee: Robert M. Duncan, chair; Jo Ann Davidson, vice chair; Dimon R. McFerson; Karen L. Hendricks; Emily M. Quick.

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

Investments Committee: Zuheir Sofia, chair; Hendricks, vice chair; Davidson; O'Dell; John Gerlach Jr. (Foundation Board) ex officio; William Ingram III (Foundation Board) ex officio.

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

Agricultural Affairs Committee:Slane, chair; Fred L. Dailey, vice chair, ex officio; Duncan; Hendricks; O'Dell; Quick.

Governance Committee: Sofia, chair; Longaberger, vice chair; Slane.

Government Relations Advisory Council: Davidson, chair; Borror, vice chair; Slane; McFerson; Habib; O'Dell; David L. Brennan; Michael F. Colley; William Blair; Stan Aronoff; Thomas Hoaglin.

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

University Hospitals Board: Duncan (three years); Davidson (three years).

Campus Partners Board: Borror (three years).

Research Foundation Board of Directors: Hendricks (two years).

Science and Technology Campus Board of Directors: O'Dell

Regional Campus Trustee Liaisons: Davidson, Mansfield; Longaberger, Newark; Duncan, Marion; O'Dell, Lima