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Annual financial report: Ohio State offers quality education at reasonable cost

Financial Report Shows Ohio State Offers Quality and Value--Ohio State provides a quality student experience at a reasonable cost, especially when compared with top public institutions in other states and other schools in Ohio, Senior Vice President for Business and Finance William J. Shkurti told trustees on Friday (3/3) Shkurti says 'despite limited resources, Ohio State has continued to improve the quality of its academic programs and the quality of the experience of its students. This university is a tremendous value to the taxpayers in Ohio." Shkurti outlined how the university's revenue and spending compares with benchmark institutions and other institutions within the state. Contact: Elizabeth Conlisk, University Relations, 292-3040.

(SHHHHH!) Kirwan to surprise award-winning faculty--President William E. Kirwan will drop in unannounced on unsuspecting faculty members during the next week to notify them that they've won one of the three highest awards that faculty can receive at Ohio State. Kirwan will interrupt classes or meetings to present an Melrose apple (developed at Ohio State in 1944) and his congratulations to winners of the 2000 Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching, the Distinguished Scholar Award and the Faculty Award for Distinguished University Service. The awards recognize superior teaching, exceptional scholarly accomplishments and contributions to development of policies and programs. Reporters are invited to accompany Kirwan on one or more of these visits. To preserve the surprise element, please call Amy Murray (292-8385) in the Office of University Relations, for the schedule.

Theatre Students Share Sobering Thoughts--March 9. Sobering Thoughts, a thought-provoking, 40 minute performance with a "be responsible with alcohol" message for young people, will be performed at Mifflin High School on Thursday (3/9) at 9:30 a.m. Co-sponsored by the Department of Theatre and the OSU Student Wellness Center, Sobering Thoughts is the story of what happens when the parents of a teenager go out of town and she has a party. The evening goes on and the drinking gets heavier until one character dies of alcohol poisoning. The performance is followed by a question and answer session with the audience, and often leads to discussions of teen drinking and peer pressure. Sobering Thoughts is the third educational outreach production produced by the two OSU departments over the last year, and has been performed at many area high schools during the quarter. It will also be performed at OSU-Lima at 9 and 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday (3/7). Contact: Bruce Hermann, Department of Theatre, 292-5821.

Nutrition Students Celebrate by Feeding Hungry Mouths--Some Ohio State students are commemorating National Nutrition Month (March) by helping to feed hungry central Ohioans while studying the fundamentals of human nutrition. H.G. Parsa, an associate professor of human nutrition and food management here, requires students in one class to volunteer at non-commercial food service providers including the Mid-Ohio Food Bank, Faith Mission, Ohio Hunger Task Force, Lutheran Social Services, and Serving America First. Some students are even continuing their community service after the class ends. Julie Skolmowski, a dietetics major; and Jamie Schafrath, vice president of Ohio State's student chapter of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality, volunteer with Project Open Hand­Columbus, which provides meals to people affected by HIV/AIDS. Contact: H.G. Parsa, 292-5034; or Janet Ciccone, College of Human Ecology, 292-5338.

The person listed as the contact for each item will have the best information about the story. Call on our media relations staff for assistance with these or other Ohio State news stories - Elizabeth Conlisk, 292-3040; Amy Murray, 292-8385; Lesley Deaderick, 292-0569; Melinda Sadar, 292-8298; and Karissa Shivley, 292-8295.

*Compiled by Amy Murray, University Relations, (Murray-Goedde.1@osu.edu).