TRUSTEES HEAR REPORTS ON STRATEGIC INDICATORS, COMMUNITY SERVICE

	COLUMBUS -- The Ohio State University Board of Trustees on 
Friday (2/6) heard reports on strategic indicators, the College 
of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ technology 
capabilities, and student community service.  The board also 
conducted other business.

Officials report on benchmark institutions

	University administrators and faculty measuring Ohio State’s 
progress in meeting strategic objectives have identified nine 
universities that will serve as “benchmark” institutions in 
further analyses of Ohio State’s performance in areas of 
importance to the university.  The institutions are considered 
similar to Ohio State in organizational configuration, 
distribution of faculty and institution size, but all have higher 
reputation rankings in public surveys than Ohio State.

	The institutions are Pennsylvania State University and the 
universities of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Washington, Texas at 
Austin, Michigan, Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Arizona, 
Wisconsin-Madison and California, Los Angeles.

	“Selecting similar universities, but of higher survey 
ranking, increases the probability that programs, initiatives and 
policies which work to affect performance in these institutions 
may be more easily transferable to Ohio State,” said Alice C. 
Stewart, director of strategic analysis and planning.  Stewart 
and Edward J. Ray, acting senior vice president and provost; 
William J. Shkurti, vice president for finance; David B. Ashley, 
dean of the College of Engineering; and Hazel Morrow-Jones, 
associate professor of architecture, presented and discussed the 
benchmark analysis with the board.

	Stewart noted that Ohio State has the lowest research 
expenditure per faculty member among the benchmark universities.  
Its revenue per student also falls well below the mean revenue 
per student of the nine institutions.  

	The analysis of Ohio State’s strategic position is part of a 
university effort to develop a strategy to become a top 10 public 
institution.

	“Strong and viable states need strong and viable 
universities,” Stewart said.  “As we move toward the 21st 
century, universities must take a leadership role in both 
knowledge creation and knowledge dissemination.  One leading 
public university can be The Ohio State University.”

	The analysis will continue with identification of Ohio 
State’s strategic strengths and weaknesses and consideration of 
what specifically the university will need in terms of resources, 
faculty, research and administrative management to become a top 
10 institution.  Preliminary evaluation of the university’s 
strategic position is expected to be presented to trustees during 
the summer.

College reports on World Wide Web, satellite capabilities

	A World Wide Web site managed by the College of Food, 
Agricultural and Environmental Sciences receives more than 1 
million “hits” per month, according to a report presented to the 
board’s Agricultural Affairs Committee on Thursday (2/5).

	Staff from the college’s Section of Communications and 
Technology reported on the Web site, “Ohioline,” and described 
the college’s cooperation with the College of Medicine and Public 
Health in operating a television production facility in the 
Allied Medical Professions Building.

	“Ohioline” includes information on food, home, youth, 
family, community, yard and garden, farm, environment and 
business at http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~ohioline/.  Also 
available on CD-ROM, “Ohioline” houses more than 6,000 bulletins, 
fact sheets, newsletters and press releases on subjects ranging 
from water quality to turfgrass management to food safety.

	The board committee also was updated on the college’s use of 
the jointly operated television studio to produce Extension 
noncredit programs for the public as well as credit courses.  The 
studio’s technological capability includes satellite television 
delivery and compressed video over phone lines to Ohio State’s 
regional campuses, county Extension offices and other 
universities.  

Board hears a report on community service and service-learning

	Trustees heard a report from Tracy Stuck, director of 
student activities; Judy Richards, coordinator of Project 
Community; and Ellen Kauffmann, graduate administrative assistant 
in student activities, on the efforts to increase student 
involvement in community service and service-learning initiatives 
at Ohio State.  Stuck defined service-learning as student-driven 
learning experiences related to curricular or co-curricular 
activity, with a goal of solving community problems.

	Richards reported on the services offered by Project 
Community.  The office houses a clearinghouse for volunteerism; a 
faculty support - service-learning component that supports the 
efforts of faculty to incorporate community service into their 
curriculum; a campus program cooperative facilitating larger 
community service activities; and an issues and outreach group 
that allows students to meet for volunteer activities.

	Kauffmann reported on efforts under way to organize a 
volunteer children’s book drive to coincide with the March 2 
birthdate of children’s book author Dr. Seuss.  Student 
volunteers plan to gather donated books and hold readings at 
several community sites for area children as a way to promote 
children’s literacy. 

Trustees hear update on upgraded systems

	Trustees heard a six-month progress report on the 
implementation of the university’s upgrade of its human resources 
and financial systems.  Larry Lewellen, acting vice president for 
human resources, told the board that many of the problems during 
early implementation have been addressed.  William J. Shkurti, 
vice president for finance, told the board that because of 
lessons learned during implementation of the HR systems, the 
university will delay full implementation of general ledger and 
procurement systems to allow more time for testing and training.

Trustees adopt second quarter current funds budget

	Higher-than-expected enrollments during summer and autumn 
quarters produced $4 million in net income, William J. Shkurti, 
vice president for finance, told trustees.  The board voted to 
leave the additional money unallocated until fiscal year 1999.

Endowment continues its growth trend

	The university’s endowment stood at $838.3 million at the 
end of January, James L. Nichols, university treasurer, told 
trustees.  That is up from $832.5 million on Dec. 21, 1997.  The 
endowment, with its 2,498 endowed funds, will distribute 
approximately $32.7 million to colleges and departments this 
year, Nichols said.

Miscellaneous

	In other business, trustees:

	-- Approved 330 contracts totaling $29.2 million for 
research projects funded in November and December.

	-- Accepted 97 waivers of competitive bidding requirements 
for purchases totaling $16.3 million.

	-- Approved amendments to the Rules of the University 
Faculty.  The amendments were housekeeping matters for language 
consistency and do not have administrative or fiscal impact. 

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Contact:  Edward J. Ray, Academic Affairs, 292-5881
		Larry Whiting, College of Food, Agricultural and 		
		  Environmental Sciences, 292-2011
		Tracy Stuck, Student Activities, 292-8763
		William J. Shkurti, Finance, 292-9232