TRUSTEES

The Ohio State Board of Trustees held its monthly meeting Dec. 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.

Chiocca to chair new neurological surgery department

By EMILY CALDWELL, Medical Center Communications

The Ohio State University Medical Center will complement its strengths in neuroscience, neurology and cancer research by establishing a neurological surgery department and appointing a nationally recognized brain tumor specialist from Harvard University to chair the new department. Both actions were approved Dec. 5 by the university's Board of Trustees.

E. Antonio "Nino" Chiocca, an associate professor of neurosurgery at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, will join Ohio State in March as chair of the new Department of Neurological Surgery and holder of the Dardinger Family Endowed Chair in Oncological Neurosurgery. Chiocca (kee-OH-ka) is hailed as a leading investigator in the use of gene therapies for brain tumors and other central nervous system disorders.

"We are fortunate to bring a great physician-scientist and energetic young leader like Nino Chiocca to the OSU Medical Center," said Fred Sanfilippo, senior vice president for health sciences and dean of the College of Medicine and Public Health. "He will strengthen our clinical, research and educational missions in the growing subspecialty of neurological surgery, as well as our emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration.

"The benefits of establishing this new department will positively influence disciplines ranging from anesthesiology to rehabilitation, and the resulting multidisciplinary research will increase partnership opportunities with industry to convert research discoveries into new therapeutics and technologies," he said.

Chiocca will bring to Ohio State grants and research faculty, a move expected to position the Medical Center to attract additional external research support. His arrival is expected to be followed by the recruitment of additional specialists in other elements of the discipline, including trauma, movement disorders, spine surgery and vascular disorders.

Chiocca is one of the few people today capable of caring for patients, performing high-quality translational research and holding an administrative position," said Christopher Ellison, chair of the department of surgery at OSU Medical Center and associate vice president and vice dean for clinical affairs. "He is going to add so much to the institution in a multidisciplinary sense that Ohio State's expertise and reputation in this area of surgery promises to expand dramatically."

The bolstered staffing of the department and high-caliber research will translate into an enhanced educational environment for medical students, more clinical training opportunities for students and residents, and additional patients seeking treatment at OSU Medical Center for a wider range of disorders and injuries, according to Ellison.

The medical center's ability to dedicate resources to the new department and recruitment of Chiocca is attributed largely to the funding made available through the Esther Dardinger Fund, a $14.1 million award to the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute to further cancer research. The fund established the Dardinger Family Endowed Chair in Oncological Neurosurgery to be held by Chiocca, as well as the Esther Dardinger Endowed Chair in Neuro-Oncology, held by Herbert Newton of the Department of Neurology.

In addition, the Esther Dardinger Neuro-Oncology Center was established from the award to provide expanded research and treatment for patients with this life-threatening disease. The center will be co-directed by Chiocca and Newton.

Endowed funds named

Ohio State's Board of Trustees accepted five new endowed funds, totaling $315,894, and accepted 261 research grants and contracts awarded to the university during the month of October, totaling $29.4 million, at its Dec. 5 meeting. The following named funds were accepted:

• The Ohio State University Press Fund, $200,000.

• The Keith H. Jung Memorial Fund, $50,000.

• The Keys Association Endowment for Multiple Sclerosis Research, $25,893.

• Bright Community Property Trust Athletic Scholarship Fund, $25,000.

• The John W. Berry Scholarship Fund, $15,000.

Audit report approved

Trustees approved an annual audit by Deloitte and Touche of the university's financial statements for 2002-03 that shows the university's overall financial health remains sound. The firm reviewed university accounts and records and found them to be satisfactory, and also made some constructive comments, which the trustees reviewed.

Personnel appointments

• Vladimir M. Sloutsky has been appointed director of the Center for Cognitive Science, effective through June 30, 2007.

• Stuart L. Cooper has been appointed chairperson of the Department of Chemical Engineering, effective through Dec. 31, 2007.

New surgery department approved

Trustees approved the creation of a Department of Neurological Surgery, effective immediately. Department status will allow the program, which had been a division, to recruit premier academic neurosurgeons; provide expanded research programs; enhance the quality of teaching for medical students, residents and specialty fellows; and provide expanded training for students in other health care professions.

E. Antonio Chiocca has been named chairperson of the new department and holder of the Dardinger Family Endowed Chair in Oncological Neurosurgery, effective March 1, 2004 through Feb. 29, 2008. Chiocca is currently associate professor in surgery (neurosurgery) at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and associate visiting neurosurgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital.

New institute approved

Trustees approved the creation of a Mathematical Biosciences Institute that will focus on mathematical modeling of biological processes, giving Ohio State a national forum for mathematical biosciences. The institute will serve as a catalyst for interaction between mathematics and the biosciences, involving mathematical scientists and bioscientists in the solution of fundamental problems in the biosciences.

Entrepreneurship center created

Trustees approved the creation of a Center for Entrepreneurship in the Fisher College of Business, effective immediately. The new center will emphasize entrepreneurial research in addition to providing entrepreneurial service and teaching. The center reflects the growing interest in entrepreneurship at major colleges throughout the world.

Building named

The board approved the naming of the Wetlands Research and Education Building at 352 W. Dodridge St. in honor of William G. Heffner of Columbus, a longtime supporter of the Wetlands Research Park, whose generosity has made it possible for faculty and students to continue their research efforts on the special ecosystem of a wetland.

Research report given

The board heard the annual report on the Office of Research from Tom Rosol, interim vice president for research, who said Ohio State has experienced unprecedented growth in research since 1998, and now ranks 13th in research expenditures among public institutions and 39th among the National Institutes for Health peer rankings. Also presenting were John Roberts, professor of African American and African studies and associate dean of humanities, and Michael Knopp, professor of radiology and director of imaging research, who explained recent advances in non-invasive imaging techniques.

Reporting lines changed

The board approved changing the reporting line and the awarding of degrees for the Undergraduate International Studies Program, an undergraduate interdisciplinary major program, from the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences to the executive dean of the Colleges of the Arts and Sciences, effective immediately.

Projects revisited

Trustees heard a quarterly report from University Architect Jill Morelli on key capital projects, the second 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.

The projects reviewed, along with their status, were the Biomedical Research Tower (out for bidding), Ross Heart Hospital (in construction), Knowlton School of Architecture (in construction), Larkins Hall replacement (in construction), Thompson Library renovation (in design), McCracken Power Plant upgrade (in construction), Mechanical Engineering Building replacement (in design), Physical Sciences Research Building (in construction), Psychology Building (in design), and Ohio Stadium.

For the completed Ohio Stadium renovation and scoreboard projects, Morelli provided a "lessons learned" section that will be used to facilitate decision-making on future projects.

Women's leadership report heard

Trustees heard a report on the progress of women in leadership at Ohio State based on the findings of the 2003 Status Report on Women, produced by the President's Council on Women's Issues. Kate Haller, associate general counsel in health sciences and chair of the council, told trustees that modest gains have been realized in the number of administrative positions occupied by women (2 percent), as well as in women faculty on tenure track (3 percent); of women associate professors (3 percent); and of women full professors (4 percent) over the past 10 years. Judy Fountain, associate vice provost for women's policy initiatives and director of The Women's Place, offered an update on the Faculty Cohort Project, a pilot project in its third of four years, and a research project under way to evaluate the effectiveness of the Faculty Cohort model in improving the retention of women faculty.

Activity fee outlined

Trustees heard a report on the new Student Activity Fee, which is $15 each quarter for new full-time students. The fee supports student organizations and student government, and allows the university to offer student discounts on community cultural and entertainment events for undergraduate, graduate and professional students. The Council on Student Affairs allocates the majority of the fee to the Ohio Union Activities Board for campus-wide entertainment.

Amendments approved

Trustees approved several amendments to the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees, the Rules of the University Faculty and the Bylaws of the University Senate.

Student recognized

Nowai Keleekai, an undergraduate in the College of Nursing, received the board's Student Recognition Award. Keleekai, who was nominated by Dean Elizabeth Lenz, came to Ohio State as an Office of Minority Affairs Scholar and a Gates Millennium Scholar. She has been involved in a mentorship program in the Office of Minority Affairs and is a recipient of the office's Outstanding Achievement Award. She received the National Institutes of Health Supplemental Research Grant to support her thesis. In addition, she holds a seat on the professional misconduct committee in the College of Nursing. She also is the college's ombudsperson, an intern for the Ohio Commission on Minority Health and a member of Chi Eta Phi, a national professional minority nursing society.

Construction approved

Trustees authorized the university to select qualified architectural/engineering firms and/or proceed with in-house design services for the following projects:

• Renovation of the Center for Automotive Research at 930 Kinnear Road. Project cost estimate is $871,579 with funding to be provided by House Bill 675.

• Replacement and addition of site lighting along Neil Avenue and other areas of the main campus to enhance campus safety. Estimated project cost is $500,000 with funding to be provided by House Bill 675.

• Rehabilitation of the "S Curve" section of Cannon Drive to ensure vehicular and pedestrian campus safety. Estimated project cost is $270,000 with funding to be provided by House Bill 675.

• Reorganization of the clinical space within Doan and Rhodes Halls by expanding the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit on the sixth floor of Doan Hall. Estimated project cost is $1.5 million with funding to be provided by the University Hospital.

• Replacement of a deteriorating roof on Cunz Hall. Estimated project cost is $185,000 with funding to be provided by House Bill 675.

• Renovation of University Hall in order to consolidate the deans of the Arts and Sciences colleges into a central location. The expected total project cost is $1 million to $3 million, and the College of Arts and Sciences has committed funds to finance a $12,000 study to determine space needs and future sources of funds.

• Replacement of the roof on the Electroscience Building. Estimated project cost is $275,000 with funding to be provided by House Bill 675.

• Installation of a water booster pump station at Ohio State Marion to improve water pressure throughout the entire campus. Estimated project cost is $500,000, with funding to be provided by Marion local funds.

• Construction of improved facilities on the branch farm campus at Eastern Ohio Research and Development Center in Caldwell. Estimated project cost is $794,000 with funding to be provided by the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center local funds.

• Replacement of the office and shop building at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center muck crop locations. Estimated project cost is $825,000 with funding to be provided by House Bill 675.

• Overhaul and upgrade of the condensing steam turbine generator for the main campus. Estimated project cost is $2.6 million with funding to be provided by future university bond proceeds with debt service to be paid by an increase in the central utility assessment.

• Replacement of the heating system in Pomerene Hall. Estimated project cost is $350,000 with funding to be provided by House Bill 675.

• Improvement in the overall drainage in the area of the main campus south dorms to eliminate flooding problems. Estimated project cost is $625,000 with funding to be provided by future university bond proceeds with debt service to be paid by an increase in the central utility assessment.