Ohio State to unveil new majors, programs and facilities this fall - 09/20/05

COLUMBUS – A host of new academic and co-curricular programs, events and facilities will accompany the start of Ohio State University's 2005 academic year which begins Wednesday (9/21). Ohio State, which was recently ranked as one of the top 10 public research institutions in the country, will also welcome its best and brightest freshman class for the 11th consecutive year this fall.

Beginning this year, undergraduates may now major in Security and Intelligence, conduct research using a new on-campus wireless network and order pizza using meal plans to be delivered to their dorm room. Freshman students may no longer bring automobiles to campus, but they will be able to enjoy the recently opened Recreation and Physical Activity Center (RPAC) which offers 25,000 square feet of fitness space, 225 pieces of equipment for cardio and weight training, gymnasiums and multipurpose rooms, five pools and a jogging/walking track.

A complete listing follows of new academic programs, events, initiatives and facilities. The person listed as the CONTACT will have the most current information about the story.

New academic majors, courses and research

•Fisher College New MBA Program Curriculum – The Fisher College of Business is restructuring its MBA program curriculum, combining rigorous academics with a leadership and professional development component. "The highly individualized approach allows us to focus on leadership skill enhancement at the highest level, providing students with a more well-rounded personal experience while maintaining a rigorous academic experience -- making our MBA students more marketable in meeting the demands of today's employers," said Karen Wruck, associate professor and associate to the dean for MBA programs. CONTACT: Karen Hopper Wruck, (614) 688-5443.

•Masters of Business Logistics Engineering – This specialized nine- to 15-month program is jointly operated by the Fisher College of Business' department of marketing and logistics and the College of Engineering's department of industrial, welding and systems engineering. Students will gain a solid base in management and logistics education coupled with a strong technical engineering curriculum. CONTACT: Gina Langen, College of Engineering, (614) 688-4423 or langen.2@osu.edu

•Masters of Social Work available on site at Franklin County Children's Services –
The College of Social Work now offers a Masters of Social Work on site at Franklin County Children's Services (FCCS). Social workers at FCCS and other children- and youth-related agencies can now continue working while earning an advanced degree. CONTACT: Tom Gregoire, College of Social Work, (614) 292-9426 or gregoire.5@osu.edu

•Security and Intelligence major – This interdisciplinary major includes courses on terror and terrorism, development and control of weapons of mass destruction, food security and globalization, codemaking and codebreaking, and international security. Housed in the Undergraduate International Studies Program in the Colleges of the Arts and Sciences, the major comprises courses from approximately 14 colleges and academic departments. CONTACT: Todd Stewart, Security and Intelligence Program, stewart.598@osu.edu

•Major in Professional Golf Management - The OSU Professional Golf Management (PGM) program combines the academic requirements of The Ohio State University with the golf business knowledge and golf aptitude expectations of the Professional Golfer's Association of America. A career in golf management requires diverse knowledge and skills including finance, personnel management, marketing, food and beverage management, merchandising, plant science, inventory control, lesson planning, individual and group teaching, and social and professional interactions, as well as golf skills. CONTACT: Ray Miller, Horticulture and Crop Science, miller.5@osu.edu

•Courses in "Navigating eBay," "Video Game Design and Development" –The Office of Continuing Education will offer "Navigating eBay" as a noncredit course for traditional and nontraditional students and also for faculty and staff. Video Game Design and Development is one of several new online courses offered by Continuing Education's Professional Development department. CONTACT: Latina Rockhold, Continuing Education, (614) 688-3310 or rockhold.14@osu.edu

Initiatives

•OSU Wireless Project - Phase I of the OSU Wireless Project will roll out at the beginning of Autumn Quarter 2005 with the conversion of 190 to 200 existing wireless hotspots in more than 60 buildings and key student gathering areas on campus. Ohio State faculty, staff and students will be able to log into any OSU Wireless hotspot using their valid OSU Internet Username and password. There is no charge for Ohio State faculty, staff and students to use OSU Wireless hotspots. CONTACT: Cathy Bindewald, Office of the Chief Information Officer, bindewald.2@osu.edu

•"Snackwise" program to rate nutritional value of vending machine snacks – Jaime Ackerman, a program specialist with OSU Extension, will pilot a cooperative study with Columbus Children's Hospital in 15 Ohio counties this fall to rate the nutritional value of foods offered in school vending machines. Ackerman and her colleagues will study whether informational flyers posted at vending machines influence students' nutritional knowledge and behavior, and if revenue from vending machine sales changes when a greater proportion of higher-quality snacks is offered. CONTACT: Jaime Ackerman, OSU Extension, (614) 292-3538 or ackerman.40@osu.eduSEE: http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~news/story.php?id=3247

•Ohio State faculty establishes nuclear engineering minor at Wilberforce – Nuclear engineering courses taught by Ohio State faculty are underway this quarter at Wilberforce University as part of a new undergraduate minor in nuclear engineering. Ohio State's nuclear program is reinventing four of its core curriculum courses so they can be taught using distance learning technology from Ohio State to Wilberforce students. The program aims to better qualify engineering students to enter the nuclear field and to encourage them to pursue graduate work at Ohio State. In addition, the program offers Wilberforce faculty the opportunity to conduct collaborative research with Ohio State nuclear engineering faculty. CONTACT: Joan Slattery Wall, College of Engineering, (614) 292-4064 or wall.107@osu.edu

•Continuing Education and Career Exploration Office to pilot Women in Transition project – Continuing Education and the Career Exploration Office (CEO) are partnering with the U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau to pilot Women in Transition to help Baby Boomer women develop the skills necessary to ensure successful transitions to new careers, education and entrepreneurship endeavors. The program is free and will kick off later in September. CONTACT: Latina Rockhold, Continuing Education, (614) 688-3310 or rockhold.14@osu.edu

News and Events

•No parking permits for first year students - To meet the many competing demands on limited parking, first year students living in the residence halls during the 2005-06 academic year will not be permitted to bring a vehicle to campus or purchase an OSU parking permit. This policy does not apply to commuter students or any student who has achieved sophomore or higher status.

•Energy research wins award – The Bio-Environmental Design Team in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering is earning praise and funding for its work on an organic energy source. The team has won a $10,000 competitive grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and first place $1,000 in an American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers' design competition. CONTACT: Joan Slattery Wall, College of Engineering, (614) 292-4064 or wall.107@osu.edu

•Social Work group field training offered at Rosemont Center – This demonstration project sponsored by the Columbus Foundation will provide Social Work students with a field practicum model of group supervision. CONTACT: Jennifer Heller, College of Social Work, (614) 292-8879 or heller.4@osu.edu

•Social Work program improves aging services in four rural central Ohio counties – Two Social Work professors have been awarded a grant from the Hartford Foundation for "Enhancing Learning and Development through Elder Rural Services" (E.L.D.E.R.), their partnership with the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging. Through E.L.D.E.R., professors Virginia Richardson and Holly Dabelko will recruit and place Social Work students in four rural Ohio counties to improve social services for the elderly and their caregivers in those areas. CONTACT: Virginia Richardson, (614) 292-1507 or richardson.2@osu.edu; Holly Dabelko, (614) 292-4378 or dabelko.1@osu.edu, College of Social Work

•Ohio State Marion students conduct biological survey for parks district – Thanks to a $31,000 grant from The Ohio State University to enhance undergraduate research and community outreach on regional campuses, faculty and students at Ohio State Marion recently began a local research project entitled, "The Sandusky Plains Biotic Inventory."
The biotic inventory provides baseline natural resource information for public landowners. It is a collaborative effort between Ohio State Marion students and the Marion County Parks District to inventory biotic organisms, plants, butterflies, and birds in area nature preserves currently under the supervision of university biology faculty and the county's parks district. CONTACT: Wayne Rowe, The Ohio State University at Marion, 740-389-6786, ext. 6316.

•Strategic alliance between Battelle and the John Glenn Institute produces lectures, policy day – The Battelle Headline Lecture Series, designed to raise public awareness of targeted issues of privacy, technology and innovation, will bring prominent speakers to Ohio State for one lecture Autumn quarter 2005, and a second in early Spring quarter 2006.
The Battelle Policy Day to be held during Winter Quarter 2006 is designed to inspire scholars from a wide range of disciplines to examine emerging policy issues regarding relationships between privacy and technology. Selected expert perspectives will be distributed to a broad group of policymakers to encourage thoughtful discussion. CONTACT: Laura Sipe, John Glenn Institute, (614) 247-6369 or sipe.9@osu.edu

•Glenn Institute hosts inaugural Barbara K. Fergus Women in Leadership Lecture – Columbus philanthropist, business leader, and women's leadership advocate Barbara Fergus is the inspiration behind a lecture series that will premiere this November. It will bring leaders from all walks – corporate, political, non-profit and higher education – to campus for public lectures on leadership and the associated issues and opportunities that leaders face in today's society. CONTACT: Deanna Stewart, John Glenn Institute, (614) 292-3881 or stewart.647@osu.edu

•Improving the Health of Minorities: American Dietetics Association Supports Minority Student Enrichment in Dietetics - Minorities, especially African Americans and Hispanics, are at increased risk of several nutrition-related diseases. Anne Smith, associate professor of nutrition and director of the Department of Human Nutrition's Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) wants to improve the health of minorities, specifically in the area of nutrition-related diseases. A new grant from the American Dietetics Assocation will help more minority students become registered dieticians by making extra support services and mentoring available.

•Dental H.O.M.E. Coach Serves Students In Need – The Ohio State University College of Dentistry Dental H.O.M.E. (Health Outreach Mobile Experience), which includes three dental operatories, is expected to take dental care directly to 4,500 students annually within 30 high-need Columbus Public Schools. Care is provided by dental students working in conjunction with full-time professional staff. CONTACT: Kathy Baird, College of Dentistry, (614) 688-3943.

Facilities

•Recreation and Physical Activity Center - The new Recreation and Physical Activity Center (RPAC) opened Aug. 29 and is being used and enjoyed by students, faculty and staff. The aquatic center and Courtside Cafe will be ready for use early in Autumn Quarter. CONTACT: J. Michael Dunn, director, Recreational Sports, 688-5386.

•New Dining Options: Courtside Café and Juice2, RPAC; Pizza At Drake (P.A.D.), Drake Union. CONTACT: Thom Stevenson, 247-3663, or Tim Keegstra, 292-8380, Campus Dining Services