30
May
2005
|
18:00 PM
America/New_York

Story Ideas for Media - 05/31/05

News

Supreme Court upholds statute that protects inmates’ rights to exercise religions;
Moritz College of Law professor represented current, former inmates
The U.S. Supreme Court today (5/31) upheld Section 3 of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act in Cutter v. Wilkinson, a case in which David Goldberger, professor in the clinical programs at the Moritz College of Law, represents current and former prison inmates seeking to exercise their rights to practice their religions. The prisoners sued the State of Ohio, claiming they were wrongfully denied access to religious literature and ceremonial items for the practice of their non-mainstream religions. The Sixth Circuit had earlier ruled against the prisoners, saying that the statute was invalid because it violated the U.S. Constitution’s Establishment Clause. For more information, see http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/communications/newsreleases/2005/053105.html CONTACT: Liz Cutler Gates, Moritz College of Law, (614) 292-0283.


Experts

Experts can discuss Supreme Court decision to overturn Arthur Andersen ruling
Two Ohio State experts can discuss the unanimous decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the obstructing justice conviction of accounting firm Arthur Andersen on Tuesday. In a 9-0 opinion, the justices concluded that jury instructions were flawed. Below are the experts.
• Dale Oesterle, J. Gilbert Reese Chair in Contract Law, is an expert in corporate law. He may be reached at (614) 292-7172.
• Alan C. Michaels, Edwin C. Cooperman Designated Professor of Law, is an expert in the area of white collar crime. He may be reached at (614) 688-3451.
CONTACT: Liz Cutler Gates, Moritz College of Law, (614) 292-0283.


Research

Experimental device gives damaged hearts a hug
Ohio State physicians are among the first in the United States to implant a device that encircles a damaged heart, applying gentle external pressure intended to strengthen the muscle and even shrink the enlarged heart. The surgery at the university’s Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital was the first implant of this ventricular support system in Ohio, the 10th in the United States and just the 20th in the world. The mesh device, made of metal alloy surrounded by silicone, wraps around the heart and is designed to apply just enough pressure to help reduce heart wall stress in patients with congestive heart failure, whose hearts are typically enlarged, said Dr. William Abraham. “We believe it will make the heart smaller and stronger,” said Abraham, director of the division of cardiovascular medicine at the OSU Medical Center and principal investigator of the university’s participation in a study of the device. CONTACT: Emily Caldwell, Medical Center Communications, (614) 293-3737.


Events

Expert on counterterrorism to discuss work of 9/11 commission – June 2.
Michael Hurley, a national expert on counterterrorism and senior director of policy for the 9/11 Public Discourse Project, will speak about how the 9/11 Commission is working to protect the United States. Hurley’s talk is from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday (6/2) in room 120 of the Mershon Center for International Security Studies, 1501 Neil Ave. Individual media interviews with Hurley need to be arranged by 5 p.m. Wednesday (6/1). As part of the 9/11 Commission, Hurley served as senior counsel and director of the counterterrorism policy review team. For more information, see http://www.osu.edu/news/lvl2_news_story.php?id=1127 CONTACT: Shannon Wingard, University Relations, (614) 247-6821.

Universities redefining their land-grant missions is topic of lecture – June 2.
Art Dunning, vice president for public service and outreach at the University of Georgia, will talk about “Redefining the Land-Grant Mission” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday (6/2) at The Huntington Club at the Ohio Stadium. The talk is this year’s annual James F. Patterson Land-Grant University Lecture. Dunning will address how universities that are expressing the need to redefine their land-grant mission, like Ohio State and the University of Georgia, must also make substantial organizational and resource changes if they are to have substantial and sustainable impact on both the university and community. Following the lecture, the recipients of the University Outreach grants will be announced. CONTACT: Amy Murray, University Relations, (614) 292-8385.

Annual faculty, student event features ‘business-themed’ games – June 3.
The Fisher Games, an annual student/faculty event in the Fisher College of Business, will take place from 2 to 6 p.m. on Friday (6/3) in the Coffey Road Park Softball Fields, located just off Woody Hayes Drive. The rain location is the Adventure Recreation Center, 855 Woody Hayes Drive. A variety of softball games will take place, including the popular faculty vs. student game. In addition, there will be a variety of “business-themed” games, including the Briefcase Toss and the Three-Legged Corporate Rat Race. CONTACT: Laura Bowers, Fisher College of Business, (614) 292-8937.

Ohio State University Trustees to meet – June 7.
The Ohio State University Board of Trustees and its committees will meet on Tuesday (6/7) at the Faculty Club, 181 S. Oval Drive. The schedule includes an administrative briefing at 8:30 a.m., followed by meetings of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee and the Fiscal Affairs Committee from 9:30 to 10:20 a.m. The formal Board meeting is from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. Following lunch for Distinguished University Professor David Denlinger, trustees will recess into executive session at 1 p.m. CONTACT: Elizabeth Conlisk, University Relations, (614) 292-3040.



The person listed as CONTACT will have the best information about the story. Call on our media relations staff for help with any Ohio State story – Elizabeth Conlisk, (614) 292-3040; Liz Cook, (614) 292-7276; Amy Murray, (614) 292-8385, and Shannon Wingard, (614) 247-6821.