TRUSTEES

The Ohio State Board of Trustees held its monthly meeting Sept. 5 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.

Trustees adopt capital budget recommendations

Ohio State's Board of Trustees adopted a revised list of capital budget recommendations for fiscal years 2005 and 2006 at its Sept. 5 meeting.

The seven projects selected support the priorities of the Academic Plan while carefully balancing university facility needs with a lean state budget.

Preliminary capital budget recommendations -- based on estimates that Ohio State's share of the next capital bill could be between $70 and $75 million for building projects on the Columbus campus -- were presented to the trustees' Fiscal Affairs CommitteeJuly 11 for review, with adoption to be requested at the Sept. 5 trustees meeting.

Bill Shkurti, senior vice president for business and finance, said that OSU has since received word from the Ohio Board of Regents that the control total for the Columbus campus would be no more than $71 million. Therefore, the preliminary recommendations were adjusted to fund those items of highest priority.

Under these revised recommendations state funds would be requested for the following (in priority order):

• Existing commitments: Main Library - $10 million; Mechanical Engineering ó $29 million; Psychology ó $17 million; Student Recreation Center ó $8 million

• New projects: Cancer Center expansion ó $2.5 million; Smith Lab renovation ó $3.5 million; Brown Hall renovation ó $1 million

"Alignment of the objectives of each project with the goals of the Academic Plan was an overriding factor in the recommendations," Shkurti said. "We are reserving scarce state dollars to support renovation or replacement of academic buildings, particularly where a deferred maintenance problem is involved," he said.

Endowed funds named

Three new endowed chairs and an endowed professorship are among the funds established by the Ohio State Board of Trustees at its Sept. 5 meeting. The board accepted 22 additional new named endowed funds established with gifts to the university from alumni, industry and friends in support of research, instructional activities and service.

Trustees also accepted 357 research grants and contracts totaling $43.1 million awarded to the university in June and 217 research grants and contracts totaling $16.6 million awarded in July.

Trustees accepted the following named funds:

• The Esther Dardinger Endowed Chair in Neuro-Oncology, $1.5 million.

• The Dardinger Family Endowed Chair in Oncological Neurology, $1.5 million.

• The John M. Frank Distinguished Scholarship Fund, $1.15 million.

• The Bert C. Wiley, M.D., Chair in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, $891,336.

• David A. Rismiller Professorship in Management, $750,000.

• The Laughlin-Craig Medical Scholarship Fund, $500,000.

• The Jim and Karen Davidson Family Athletic Scholarship Fund, $100,000.

• The Martha L. King Center Endowed Fund, $91,183.

• The Tressel Family Fund for Cancer Prevention Research, $62,064.

• The Dr. R. Wayne and A. June Masters Electroscience Lab Fund, $50,000.

• The Barbara Wagner Genteline Endowment Fund for Cancer Research, $41,968.

• The Dr. Robert H. Bremner Memorial Scholarship Fund, $36,790.

• The Richard O. Hecker Football Scholarship Fund, $35,000.

• The Juanita Kathryn Melsop Scholarship Fund, $30,000.

• Verlin W. and LaVerne Krill Scholarship Fund, $29,691.

• The Jean and Allen Patrick Family Endowment Fund for Cancer Research, $26,100.

• Ann Hoying Ahrns and Thomas Ahrns 4-H Scholarship Fund, $25,177.

• The Michael D. Winfield Chemical Engineering Endowment Fund, $25,058.

• The Francis and Virginia Hazard Scholarship Fund, $25,000.

• The Ohio State University String Education Scholarship Fund, $25,000.

• The Keith and Brenda Carpenter Athletics Scholarship Fund, $25,000.

• The Kenneth and Robin Carpenter Athletics Scholarship Fund, $25,000.

• The E. Ivor Jones Endowed Scholarship Fund, $25,000.

• The Beatrice I. and Alan R. Weiler Cancer Research Endowment Fund, $25,000.

• The Triplett-VanDoren No-Tillage Experimental Plots Endowment Fund, $15,251.

• Donald E. and Lillian Sims Scholarship Fund, $15,000.

Personnel appointments

Evelyn B. Freeman has been named executive dean of the regional campuses in the Office of Academic Affairs, effective through June 30, 2006. She will hold a concurrent appointment as dean/director at OSU Mansfield.

Glen F. Hoffsis has been named to the Ruth Stanton Chair in Veterinary Medicine in the College of Veterinary Medicine, effective through June 30, 2005. He will hold a concurrent appointment as dean of the college.

Christopher S. Kochanek has been named the Ohio Eminent Scholar in Cosmology and professor with tenure in the Department of Astronomy, effective Oct. 1. He is currently an astrophysicist at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass.

Susan M. Kroll has been named associate vice president for health sciences (Center for Knowledge Management), effective Sept. 1. Prior to the appointment, she was director of Ohio State's Prior Health Sciences Library.

W. Jerry Mysiw has been named associate professor and holder of the Bert C. Wiley, M.D., Chair in Physical Medicine and Public Health, effective through June 30, 2007.

Herbert B. Newton, has been named associate professor and holder of the Esther Dardinger Endowed Chair in Neuro-Oncology in the Comprehensive Cancer Center-Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, effective through June 30, 2007.

Jeffrey B. Reeves has been named associate vice president for health sciences and chief organizational effectiveness and human resources officer for the OSU Medical Center, effective Aug. 1. Prior to the appointment, he was senior vice president and chief human resource officer at Sam's Club in Bentonville, Ark.

Judith B. Fountain has been reappointed director of The Women's Place in the Office of Academic Affairs, effective through June 31, 2007. She holds a concurrent appointment as assistant vice provost for women's policy initiatives.

Martha M. Garland has been reappointed vice provost and dean for undergraduate studies in the Office of Academic Affairs, effective through Aug. 31, 2008.

Deborah Jones Merritt has been reappointed director of The John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy, effective through June 30, 2007. She holds a concurrent appointment as professor and holder of The John Deaver Drinko ‚ Baker & Hostetler Chair in Law in the Moritz College of Law.

Hagop S. Mekhjian has been appointed to the University Hospitals Board East as an ex-officio member in the capacity of chief medical officer of the OSU Health System, effective immediately.

Clara D. Bloomfield has been appointed a "Cancer Scholars" member of the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute for a term ending May 13, 2004.

Umit S. Ozkan, associate dean for research and professor in the College of Engineering, has been appointed to the Engineering Experiment Station Advisory Committee for a three-year term, through June 30, 2006.

Carolyn J. Merry has been appointed interim director of the Center for Mapping, effective through June 30, 2004.

Wolfgang Sadee has been appointed director of the School of Biomedical Sciences, effective through July 31, 2005.

Mellasenah Y. Morris has been named director of the School of Music, effective through June 30, 2007.

Peter V. Paul has been named director of the School of Teaching and Learning, effective through Sept. 30, 2007.

Anthony P. Young has been named director of the Center for Molecular Neurobiology, effective through June 30, 2007.

John E. Morral has been appointed chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, effective through Sept. 30, 2007.

Richard M. Bednarski has been reappointed director of the Veterinary Hospital, effective through June 30, 2004.

Liang-Shih Fan has been reappointed chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering, effective through Dec. 31.

Construction approved

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

Construction of a one-story addition to Doan Hall to house a trash compactor and sterilizer. The project estimate is $400,000 to $500,000 with funding provided by University Hospitals.

Improvement of street and sidewalk upgrades to improve traffic and pedestrian flow in the Neil Avenue Corridor and 12th Avenue area. The project estimate for the combined project is $2.5 million to $2.725 million with funding provided by House Bill 675 and future university bond proceeds.

Replacement of the hot water heating loop and upgrade of 24 campus buildings to local heating hot water production. The project estimate is $2.5 million with funding provided by future university bond proceeds with debt service to be paid by an increase in the central utility charge paid by academic and support units.

A feasibility study to determine the renovation and/or construction possibilities for the School of Music. The study is projected to cost $250,000 with funding provided by House Bill 675.

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

Rehabilitation of existing University Airport runways, taxiways and aprons. The total project cost for Phase I is expected to be $1.7 million with funding provided by an FAA grant and development funds from the College of Engineering.

Renovation of the walkways and bridge in the area of Lincoln and Morrill Towers and the Drake Performance and Event Center. The construction document project cost is $435,000 with funding provided by House Bills 748 and 675.

Replacement of windows in the Faculty Club. The construction document project cost is $241,042 with funding to be provided by donor gifts.

Installation of new turf at football practice field No. 4. The total project cost has increased from $540,000 to $595,177 due to tighter specifications required for turf quality with funding to be provided by the Department of Athletics.

Replacement of boilers at the OARDC facilities in Wooster. The construction document project cost has increased from $1.32 million to $1.835 million due to escalation in material costs and the addition of one extra boiler to expand capacity. The funding will be provided by House Bills 640 and 675, and OARDC.

Construction of a new facility for the Psychology Department. The construction document project cost is $35 million with funding provided by House Bills 640 and 675 and future capital appropriations.

Projects revisited

Trustees heard a quarterly report from University Architect Jill Morelli on key capital projects, the first of a new series of reports to be presented to the Fiscal Affairs Committee.

The report provides trustees with updates on construction-related details pertaining to budget, funding sources, timeline, programmatic information and other key issues, such as the impact on traffic of projects in various stages of design and construction. For completed projects, it provides a "lessons learned" section that will be used to facilitate decision-making on future projects.

The projects reviewed, along with their status, were the Ohio Stadium renovation (closed out); Larkins Hall replacement (in construction); Biomedical Research Tower (in design); Thompson Library renovation (emerging); and the Ross Heart Hospital (in construction).

Development plan modified

The plan to support University Development fund-raising efforts without General Funds support that was put in place in July 2000 and revised in September 2002 has been slightly modified with trustees' approval to protect and enhance the university's ability to acquire private gift support. University Development efforts are supported by a mix of endowment earnings, short-term interest on non-endowment gifts and unrestricted gift income.

Bylaws amended

Trustees approved an amendment to the bylaws of the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute to include representation on the hospital's board from the newly established Cancer Scholars Program, which was designed to help recruit and retain senior cancer investigators of international stature.

OARDC honors senator

Trustees approved the naming of a parcel of land at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) in Wooster in honor of Grace L. Drake, state senator of the 22nd Ohio District from 1983 to 2000 and a strong proponent of agricultural education and research.

In naming the land the Grace L. Drake Agricultural Research, Educational and Extension Laboratory, the board waived the Administrative Code requirement that "buildings and structures shall not be named for any person who is an officer or employee of the university or the state of Ohio, but may be named for a person who has been retired or has otherwise left such a position for a minimum of three years."

Freshman seminars outlined

The Ohio State Freshman Seminars, which will be launched in winter quarter 2004 as a two-year pilot program, are designed to enhance the undergraduate experience by bringing first-year students and faculty together in small group settings. Constructed by the Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee, the seminars will be taught by tenured faculty members. During winter and spring quarters, the university will offer 40 interdisciplinary seminars, and up to 20 students can enroll in each one. The goal is to eventually provide research experience for one-third of all freshmen.

Center renamed

Trustees approved renaming the Neurobiotechnology Center as the Center for Molecular Neurobiology. The name change more accurately reflects the research conducted at the center and is intended to enhance its national and international visibility.

Waivers approved

The board accepted the quarterly report on waivers of competitive bidding requirements. During the period of April through June 2003, the senior vice president for business and finance granted 98 waivers of competitive bidding requirements for annual purchases totaling approximately $20.1 million. During the same period, the vice president for health services granted 40 waivers for annual purchases totaling approximately $7.9 million.

Waivers are granted in the case of an emergency, when a sufficient economic reason exists, or when the goods or services can be purchased from only a single source.

Health funding approved

Trustees approved the establishment of a line of credit of up to $1 million to MedOhio Health, Inc., as additional funding for the continued implementation of the

home health care program for patients served by the Ohio State University Health System. The Health System entered into an agreement with MedOhio Health in February 1995 to develop and operate the home health care program.

Student recognized

Kenneth May Jr., who is pursuing an M.D./Ph.D. in the College of Medicine, is the recipient of the trustees' Student Recognition Award. May, from Oakwood, Ohio, has earned an M.D./Ph.D. fellowship, a Distinguished University Fellowship and the Molecular Life Science Award.

May took the Medical Licensing Exam to test his knowledge from the first two years of medical school, and scored in the top 1 percent of medical students nationwide.

Emeritus titles

• J. Richard Sisson, senior vice president and provost and professor emeritus in the Office of Academic Affairs and Department of Political Science, effective Sept. 1.

• Wayne L. Bacon, professor emeritus in the Department of Animal Sciences, effective Sept. 1.

• Donald R. Houser, professor emeritus in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, effective Sept. 1.

• Carol W. Kennedy, professor emeritus in the College of Nursing, effective Sept. 1.

• John P. Schoessler, professor emeritus in the College of Optometry, effective Jan. 1, 2004

• Stephen A. Sebo, professor emeritus in the Department of Electrical Engineering, effective Oct. 1.

• Li-Sheng W. Fu, associate professor emeritus in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, effective Sept. 1.