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Last spring, I stood here before you as Provost and said that I had never been so proud to
be at The Ohio State University. Since then, we have seen much time and change because,
as we all know, the life of this great university goes on, without pause but with growing evidence
of its impact at every turn. For example, since then we have welcomed another
remarkable class of students for autumn semester, and we have sent two classes of graduates
out into the world. We have broken ground for new student housing on two campuses -- at
Mansfield and on the corner of Lane and High for our developing second-year program. We
have had a ribbon-cutting and grand opening at the new Hale Hall, formerly Enarson Hall,
and now the home of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Hale Black Cultural
Center. And we have new leadership at many levels.
As we look a bit further back, the evidence of accomplishment is clear. Consider the
conversion to semesters and the consolidation of the Art and Sciences—both, undertakings
of massive proportion, yet seamlessly wrought, thanks to the collaboration of so many. Such
changes have positioned us well for the future. And that is my focus as Interim President:
to push forward the bold and ambitious vision already in place for Ohio State -- that of
achieving true eminence. For some time we have talked about the goal
of moving from excellence to eminence. Some have wondered what that means, and how we
will know when we get there. To me, the answer is relatively simple. We
will have achieved eminence when those who need to address an important issue look first
to Ohio State for solutions. Let me share some recent examples that demonstrate
that level of eminence. Last fall, Ohio State was the only university
in the country to receive a $9.6 million award from the U.S. Department of State to implement
a Critical Language Scholarship Program in East Asia. This is testimony to the reputation
of our East Asian Languages and Literatures faculty.
At the end of August, Dr. Christopher Kaeding, a surgeon at Ohio State's Wexner Medical
Center, became the first in the country to consult with a colleague from the operating
room using Google Glass, a head-mounted computer and camera device. This is a unique step
in preparing future surgeons and is garnering considerable national attention.
Last month, Ohio State soil scientist Rattan Lal was recognized by the United Nations as
a global "champion" for his land management contributions. This really is extraordinary
recognition at an international level. It speaks directly to our mission of solving
the grand challenges of our global society, such as poverty and food production.
And we have opened the doors to our new Center for Electron Microscopy and Analysis, which
may hold the highest concentration of high-end microscopes in North America. This new hub
for business and materials research is becoming recognized as the best electron microscopy
center in the world. Not in the city or in the Midwest -- in the world. That is
what we mean by eminence. But how, as a university, do we measure eminence?
While there is no single metric for eminence, we have said that we will have moved from
excellence to eminence when we are consistently recognized among the top 10 public comprehensive
research universities. And how do we reach top 10 status? How do
we move toward what I have called the north star of eminence? I believe it is based
on three straightforward principles. Number one: We must attract the very best
students to Ohio State and provide them with an outstanding educational experience.
Number two: We must recruit and retain world-class faculty and bring them together -- our students,
faculty and staff -- through the very finest academic programs.
And number three: We must make all of this possible by securing the necessary non-tuition-driven
funding. This is essential if we are to fulfill our mission of providing access to
excellence. Achieving either access or excellence alone is relatively easy. Achieving both
simultaneously is complex. But that is what we must do—and, by integrating our academic
and financial planning, that is what we are doing.
What this shows is that Ohio State is not daunted by complex challenges. For instance,
our goal of becoming a top 10 public university in the next 10 years is formidable, since
the ranking system is characterized more by stasis than movement. Nonetheless, our rankings
in the September U.S. News & World Report reflect uncharacteristic progress. Among all
public and private national universities we moved from 56th to 52nd, and among the best
50 national public research universities, we are tied for 16th with Texas and Washington,
up two spots from last year. This progress is noteworthy because it is
based on our increased graduation rates as well as efforts to improve the student experience,
particularly during the first years on campus. A moment ago I mentioned the three principles
that I believe will enable us to chart a course toward eminence -- attracting the best students
and enhancing the student educational experience; recruiting and re-recruiting outstanding faculty;
and identifying financing to support our academic mission.
Let me briefly discuss our progress within each principle, beginning with the importance
of attracting the very best students and supporting them as they accomplish more than they ever
thought possible. First, I would cite our First Year Experience
program for incoming students, which was launched in 2000. This program has become a national
model for helping students transition to college and be successful, and it has been consistently
recognized as such, most recently by U.S. News.
In August, we welcomed the inaugural class of our STEP, or Second-year Transformational
Experience Program, which includes about 1,000 students and 50 faculty. As I mentioned
earlier, we broke ground on the North Residential District, bordered by Lane Avenue and High
Street, where second-year students at Ohio State eventually will live, study and convene
for years to come. What all this means is that we are paying
attention to the student experience in ways that truly are unique and different. STEP
really is about programs that bring students and faculty together. It is not about buildings.
It is about extending the solid foundation that is already in place for our students.
It is about elevating the student experience to the next level through academic programming,
study abroad and greater interaction with outstanding faculty.
I certainly want to thank the many faculty members, staff members and students who continue
to work so *** both our first- and second-year programs. These initiatives enhance the
student experience in meaningful ways and augment our ability to attract the best and
brightest students to our university. And we are certainly succeeding in doing so.
This year's incoming students are another extraordinary class -- again, the finest
in university history. This autumn, we welcomed 7,100 first-year students to Ohio State. We
greeted them with our traditional Convocation and singing of "Carmen Ohio" -- and then,
for the second year, we ushered them downtown to introduce them to the opportunities that
a great city like Columbus has to offer. This year's Welcome Week was a great example
of the "One University" spirit -- from move-in to our downtown event to dozens of
activities across our campus. I want to thank all the faculty, staff, students and
community partners who took part. I particularly want to recognize our vice president for Student
Life, Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston, for her remarkable efforts and those of her team, as well as
Dolan Evanovich, our vice president of Enrollment Services. Dolan and his staff are pivotal
in attracting outstanding students to our campus.
Indeed, if we look at where we have come over the last decade in terms of incoming freshman
classes, our momentum is clear. Since 2003:
- The number of annual applications received by Ohio State has increased by 77 percent
-- from around 20,000 to more than 35,000. - ACT scores have increased better than 3
points, from 25.4 to 28.5 for this class. - Our six-year graduation rates have increased
21 percentage points -- from 62 percent to 84 percent -- far above the national average
of 56 percent. Just as important, even before arriving, our
incoming students have shown initiative and leadership skills through participation in
service activities and advanced studies that bode well for their ability to take full advantage
of the opportunities found at Ohio State. The second principle I consider foundational
to our march toward eminence is a commitment to faculty.
In addition to the best freshman class in history, this year we also welcomed 258 new
faculty -- more faculty members than in any previous year. The efforts of these new
scholars will complement and leverage the research, teaching and outreach of our existing
faculty. They have been welcomed into the Ohio State family with warmth and support.
Our faculty are central to the university's strategic mission and we expect to continue
to invest in their future. I want to take this opportunity to also welcome
some of our new deans and others who have new academic roles. First of all, I am delighted
to be working shoulder to shoulder with Executive Vice President and Provost Joe Steinmetz.
We are truly fortunate to have someone of Joe's caliber and intellect guiding the
academic trajectory of this university. I am also delighted to welcome a number of
new and outstanding deans: David Manderscheid, vice provost for the arts and sciences and
executive dean of the College of Arts & Sciences; Henry Mann, dean of our College of Pharmacy;
and physician-scientist Dr. William Martin II, dean of the College of Public Health.
I also want to acknowledge that Lynne Olson, a newly retired emeritus professor of Veterinary
Biosciences, will be serving as our new faculty ombudsman.
As evidence of our intent to invest in the work of our faculty, last year we launched
the Discovery Themes Initiative, a ten-year, multi-million dollar investment that will
help us attract new tenured and tenure-track faculty particularly in the areas of Energy
and Environment, Food Production and Security, and Health and Wellness.
During last spring and summer, the Discovery Themes Faculty Advisory Boards identified
the worldwide grand challenges within each of these areas. Through that faculty-driven
effort, data analytics was identified as a platform that can enhance disciplinary activities
across all three Discovery themes. So, last month, Provost Steinmetz released a Request
for Proposals for adding new faculty colleagues in that high impact area.
Data analytics has the potential to accelerate the pace of change—from disease prognosis
to smart materials; from environmental mapping to sustainable energy systems; from bioinformatics
to precision agriculture. We expect that our investments in this foundational area
will stimulate transformational work throughout the themes and hasten us toward eminence.
Commitments will be announced in early January. With this initial investment, we anticipate
having our first new Discovery Themes faculty at Ohio State for the fall semester of 2014.
A second RFP process also will be implemented in early 2014. That timeframe will allow
for continued dialogue across campus. It will also follow more traditional search timelines,
so that the second round of Discovery Themes faculty will be on board by fall 2015.
I have said before that the Discovery Themes Initiative is arguably the most ambitious
academic effort ever undertaken at The Ohio State University. As we move forward, Provost
Steinmetz and I will continue to update you on progress and outcomes. It is important
that every member of our community be aware of—and be part of—this initiative to tackle
the globe's grand challenges. The new Discovery Themes faculty will be attracted
to Ohio State in no small measure by the stellar colleagues who are in fact the core of this
university today. An astonishing array of great work is taking place at our institution
-- from cancer treatment and clean coal technology to teacher preparation and the student-engineered
Buckeye Bullet. Let me offer just a few examples of current faculty efforts with national
and international impact: - Later this month, led by Professor Anil
Makhija, Ohio State's National Center for the Middle Market will host its third annual
conference on the Middle Market economy. The first of its kind in the country, the center
is a collaboration with GE Capital dedicated to building capabilities of middle market
firms through research, corporate outreach and student activities. This work is an
excellent example of applied research at the national level.
- Ohio State is also partnering with Ethiopia on a major health initiative that involves
all seven of our health sciences colleges -- the first time our health sciences colleges
have teamed up for an international project of this scope. The most immediate needs
are improved screening and treatment opportunities to tackle cervical cancer, rabies prevention,
and improvements in food security and safety. - Recently, Eric Healy, a speech and hearing
science professor, teamed with DeLiang ***, a computer science and engineering researcher,
to produce the first-ever demonstration of a processing algorithm that may have dramatic
benefits for hearing-impaired listeners. This approach, called "a hearing aid on steroids,"
has the potential to become part of hearing aids and cochlear implants, improving the
quality of life for millions of people around the world.
- In September, the university received an $18.7 million federal grant to establish a
research center devoted to the study of tobacco use. This significant federal funding highlights
the faculty talent we have in place and the outstanding research that is being conducted
at Ohio State. I want to mention, too, that our university
was recognized twice for its positive work culture. It was ranked fifth among large
universities in The Huffington Post and among the top 20 "Best Places to Work in Academia"
in a recent survey in The Scientist. These third-party validations cited strengths in
processes such as tenure and promotion, teaching and mentoring, and collaboration.
Now the third principle that will lead us to eminence is identifying and channeling
the funding that will support our aspirations. The leasing of our parking operations is a
good example of how innovative financial strategies are helping to promote the student experience
and the work of faculty and staff. In the first year alone, the infusion of $483 million
into our endowment earned a bit more than $50 million in interest. After re-investing
a portion of this back into our endowment, these funds will be distributed to advance
core university priorities including teaching, learning and research.
For example, in addition to our Discovery Themes initiative investments, these resources
are being used to fund the Eminence Fellowship program. This new program in the University
Honors and Scholars Center provides financial support, as well as academic and leadership
opportunities for a select cohort of Ohio State's best and brightest students. The
university expects to fund 25 of these scholarships each year.
Parking revenues are also allowing us to do more to enhance opportunities for staff. The
university has increased the funding available for Staff Career Development Grants by 10-fold.
What was a $10,000 to $15,000 pool has been increased to $150,000 a year for staff development.
Innovation can be seen in other efforts as well. At the end of September, Ohio State
received the EPA's Green Power Partner of the Year Award. This is a national recognition
for the university's wind power purchase that we estimate will meet about one-third
of the heating and cooling costs of the South District Residence halls.
In addition, a competitive review process has enabled us to trim $26 million from our
construction costs for our sophomore residential district before we have even started construction.
This is the outcome of outstanding cooperation across Academic Affairs, Student Life, Facilities,
and Communications and involved faculty, staff and students. Here, we have evidence of
the commitment to focusing on eminence rather than on issues of parochial interest. That
is the signature of a great university. I hope you agree that we all have ongoing
reason to take tremendous pride in being at The Ohio State University as it continues
to move forward and extends its land-grant mission to the world. Soon, we will attract
an outstanding 15th president to lead this extraordinary institution in charting its
course for the future. Wherever else that journey may take us, it
is clear that we are well on our way to reaching the north star of eminence.
It would not have been possible without all of you. I thank you for making this possible.