Sexual assault prevention, innovation strategy and guaranteed tuition were the final talking points of the Ohio University Board of Trustees’ August meeting Friday.
Sexual assault:
The trustees met in Dublin to hear from individuals like Vice President for Student Affairs Ryan Lombardi, who presented about the university’s policies addressing sexual assault.
“This is not an effort of one individual or one office on this campus,” he said. “It is an effort that requires the entire campus.”
President Roderick McDavis will be becoming more actively involved with that effort, he said. He is co-chairing the Presidential Advisory Council on Sexual Misconduct, which is slated to begin work in the next two weeks, he said.
“One of the things we haven’t really mentioned yet is victims,” said Susanne Dietzel, director of the Women’s Center, about thirty minutes into the presentation. Some of the trustees had previously raised questions about the drinking culture on campus and the consequences for those convicted of sexual misconduct.
Dietzel and Lombardi praised the work of on-campus resources, like the Survivor Advocacy Program, for assisting victims of sexual assault.
Innovation strategy:
Eva Klein, who is a consultant working on OU’s Innovative System Strategy, emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary research.
“I want to do it more and better,” she said, adding that they will be looking toward funding “niche” projects and innovation.
She said she is hoping to have more discussion with OU faculty about how to best encourage multidisciplinary research.
“My fondest hope is that innovation becomes a way of doing business,” Klein said. “We just aren’t really far along with any details at all.”
Guaranteed tuition:
Executive Vice President and Provost Pam Benoit wrapped up the meeting with a presentation updating the board on the status of guaranteed tuition, which she said is on target to be implemented next fall.
She showed videos which describe the tuition model as “predictable, transparent and accessible” for students and their families.
“We are getting an awful lot of very very positive feedback across the state,” McDavis said.
@ohitchcock
