97-08-22 Story Tips for Local News Media STORY TIPS This and every University Communications news release is available on the Internet and World Wide Web. To access by Internet, you may reach us through either OASIS (Ohio State Information System), the Columbus Freenet or World Wide Gophers. Our Web address is www.acs.ohio-state.edu. SUMMER QUARTER COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES--Aug. 29. Commencement exercises for summer quarter graduates will begin at 9:30 a.m. Friday in St. John Arena. Some 1,400 degrees will be awarded in the ceremonies. The commencement speaker will be Edward Hagenlocker, vice chair of Ford Motor Co. A native of Marysville, Hagenlocker earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in engineering physics and physics from Ohio State. CONTACT: Tracy Turner, University Communications, 688-3682. CITY CLEANS UP AFTER SUMMER STUDENT MOVE-OUT-- Aug. 25-Sept. 3. The City of Columbus Refuse Collection Division will conduct a special bulk collection in the predominantly student neighborhood around The Ohio State University from August 25 through September 3. In addition, Ohio State and Image 1 Towing and Recovery, Inc., are organizing a one-day collection on Wednesday, August 27, of reusable furniture and other household items for persons who are homeless and for those who are marginally housed in central Ohio. This special bulk collection coincides with the annual "move out" of students at the end of the university's summer quarter. The collection is being coordinated by the city, the university and neighborhood leaders as part of an ongoing effort to keep the streets and alleys of the University District clean. A similar collection was conducted at the end of spring quarter in June which netted more than 14 tons of bulk items. CONTACT: Lesley Deaderick, Refuse Collection Division 645-1566. STORY TIPS FOOTBALL FEATURES Some ideas for your pre and post-game football coverage. This and every University Communications news release is available on the Internet and World Wide Web. To access by Internet, you may reach us through either OASIS (Ohio State Information System), the Columbus Freenet or World Wide Gophers. Our Web address is www.acs.ohio-state.edu. CLONING BUCKEYE GROVE --An Ohio State University agronomist has found that buckeyes are more than a nut destined for game day necklaces -- they are a wonderful plant to work with in the laboratory. John Finer cloned buckeyes from seeds collected at Buckeye Grove, the arbor dedicated to Ohio State All-Americans. Finer used the buckeyes, along with soybeans, to develop and perfect a new genetic engineering procedure that is patent pending. The process improves the soybeans' and buckeyes' ability to accept DNA from other organisms, which will translate into better genetic stock for farmers and landscapers. One of the first products of his research includes the production of the first genetically engineered Ohio buckeye. CONTACT: John Finer at (330) 263-3830. His lab is located at the university's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster, Ohio. KEEPING STADIUM TURF IN TOP-NOTCH SHAPE FOR A TOP-10 TEAM-- The punishment a field takes every game would turn a homeowner's lush, green expanse into a mudhole. Stadium turf isn't managed as your average lawn, though. Kentucky bluegrass is the base for Ohio Stadium's field, because this variety of grass is not as slippery to run on when wet. However, the field gets seeded with ryegrass after every game to keep playing conditions ideal. The quick-growing ryegrass fills in weak areas within six days. When there's substantially more ryegrass than Kentucky bluegrass, the field must be resod, as Ohio Stadium's was two years ago. The project included improving the sand base of the Prescription Athletic Turf. PAT is a underground mechanical system of pipes, pumps, sand and turf designed to drain excess water away from the playing surface -- and keep the turf looking good throughout the season. CONTACT: John Street, Ohio State University turfgrass specialist, at 292-9091, or Mike Dolan, superintendent of athletic facilities, at 292-6330. OHIO STATE, BUCKEYE HALL OF FAME CAFE "TEAM UP"-- The Ohio State University has entered into a unique licensing agreement that will put the university in a restaurant business partnership. In what is thought to be the first such arrangement for a university, Ohio State will license its name to the "Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe." The restaurant, which occupies the former Jai Lai restaurant at 1421 Olentangy River Road, will pay tribute to Ohio State's honored tradition in athletics through the display of memorabilia from past players and coaches. The 20-year license agreement will allow the restaurant rights to the university's trademarks and trade names for interior and exterior design, and the sale of Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe merchandise. In exchange for the use of its name, the university will receive royalty considerations from the sale of any merchandise that bears the Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe trademarks. The Cafe will also partner with Ohio State's Department of Human Nutrition and Food Management to offer internships to students in the Hospitality Management program. CONTACT: Rick Van Brimmer, OSU Trademark and Licensing 292-1562, or Jon Self, Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe, 268-7427. OFFICIAL COIN TOSS COIN MINTED--1997 marks the first time that an official flip coin will be used for the coin toss at the start of each home football game. Ohio State has licensed an Elk Grove, Ill. company to produce the official coin. Enviromint will produce a limited number of the coins, which will have the OSU logo on one side, and an aerial shot of Ohio Stadium on the other. The university will possess serial #1 to be used for each coin toss. The mint will produce 5,000 silver coins, 500 sets of 3 coins, and 500 special photo coins. CONTACT: Kelly McGrath, Enviromint, 800-323-0830. ALUMNI GROUPS REUNITE FOR FOOTBALL FESTIVITIES. Alumni of many colleges and interest groups return to Columbus each year to renew ties and enjoy a few hours at the ‘shoe. The Alumni Association lists many Alumni Society Football Reunions. Sept. 12--Black Alumni Society; Cheerleaders Alumni Society; College of Law Alumni Society; Medical Alumni Society. Sept. 13--Agricultural Technical Institute Alumni Society; Austin Knowlton School of Architecture Alumni Society; Black Alumni Society; Cheerleader Alumni Society; Civil Engineering Alumni Society; Dental Hygiene Alumni Society; Dentistry Alumni; Education Alumni Society; Food Agriculture & Environmental Sciences Alumni Society; School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation Alumni Association; Human Ecology Alumni Society; Humanities; Journalism; College of Law Alumni Association; Marching Band; Medical Alumni Society; School of Natural Resources; Nursing Anesthesia; Optometry Alumni and Friends; College of Pharmacy Alumni; Preventive Medicine Alumni Society; College of Social Work Alumni Society; Stadium Scholarship Dormitory Alumni Society; Veterinary Medicine Alumni Society. Sept. 19--Fisher College of Business Alumni Society; Greek Leaders Alumni Society. Sept. 20-- Fisher College of Business Alumni Society; Greek Leaders Alumni Society; Mechanical Engineering Alumni Society; Ohio Unions Alumni Society. Oct. 18--Army ROTC Alumni Society. Nov. 15--Men’s Glee Club Alumni. BIOLOGY ALUMNI RETURN FOR FOOTBALL FESTIVITIES--Oct. 3-4. The College of Biological Sciences will host its first-ever alumni event the weekend of October 3-4. A reception is planned in the Riffe Bldg. library Friday evening, Oct. 3 from 6-8 p.m. Coffee and conversation will begin in the Riffe Sat., Oct. 4 at 9 a.m., followed by campus and college tours given by undergraduate honors students and ending with the pre-game brunch and Iowa game. CONTACT: Sandi Rutkowski, College of Biological Sciences, 292-4759. FISHER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ALUMNI SOCIETY PLANS ALUMNI WEEKEND-- Sept 19-20. The Max M. Fisher College of Business Alumni Society celebrates alumni weekend with two events. at 6 p.m. Friday night, plans include the annual Deans Diner and Alumni Awards at the Faculty Club. Saturday at 12:30 p.m., alumni will gather in the Ohio Union West Ballroom for a tailgate buffet, then head to Ohio Stadium to watch the Buckeyes host Arizona. 5 year, 10 year and 4 month MBA class reunions begin in the ballroom at 11:30 a.m. CONTACT: John Stegman, Fisher College of Business, 688-3371. The person listed as the contact for each item will have the best information about the story. However, feel free to call on our news services staff for assistance with these or other Ohio State news stories--Amy Murray, 292-8385; Ruth Gerstner, 292-8424; Tracy Turner, 688-3682; and Emily Caldwell, 292-8309. Compiled by Amy Murray, University Communications, (Murray- Goedde.1@osu.edu). [Submitted by: Von Vargas (vargas.12@osu.edu) Fri, 22 Aug 1997 14:44:01 -0400 (EDT)] All documents are the responsibility of their originator.