COLUMBUS -- Ohio State faculty, staff and students whose research contributions are transferable to the marketplace now have specific guidelines under which to participate in companies that commercialize their university-owned intellectual property.

The Ohio State University Board of Trustees, meeting on Friday (4/6) at the university’s Marion Campus, approved a set of rules governing entrepreneurial activities by faculty, staff and students.

The rules were developed after the June 2000 passage by the General Assembly of state Senate Bill No. 286, which was designed to expand universities’ economic benefits to the state by giving researchers an incentive to develop technologies with commercial potential. The law also clarifies institutions’ ownership rights in discoveries made by faculty, staff or students acting within the scope of their employment or with use of university facilities.

The rules apply to faculty, unclassified staff, graduate associates and student employees who create intellectual property owned by Ohio State and who want to hold an ownership interest in a company commercializing the technology. Under previous Ohio law, the amount of equity that faculty or research scientists at public institutions could own in a technology start-up was strictly limited, and interpretations of the law were varied and not always consistent.

In seeking the change in law, Ohio State officials argued that confusion over equity limits and the ability of faculty and staff to participate in the commercialization of university technology ultimately threatened Ohio’s competitiveness in the high-tech business and research environment.

“The new rule allows faculty or staff to hold up to 25 percent of the outstanding equity in a company commercializing technology that they invented,” said David Allen, assistant vice president for technology partnerships. Allen added that this change will enable more effective technology transfer to Ohio-based start-up companies and will benefit the Ohio economy.

“Faculty and staff participation in technology licensing transactions will facilitate the university’s goal of making its research available for use in the private marketplace by giving researchers an incentive to develop inventions with commercial applications,” said C. Bradley Moore, vice president for research. “The opportunity for scientists to be actively involved in these start-up companies is also essential to Ohio State’s ongoing efforts to attract and retain highly qualified researchers.”

For more information about the new rules, visit the Web at http://techpartners.osu.edu/tp_library_startupguidelines.html

Ohio State is poised to leverage years of state financial support and the expertise of dozens of faculty members by establishing a Center for Urban and Regional Analysis (CURA) with potential to quickly garner additional external funding and gain national stature.

Trustees approved the creation of the center, which will foster interdisciplinary research on urban and regional issues at the city, state, regional, national and international level. The center also is intended to serve as a catalyst for the urban research community and to provide a clearinghouse for urban-related materials, data and publications.

Through the hiring of a permanent director and a variety of staff, the center will coordinate and promote interdisciplinary research that, to date, has been approached more often on an individual basis by faculty in numerous disciplines at Ohio State. The university boasts highly ranked programs in several fields associated with urban analysis, including geography, city and regional planning, sociology, economics, and public policy and management. Within those fields and others, ranging from the arts and humanities to law and nursing, Ohio State is known for its experts in areas ranging from community health and criminology to housing, transportation, urban sprawl and demographics.

Writers of the center proposal estimate that 100 faculty in many colleges are interested in urban and regional issues.

The center begins with funding support from the Office of Academic Affairs, state allocations and matching funds from university departments and units. With three years, the center is expected to achieve fiscal stability by attracting ongoing external funding for applied and fundamental research.

The board heard a presentation on “The Regional Campus Experience,” focusing on the Marion Campus. Ohio State’s regional campuses excel in their student-focused teaching; their partnerships with community businesses and schools; their efforts at achieving diversity; and the enthusiasm and spirit of their faculty, staff and students, said Marion Dean Dominic Dottavio, who introduced two students, Jillian Bores and Curtis Tuggle, and community member Theresa Lane to speak about their experiences.

In other business, the board

• Authorized the employment of a construction manager to assist with the design and construction of the renovations and retrofit of the Wexner Center for the Arts to correct building envelope and system problems, improve public circulation and enhance security. Total estimated project cost is $10 million and total estimated construction cost is $7 million with $1 million provided by House Bill 640 and the remainder from university funds.
• Authorized the employment of architect/engineering firms and request of construction bids for renovations in the Evans Laboratory Lecture Hall. Total estimated project cost in $679,530 and total estimated construction cost is $449,000 with funding provided by House Bill 640 and House Bill 790.
• Authorized a request for construction bids to create several small conference/classrooms in Rhodes Hall. Estimated project cost is $508,000 and total estimated construction cost is $402,008 with funding provided by University Hospitals.
• Authorized the employment of architect/engineering firms and request of construction bids for renovations at the Marion Campus. Total estimated project cost is $120,626 and total estimated construction cost is $76,276 with funding provided by House Bill 640.
• Approved the awarding of contracts for the construction of the Fisher College of Business Executive Residence, which will provide guest rooms, physical fitness facilities, banquet facilities and informal gathering areas for executives attending programs at the Fisher College. Total project cost is $24 million with funding provided by university bond proceeds with debt service paid by Ohio State’s Housing, Food Services and Events Centers. Estimated completion date is February 2002. Architect of record is Karlsberger Corporation of Columbus. Sitework contractor is George J. Igel Company of Columbus.
• Approved the awarding of contracts to renovate the third floor of Galvin Hall on the Lima Campus for classroom space. The total project cost is $1.1 million with funding provided by House Bill 850. Estimated completion date is November 2001. Architect of record is Seyfang Blanchard Duket Porter of Toledo. General contractor is Brumbaugh&Lacy, Inc. of Celina.
• Approved the awarding of contracts for the construction of a one-story addition to the existing MRI facility to house a new magnet room, control room, changing rooms and patient holding area. Total project cost is $1.2 million with funding provided by University Hospitals. Estimated completion date is December 2001. Architect of record is DSI Architects of Columbus. General contractor is Childers Corp. of Dublin.
• Approved the awarding of contracts for replacement of a steam line in the South Neil tunnel. Total project cost is $1.2 million with funding provided by House Bill 748, House Bill 850 and the Department of Physical Facilities. Estimated completion date is February 2001. Engineer of record is The Ohio State University. HVAC contractor is Kirk Williams of Columbus.

The board also approved the dissolution of the Department of Adult Health and Illness and the Department of Community, Parent-Child and Psychiatric Nursing within the College of Nursing. The dissolution had previously been approved by the reviewing committee, the Council on Academic Affairs and the University Senate at its March meeting.

In recognition of the generosity of Ann and Ron Pizzutti of COLUMBUS, who donated their home at 80 North Drexel Ave. in BEXLEY to be used as the official residence of the university president, the board approved naming the house “Pizzuti House.”

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