11-12-98

KIRWAN TO ASK TRUSTEES TO NAME EDWARD RAY TO NEW POST OF 
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & PROVOST

	COLUMBUS -- Ohio State University President William E. 
Kirwan announced today (11/12) that he will ask the Board of 
Trustees to approve the appointment of Edward J. Ray to the new 
position of executive vice president and provost, effective 
Dec. 4, 1998.
	
	The announcement coincided with Kirwan’s release of a 
reorganization of the university’s central administration which 
he said will bring greater focus to Ohio State’s academic 
priorities and help it achieve its ambitious goals in the years 
ahead.
	
	“Ed Ray is an outstanding educational leader who, for the 
past several years, has been a central figure in the development 
of the university’s major initiatives.  His talent, knowledge of 
the university, and great respect within the university community 
make him the right person to assume this important position,” 
Kirwan said.  

	“The reorganization I am announcing today focuses our 
resources and energies on the advancement of our institutional 
priorities -- academic excellence, the undergraduate experience, 
commitment to diversity, and outreach and engagement.  The 
reorganization establishes the provost as the second in line at 
the university -- in effect, the university’s chief operating 
officer -- and Ed Ray is ideally suited to fill this position.

	“Over the last several months I have become deeply impressed 
by the dedicated and professional manner in which Ed has carried 
out his responsibilities as interim provost,” Kirwan said.  “I 
have become aware of the broad base of respect and support Ed 
enjoys from faculty, staff, students, and his colleagues in 
senior administration.  We have strong and growing momentum here 
at Ohio State.  I have concluded that launching a national search 
at this time would unnecessarily disrupt the progress we are 
making, given that we have such an outstanding person right here 
at Ohio State who has already demonstrated he can do the job so 
well.”

	The reorganization follows an assessment that was conducted 
at Kirwan’s request earlier this year by a three-person team 
headed by Frank H.T. Rhodes, former president of Cornell 
University, which concluded, among other things, that the 
university’s administrative structure is clumsy, well-
intentioned, but rarely effective.

	Kirwan said he was guided by five principles in formulating 
his new plan.  The administrative structure must, he said: Give 
primacy to the academic needs of the university; provide 
effective communication with the university community and be 
responsive to the community’s needs; insure a sustained focus on 
the university’s priorities; maintain a well articulated
and timely decision-making process; and guarantee accountability 
for decisions and for overall progress of the university towards 
its goals.
	
	In addition to the title change, Ray will become the chief 
architect of the university’s budget.  He also will be the focal 
point for collaboration among the academic and administrative 
vice presidents regarding the university’s academic priorities.

	In other administrative streamlining, the office of business 
and administration will become part of the office of finance, 
business, and administration under the leadership of Senior Vice 
President William J. Shkurti.  The position of vice president for 
human resources will be eliminated and human resources will 
report to the provost.

	The vice president for legal affairs and general counsel, 
Virginia Trethewey, will assume the position of executive 
assistant to the president and general counsel.  William Napier 
will assume the position of special assistant to the president 
for governmental relations, and continue to serve as secretary of 
the Board of Trustees.

	A new position of vice president for university relations 
will be created and charged with developing a coordinated effort 
on public and media relations, including a comprehensive 
communications and marketing strategy. 

	Kirwan announced the creation of a Planning Cabinet, which 
he will chair, consisting of the provost as vice chair, the vice 
presidents, the executive assistant to the president, and the 
secretary of the board.  This group will determine the 
university’s priorities and major initiatives to recommend to
the Board of Trustees.

	Kirwan noted that some actions in the reorganization require 
Board of Trustees approval and he will seek that approval at the 
Dec. 4 meeting.  Other actions will be phased in over the next 
several weeks.

	“Our institutional ambitions are bold,” he said.  “To 
succeed, our decision-making structure must have the capacity for 
clarity, decisiveness and accountability, and our many 
constituencies must be kept informed and inspired to help Ohio 
State reach its goal of true academic distinction.”

	Prior to assuming the position of interim senior vice 
president and provost, Ray served as senior vice provost and 
chief information officer.  He has been a member of the economics 
faculty since 1970 and served as chair from 1976 to 1992, 
receiving the Distinguished Chairperson Award in 1989.  He 
received his B.A. in mathematics from Queens College, his M.A. in 
economics from Stanford University in 1969, and his Ph.D. in 
economics from Stanford in 1971.

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Contact: Virginia Trethewey, (614) 292-0582