OSU trustees accept funds, approve other university matters
COLUMBUS – A new designated professorship in the Moritz College of Law was established Wednesday (3/5) by The Ohio State University Board of Trustees. The Robert M. Duncan/Jones Day Designated Professorship in Law honors Duncan, a 1952 graduate of the Moritz College of Law. A former federal judge, Duncan is a current Ohio State trustee and special counsel to the Columbus office of Jones Day, an international law firm. The professorship will be funded over a five-year period with gifts from Ohio State alumni employed by Jones Day. Yearly funds of $37,500 will provide salary and research support for a distinguished law faculty member.
The board also established nine new named endowed funds with gifts given to the university in January and accepted 214 research grants and contracts totaling $21.5 million awarded to the university in January.
In other business, trustees approved a variety of personnel, academic, fiscal and construction matters.
Named endowed funds
• Ice Core Research Endowment Fund, $61,300, provided by funds received as a result of the 2002 Common Wealth Award of Distinguished Service given to Ohio State Professors Lonnie G. Thompson (M.S. 1973; Ph.D. 1976) and Ellen Mosley-Thompson (M.A., 1975; Ph.D. 1979); funds from the College of Mathematical and Physical Sciences and gifts from alumni, faculty and staff, to support research activities of Ohio State’s ice core research paleoclimate group
• The Paul G. Althouse Endowment Fund, $30,190, provided by gifts from Phyllis M. Althouse (B.S.H.E., 1954), family and friends in memory of Paul Althouse (B.S.Agr., 1953; M.S., 1963) and his 30-year career teaching meat science courses in the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Income from the fund will be used to support the Department of Animal Sciences’ Meat Judging Team.
• Undergraduate Physics Research Endowment Fund, $28,909, provided by gifts from Carl E. Nielsen, professor emeritus in the Department of Physics, to provide scholarship support to students doing research with physics faculty members
• The Edward J. “Ned” Taaffe Memorial Fund in Geography, $26,747, provided by gifts from friends, relatives and corporate friends of the Department of Geography to recognize Taaffe in perpetuity with the initial purpose of ensuring the continuation of the Edward J. Taaffe Colloquium Series
• Frederick Ives Chair’s Scholarship Fund, $26,281, provided by gifts from alumni and faculty of the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering in the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences for undergraduate scholarship support
• The Ruth and Jesse Owens Endowed Scholarship Fund, $26,000, provided by gifts from the Owens Family and The Jesse Owens Foundation to support socio-economically disadvantaged students
• The David J. Ryan Scholarship Fund in Metals Casting, $25,510, provided by a gift from David J. Ryan of New Albany to provide need-based scholarships to College of Engineering students
• The R. Kirby Barrick Agricultural Education Fund, $25,043, provided by gifts from Barrick (B.S. Agr, 1970; M.S., 1973; Ph.D., 1980), former faculty member and department chair in the Department of Agricultural Education, to support activities and programs related to agricultural teacher education in the Department of Human and Community Resource Development in the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
• The General Dynamics Land Systems Science and Engineering Scholarship Fund, $25,000, provided by a gift from General Dynamics Land Systems to support a scholarship for students at OSU-Lima pursuing a degree in mechanical, electrical, industrial or software engineering
Change in description of named endowed funds
• The W. Keith Davis Memorial Scholarship Fund
• The Bernard V. Fultz Family Scholarship Fund
• Mager Family Scholarship Fund
Change in name of named endowed funds
• The Marshall Cox Fund for the Center for Socio-Legal Studies is now the Marshall and Nathalie Cox Fund for Socio-Legal Studies
• Ohio Eminent Scholar in Protein Engineering is now the Ohio Eminent Scholar in Macromolecular Structure and Function
• The Billy Joe Armstrong Football Scholarship Fund is now The Greer Steel Company Athletic Football Scholarship Fund
Personnel Appointments
• Edward B. Foley has been named to the Robert M. Duncan/Jones Day Designated Professorship in Law in the Moritz College of Law, effective March 5, 2003, through March 4, 2008. Foley, who earned his B.A. at Yale University and his J.D. at Columbia University, worked as a law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun and practiced law in Washington, D.C., before joining Ohio State’s faculty in 1991, becoming full professor in 1997. From 1999-2000, he took a leave to serve as State Solicitor in the office of the Ohio Attorney General. His areas of expertise include constitutional law, election law, and education law.
• R. Ellyn Perrone has been named Ohio State’s vice president for government relations, effective April 1, 2003. She currently serves as assistant vice president for administration and special liaison to the George Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A& M University and is a former vice president for governmental affairs at that university. Perrone received her undergraduate degree at Stephen F. Austin State University and a master’s degree in public administration from Texas A&M.
• Peter M. Shane has been named to The Joseph S. Platt-Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur Professorship in Law and Director of the Center for Law, Policy and Social Science in the Moritz College of Law, effective Aug. 16, 2003, through Aug. 15, 2006. Shane, who received his A.B. and M.A. from Harvard University and his J.D. from Yale University, is currently professor of law at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.
• Peng G. Wang has been named the Ohio Eminent Scholar in Macromolecular Structure and Function in the Department of Biochemistry, College of Biological Sciences, effective Oct. 1, 2003. Currently a professor in the Department of Chemistry at Wayne State University, Wang received his B.S. degree from Nankai University in China and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. He has published more than 140 research papers, reviews, and book chapters, and has submitted several patent applications.
• Richard Davis has been appointed interim chairperson in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures in the College of Humanities, effective Jan. 1, 2003, through Dec. 31, 2003.
Resolutions in memoriam
• Jacob E. Davis, former member of the Board of Trustees, who died Feb. 28, 2003
• David L. Moffatt, professor emeritus in the Department of Electrical Engineering, who died in Jan. 18, 2003
• John M. Muste, professor emeritus in the Department of English, who died Sept. 5, 2002
• Gus C. Pappas, professor emeritus in the College of Dentistry, who died Jan. 10, 2003
Student Affairs strategic planning to include external review
Trustees heard a report on the Office of Student Affairs Strategic Plan and its upcoming external review. The plan aligns Student Affairs priorities and programs with the university's Academic Plan and Diversity Plan. A three-person panel of experts from other universities will be on campus April 28 to May 1 to review the plan and meet with students, faculty, staff, trustees and other key university personnel to determine the appropriateness and effectiveness of the plan.
Multicultural Center highlighted
Christine Ballengee-Morris, director of Ohio State’s two-year old Multicultural Center, updated the board on the center’s progress and initiatives planned for the next three years. The center, a collaborative effort of the offices of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs, has brought together a number of services for underrepresented students into a central organization while maintaining each group’s historical office traditions and programming.
Selective investment programs updated
Trustees heard reports on three of the university’s 13 Selective Investment Award recipients. Faculty representatives from the departments of history, physics and the Moritz College of Law spoke on the impact the awards have had on their programming, faculty recruitment and academic reputation. The Selective Investment Awards go to university units that hold the most potential to propel Ohio State into the highest ranks of public research institutions. Winners receive $500,000 in continuing university funds to be matched with $500,000 from their own departments or colleges. The funds received by the three presenting academic units have primarily been used to hire outstanding scholars, who in turn have attracted talented students and contributed to their programs’ increase in national academic reputation.
Trustees heard an update on Outreach and Engagement
Trustees heard an update on initiatives sponsored by Ohio State’s Office of Outreach and Engagement. Among its charges, the office distributes information on university outreach initiatives and creates awareness with internal and external audiences of Ohio State’s programs. In addition, the office is beginning an internal and external review process that will begin in March. A strategic plan will be presented to the trustees in May.
Amendments approved
The board approved several amendments to the Rules of the University Faculty, the Bylaws of the University Senate and the Bylaws and Rules and Regulations of the Medical Staff of The Ohio State University Hospitals.
Land use principles adopted
Trustees adopted a series of proposed principles and processes relating to the development of university land, ensuring that any land assets will be used and developed in a manner that supports the University Master Plan, adopted in 1995, and the university’s Academic Plan. The principles will be incorporated into the updated University Master Plan, which will be presented to the board later this year.
Dreese Lab project approved
Trustees authorized the university to request construction bids for the renovation of Dreese Lab, 2015 Neil Avenue. The construction document project cost is $210,000 with funding provided by House Bill 808.
Hagerty Hall contracts awarded
The board approved the awarding of contracts for the rehabilitation of Hagerty Hall, 1775 College Road, including building system replacement and interior redesign of space to house the College of Humanities. Total project cost is $24.4 million, with funding provided by House Bills 850 and 748, central university funds and gifts to the College of Humanities. Estimated completion date is March 2004. Architect of record is Wandel & Schnell of Columbus and general contractor is Miles McClellan Construction of Columbus.
Regional campus master plans previewed
Trustees were presented with the master plans for the Mansfield, Marion and Newark regional campuses for a first reading. They will be asked to approve the plans at the April board meeting. The three master plans address planning and design issues specific to each campus, including campus context, location of future facilities, open space, natural features, vehicular and pedestrian circulation, parking and signage, and design and development guidelines for future facilities and open space improvements.
Student receives recognition from board
Cullen Buie of CLEVELAND, a senior majoring in engineering, received the board’s Student Recognition Award. In high school, he was selected for Ohio State’s Pre-Freshman and Cooperative Education (PREFACE) Program, which gives academically talented minority students a head start in engineering. As a part of the university’s Freshman Engineering Honors (FEH) Program, he developed a special robot that was created from “shape memory alloy” that can literally walk, based on a computer program that he helped his engineering professor develop. He won the Outstanding Sophomore Award for his project at the 2001 Denman Undergraduate Research Forum and won the Outstanding Junior award at last year’s forum. In addition, he is a member of the National Society of Black Engineers, the Tau Beta Pi national engineering honor society and Lambda Psi, the newly formed minority-engineering student honorary.
