Provost says enrollment growth at OU won't be willy-nilly
Written by Chelsea E. Toy
Thursday, 19 November 2009 11:46
Any enrollment growth must take into account the university's instructional capacity, Pam Benoit, executive vice president and provost of Ohio University, told Faculty Senate Monday night.
As OU saw a decrease in its state share of instruction (SSI) in part due to its static enrollment over the last few years, the university's Board of Trustees has asked university leadership to look at ways to strategically increase enrollment. Benoit has commissioned a committee to examine how the university can increase enrollment, and that committee is preparing a report that will be completed mid-December and presented to the board in January.
The report will analyze five areas — instruction, student experience, regional campuses, commuter and adult student populations, and facilities and housing, Benoit said.
"The report recognizes that there have been reductions in instructional capacity and student support," Benoit said. "These reductions have made it more difficult to meet the needs of students and have limited the institution's ability to respond to emerging enrollment opportunities."
Enrollment across the university grew by almost 2,000 students this year after years of nearly static growth.
In an effort to raise $100 million for homeless youth in America, Tellman Knudson is aiming to be the first known person to ever run across the country barefoot.
Due to a foot injury, Knudson stopped in Athens over the weekend while taking a brief hiatus from his journey from New York City to the Santa Monica, Calif., Pier, which he had planned to accomplish in 99 days after leaving New York City on Sept. 9.
It's all up to the 'Cats whether they extend their season
Written by Garrett Downing
Thursday, 19 November 2009 10:39
With only two games left on their schedule, the Ohio University football team has put itself in a good position. The pre-season hype about the Bobcats seems warranted as they control their own destiny on the path to a Mid-American Conference East Division title and a bowl bid.
Ohio State Highway Patrol officers have obtained a search warrant to seize the “black box” recording device from a car that was involved in a fatal crash on Ohio Rt. 13 in Trimble early Sunday morning.
It is not clear from the documentation on the warrant, which was filed in Athens County Common Pleas Court Tuesday, whether the device has actually been seized, and The Athens NEWS was unable on Wednesday to reach the officer who applied for the warrant.
The city of Athens plans to gather public input on the recent installation of four surveillance cameras along Court Street by the Athens Police Department following a suggestion by city Law Director Pat Lang.
At the City Council meeting Monday night, Lang said he has had personal feelings about this issue going back to his days as a student at Ohio University when he studied public surveillance.
Students may get to run (almost) naked for charity
Written by David DeWitt
Thursday, 19 November 2009 10:32
Ohio University students may have the opportunity this winter to literally give the clothes off their backs, and then run down Court Street.
Representatives from OU’s Student Alumni Board approached Athens City Council Monday with an idea that would shut down Court Street for a “Nearly Naked Mile” race to provide free clothing for the needy.
Athens ends up in 7th place for ordering popular computer game
Written by Athens NEWS Staff
Thursday, 19 November 2009 10:31
While the city of Athens led the nationwide competition in late October, our community ultimately slid to seventh place in the competition to become the “Call of Duty-est Town in America.”
The contest, led by Amazon.com, hoped to generate excitement for the release of the Modern Warfare 2 game, by finding which community had the most pre-orders for the video game before its release on Nov. 9.
OU professors speak out again on university's cost-cutting plan
Written by Chelsea E. Toy
Thursday, 19 November 2009 10:27
As Ohio University looks to slash its structural deficit by placing freezes on some of academic departments’ carry-forward balances and by shifting $2.6 million from housing and dining funds to compensate for the deficit, faculty members are speaking out again about the university's financial decisions.
The university currently has a $21 million structural deficit, caused mainly by $12 million in investment losses at the beginning of the decade and $7.5 million in Intercollegiate Athletics' (ICA) deficit spending.
Ohio University's Faculty Senate unanimously voted Monday night to approve a sense of the Senate resolution that outlines the body's current priorities.
The body’s Executive Committee hopes this resolution will help guide Senate's decision-making throughout the upcoming budget cuts, another issue Faculty Senate dealt with Monday in a separate resolution calling for zero cuts to academic programs. That resolution is still pending, however.
At least 2,546 Ohio University students finally received their Ohio College Opportunity Grant disbursements on Monday that they had expected to receive at the beginning of fall quarter.
So far, OU has disbursed $947,520 in OCOG funds, and the university’s Financial Aid office estimates a total of $2.7 million will be paid out for the academic year, said Sondra Williams, director of financial aid.
As break approaches, scramble for holiday jobs begins
Written by Natalie Knoth
Thursday, 19 November 2009 10:18
With the bustling holiday season on the horizon, some Ohio University students will be returning home to seasonal jobs, while others will be frantically filling out job applications – all in the hopes of earning some extra dough over the long break.
Natalie McGrew, a senior from Steubenville, has been employed at Macy’s as a seasonal worker for two years and plans to work about 20-25 hours a week over break. McGrew said the job always seems to be waiting for her when she gets back from school.
Attorneys in Dem Party chair theft case spar over discovery
Written by Athens NEWS Staff
Thursday, 19 November 2009 10:00
Attorneys in the criminal case against Athens County Democratic Party Chair Susan Gwinn are trading potshots over discovery issues.
Gwinn has pled not guilty in Athens County Common Pleas Court to an indictment charging her with two felony counts of theft in office; one felony count of money laundering; one misdemeanor count of unauthorized use of property; and two misdemeanor counts of falsification.
Police have a TV on you while you're driving in Athens
Written by David DeWitt
Thursday, 19 November 2009 09:58
Driving out East State Street in Athens, sheriff’s deputy Shannon Sheridan’s cameras capture a picture and record the license plate number of nearly every car that passes by.
The picture is as clear as day, even in the dark of night, and the recording is astoundingly accurate. A computer mounted in the car crosschecks each license plate against a nationwide database of stolen vehicles and cars connected with wanted individuals, Amber Alerts, missing persons and known drug traffickers, sounding an alarm if there is a match.
Ohio University’s dean of students has met with officers and members of the OU chapter of Delta Tau Delta fraternity, as part of a university investigation into an allegedly violent, alcohol-fueled hazing incident that put two students into the hospital.
“The allegations are very serious,” acknowledged Dean of Students Ryan Lombardi. “If they are true, it’s extremely concerning to me, absolutely.”
The national office of the fraternity announced Tuesday that it is suspending the OU chapter’s operations until the local investigation is complete.
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