Board of Trustees approves Housing Master Plan, Heritage College research facility, gets update on presidential search

UCM

Walter Hall

The Ohio University Board of Trustees approved the 2022 Housing Master Plan as well as a new research facility for the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine during its meetings on Oct. 20-21 at Ohio University’s Athens campus.

The Board also approved the expansion of several academic programs to regional campuses and received an update on the presidential search process, including the results of surveys, interviews and forums conducted over the past several weeks.

Items on the Board agenda included:

Housing Master Plan update

The Board approved the 2022 Housing Master Plan that has been under discussion during recent meetings. The plan focuses on right-sizing the housing inventory, improving the residential experience through remediation of deferred maintenance and modernization across the system and includes programmatic changes through improved amenities such as additional engagement and study space.

The plan includes building-by-building recommendations, identification of a site being recommended for new construction and financial analysis to ensure affordability and value to the students. The plan calls for significant investment into renovations of existing residence halls, as well as identifying buildings that are not economic viable for renovation, which will be considered for future demolition to mitigate deferred maintenance costs. Additionally, the plan includes a projected phasing of projects for Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024, as well as the six-year capital improvement plan for FY25-30.

The plan was developed with student and parent survey feedback and campus stakeholder input, as well as reviews of peer comparisons and review of the off-campus market.

Capital budget

The Board approved several new capital project additions, as well as new construction of the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Translational Research Facility on Union Street Green, across Factory Street from Heritage Hall.

The building represents the second phase of the Heritage College’s efforts to reimagine its curriculum and research. A portion of the transformational $105 million Vision 2020 Award that the college received in 2011 from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation will be used toward the Translational Research Facility. The space will enable students, faculty and staff to conduct forefront research, ranging from biological basis of health and disease to interventions that improve the health of individuals and the public. The project is estimated to cost $66.9 million.

Other approved projects include:

Addition to Clippinger Renovation Phase 3: An additional $3.67 million was approved to complete the project, for which $34.3 million has already been allocated. The project addresses deferred maintenance and programmatic needs in Clippinger Laboratories’ western half. The increase is due to ongoing increases in the construction market.
Addition to Washington and Gamertsfelder halls’ window replacement: The Board approved an additional $1.55 million to the project, bringing it to $4.85 million total. The increase is due to ongoing increases in the construction market.
Addition to Peden Tower roof replacement: The Board approved an additional $100,000 to bring the project total to $700,000, due to ongoing increases in the construction market.
Campus aesthetic improvements: The Board approved the $675,000 project, which includes pressure washing and paint touch-ups to multiple buildings, including Baker University Center, Morton Hall and Alden Library, as well as the replacement of the gravel walk between North McKinley Avenue to Mulberry Street with concrete.

Program expansion to regional campuses

The Board approved the expansion of three programs to all of Ohio University’s regional campuses. They are:

Associate of Equine Studies (currently offered at Southern campus): The Patton College of Education is expanding the program to the Chillicothe, Eastern, Lancaster and Zanesville campuses. No additional faculty, staff or resources are needed to support the expansion.
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology Criminology and the Bachelor of Arts in Sociology Pre-Law: The College of Arts and Sciences is expanding the two Athens-based programs to the five regional campuses, with the support of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
Bachelor of Science in Psychology: The College of Arts and Sciences is expanding the Athens-based program to the five regional campuses, with support from its Department of Psychology.

The goal is to increase enrollment at the regional campuses by making these degree programs available. All expansions require the approval of the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

Enrollment Planning Update

Vice President for Enrollment Management Candace Boeninger shared an enrollment update, including preliminary census results that showed a record for first-year Athens enrollment of 4,441 students. The update included information about the freshman application cycle, highlights within the class, and information on the University’s overall headcount. It also included information about FY23 priorities for the Division of Enrollment Management.

OMNI Center creation

The Board established two new centers within the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI). The OMNI Center for Healthy Aging seeks to understand biologic mechanisms behind reductions in neuromuscular and musculoskeletal form and function in seniors, while the OMNI Injury and Pain Research Center will focus on the physiological mechanisms, biomechanical effects, and neuro-psychological aspects of pain and injury.

In other business, the Board:

Appointed Craig Butler as the regional trustee to the Ohio University Board of Trustees for a term that began Oct. 8, 2021, and will conclude on June 30, 2024. Butler is the executive director of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District and a former director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. He has a master of science in Environmental Science from Ohio University.
Received an update from Honors Tutorial College Dean Donal Skinner and several current students about the 50th anniversary celebration of the College and the benefits of a tutorial-based education.
Received an annual update from the Office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility, including a four-year comparison of conduct cases and offenses.
Received program accreditation updates for programs in the Patton College of Education, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Health Sciences and Professions, and College of Arts and Sciences.
Received an update on Higher Learning Commission accreditations, including a preview of the University’s next comprehensive evaluation in two years.
Accepted the 2021-2022 review of centers and institutes.
Approved changing the name of the Appalachian Rural Health Institute in the College of Health Sciences and Professions to Appalachian Institute to Advance Health Equity Science (ADVANCE). The change broadens the focus to include populations outside of rural Appalachia and better reflects faculty expertise.
Designated a warehouse and storage space at 751 W. Union St., Athens, as surplus property and authorized the University to negotiate the potential sale of the site. It is currently leased to Rural Action, which has expressed an interest in purchasing the property.
Approved the University’s annual submission of the Low Enrollment Course and Program and Duplicate Program report to the Ohio Department of Higher Education.
Approved the suspension of the special education/non-certification program in the Patton College of Education. There are no students enrolled in the program.
Received a financial summary of Fiscal Year 2022 to date and a forecast for FY23.
Approved the extension of a line of credit through Dec. 1, 2025. The line of credit was originally approved in 2016 and its latest extension ends Dec. 1, 2022.
Heard a report from a student investment group that manages $10.3 million of the University’s long-term working capital pool.
Received a review of the University’s endowment portfolio.
Approved a 25-year easement on the Lancaster campus for an erosion control rock channel and sanitary sewer line for the new Lancaster High School.
Approved the FY22 Efficiency Report to be submitted to the chancellor of Higher Education.
Received the University’s 2022 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report in compliance with the federal Clery Act.
Accepted audited University financial statements for FY22.