Trustees: Construction, Property, CQI, Misc.

TRUSTEES APPROVE SALE OF PROPERTY, CONSTRUCTION WORK

     COLUMBUS -- The Ohio State University Board of Trustees on
Friday (6/6) approved sale of a veterinary clinic in Marysville,
heard about quality improvements, approved changes to the
classified civil service rules, authorized construction bids and
awarded contracts, and conducted other business.

Trustees see video about quality improvements

     Trustees saw a video and heard a presentation from Janet G.
Pichette, vice president for business and administration, about a
team of employees who devised a system to streamline procurement
of lab supplies and save money.

     The Lab Products Prime Supplier Team implemented
improvements in the purchasing and distribution process for lab
supplies and recommended that the university award a prime
supplier contract. New processes have increased product selection
from 1,700 items to more than 120,000 items, shortened delivery
times from 15 days to 1.5 days, and made available customer
service representatives in the University Stores. The projected
first-year savings is $650,000.

     The team recently was recognized for its quality
contributions to the university. They were selected as a finalist
in the education category of the Rochester Institute of
Technology/USA Today Quality Cup national awards competition.

Board approves civil service rules revisions

     Trustees approved revisions to the classified civil service
employee rules, to take effect June 22. Revisions will result in:

-- Consistency with university policies and procedures.
-- Clarity and simplicity of language.
-- Compliance with federal legislation (i.e. ADA, FMLA, FSLA).
-- Consistency with recent changes in state laws (i.e. Senate
Bill 99).
-- Alignment with current university initiatives (i.e.
broadbanding, performance management).
-- Increase in the probationary period from 120 to 180 days.
-- Increased overall flexibility.

     In updating the rules for the first time since 1983, the
Office of Human Resources notified the public in advance,
conducted open hearings, solicited feedback as outlined in the
Ohio Revised Code, and is in contact with its labor unions.

Trustees authorize construction bids, award contracts

     Trustees authorized the university to seek design firms and
construction bids for projects in the University Medical Center,
and awarded contracts for a Life and Physical Sciences building
on the Lima campus.

     The $15.2 million Life and Physical Sciences building will
house classrooms, laboratories and office space for the science
departments at the Lima campus. Funding is provided by the state.
The expected completion date is December 1998.

     Trustees said University Hospitals could hire an architect
and engineering firm to design conference and classroom space in
Rhodes Hall. The approximately 4,000 square feet of shelled space
was created during the recent construction of the Emergency
Department. University Hospitals is paying the $432,000 cost.

     Trustees also authorized hiring design firms and seeking
construction bids for projects at the Hospitals Clinic and Arthur
G. James Cancer Hospital and Research Institute.

     The $660,000 Clinic project will relocate the dialysis unit
to improve patient services. Funding will come from the
Hospitals.

     At the James, a $480,000 project will renovate 2,000 square
feet of space on the fourth floor to create a seven-bed
Ambulatory Care Unit. A second project will renovate nursing
stations and finish corridor upgrades. The cost of that $2.1
million project, and the other, will be paid by The James.

Miscellaneous business

     In other matters, trustees:

     --  Authorized the University to sell the Marysville
Veterinary Clinic on the outskirts of that city. The buildings on
the nearly 5 acre property no longer meet the business and
academic needs of the College of Veterinary Medicine. A new,
larger, clinic will be built with proceeds from the sale.

     -- Approved 192 contracts totaling $12.8 million for
research projects funded in April.

     -- Heard from James L. Nichols, university treasurer, who
said the endowment fund had a market value for May of $736.8
million, the highest ever by about $20 million and more than $50
million over April.

     -- Authorized the university treasurer and vice president
for finance to buy, sell and transfer securities, and conduct
other business.

     -- Agreed to loan $800,000 to MedOhio Inc. to assist in the
development of a home health care program.

     -- Amended the bylaws of the University Hospitals Board to
add as full voting members the chief of the medical staff and the
medical director of University Hospitals and the dean of the
College of Medicine, as well as a leader from the clinical
practice groups.
                             #

Contacts: Janet G. Pichette, vice president for business and
          administration, (614) 292-7970
          Cathy Cooper, director of administration for
          human resources, (614) 292-4164
          Jill Morelli, university architect, (614) 292-4458

Written by David Bhaerman, University Communications,
          (614) 292-8422


[Submitted by: Von Vargas  (vargas.12@osu.edu)
               
Fri, 6 Jun 1997 15:52:48 -0400 (EDT)]
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