REGIONAL spotlight

Freeman enthusiastic as new dean, director at Mansfield

By RANDY GAMMAGE, onCAMPUS staff

Evelyn Freeman is the picture of enthusiasm in her new role as dean of Ohio State Mansfield and executive dean of the regional campus system.

"I had a very positive experience during 13 years as a regional campus faculty member, so I found it very appealing to return as an administrator," she said.

Freeman taught on the Mansfield, Newark, Marion and Columbus campuses, and most recently served as director and professor of the School of Teaching and Learning in the College of Education on the Columbus campus.

Evelyn Freeman

She was flattered when some OSU Mansfield faculty members nominated her for the position, and awestruck when selected.

"Honestly, I was thrilled, but also surprised by the appointment. I knew it was a national search and there were many strong candidates being considered," Freeman said.

A native of University Heights, she welcomed the opportunity to return to a regional campus and live and work closer to family living in Cleveland.

"I like the atmosphere of a regional campus, which is very similar to a small liberal arts campus," she said.

Freeman assumed her current responsibilities Aug. 1, succeeding John Riedl, who retired after 16 years as Mansfield dean and coordinating dean for the regional campuses. She holds a doctoral degree in early and middle childhood education from Ohio State, a bachelor's in sociology from Chatham College and a master's in educational psychology from the University of Chicago.

She could not have picked a better time to direct a regional campus.

"It's a wonderfully exciting time to be a regional campus dean. With the implementation of the President's Commission (on the Regional Campuses final) report, the visionary leadership of President Holbrook, and the building and growth at the regionals, there's a lot of energy and positive enthusiasm right now," Freeman said.

Throughout the campus and community, the initial response to Freeman has been very positive, said Associate Dean Ted Dahlstrand.

"I find her wonderfully warm and receptive, with a willingness to listen and communicate with others before making decisions," Dahlstrand said.

Freeman has spent her first weeks in office familiarizing herself with the OSU Mansfield faculty, staff, students and surrounding community. Her agenda has included hosting a continental breakfast for staff, two board of trustees meetings, and a welcome reception held in her honor Oct. 23. She delivered the annual state of the campus address Oct. 3, during which she outlined goals and visions for the future of the Mansfield campus.

"Everyone came away from that address uplifted and with a positive attitude," Dahlstrand said. "She has a way of framing things in a positive manner, rather than focusing on problems and negatives."

Freeman said the overriding goal is to make Mansfield a premier regional campus. She added that campus initiatives should echo President Karen Holbrook's leadership agenda by supporting cutting-edge and interdisciplinary research for short-term and long-term societal benefits; providing distinctive educational experiences and opportunities for undergraduates; and developing outreach and engagement initiatives that connect areas of academic excellence with societal needs.

Freeman is quick to point out that goals have to be a vision shared by the entire campus. A Mansfield campus strategic plan and master plan will be blended with the goals of the President's Commission on the Regional Campuses and the Academic Plan.

Specific objectives outlined by Freeman for OSU Mansfield include:

• expand opportunities for faculty development;

• increase the number of four-year majors and minors offered;

• intensify collaborations with Richland County and the wider region;

• approve and implement a campus diversity plan;

• form a staff advisory committee; and

• develop a comprehensive plan for student affairs.

"As we acquire student housing, our whole approach to student services and student affairs is going to have to be broadened," she said. "It's a wonderful opportunity for us to look at where we are and how we want to move forward."

In her role as executive dean of the OSU regional campus system, Freeman will coordinate regional campus efforts with the Office of Academic Affairs.

Snyder comfortable with new role as dean, director of Ohio State Lima

By RANDY GAMMAGE, onCAMPUS staff

John Snyder's long career in the allied health field had landed him in many large cities -- including Columbus, Indianapolis and, most recently, New Orleans.

Yet the coziness of the Ohio State Lima campus and its surrounding community is a perfect fit for its new dean and director.

"It feels a lot like coming home. I relate well to the community and to the students," Snyder said.

John Snyder

Lima is actually a bit larger than his hometown of Mill City, Pa., a town with no stoplights and a population of less than 3,000.

Snyder assumed leadership of OSU Lima on July 1, after serving as dean of the School of Allied Health Professions at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. He succeeded Violet Meek, who retired June 30 after 12 years as dean and director at Lima.

On all fronts, the reception toward Snyder has been overwhelmingly positive thus far, said Associate Dean Mike Cunningham. Strengths that make Snyder stand out include a strong academic background, prior OSU experience, an abundance of administrative experience, and a decision-making style that is very inclusive.

"But most importantly, he has a very warm and engaging personality and people feel comfortable with him," Cunningham said. "He respects everybody and values the importance of what everyone does for our campus."

Snyder hit the ground running with an ice cream social and trustees meeting the first week in office. He later teamed with the president of James Rhodes State College -- the adjacent technical school with which Ohio State shares a library and food service -- to grill hot dogs for students during a welcome-back orientation.

While familiarizing himself with the campus and promoting OSU Lima in the surrounding community, Snyder has been impressed with the campus' many strengths, including the overwhelming community support for OSU Lima, the excellent facilities, and energetic and engaging students. He also is impressed with the caliber of faculty, many of them internationally known and conducting research with National Science Foundation grants.

"That's a real strength to build on," Snyder said.

As expected, curiosity is high regarding his plans for the campus.

"What I will be working on is what the community needs," Snyder said.

Curriculum development is a priority. For example, since agriculture is a large part of the local economy, OSU Lima is considering expanding its agriculture program to allow students to complete more course work at Lima before completing a four-year degree in Columbus. Similar plans are being developed for its health care program.

The campus is beginning to draft a master plan for future campus development, which will include an anticipated 300-bed residence hall targeted to open in fall 2006, Snyder said. Residence halls and expanded student programming will help OSU Lima emerge as a campus of choice in the OSU system, he said.

A stronger focus on faculty development also is in order.

"For example, what can we do to remove barriers for faculty that, by nature of their research are forced to travel back and forth from Lima to Columbus?" Snyder said.

He also is engaged in a process to build a stronger partnership with Rhodes State College, which would result in a wider selection of courses for students.

Snyder has worked in the allied health field throughout his career. Prior to arriving at Louisiana State in 1996, he served in similar positions at the Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, the Ohio State College of Medicine, and the University of Nebraska Medical Center and College of Medicine. During his previous tenure at Ohio State, Snyder served as the associate director of the School of Allied Medical Professions and director of Allied Medicine Graduate Studies, and held a dual appointment as an associate professor of allied medical professions and in the Department of Pathology.

Snyder said he welcomed the opportunity to return to Ohio State.

"I have embraced the notion of one university, many locations and the tradition and excellence that Ohio State is known for."

Courtesy of Champlin/Haupt Architects The design for a student housing unit at OSU Lima includes six distinct houses to accommodate 50 students each, with each building connected by corridors that will contain student services such as classrooms, fitness and recreation areas, and laundry facilities.

Regionals focus on expanding student services

By RANDY GAMMAGE, onCAMPUS staff

As the regional campuses shift from purely commuter campuses to residential settings, the Office of Student Affairs and the regional campuses have been working together to plan for an accompanying shift in student needs.

Many of the student services offered on the Columbus campus, such as student health insurance, fitness facilities and counseling, will soon be enhanced at the regionals.

"The goal is to create a campus environment that offers the same range of support and experiences that we have on the Columbus campus," said Steve Kremer, assistant vice president for student affairs and director of student housing.

Student housing is a critical element, he said.

Student Affairs is planning to acquire or build an additional 960 beds as the university strives to achieve the "one university, many locations" approach to the regional campuses called for in the final report of the Presidential Commission on the Regional Campuses. Released in August 2002, the report recommended that the university pursue a more clearly defined "system" approach to the admissions policies, curriculum offerings and student services across the campuses.

The commission recommended that regional campuses have university-owned and managed housing, and plans are underway at each.

Purchased housing

In July 2002, Ohio State purchased an apartment complex adjacent to the Newark campus that is already at full 180-student capacity in its second year, Kremer said. The demand has OSU Newark officials contemplating building additional housing on campus, he added.

A similar purchase is underway at the Mansfield campus. Earlier this month the university Board of Trustees approved the purchase of Campus Village Apartments for $5.2 million, said Assistant Dean Mark Ellis. The privately owned apartments were built on the border of the Mansfield campus for student housing, under the leadership of former Mansfield Dean/Director John Riedl, who retired in July.

"One of the interesting things for us is that, as this converts to official OSU housing, it will be a lot easier to deliver services than it was for a private enterprise," Ellis said.

Services of note will include computer hookups, study rooms and student judicial services, Ellis said. The apartment complex will be managed by Student Affairs.

Student Affairs has been collaborating closely with regional campus administrators on student housing issues, and an array of anticipated student services needs as the "one university, many locations" concept unfolds. Kremer said the resources and experiences of the Columbus campus help augment the regional staff.

"It's been unbelievably enjoyable working with the regional staff. They are very student focused," he said.

New housing

Meanwhile, a design and development phase is nearing completion for new housing projects for 300 students each on the Lima and Marion campuses. Options ranging in cost from $14 million to $19 million for each project are under consideration, said Bill Schwartz, associate vice president for student affairs. Plans must be approved by the university Board of Trustees for the projects to move forward to the construction phase.

While uniquely different, designs at Lima and Marion blend private and common living areas with ample student services.

At Marion, three separate buildings will form a perfect triangle or delta symbol, Kremer said, connected by an arrangement of outdoor spaces and a "Main Street" walkway that connects to the heart of campus. Features include outside staircases, common kitchen and dining areas in each building, and classroom, fitness, recreation and laundry facilities.

At Lima, the design calls for six distinct houses to accommodate 50 students each, with each building connected by common areas or corridors, Kremer said. Embedded in the corridors are many student services such as classrooms, a fitness area, laundry facilities, vending machines and a recreation area.

OSU Lima Dean/Director John Snyder said the goal is to open student housing on campus by fall 2006.

"I think it will be a wonderful addition to our campus," Snyder said. "There were a significant number of students that applied to the Columbus campus this fall that selected Lima as an alternative. We were able to secure only one in three of these prospective students."

For the second year, Ohio residents who indicated an alternative campus during the admissions process are automatically admitted to that campus if they are not admitted to Columbus.

Kremer said the intention is for future housing plans to mirror the Lima and Marion designs, which allow for flexibility should campus needs change.

"We really believe that these buildings have many different lives to them," Kremer said. "If they are not used as residence halls they could be used for a variety of uses. They could easily be transitioned into research centers or any other form of intellectual activity."

Ultimately, the regional housing units will be managed similarly to Columbus campus residence halls, with a full-time residence hall director assisted by student residential advisers at each facility to support students in their academic endeavors.

"We're building a full collegiate environment with opportunities for employment, leadership and community roles," Kremer said.

OSU researcher helps debug countries

By CAITLIN MCHUGH, OARDC intern

Ohio State's Roger N. Williams has studied a variety of insect pests for years, and his work goes far beyond Ohio.

A member of the Integrated Pest Management Collaborative Research Support Program (IPM CRSP), Williams conducts research throughout South and Central America, including Ecuador, Honduras and Venezuela. Working with a team, he develops safer pest controls for crops such as babaco, pl·tano and naranjilla.

Roger N. Williams

An entomology professor with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) in Wooster, Williams has been with IPM CRSP, which is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, since its inception in the early 1990s. His first assignment was in Guatemala; for the past four and a half years, he has served in the Ecuador Program.

"There are a lot of pest similarities internationally," Williams said, "maybe not on the same crop, but the lifecycles of the insects are pretty similar."

He currently is working on Andean fruit crops: babaco (mountain papaya), mora (blackberries), naranjilla (a solenacious, tomato-like fruit), pl·tano (cooking bananas or plantain) and papas (potatoes).

"When first working on a crop, we decide what factors to evaluate with our counterparts and the growers -- a group approach," Williams said.

"Often the infestation is subtle and the growers -- even though they've been working with a crop for centuries -- haven't noticed the problem, so we often encounter something that was more damaging than initially expected," he said.

For instance, one of the major issues Williams is addressing is the banana root borer, a small weevil that is a serious threat to bananas and their plantain cousins.

"To find out if you have this particular root borer, you make what I call a sandwich," Williams said. "You fell one of the trees, cut a slice of the trunk and then lay another slice on top of it. Within two to three days, the weevils will be in between those two slices, or under the bottom slice laying eggs."

Many of the growers treat the weevil with Furadan, an extremely toxic insecticide that is often used on golf courses, Williams said, but he prefers not to use it since it has the potential to kill birds that eat the pellets. Instead, Williams and his coworkers have been testing a pheromone developed eight years ago in Costa Rica that has proven very effective in plantain plantations.

Another of his success stories is his work with the rose chafer. When Williams started work at the OARDC in 1974, the pesky beetle was one of his first projects. In Ohio, the rose chafer emerges from the soil in early June and goes directly to grape blossoms, devouring the tiny grapes.

In Latin America, the same group of beetles eats citrus and bean flowers and a number of other agricultural plants, much like the Japanese beetle in North America. In Ecuador, they are notorious for their damage to corn, blackberry flowers and the flowers and leaves of many ornamentals.

"We developed a strong feeding attractant," he said, "and discovered that if you apply this attractant liberally in Japanese beetle traps, you can pull down the population enough so that spraying isn't necessary. We caught 95,000 beetles the first year we trapped here in Ohio. Last year we took this same attractant to Ecuador, and it works remarkably well to attract the rose chafers there."

Not everything is a success, though. Williams is currently working with a moth that attacks the fruit of naranjilla, a fruit similar to a tomato that is sought after to make juice.

Ideally, researchers want to find an attractant or a trap to combat the moth.

"Naranjilla has a very thin skin like a tomato, so we hesitate to put a big load of insecticide on something that people are going to eat," Williams said. "We know the moth is strongly attracted to light traps or traps in general, but it's grown mostly in areas that don't have much electricity," he added.

A Venezuelan company developed a sex pheromone for the moth, but the majority of researchers have found it to be ineffective as well.

Williams works primarily out of the research experiment station at Santa Catalina, located about 30 minutes east of Quito. The station is associated with Ecuador's Ministry of Agriculture. Williams and his Ecuadorian counterparts also work directly with growers.

"We work in private places as much as possible because we can usually pick the better growers -- someone who wants to cooperate, who's educated and who is a good spokesperson for our progress," he said.

Although he's worked in Brazil for seven years, Williams said it's still hard for him to appreciate his accomplishments. "I often think it will take another five years before I can go back and say ëYeah, I started that,'" he said. "I would rank my achievements as the research I've done that has helped growers use a better way to control their pests, whether through a more effective, safer compound or perhaps by using traps instead," Williams said.

For more information, visit www.ag.vt.edu/ipmcrsp/.

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