OU break in review-you won't believe what you missed

Our publisher here at The Athens NEWS hates headlines that say things like "œIt's Halloween time again" or "œIt's time for the students to come back again." His reasoning is that it is not the most exciting news to inform readers that something that happens regularly is, yes, happening once more. OK, I can see that. But nobody can tell me I can't say stuff like that in the story itself! So once again, it's break-in-review time "“ that time of year when our readers come back from winter break and we update them on the bigger local news that happened when they were gone. Here comes...

Prison put on hold for student

Though he was acquitted of rape and kidnapping charges during a dramatic and lengthy trial, former Ohio University student Matthew Kulchar was found guilty of evidence tampering in connection with the aftermath of an alleged sexual assault on a female student in her dormitory room in September 2008.

Over break, Athens County Common Pleas Judge Michael Ward sentenced Kulchar to three years in prison for the tampering charge, but in an unusual move, allowed him to remain free on bond while he appeals his conviction.

When he was brought back to Athens County Common Pleas Court for sentencing in mid-December, his attorney, K. Robert Toy, asked Ward to give him no prison time, and argued that what Kulchar did "“ told his roommate in a text message to dispose of a pair of boxer shorts Kulchar had worn during the alleged sex assault "“ might not even be a crime.

County Assistant Prosecutor Rob Driscoll, however, asked for the maximum sentence of five years behind bars and a $10,000 fine.

In a strange development in the sentencing hearing, Ward didn't give Kulchar a chance to speak before the judge passed sentence. Though both Ward and Driscoll at the time said they considered this a minor error that could easily be rectified by letting Kulchar speak, then re-sentencing him, Toy instructed his client not to make a comment, and indicated this issue may be addressed in Kulchar's planned appeal.

Falleth the Mighty Gwinn?

Probably the biggest story of winter break was the ongoing saga of Athens County Democratic Party chair Susan Gwinn, who went to trial in Athens County Common Pleas Court Dec. 22 on a mixed felony/misdemeanor indictment.

Special prosecutor Dave Yost of Delaware County was appointed to investigate suspected misuse of party funds and campaign irregularities during Gwinn's unsuccessful run for county prosecutor in 2008. She was first indicted for theft in office, unauthorized use of property, falsification and money laundering. Later, two charges of bribery were added, in connection with an alleged offer she made to pay Ohio University College Democrats $5 a head for herding early voters to the polls.

An OU College Democrat did testify during Gwinn's trial, however, that the un-enacted $5 bounty was the chair's idea and she green-lighted it "“ contradicting claims that Gwinn had made to reporters that while she discussed the idea with students, she never gave the go-ahead.

Appointed Judge William H. Wolff, Jr., who heard the case in a no-jury bench trial, tossed out the bribery charges, apparently concluding that there's nothing illegal about paying get-out-the-vote workers, even on a by-the-voter basis.

In connection with some of the other charges, Yost tried to show that Gwinn had directed her brother in Mississippi to send her $20,000 in a suspicious fashion "“ in groups of money orders purchased in amounts small enough to dodge federal reporting requirements, and that she had then spent the money on her campaign without reporting its source. Gwinn has said she considered the money, as well as $7,500 from another man, to be personal loans, and believed it didn't have to be reported as donations.

The trial also featured long and headache-inducing scrutiny of billing records from Time Warner Communications, from which both Gwinn's law firm and the Democratic Party bought cable TV ads. Apparently Gwinn often used her own account to secure party ad time, and the billing for the two entities got mixed up. Gwinn claimed the cable company was to blame if any party money was spent on her law firm's ads, but Yost insisted she was easily clever enough to keep the billing sorted out, and must have knowingly allowed the party to pay some of her cable bills.

A verdict is expected soon.

Bobcat budget break

Some white knuckles loosened up a bit at OU Dec. 17 when state legislators finally got a budget bill passed. Had they not done so, funding cuts were planned for state education budgets, which would have meant an estimated $36 million punch in OU's financial kidneys.

Athens County's state Rep. Debbie Phillips, D-Athens, voted for the budget bill, while its state Sen. Jimmy Stewart, R-Albany, voted against it.

Despite the better news at the state level, OU's Budget Planning Council later in December laid out a set of budget assumptions for the university that included a $15.7 million "budget gap" that will necessitate cuts, "revenue enhancements," or both to fix.

Drinking and driving

A bar in the wilds of Glouster, out on Ohio Rt. 13, was cited over break by the Ohio Department of Public Safety for allegedly serving already-intoxicated patrons on two different occasions. In both cases, according to state law-enforcement agencies, drunken people leaving the Shingle Inn were involved in traffic fatalities.

Our bowl runneth over

You probably already knew this, but after a 35-17 victory over Temple Nov. 27, the OU Bobcat football team got an invite to the Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl in Detroit. Though this capped one of the best seasons for the 'Cats in a while, they lost to the Marshall Thundering Herd 21-17.

Biggest land purchase ever

The development company that built a huge student apartment complex at a Richland Avenue site has now bought the property for $7 million.

This would make it one of the larger local property sales in recent memory. In 1998, the Lakeview Apartments near the Ohio University campus "“ now known as Riverpark Towers "“ sold for more than $12.3 million, though that transaction involved other properties as well.

According to the Athens County Auditor's office, no single-parcel land sale since 1990 is larger than the sale of the Summit at Coates Run property.

Hallmark Athens Student Housing, LLC, which is based in Columbus, finalized the purchase on Dec. 1, according to records filed with the Athens County Recorder's office.

The last time the 34-acre site changed hands, in April 2008, it sold for $650,000, though that was before it had been fully developed. At that time, Greenbriar Athens, LLC, bought the property from its previous owners, Mark and Hannah Walsh.

It's uncertain whether, or how, the property changing hands will affect its management, though last fall student tenants at The Summit complained about a variety of issues. At the time, the management company said those problems dated back to a previous management firm, and said they were being addressed.

Senior snaps up award for snaps

OU senior Ryan Henriksen learned in November that he had taken top honors in the College Photographer of the Year competition, held by the prestigious University of Missouri School of Journalism.

This makes the third time in four years an OU student has won the competition, in which the school always does well.

Union talks coming

OU's classified-employees' union, Local 1699 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, turned down a proposal by OU to extend the current contract. AFSCME leaders expect that will mean the university and union will be going into full contract talks soon, as the current contract runs out March 1.

Black-and-blue haze

Over the break, OU officials continued to investigate an alleged violent hazing incident at the Delta Tau Delta fraternity Nov. 12, which put two extremely intoxicated male students into the hospital after an initiation that reportedly involved a beating.

Dean of Students Ryan Lombardi told The Athens NEWS in late November that he expected the case to be referred to Judiciaries. There is also a misdemeanor hazing charge filed against the frat in Athens County Municipal Court, but no charges against individual members.

Restructuring, you bet

Ohio University Executive Vice President and Provost Pam Benoit announced the first set of major changes that will restructure parts of the university, beginning fall 2010, renaming the College of Health and Human Services and creating a new Academic Health Center, among other changes.

The College of Health and Human Services will be called the College of Health Sciences and Professions, and some of its consumer sciences programs will be scattered across the university into other areas where Benoit said they will increase efficiencies.

The moves will not cost any jobs, and it's still uncertain how much money these shifts will save, said Ann Fidler, interim associate provost for strategic initiatives.

Iraq and OU, who'd have thought?

Starting fall 2010, Iraqi students will begin to enter select American universities, with OU being near the top of the list of these schools.

This summer, University Systems of Ohio Chancellor Eric Fingerhut signed a "Memorandum of Understanding" with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki that will open the way to bring Iraqi students to Ohio's public universities, funded fully by the Iraqi government. Across the U.S., 400 Iraqi undergraduate and graduate students are expected to enroll in universities, including OU, that will accept them without SAT or ACT scores since the students do not have the opportunity to take the entrance exams.

Vicki Seefeldt West, OU's senior assistant director for international recruitment, said it't still uncertain how many of the students will come to OU.

She explained that OU is on the "short list" of universities that will host Iraqi students because of its excellent Ohio Program for Intensive English (OPIE). The OPIE program will help OU monitor undergraduate Iraqi students hone their English skills while taking courses, she said.