11-21-94 Ping to Address Dec. 9 Commencement

CHARLES PING TO BE AUTUMN QUARTER COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

     COLUMBUS -- Charles J. Ping, president emeritus of Ohio
University, will deliver the autumn quarter commencement address
at The Ohio State University on Dec. 9.  Approximately 1,500
graduates are expected to take part in the ceremonies, which will
begin at 9:30 a.m. in St. John Arena.

     Ping, who stepped down last June after serving 19 years as
president of Ohio University, currently is on a research leave,
working on the topic of the role of the university in
contemporary society.  He has been named a Fulbright Senior
Research Scholar for Southern Africa, and he and his wife Claire
will be in Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe for the first half of
1995.  While in Africa, Ping will explore the role of the
university in less developed countries.

     He plans to return to the Athens campus next fall to teach
full time as Trustee Professor of Philosophy and Education and to
direct the Cutler Scholars Program, a newly endowed merit
scholarship program.

     As president of Ohio University, Ping stressed the
importance of a general education program for all students and
the need to continually evaluate and reform university education.
He sought to instill a strong sense of community among the
students, faculty and staff of the university.  An advocate of
international education for a global society, Ping was credited
with leading Ohio University to greatly increased national and
international respect and recognition.

     "President Ping is one of higher education's greatest
friends and outstanding leaders," said Ohio State President E.
Gordon Gee.  "His contributions have benefited not only Ohio
University, but all of Ohio.  I look forward to welcoming this
valued colleague as our commencement speaker."

     Ping, who was born in Philadelphia and grew up in
California, Georgia and Alabama, earned his doctoral degree from
Duke University and completed postdoctoral work at the Harvard
University Graduate School of Business Administration.  Before
becoming president of Ohio University in 1975, he taught
philosophy at several colleges and was provost of Central
Michigan University.

     As a professor of philosophy, his teaching specialties are
19th century philosophy and philosophy of religion, while his
postdoctoral studies in management have led to visiting
professorships and numerous publications in the areas of labor
relations, policy and planning, particularly as they relate to
universities.

     Ping served as chair of the international division of the
National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant
Colleges and was on the executive committee of the association.
He has been a member of a number of other advisory councils,
commissions and boards, including the American Council on
Education's commission on women in higher education, the
Educational Record editorial advisory board, the Kingdom of
Swaziland's commission on planning for the future of higher
education, and the presidential commission on higher education in
the newly independent country of Namibia.  He chairs the Council
on International Education Exchange, and has participated in a
number of conference and seminars focusing on the
internationalization of universities.
                                
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Contact: Ruth Gerstner, University Communications, (614) 292-8424


[Submitted by: REIDV  (reidv@ccgate.ucomm.ohio-state.edu)
               
Mon, 21 Nov 1994 12:41:37 -0500 (EST)]
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