By Mindy Wright Mark Atkinson, director of wildlife and conservation medicine at the Wilds, introduces the touring scholars to the unique institution. The mission of the Wilds is to advance conservation through education and science, emphasizing the sustainability of wildlife.

Roads Scholars Tour teaches faculty value of outreach, partnerships

By SHANNON WINGARD, Media Relations

Before even teaching her first course in the fall, newly hired faculty member Holly Dabelko has learned how she can use her expertise to connect with communities around the state.

Dabelko, assistant professor of social work, was one of 35 new and newly tenured faculty, staff and students who took part in the seventh annual Roads Scholars Tour, Sept. 8-9. The tour provided a glimpse of the university's statewide outreach efforts and its role in the state's agriculture, education, business and industry.

Dabelko said it introduced her to some of Ohio State's public and private partnerships.

"This trip has helped me determine what should drive my scholarship ó the needs of the university, the needs of the students, and the needs of the community," she said.

Since 1997, more than 500 faculty have taken part in the tour. This year, faculty from nearly 20 areas of study stopped in seven cities: Newark, Dresden, Zanesville, Cumberland, Piketon, Waverly and Chillicothe.

Bobby Moser, vice president for university outreach, said the tour allows faculty to see how their research and expertise can establish mutually beneficial relationships with communities in Ohio.

Faculty participants learned about university partnerships such as:

the Nisonger Center's University Center of Excellence on Disabilities Rural Development Outreach Clinic, which brings a team of medical experts together to provide free diagnosis of developmental disabilities in children from rural communities;

• the partnership between the Wilds in Cumberland, the College of Veterinary Medicine, which provides medical expertise to animals, and the Columbus Zoo;

• the community impact of research, economic development initiatives and outreach projects at OSU South Centers in Piketon;

• the collaboration between the Fisher College of Business' Technology Policy Group and Horizon Telecommunications in Chillicothe, to assess the technological needs of the area; and

• the Young Scholars Program, which was created in 1988 at Ohio State as a statewide model to increase the number of first-generation college-bound African-American, Appalachian, Hispanic and Native American students.

The scholars also talked with students attending Waverly High School about their criteria for choosing a college, and with current Ohio State Newark students about the benefits of attending a regional campus.

Learning about Ohio State partnerships can inspire faculty to work with communities throughout the state to address local needs. "The goal is to help communities solve their own problems through what they learn from the university," Moser said.

During the two-day tour, the scholars learned about many Ohio State outreach initiatives throughout the state. Ohio State Extension builds connections related to agriculture and natural resources, youth development through the 4-H program, family and consumer sciences, and community and economic development. Continuing education fosters collaborations to extend credit courses to Ohioans. The colleges of business, medicine and veterinary medicine have developed partnerships that strengthen university research and help citizens gain information to help them address needs in their communities. As a land-grant university, these partnerships are important to ensure Ohio State remains the "people's university," Moser said.

Melvin Pascall, assistant professor of food science and technology and an expert in food packaging, said he thinks every new Ohio State faculty member should go on the tour.

"I never imagined that the tour would be this exciting. It will help me translate the meaning of Extension to my world," Pascall said. "It also helped me get a better understanding of how our Extension translates the university's land-grant mission to the public."

Karen Austin, coordinator for public relations in the Office of Continuing Education, a sponsor of the tour, says the tour helps create awareness of what Ohio State offers to the public.

"My office is charged with taking the information about what resources are available at Ohio State and getting that out to people who are not traditional students," Austin said.

Austin said she was impressed by the conversations between Ohio State faculty and high school students in Waverly.

"I was watching the Waverly High School students look at each other and raise their eyebrows, saying ëI didn't know that about Ohio State,'" she said. "I think we made friends that day that we didn't have before. It really put a human face on Ohio State."

Regional campus system approach under way

Admissions, curriculum, student services to benefit

By RANDY GAMMAGE, onCAMPUS staff

Ohio State is making significant strides toward achieving the "one university, many locations" approach to the regional campuses visualized in the final report of the Presidential Commission on the Regional Campuses.

In the process, the university is increasing access to an Ohio State education to Ohio citizens who otherwise would not be served.

That message was conveyed to the university's Board of Trustees Sept. 5 by Randy Smith, vice provost for curriculum and institutional relations and a member of the commission convened in June 2001 to clarify the role of the regional campuses and their link to the Academic Plan.

The commission's final report -- released in August 2002 -- recommended that the university pursue a more clearly defined "system" approach to the admissions policies, curriculum offerings, and student services across the campuses. Many of the suggested changes are well under way, Smith said.

For example, this will be the second year that admissions has clearly stated a regional campus as an alternative to admissions to the Columbus campus. Ohio residents who indicated an alternative campus are automatically admitted to that campus if they are not admitted to Columbus.

"That has had an impact on admissions," Smith said. "First-year data reveal more students are being admitted to the regional campuses who were not admitted to Columbus."

Other findings from the report currently being implemented include:

Campus change

With the exception of students whose high school credentials qualify them for admission to the Columbus campus, students beginning on a regional campus or the Agricultural Technical Institute must complete a full year, or 45 credit hours, before changing to the Columbus campus. Previously, 30 credit hours were required before transferring.

Enrollment projections

A Regional Campus Enrollment Task Force is currently studying the enrollment potential of the regional campuses. The commission report called for a projection process that would include estimates for: demand from all regions of Ohio for increased residential and student life opportunities; demand for new four-year degree programs; demand for distance education opportunities; and for enrollment from applicants not admitted to the Columbus campus.

Marketing and recruiting

Recruitment messages used by Undergraduate Admissions and First Year Experience have been developed to reflect the special nature of the regional campuses. Admissions counselors on the Columbus campus and on the regional campuses have become much more familiar and comfortable with articulating the unique student benefits of each of the university's campuses.

Revised vision statement

The university's vision statement, within the Academic Plan, will be amended to elaborate on the regional campuses' role in expanding Ohio State's reach and service across the state.

Revised bylaws

Minor amendments were made to the bylaws and the selection process of regional campus boards of trustees -- which had been discussed by the boards of all the regional campuses -- and approved at the July 11 meeting of the Ohio State Board of Trustees.

Long term discussion

As advised in the commission report, the regional campuses and Academic Affairs are determining the feasibility of expanding curriculum, with a limited number of bachelor's degree programs to be developed based in part on local demand.

"We're taking a much more analytic approach to the possible development and offering of any academic programs on these campuses," Smith said. "As a first step to that, the Newark campus is conducting a community needs survey to determine its needs. If that is successful, it could be used as the model for the other regional campuses to follow."

Additionally, Academic Affairs will be involved in the approval process of any academic programs, Smith said.

Student services/housing

The commission recommended that regional campuses have university-owned and managed housing, and plans are under way at each. In July 2002, Ohio State purchased an apartment complex adjacent to the Newark campus, which will be at full 180-student occupancy this fall, its second year, said Bill Hall, vice president for student affairs. A similar purchase is planned at Mansfield that will be adjacent to university property.

Designs have been developed to construct housing for 300 students each on the Lima and Marion campuses. Hall said the Newark campus also is interested in future construction and is in the process of identifying potential sites.

"A residential setting requires some different student programs and services than a purely commuter campus," Hall said. "In addition to working on the construction plans and details, our Student Affairs staff is collaborating closely with regional campus deans and their staffs on how to best address those needs. We want all Ohio State students, regardless of location, to have the opportunities and support they need to get the most from their college experiences."

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