Campus engagement
The Ohio State community actively engaged in discussions of the Comprehensive Energy Management Project in face-to-face meetings; public forums; campuswide emails; updates in campus publications; and this website.
The university has established two committees of students, faculty and staff to provide ongoing advice related to the operations, capital improvements and sustainability aspects of the Comprehensive Energy Management Project. A third advisory committee is focused on development of the Energy Advancement and Innovation Center.
Energy Academic Collaboration Council
The EACC is specifically focused on academic collaboration and campus engagement related to the partnership. Read the charge
Co-facilitators:
- Kate Bartter, Executive Director, Sustainability Institute at Ohio State
- Randy Moses, Senior Associate Vice President for Research Administration and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Kate Bartter, Director, Office of Energy and Environment
Jeff Bielicki, Assistant Professor, College of Engineering and John Glenn College of Public Affairs
Kate Calder, Professor, Statistics
Molly Ranz Calhoun, Associate Vice President for Student Life
Kip Curtis, Assistant Professor, Environmental History, Department of History, Mansfield
Elena Irwin, Faculty Director, Sustainability Institute; Professor, College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Cathann Kress, Vice President of Agricultural Administration, Dean of College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Randy Moses, interim senior vice president, Research Administration
Keith Myers, Vice President of Physical Planning, Administration and Planning
Stephen Post, President, Council of Graduate Students
Scott Potter, EAC Chair, Senior Director – Comprehensive Energy Management
Giorgio Rizzoni, Director, Center for Automotive Research; Professor, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Sara Rubin, Vice President, Principal Gifts - Office of Advancement
Jay Sayre, Assistant VP, Materials and Manufacturing Sustainability; Director of Innovation, Institute for Materials Research
David Staley, Associate Professor and Interim Director of the Humanities Institute; Director of the Center for the Humanities in Practice
Claudia Turro, Dow Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Jordan Vajda, President, Inter-Professional Council
Richie Waino, Undergraduate Student Government
Peter Ward, Richard M. Ross Chair in Management, Fisher College of Business
David Williams, Executive Dean of the Professional Colleges, Dean of the College of Engineering
Visionary Project Advisory Committee
The VPAC, comprised of EACC members and a representative of Ohio State Energy Partners, is specifically focused on the Energy Advancement and Innovation Center component of the academic collaboration plan.
Elena Irwin, Faculty Director, Sustainability Institute; Professor, College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Randy Moses, Senior Associate Vice President for Research
Keith Myers, Vice President of Physical Planning, Administration and Planning
Jay Sayre, Assistant VP, Materials and Manufacturing Sustainability; Director of Innovation, Institute for Materials Research
Serdar Tufekci, CEO, Ohio State Energy Partners
Mike Stevens, Chief Innovation Officer, City of Columbus
Energy Advisory Committee
The EAC is charged with reviewing and providing advice to university leaders on Ohio State Energy Partners' proposals for capital improvements, its operating plans, and other aspects of the energy partnership. Read excerpts from the concession agreement
- Chair: Scott Potter, Senior Director - Comprehensive Energy Management
Randy Allen, Corporate Controller Financial Services – Wexner Medical Center
Kate Bartter, Director - Sustainability Institute
Amy Burgess, Asst. Vice President – Planning and Administration
Molly Ranz Calhoun, Senior Associate Vice President – Student Life
Mike Dixon, Asst. Vice President – Facilities Operations
Wayne E Eckert, Senior Director Facilities Management – Wexner Medical Center
Christopher Hadad, Professor – Chemistry and Biochemistry
Michael B. Hofherr, Vice President and Chief Information Officer – Office of Academic Affairs
Douglas A. Huffner, Senior Director and Chief Risk Officer – Business and Finance
Scott Klute, Senior Director – Financial Planning & Analysis
Keith Myers, Vice President Physical Planning – Planning and Real Estate
Mike Penner, Executive Associate Athletic Director – Internal Operations
Scott Potter, Senior Director Comprehensive Energy Management – Business and Finance
Daniel J. Prater, Student
Paul Sherwood, Asst. Vice President – Facilities Design and Construction
Serdar Tüfekçi, Chief Executive Officer – Ohio State Energy Partners
Thomas Wood, Energy Management Engineer - Innovations
Jake Wozniak, Treasurer and Vice President – Financial Services & Innovations
Contact information
- For general questions about the Comprehensive Energy Management Project, email us
Engagement during the evaluation
The university held a series of meetings in October, November and December 2014 to introduce the project to faculty, staff and students through the university governance process. The university met with more than 30 groups and sought input from three advisory groups throughout the evaluation process. On April 4, 2017, the University Senate passed a resolution supporting a partnership. The Board of Trustees approved the partnership on April 7, 2017.
Updates about the project also were shared with the full university community through regular email updates and university news channels including onCampus Today, onCampus Weekly and onCampus. In addition, we frequently updated this website and responded to questions or comments submitted through this email address.
These are some of the ways students, faculty and staff were engaged and kept informed about the project:
Advisory groups (See detail)
- President and Provost's Council on Sustainability
- Faculty Advisory Group
- Council on the Physical Environment
Governance, leadership and other campus groups
- Academic leaders: Council of Deans, Faculty Council and others
- Employees: Utilities staff and Communications Workers of America leaders
- Governance: Senate Steering, Senate Fiscal Committee and other governance committees, as well as University Senate
- Student leaders: Council of Graduate Students, Inter-Professional Council, Undergraduate Student Government
- University Staff Advisory Committee
- Other campus groups: Climate Reality Project, United Students Against Sweatshops
Campuswide communication
- Feb 2015: Outline of project, including plan for a Request for Qualifications
- June 2015: Results of the RFQ and next steps
- Oct. 2015: Entering phase II, a Request for Information
- Feb. 2016: Results of the RFI and next steps
- April 2016: End of semester update, plan to issue Request for Proposals
- Oct. 2016: Work continues on RFP materials
- Feb. 2017: University issues an RFP
- March 2017: Three teams bid on Comprehensive Energy Management Project
- March 30, 2017: University recommends energy partnership to support sustainability and academic mission
- May 2, 2017: University and new sustainability partner are working on transition of energy systems
Public forums (See detail)
- Jan. 28, 2016: About 70 people attend Undergraduate Student Government town hall
- Feb. 4, 2015: More than 130 students, faculty and staff attended two campus meetings hosted by the Office of Academic Affairs.
Media
- Articles in publications including The Lantern, The Columbus Dispatch, Columbus Business First, Dayton Daily News and others