96-02-29 Trustees: Appointments, Development, Misc. ACTIONS OF THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES COLUMBUS -- The Ohio State University Board of Trustees on Thursday (2/29) appointed a director of state relations and a chair for the Department of Women's Studies. The board also accepted 12 named endowed funds, heard updates on athletic certification, and conducted other business. O'Brien named director of state relations The board appointed Colleen O'Brien of COLUMBUS (43214), deputy director of the state Office of Budget and Management, as director of state relations effective March 11. She replaces Herb Asher, who retired July 1 and is now professor emeritus of political science and volunteer counselor to the president. As director of state relations, O'Brien will advise Gee on matters of state government and will be the University's liaison to the Ohio General Assembly and the executive branch. From 1988 to 1990, she served the Ohio Senate, first as majority caucus research assistant and then as research director. She also worked with Sen. Charles F. Horn, R-Dayton, on major economic development initiatives. O'Brien served as chief of staff for then-Lt. Gov. Mike DeWine from 1991 until 1993. She then joined Budget and Management where she presides over meetings of the State Controlling Board. O'Brien is vice chair of the Creative Play Center Board of Trustees. As a student at Ohio State, she was president of Undergraduate Student Government and her sorority, Kappa Delta. She also was a member of the Athletic Council and Student-Alumni Council. She received the Outstanding Senior Award and Conaway- Chase Award, given to five outstanding senior sorority members. Board appoints Kitch chair of Women's Studies Trustees appointed Sally L. Kitch of COLUMBUS (43206), a professor of English and comparative studies in the humanities, as chair of the Department of Women's Studies, retroactive to Jan. 1 and continuing through September. Kitch specializes in feminist theory, epistemology, literature and contemporary issues, with an emphasis on historical images of women in American culture and gender issues in contemporary society. She received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University and her graduate degree from the University of Chicago. She earned her doctoral degree from Emory University and has taught at Ohio State since 1992. The Center for Women's Studies was made into a department in October, raising the program's visibility both on campus and nationwide, said Kitch, who was the center's director. She said the program has been scrutinized during internal reviews and found to be competitive in the Big Ten Conference and nationally. Board establishes Hendrix scholarships in three colleges Trustees accepted $1.7 million in gifts from Elizabeth L. Hendrix and the estate of George W. Hendrix to establish four scholarship funds for students in humanities, medicine, and mechanical and electrical engineering. Each fund of $423,023 is in memory of the parents of George and Elizabeth Hendrix, namely Clifford and Lou Etta Hendrix and Herman D. and Zilah K. Lowe, respectively. George Hendrix earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Ohio State in 1929 and was an official with The Ohio Company. He died in 1992. The board accepted eight other new named endowed funds with gifts totaling $697,779: -- The William R. Bennett - Vision Service Plan Chair Fund in Business Practice Management in the College of Optometry, $250,000. -- The Barton C. Kagey Scholarship Fund, $174,000, in the College of Law. -- The Glen H. And Beverly A. Schmidt Support for Study Abroad in Agriculture and Natural Resources, $60,000. -- The Alice and Carolyn Bierce Thomas Critical Difference for Women Re-Entry Scholarship Fund, $66,156. -- The Thelma Ross Scholarship Fund, $49,599, for merit scholarships, to be administered by the University Honors Center. -- The Patricia A. Robinson Athletic Scholarship Fund, $47,805. -- The Allen W. Hall Endowed Sports Dentistry Award Fund, $25,215. -- The Ed Johnson Scholarship Fund, $25,000, for beginning freshmen who are members of 4-H or FFA. Resolutions in memoriam The board adopted resolutions in memoriam for: -- Thomas J. Burns, professor emeritus in the Department of Accounting and Management Information Systems, who died Jan. 10. -- Beulah Converse, assistant professor emeritus in the Ohio State University Extension, who died Jan. 30. -- William B. Shook, professor emeritus in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, who died Dec. 1. -- Lowell Wilson, associate professor emeritus in the Ohio State University Extension, who died Dec. 3. Board hears report on athletic certification The board heard a report by members of the Athletic Certification Steering Committee on the status of Ohio State's National Collegiate Athletic Association certification process. As a Division I institution, Ohio State is subject to athletic certification on a five-year cycle, said Deborah Katz, graduate administrative assistant in the Office of Student Affairs. The process involves an external review and a self-study. Katz said the self-study, designed to examine the fundamentals of institutional integrity, is focusing on governance and compliance, academic and fiscal integrity, and equity. Katz reported the self-study is under way and the external review will be conducted by a peer review team April 28-May 1. The team will be led by a Division I chief executive officer and will consist of four individuals from other Division I universities. Mitchell presented student recognition award Trustees awarded a student recognition award to Brian Mitchell of CINCINNATI. A junior majoring in mechanical engineering, Mitchell was honored for his efforts to resuscitate Shimshon Zimering, a professor of mathematics who suffered a heart attack while teaching a class during summer quarter. Mitchell, an Army ROTC cadet who learned lifesaving skills as a life guard, performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Zimering until paramedics arrived. Zimering survived the heart attack, but died several months later. Research Contracts approved Trustees approved 178 research contracts totaling $12,819,590. Singled out for special mention were: -- A program to provide nutrition education to food stamp participants and eligible non-participants in 66 Ohio counties. The Ohio Department of Human Services is providing $1,422,023 to fund the project, which is being conducted by Joyce R. McDowell and Marilyn A. Spiegel of Ohio State University Extension. The amount is less than 1.6 percent of the money spent on food stamps in Ohio in January 1995. A focus group study showed that participants increased their knowledge in nutrition and improved their food purchasing, safety and budgeting practices. -- An expanded correctional education program centered on an Associate of Applied Science degree program in horticulture management. The program integrates academic training in science, math, and communications, with life skills training and vocational preparation, leading to placement in jobs in the horticulture industry and follow-up to ensure independent living after release from prison. Arnold L. Mokma is the project leader for the Agricultural Technical Institute, which is leading a consortium of northeast Ohio business, government and community organizations. -- Studies of the biologic and clinical importance of stress on lipid concentrations and metabolism. To the extent that lipid metabolism and reactivity are relevant to the initiation and progression of coronary heart disease, the studies will advance understanding of how behavioral stress, reproductive hormones, and psychosocial characteristics affect lipid metabolism in altering risk for the disease. Catherine M. Stoney of the Department of Psychology is heading the project, funded with $257,448 from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Board hears report on Reading Recovery Trustees heard a report in the Fiscal Affairs Committee regarding a proposal to establish non-profit corporations for Reading Recovery and the Reading Recovery Council of North America. Reading Recovery is an early intervention for, typically, first-grade children at risk of falling behind in their reading process, said Nancy Zimpher, dean of the College of Education. Ohio State initiated the program in North America 10 years ago. The research and development program now spans 48 states and seven Canadian provinces, and involves 12,000 teachers and an equal number of administrators. Last year, more than 100,000 children were served by the program through a national evaluation center located at Ohio State. As a non-profit corporation, Reading Recovery would develop programs, do program evaluation, training, and foster outreach and service among educators. Reading Recovery Council of North America would preserve, improve, and expand the use of Reading Recovery programs across the United States; promote the programs among educators; and promote high quality literacy education. A resolution to incorporate will be presented to the board later. Miscellaneous matters In other business, trustees: -- Heard reports in the Student Affairs Committee on the University Honors Center by David Hothersall, director, and Mabel Freeman, associate director; Greek Affairs by student Tracy Stuck, and the student trustee selection process by student Sean Ruffin. -- Amended the Rules of the University Faculty to define a duty of the Faculty Hearing Committee to hear appeals of faculty members against whom complaints have been lodged. -- Named Hugo Bekker of the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures as professor emeritus, effective April 1. -- Made several appointments to the medical staff of University Hospitals. -- Heard Investments Committee reports from Treasurer James Nichols on the endowment portfolio, quarterly endowment portfolio, and endowment land planning. -- Ordered degrees and certificates be awarded on March 15 to those persons who have completed the requirements for them. -- Approved 51 waivers, totaling $3.7 million, of competitive bidding requirements. Forty-three purchases, totaling nearly $3.4 million, were from sole-source suppliers; two were for emergencies and six were for sufficient economic reason. -- Heard a report from Jerry May, vice president for development, that giving is up nearly $11 million this fiscal year, compared to the same time period last year. # Contact: Tom Spring, (614) 292-8309, or Tracy Turner, (614) 688- 3682. [Submitted by: Von Reid-Vargas (ereid@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu) Thu, 29 Feb 1996 16:43:18 -0500] All documents are the responsibility of their originator.