The board will vote to approve a plan for the university's next 10 years.
Ohio University’s Board of Trustees will meet Thursday and Friday in Walter Hall to discuss the university’s future, approve construction budgets and vote on fee increases.
The board will vote to approve the final Comprehensive Master Plan, a plan that outlines goals and ideas for the next 10 years.
Flooding is a large issue outlined in the plan because many of OU’s buildings that need renovation also fall in the floodplain.
Some other topics include the possible relocation of OU’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine to West Union Street in order to create more on-campus housing space, the future of The Ridges and the renovations of Clippinger Hall, Seigfred Hall and Ellis Hall.
Officials will seek approval for the building renovations at the board’s June meeting.
Board members also will discuss the Dublin Campus Master Plan and the possibility of acquiring new land to continue to grow that campus.
The board originally approved the update of the plan in June 2015 and heard a presentation of the draft plan at the body’s January meeting.
Officials are also seeking approval to increase the budget by more than $140,000, for a total of about $1.6 million, to demolish the Cady-Foster-Brough complex. They are requesting an additional $200,000 to renovate West 82, which would bring the project’s total budget to $2 million.
Trustees also will hear a presentation on the university’s accreditation.
The university met all criteria for accreditation after its reviews in early November, according to the board’s agenda.
“The institution operates with integrity in its financial, academic, personnel, and auxiliary functions,” according to the Academic Quality Improvement program report. “It establishes and follows fair and ethical policies and process for its governing board, administration, faculty and staff.”
The board also will vote to increase tuition and fees by 3.5 percent for OU-HCOM. It will consider other updated graduate and regional campus fees, as well.
In addition, Trustees are recommending the adoption of the Century Bond and Deferred Maintenance Program Investment Policy and the General Endowment Fund Investment Policy, which was adopted by the OU Foundation board Feb. 12.
If approved, the new policies would take the place of all previous ones in determining how invested money is overseen and governed.
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