OSU trustees approve academic, fiscal and other matters
COLUMBUS -- The establishment of two professorships and 23 new named endowed funds was approved Friday (2/7) by The Ohio State University Board of Trustees. The new funds reflect gifts totaling more than $2.5 million given to the university during the month of December 2002 in support of research, instructional activities and service.
Trustees also accepted the report on recent research grants and contracts awarded to Ohio State. During November 2002, the university received 180 research grants and contracts totaling $23.3 million. In December 2002, 170 research grants and contracts were received for a total of $16 million.
In other business, the board approved a variety of personnel, administrative, financial and construction-related matters.
Professorships
• The Edwin D. Dodd Professorship in Management, $750,000, provided by a gift from the Edwin D. Dodd Fund at Charities Foundation to support a faculty member in the Max M. Fisher College of Business
• The Charles R. Webb Designated Professorship in Finance, $75,000, provided by a gift and proceeds of a trust maturing in 2004 from Charles R. Webb to support a faculty member in the Fisher College of Business’ Department of Finance for a five-year period
Named endowed funds
• The Dr. Harold E. “Hal” and Faith B. Barlow Dental Scholarship Fund, $313,907, provided by gifts from the estate of Harold E. Barlow (B.A., 1936; D.D.S., 1939) to provide scholarships for students in the College of Dentistry
• The Aida Cannarsa Snow Endowment Fund in the College of the Arts, $208,333, provided by gifts from the estate of Aida Cannarsa Snow to provide tuition scholarship awards in the College of the Arts
• The William M. and Darlene Aldrige Music Scholarship Fund, $150,000, provided by gifts from the estate of Darlene Aldrige of Hillsboro in memory of her husband, William M. Aldrige (B.S.Agr., 1961), to support scholarships in the School of Music
• The Harold A. McIntosh Fund, $134,787, provided by gifts from the estate of Harold A. “Marc” McIntosh (B.F.A., 1966) to provide scholarships for gay, lesbian and bisexual students
• Katherine Miles Durst and Richard E. Durst Scholarship Fund for Psychology, $124,435, provided by a gift from Katherine Miles Durst (B.A. with distinction, 1925; B.S.Ed., 1925; M.A., 1927) and Dr. Richard E. Durst (Ph.D., 1948) to provide support for Merit Scholars and/or University Scholars as determined by the Honors and Scholars Program
• The Dr. Clyde D. Gump Pediatric Dentistry Fund, $110,475, provided by gifts from the estate of Julia Robert Gump (B.S.Ed., 1940; M.A., 1954) in memory of Clyde D. Gump (D.D.S., 1941) to be used at the discretion of the head of the Section of Pediatric Dentistry
• The Robert and Mary Reusche Scholarships for Study Abroad Fund, $100,000, provided by gifts from Robert (B.S.Bus.Adm., 1949) and Mary (B.S.Bus.Adm., 1950) Reusche to provide support for Study Abroad scholarships
• The Kaushalya Chawla Program Fund for Geriatrics Care and Alzheimer’s Disease Research in Pharmacy, $67,876, provided by gifts from Ash Chawla (B.S.Phar., 1981; M.S., 1983) in honor of his late mother and from Mr. Chawla’s family, friends, OSU pharmacy alumni and business associates to fund research in geriatrics and Alzheimer’s Disease
• The Jimmy Warfield Athletic Training Scholarship Fund, $55,000, provided by gifts from Linda Warfield of Hudson and the Cleveland Indians Charities to supplement grant-in-aid scholarship costs of student athletic training
• The COBA/Select Sires Dairy Industry Enhancement Endowment Fund, $50,000, provided by a gift from COBA/Select Sires to support an extension associate in the Department of Animal Sciences in the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
• College of Dentistry Endowed Chair Fund in Endodontics, $47,500, provided with gifts from Joseph A. Haase (D.D.S., 1969) of Worthington, alumni, faculty and friends to fund a chair for a distinguished faculty member in endodontics
• The Aida Cannarsa Snow Endowment Fund in the Colleges of the Arts and Sciences, $41,667, provided by a gift from the estate of Aida Cannarsa Snow to provide tuition scholarship awards
• The Edmund M. Kagay Scholarship Fund, $40,337, provided by a gift from the estate of Edmund M. Kagay of Columbus to support Study Abroad scholarships in the College of Humanities
• Wexner Center Education Endowment Fund, $40,000, provided by a gift from an anonymous donor to be used exclusively to support the Wexner Center’s education programs
• The Donald E. and Martha L. Fogg Alpha Tau Zeta Scholarship Fund, $39,357, provided by gifts from Donald (B.S.Agr., 1949) and Martha (B.S.H.E., 1949) to support student scholarships for members of the Alpha Tau Zeta Fraternity in the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
• The Unverferth House Endowment Fund, $25,611, provided by gifts from friends of The Unverferth House to support upkeep of the house
• The Robinson Craig Fendrick – Gwynne Conservation Fund, $25,571, provided by gifts from the Farm Science Review Alumni Association and the Gwynne Conservation Area Committee in cooperation with members of “Baby Craig”’s family and friends to provide support for the Gwynne Conservation Area at the Molly Caren Agriculture Center
• Dr. Beverly Baer Endowed Scholarship Fund for Arts Education, $25,000, provided by gifts from William D. Baer and Thomas N. Baer to provide a scholarship for an Arts Education student in the College of the Arts
• The BBK&C Athletic Scholarship Fund, $25,000, provided by gifts from John V. Johnson II of Westerville to supplement the grant-in-aid scholarship costs of a member of the varsity football team
• The Harry T. Mangurian, Jr., MBA Fellowship Fund, $25,000, provided by a gift from The Mangurian Foundation to provide support to graduate students in the Fisher College of Business
• The Bonna “Sue” and Louis “Clem” Margulis Endowment Fund for Cancer Research, $25,000, provided by a gift from the estate of Bonna Margulis of Columbus to support cancer research at the Comprehensive Cancer Center
• The Dr. Arlene Marx and Dr. Larry Mundy Athletic Scholarship Fund, $25,000, provided by gifts from Dr. Marx (B.S.Med.Tech, 1970) and Dr. Mundy of Spring, Texas, to provide scholarships for student athletes on the varsity football team
• The Paul A. and Betty L. Whittington Endowed Scholarship Fund, $25,000, provided by gifts from Paul A. (B.S.Agr., 1971) and Betty Whittington of Sabina to support undergraduate students in the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Change in name
• The Alumni Club of Orange County and Long Beach Scholarship Fund is now The Alumni Club of Orange County and Inland Empire Scholarship Fund
Change in name and description
• The John H. Moore Memorial Loan Fund is now The John H. Moore Grant and Scholarship Fund
Change in description
• The William M. and Darlene Aldrige Agriculture Scholarship Fund
• The Evelyn Michael MBA Fellowship Fund
Personnel actions
• John R. Meyer of WORTHINGTON has been named interim vice president for development and interim president of The Ohio State University Foundation Board, effective Feb. 1, 2003. Meyer had been serving as associate vice president for development since 2001. A graduate of the College of Wooster, he earned a master’s degree in political science from Kent State University and worked in development at Wooster and the Centenary College of Louisiana before joining Ohio State’s staff as development director for the law school in 1981. In 1992, he was named assistant vice president and director of university development.
• Cynthia J. Roberts of UPPER ARLINGTON, associate professor of ophthalmology and associate professor of surgery, has been named to The Torrence A. Makley Research Professorship in Ophthalmology. Roberts holds her master’s degree in electrical engineering and her Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Ohio State. Her areas of specialty include biomedical engineering, corneal topography and laser surgery.
• Jose B. Cruz, Jr. of UPPER ARLINGTON, professor of electrical engineering, has been reappointed to The Howard D. Winbigler Designated Chair in Engineering in the College of Engineering, effective July 1, 2002, through June 30, 2007.
• john a. powell’s term as director of The William E. Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in the Americas and holder of The Gregory H. Williams Chair in Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in The Michael E. Moritz College of Law has been changed from Jan. 15, 2003, to Dec. 9, 2002, through June 30, 2006.
• Peter S. Curtis has been appointed acting chair of the Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, effective Jan. 1, 2003, through June 30, 2003.
Emeritus titles
• June W. Allison, professor emeritus, Department of Greek and Latin, effective April 1, 2003
• Barbara H. James, professor emeritus, Ohio State University Extension, effective Feb. 1, 2003
• Gary J. Kociba, professor emeritus, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, effective Feb. 1, 2003
• Anthony P. Libby, professor emeritus, Department of English, effective April 1, 2003
• Frank O’Hare, professor emeritus, Department of English, effective April 1, 2003
• Bradford T. Stokes, professor emeritus, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, effective April 1, 2003
• John D. Rohrer, associate professor emeritus, Ohio State University Extension, effective Feb. 1, 2003
• Douglas L. Dill, assistant professor emeritus, Ohio State University Extension, effective Feb. 1, 2003
Resolutions in memoriam
• Homer A. Anderson, M.D., clinical professor emeritus in the Department of Pediatrics, who died Nov. 30, 2002
• Howard E. Frisbee, professor emeritus in the Ohio State University Extension, who died on Jan. 3, 2003
• William B. McBride, professor emeritus in the College of Education and School of Music, who died Nov. 24, 2002
• Robert W. McCormick, professor emeritus of agricultural education, who died Dec. 13, 2002
Construction projects
The board authorized the employment of architect/engineering and construction manager firms for the following:
• Construction of a Marion Campus student housing project. Following the authorization by the board in November 2002, the number of beds included in the project has risen from 160 to 300 with a preliminary project cost increase from $7,045,753 to $16,604,081, with funding provided by university bond proceeds and debt service to be paid by Student Affairs.
• Construction of a Lima Campus student housing project. Following authorization by the board in August 2001, the number of beds included in the project has risen from 150 to 300 with a preliminary project cost increase from $9.3 million to $16.6 million, with funding provided by university bond proceeds and debt service paid by Student Affairs.
The board authorized the employment of architect/engineering firms for the following:
• Construction of a Marion Campus Student Services Building. Following authorization by the board in December 2001, the Marion Campus requested an increase in square footage to reflect increased enrollment, the inclusion of the Alber Center and security services, which resulted in a preliminary cost increase from $3.7 million to $5.6 million, with funding provided by House Bill 640, Marion Campus funds and a loan from the Treasurer’s Office.
• Rehabilitation of all existing runways, taxiways and aprons at the University Airport. Preliminary project cost is $8.4 million, with funding provided by a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration and the College of Engineering.
• Assist with the completion of measured drawings, provide space use recommendation and provide design services for the renovation of space in the facility at 650 Ackerman Road. Preliminary construction estimate is undetermined, with funding provided by building occupants.
• Removal and replacement of the artificial turf system in the Woody Hayes Athletic Facility. Preliminary project cost is $480,000, with funding provided by the Department of Athletics.
• Removal of existing grass field at Football Practice Field #4 and installation of a new artificial field surface. Preliminary project cost is $540,000, with funding provided by the Department of Athletics and gifts to the Department of Athletics.
The board authorized the request for construction bids for the following:
• Construction of a student lounge area in the Veterinary Hospital. Construction document project cost is $253,583, with funding provided by the College of Veterinary Medicine.
• Installation of Musco sports lighting at the Softball Stadium. Preliminary project cost is $349,994, with funding provided by the Department of Athletics.
• Renovation of classrooms 200 in Campbell Hall and 014 in University Hall to improve the quality of teaching and learning facilities and renovation of large lecture room 108 in Evans Hall. Preliminary project cost is $2 million with funding provided by House Bills 640, 748, 790, 808, 810, 850 and 904.
• Construction of an addition to Reed Hall on the Lima Campus to provide enhanced facilities for the Theatre Program. Preliminary project cost is $1.6 million, with funding provided by gifts to the Lima Campus.
• Revision of the already authorized Starling-Loving Hall – Biostatistics project to add a mezzanine level and window replacement. The revision results in a preliminary project cost increase from $315,000 to $660,911, with funding provided by the Office of Research and the College of Medicine and Public Health
• Competitive bidding for a firm fixed price indefinite quantity contract, known as Job Order Contracting, to include separate bids for general, electric, HVAC and plumbing contracting. Minimum and maximum contract values are pre-established.
The board accepted the report of award of contracts for the following projects:
• Agricultural Technical Institute Shisler Center Courtyard – Total project cost is $300,000, with funding provided by House Bill 640. Completion date was December 2002. Architect of record is Myers Schmalenberger of Columbus. General contractor is 2K General Company of Lewis Center.
• Bevis Hall Roof Replacement – Total project cost is $327,350, with funding provided by House Bill 640. Estimated completion date is February 2003. Architect of record is Lusk & Harkin Architects and Planners of Columbus. General contractor is Field and Associates of Springfield.
• Bolz Hall Roof Replacement – Total project cost is $231,409, with funding provided by House Bill 748. Estimated completion date is September 2003. Architect of record is The Ohio State University. General contractor is Field and Associates of Springfield.
• Byrd Polar Research Center Rock Repository – Total project cost is $728,830, with funding provided by a National Science Foundation grant, the Ohio Board of Regents, Office of Research, Department of Geological Sciences and College of Mathematical and Physical Sciences. Estimated completion date is June 2003. Architect of record is J. L. Bender of Columbus. General contractor is Central Ohio Building Company of Columbus.
• Campus Grounds Neil Avenue Street Rebuild – Total project cost is $500,000, with funding provided by House Bill 640. Completion date was November 2002. Engineer of record is Kinzelman/Kline of Columbus. General contractor is Columbus Asphalt Paving.
• Celeste Laboratory HVAC Modifications – Total project cost is $419,105, with funding provided by House Bill 640. Estimated completion date is May 2003. Engineer of record is STAN and Associates of Dayton. HVAC contractor is Limbach Company of Columbus. Electric contractor is Dynalectric Company of Ohio, Columbus.
• Central Chilled Water Loop, 17th Avenue to Derby Hall – Total project cost is $800,000, with funding provided by university bond proceeds. Completion date was August 2002. Engineer of record is The Ohio State University. General contractor for Phase 1 is Bale Contracting of Columbus; general contractor for Phase 2 is Dorsey Construction of Columbus.
• Cockins Hall Math/Statistics Learning Lab – Total project cost is $675,165, with funding provided by House Bill 850 and Central University Funds. Completion date was November 2002. Architect of record is Schorr and Associates of Dublin. General contractor is C&N Construction of Columbus.
• Dodd Hall Chilled Water Plant Structure – Total project cost is $1,074,083, with funding provided by University Hospitals. Estimated completion date is May 2003. Architect of record is J.L. Bender Architects and Planners of Columbus. General contractor is Sali International of Columbus.
• Evans Lab Roof Replacement – Total project cost is $325,000, with funding provided by House Bill 850. Completion date was December 2002. Engineer of record is CTL Engineering of Columbus. General contractor is U.S. Roofing of Columbus.
• Golf Course Men’s Locker Room Renovation – Total project cost is $464,767, with funding provided by the Department of Athletics. Estimated completion date is April 2003. Architect of record is Wandel & Schnell Architects of Columbus. General contractor is C & N Construction Service of Columbus.
• Goss Lab Window Replacement – Total project cost is $150,000, with funding provided by House Bill 748. Estimated completion date is November 2003. Architect of record is The Ohio State University. General contractor is C & N Construction Service of Columbus.
• Graves Hall HVAC System Upgrades – Total project cost is $550,000, with funding provided by House Bill 640. Estimated completion date is July 2003. Engineer of record is The Ohio State University. General contractor is Dreesco of Columbus.
• Graves Hall Roof Replacement – Total project cost is $245,224, with funding provided by House Bill 640. Estimated completion date is September 2003. Architect of record is Abbot & Abbot Architects of Columbus. General contractor is Field and Associates of Springfield.
• Hayes Hall Roof Replacement – Total project cost is $457,500, with funding provided by House Bill 640 and the Department of Physical Facilities. Estimated completion date is October 2003. Architect of record is Miller Lecky Architects of Columbus. General contractor is Smoot Construction Company of Columbus.
• Koffolt and Fontana Labs Roof Replacement – Total project cost is $415,000, with funding provided by House Bill 850. Completion date was August 2002. Architect of record is Dodson Stilson of Columbus. General contractor is U.S. Roofing of Columbus.
• Lima Campus 15KV Oil Switch Replacement – Total project cost is $122,277, with funding provided by House Bills 790, 808, 850, 904 and Senate Bill 351. Estimated completion date is February 2003. Engineer of record is D.L. Steiner of Lima. Electric contractor is Vaughn Industries of Carey.
• Mansfield Campus Roadway and Parking Lot Resurfacing – Total project cost is $328,263, with funding provided by House Bills 640 and 748 and North Central Technical College. Estimated completion date is June 2003. Engineer of record is K.E. McCartney and Associates of Mansfield. General contractor is Mansfield Asphalt Paving Company of Mansfield.
• Mirror Lake Hollow Renovation – Total project cost is $570,919, with funding provided by House Bill 850 and the Department of Physical Facilities. Estimated completion date is February 2003. Architect of record is The Ohio State University. General contractor is Gutknecht Construction of Columbus.
• Multi-Purpose Turf Field – Total project cost is $935,990, with funding provided by gifts to the Department of Athletics and the Marching Band, future university bond proceeds and the Department of Physical Facilities. Estimated completion date is February 2003. Architect of record is Moody Nolan of Columbus. Site contractor is Specialty Surfaces International of Conshohocken, Pa., and electric contractor is Dynalectric Company of Ohio, Columbus.
• OARnet HVAC and Electrical Improvements – Total project cost is $208,589, with funding provided by the Ohio Board of Regents. Estimated completion date is February 2003. Engineer of record is The Ohio State University. HVAC contractor is Command Heating of Grove City, and electric contractor is Atlas Industrial Electric Company of Columbus.
• Orton Hall Roof Replacement – Total project cost is $697,434, with funding provided by House Bills 790 and 850 and the Department of Physical Facilities. Estimated completion date is February 2003. Architect of record is Chambers, Murphy and Burge of Akron. General contractor is The Tradesman Group of Columbus.
• Page Hall Renovation to house the John Glenn Institute – Total project cost is $16 million, with funding provided by gifts to Academic Affairs and House Bills 640 and 850. Estimated completion date is August 2004. Architect of record is Miller/Watson Architects of Columbus. General contractor is Danis Building Construction Company of Dublin.
• Parker Food Science Pilot Plant Facility – Total project cost is $659,000, with funding provided by the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Office of Research. Completion date was September 2002. Architect of record is Burgess and Niple of Columbus. General contractor is Childers Corporation of Columbus.
• Physical Sciences Research Building – The project includes demolishing the Welding Engineering Building and construction of a new facility to partially house the Department of Physics. Total project cost is $53 million, with funding provided by Central University Funds; gifts to the College of Mathematics and Physical Sciences; Department of Physics; House Bills 640, 748 and 850; and Department of Physical Facilities. Estimated completion date is September 2004. Architect of record is JBA Architects of Newark and construction manager is Turner Construction of Worthington.
• Postle Hall Renovation for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery – Total project cost is $889,121, with funding provided by the College of Dentistry. Estimated completion date is February 2003. Architect of record is Robert S. Davis of Powell. General contractor is Triad CM of Columbus.
• Riverwatch Tower Suites B and C Renovation – Total project cost is $375,656, with funding provided by the Office of Business and Finance. Estimated completion date is March 2003. Architect of record is DSI Architects of Columbus. General contractor is C & N Construction of Columbus.
• Starling-Loving Hall Renovation – Total project cost is $748,825, with funding provided by House Bill 640 and the College of Medicine and Public Health. Estimated completion date is November 2003. Architect of record is Miller Lecky Architects of Columbus. General contractor is The Righter Company of Columbus.
• University Hospitals/Rhodes Hall Entrance Expansion – Total project cost is $292,482, with funding provided by University Hospitals. Estimated completion date is February 2003. Architect of record is Bass Studio Architects of Columbus. General contractor is The Albert M. Higley Company of Columbus.
• Wiseman Hall, Comprehensive Cancer Center Addition – Total project cost is $8.8 million, with funding provided by the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute and the Department of Physical Facilities. Estimated completion date is January 2004. Architect of record is URS Corporation of Columbus. General contractor is Smoot Construction Company of Ohio, Columbus.
• Women’s Field House Relocation – Total project is $671,935. Estimated completion date is February 2003. Architect of record is Renouveau Design of Columbus. General contractor is Righter Construction Services of Columbus.
New Ph.D. program established
Trustees approved the establishment of a Ph.D. degree program in comparative studies in the College of Humanities. The proposed program, which will become effective upon approval by the Ohio Board of Regents, will offer specializations in comparative literature, folklore, religious studies, science and technology studies, and comparative ethnic and American studies.
Med School eliminates caps on clinical faculty
The board approved the elimination of the clinical faculty hiring cap – currently set at 40 per cent of total regular faculty – in a number of clinical departments in the College of Medicine and Public Health. The departments affected are anesthesiology, emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, neurology, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, orthopedics, pathology, pediatrics, physical medicine and rehabilitation, psychiatry, radiology and surgery. Elimination of the cap is designed to help the College address patient care and education missions, open up faculty positions, and improve recruitment of students, residents and clinical and research faculty.
New committee procedures added to faculty rules
Trustees approved the addition of a new rule to the “Rules of the University Faculty” following approval on January 16 by the University Senate. The new rule creates an eight-member committee charged with the evaluation of central administrators. The committee will consist of six tenured faculty members appointed by the university president from a slate nominated by the faculty council’s executive committee and two administrators appointed by the president.
Competitive bidding requirements waived
Trustees accepted the quarterly report on waivers of competitive bidding requirements. During the period of October – December 2002, the senior vice president for business and finance granted 46 waivers of competitive bidding requirements for annual purchases totaling approximately $5,356,500. During the same period, the vice president for health services granted 37 waivers for annual purchases totaling approximately $11,855,700. Waivers may be granted in the event of an emergency, when a sufficient economic reason exists or when the goods or services can be purchased from only a single source.
Medical benefits contracts approved
The board approved the award of a contract for claims administration services for the university’s medical insurance plans to NGS American. Medical Mutual was awarded the provider network contract for covered faculty and staff outside central Ohio. Both contracts are effective July 1, 2003, and are for a one-year period.
Bonds issuance and sale authorized
Trustees authorized the issuance of The Ohio State University General Receipts Refunding Bonds, Series 2003 A, in the principal amount not to exceed $53 million. Proceeds from the sale of the bonds will be used to refund the outstanding principal of the university’s Series 1992 A Bonds, thereby saving the university approximately $165,000 per month in interest charges. The new bonds will mature not later than Sept. 15, 2003.
Student receives recognition from board
Safuratu Yetunde Aranmolate of COLUMBUS, a student in the College of Dentistry who is expected to graduate in June, received the board’s Student Recognition Award. She serves as the president of Ohio State’s chapter of the Student National Dental Association and is an active participant in various other professional student groups. Aranmolate has participated in health fairs and provided oral hygiene instruction to underserved elementary school students in Columbus Public Schools. During July 2002, she spent two weeks delivering oral health care at Pine Ridge South Dakota Indian Reservation. Recently, she was awarded the Harold E. McDaniel Family Fund Scholarship through the Columbus Foundation. Aranmolate also is commissioned in the Army Reserve as a 1st Lieutenant.
Academic programs highlighted
Members of the board’s Academic Affairs Committee heard an update on the university’s interdisciplinary initiatives from W. Randy Smith, vice provost for academic affairs. At the graduate level, new minors and specializations have been created by combining courses from various departments. Among those initiatives are minors in neuroscience and African-American and African Studies as well as an interdisciplinary specialization in survey research and international studies. In addition, undergraduate students can minor in Disability Studies as well as take a four-course sequence in American Sign Language. Smith also announced the creation of an undergraduate general business major on the regional campuses that will be supported with academic resources from the Fisher College of Business.
Shkurti presents budget reports
William J. Shkurti, senior vice president for business and finance, updated the board’s Fiscal Affairs Committee on how original budget projections for fiscal year 2001-02 compared with audited financial statements for the year. Shkurti told trustees that general fund revenues exceeded expectations by 1.7 percent, while spending was 4.65 percent below budget, thanks to the university’s diligence in curbing spending to absorb state budget cuts.
Trustees also received an annual midyear budget update from Shkurti, who said that total enrollment figures for the year are up slightly over projections, although nonresident enrollment has dipped by 2.2 percent. The resulting impact on the university’s bottom line, however, is negligible, Shkurti said. He also said that the impact of pending state budget cuts is not yet clear, but a recent executive order by Gov. Bob Taft to cut university line-item budgets by 2.5 percent would equal a loss of approximately $2.8 million across all campuses.
Shkurti also reported a turnaround of financial results for the Ohio State University Health System, with a $2.1 million gain during the first half of this fiscal year.
Deferred maintenance needs updated
The Fiscal Affairs Committee heard a report from Associate Vice President for Physical Facilities James Stevens on deferred maintenance at the university. Significant progress has been made in the past 12 months toward assuring funding for maintenance and renewal of aging university facilities, Stevens said. The university currently has 99 buildings over 50 years old, the age at which they normally require replacement or renovation to meet changing academic needs.
Quantified deferred maintenance and renewal is currently $555 million, down from $641 million a year ago, Stevens said. Affecting that figure has been the removal of 14 campus buildings, renovation of 21 buildings and the addition of 18 academic buildings, from July 2001 to August 2002.
Whole building renovation and renewal projects are currently underway at Hagerty, Page and Jennings halls, while renovation or replacement of Robinson Lab, Larkins Hall and the Main Library are included in the FY 2003-04 capital plan. Stevens said that academic buildings receive priority for state capital dollars for renovation and replacement and that deferred maintenance funding is being included in the funding plan for every new capital project over $1.5 million.
