University Statement

"The University has rigorous standards and processes in planning the president's budget and reviewing his expenses. As a public institution, we are committed to transparency in our operations, and we have taken great care in responding to the Dayton Daily News' public records request. A significant proportion of President Gee's time, travel, and use of the University Residence is devoted to resource-generation to support the work of our students and faculty. No tuition or tax dollars are used to fund the president's travel and use of the Residence.

"Since 2007, when Dr. Gee returned to Ohio State, the University has raised $1.6 billion in private funds. During the past two years alone, his innovative thinking has helped the University generate an additional $1 billion in new resources to support its core mission of teaching, learning, and discovery. In supporting the work of the president, the University has reaped an exceptional return on its investment."

Additional background

President Gee has strengthened relationships with key Ohio and national businesses and positioned Ohio State as one of the leaders in higher education.

The last two years of fundraising have been the most successful in the University's history. This past year, a record 211,000 alumni and friends committed nearly $365 million to Ohio State. Private support has become increasingly important to our ability to provide an accessible and exceptional education to our students.

This fall, Ohio State welcomed its best-prepared incoming class in history. The class of 2016 has more than 7,000 students representing all 88 Ohio counties, 47 states, and 32 countries. The average incoming ACT score is now more than 28 - an all-time high. In addition, 54 percent of all students were in the top ten percent of their high school class.

This summer, President Gee embarked on his annual tour of Ohio, logging approximately 2,000 miles on Ohio's roadways to see University partnerships and projects across the state. As president, he has logged enough miles on Ohio roadways to travel half way around the world.