97-11-07 Trustees: South Campus Plan, Auditor Report TRUSTEES OK DISTRICT MASTER PLAN, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION COLUMBUS -- The Ohio State University Board of Trustees on Friday (11/7) approved a master plan for the South Campus District and authorized the university to hire designers and seek construction bids to renovate a laboratory animal facility. Trustees approved an auditor’s report, revised the university’s purchasing policy and conducted other business. Trustees approve South Campus District Plan Trustees approved the university’s South Campus District Plan, the latest in a series of documents that examine planning and development in each of the diverse areas that make up The Ohio State University. The south campus district of the Columbus campus is bounded by West 12th Avenue on the north, North High Street on the east, state Route 315 on the west, and a line encompassing parts of King and Neil avenues, Perry Street, and West Eighth, Ninth and 10th avenues on the south. Within the area are three separate and distinct sectors: Health Sciences, academic buildings and residence halls, and the recreational land between Cannon Drive and the Olentangy River. For the Health Sciences area, the plan makes recommendations including land use, design and development of future facilities, and circulation and parking. Most notable is a recommendation to realign roadways to create a Health Sciences quadrangle facing Rhodes Hall. The mall would act as a park and aid in orienting visitors, said Nancy Sullivan, campus planner. In the academic and residential area closer to High Street, where more than 4,000 students live in university dormitories, the plan makes recommendations that include density and future development capacity, and sets guidelines for design and development of new construction and open spaces. The plan proposes professional student housing near West 10th and 11th avenues and High Street, given the proximity to the College of Law and Health Sciences area. In the recreation land west of Cannon Drive, much change is proposed, but some requires action by the city of Columbus and finding additional funding sources. Much of the land that now is used for recreation fields will be used for new entrance and exit ramps to state Route 315 in the future. Trustees approve design work for renovation Trustees authorized the university to hire architects and seek construction bids to renovate the laboratory animal facility in Wiseman Hall on West 12th Avenue. The bulk of funding for the $490,000 project will come from grants from the National Science Foundation and Ohio Board of Regents Action Fund. Some matching funds will come from the Office of Research. Trustees accept auditor’s annual financial report Trustees voted to accept the annual audit of university financial statements conducted by Deloitte and Touche LLP. The accounting firm examined the university’s accounts and records for fiscal year 1996-97 and found them to be in satisfactory condition. Greta Russell, university controller, told trustees that Ohio State’s financial position continued to improve during the year, with growth in total revenues continuing to outpace growth in total expenditures. The report showed that for the year ending June 30, the university had revenues of $1.8 billion, expenditures of $1.5 billion and an equity balance of $3.2 billion. The university had assets worth $3.7 billion and long- term debt of $184 million. Russell also told trustees about a new law in Ohio -- responding to the financial crisis at Central State University -- that sets criteria for expanding government oversight of institutions with financial difficulties. Under the legislation, institutions are required to submit timely financial reports and complete an annual audit process without significant findings. The audited financial statements are then subject to a financial ratio analysis by the Ohio Board of Regents. Ohio State easily meets the requirements on all counts, Russell said. An institution failing any requirement could be placed on fiscal watch by the state. Trustees revise purchasing policy Trustees revised portions of the university’s purchasing policy, raising purchasing bid thresholds to align them with the allowable maximums for the state of Ohio and to better reflect current market conditions and procurement practices. The new limit for purchases of equipment, materials and supplies without seeking competitive bids is $25,000, and the new limit for services is $50,000. Increasing bid limits will reduce administrative costs for departments and central purchasing, said Janet G. Pichette, vice president for business and administration. For projects that continue to be bid, new award language will allow the university to consider the bidder’s experience, financial condition, performance on previous contracts and ability to properly execute the contract, as well as the bid price. Other changes increase the bid threshold for fine arts acquisitions. The changes also waive bidding for entertainment, which because of the unique characteristics cannot be evaluated through a competitive bid process, and library books, which must be purchased through specific publishers, Pichette said. The resolution also gives the Medical Center flexibility within very quick timelines to procure blood and organ services for emergency patient care, she said. Purchases also can be waived from competitive bidding when an emergency or sufficient economic reason exists, or when the product or service can be purchased only from a single supplier. During the quarter that ended in September, trustees waived competitive bidding requirements 92 times for purchases of $7.9 million. University Hospitals received 79 waivers for purchases of $27.9 million. # Contacts: Jill Morelli, university architect, (614) 292-4458 Greta Russell, university controller, (614) 292-6220 Joanne Markiewicz, director of purchasing, receiving and stores, (614) 292-2551 Written by Dave Bhaerman, University Communications, (614) 292- 8422 [Submitted by: Von Vargas (vargas.12@osu.edu) Fri, 7 Nov 1997 16:48:34 -0500 (EST)] All documents are the responsibility of their originator.