August 27, 2001
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Study finds prison population swells under republican presidents–The number of prisoners nationwide increases more under Republican presidents than it does when a Democrat leads the country, according to a new study that looked at 52 years of data. But Bill Clinton was a major exception, in that the prison population also increased greatly during his terms in office. David Jacobs, co-author of the study and professor of sociology at Ohio State, says the results suggest that politics plays a major role in how many people are put behind bars in the United States. Jacobs says Republican presidents have tended to emphasize law and order more than Democrats, and the results show up in higher numbers of prisoners. Contact: David Jacobs, (614) 292-6685; see http://www.osu.edu/researchnews/archive/prispop.htm
Survey reveals what central Ohio employers want from workers–The workplace skills that central Ohio employees most need to develop are critical thinking, problem solving and working with people, according to a survey of 105 businesses in seven counties. David Radosevich, assistant professor of industrial/organizational psychology at Ohio State University at Marion, surveyed employers in seven central Ohio counties. He says these are the skills in which there is the biggest gap between what central Ohio employers say they want and what they say local workers offer. While more than 70 percent of the jobs at the businesses surveyed required only a high school degree, Radosevich says the results show that education and training are still important for all employees. Contact: David Radosevich, (740) 389-6786.
Board of Trustees meets–Aug. 29. The Ohio State University Board of Trustees will meet in regular session at 10 a.m. on Wednesday (8/29) in the Longaberger Alumni House, 2200 Olentangy River Road. Committee meetings, where most of the discussion takes place, begin at 9:15 a.m. Contact: Melinda Sadar, University Relations, 292-8298.
New graduates hit the street Aug. 30. David Satcher, surgeon general of the United States and assistant secretary for health will be the speaker at Ohio State’s summer commencement exercises on Thursday (8/30). Approximately 1,400 graduates will receive degrees during the ceremony, which begins at 9:30 a.m. in the Schottenstein Center. It is the first commencement to be held in the Schottenstein Center, and university builders have designed and constructed a special commencement backdrop especially for the ceremony. In addition to the graduates, honorary doctorates will be presented to six individuals including, renowned chemistry and biological researcher Raphael Mechoulam; University of Maryland president Daniel Mote, Jr.; mathematician Karen Uhlenbeck; and Satcher. The Distinguished Service Award will be presented to Ray J. Groves, chair of Legg Mason Merchant Banking Inc., and E. Leonard Jossem, emeritus professor of physics at Ohio State. Contact: Amy Murray, University Relations, (614) 292-8385.
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; Amy Murray, (614) 292-8385; Lesley Deaderick, (614) 292-0569, and Shannon Wingard, (614) 247-6821.