CHILLICOTHE — Construction projects, online courses and Ohio University’s fiscal year 2019 budget were just some of the topics the Board of Trustees June meeting covered at the OU Chillicothe campus.
The board met Thursday and Friday to pass several resolutions and discuss topics ranging from shared governance to a grant designed to increase graduation rates.
Here are the highlights from the meeting:
President Nellis got a pay raise
OU President Duane Nellis will receive a 1.5 percent pay increase of $7,125 effective July 1. The resolution, which was not on the original agenda, was discussed in executive sessions between the board’s executive committee.
He also received a bonus of $71,250, which is 15 percent of his annual salary. OU First Lady Ruthie Nellis will also receive a pay increase of $525 on July 1.
“He has definitely made a difference in the year that he’s been here,” Board of Trustees vice chair Janelle Coleman said.
Former President Roderick McDavis ended his presidency at OU with an annual salary of $500,000 during the 2016-17 academic year, according to a previous Post report.
Fiscal year 2019-20 budget increase
The board approved $811 million in fiscal year 2019 revenues, up $15.3 million from fiscal year 2018.
The fiscal year 2019 budget will use $17 million in reserves, which will be utilized for capital improvements, funding of strategic priorities and programs and a new regional campus strategy.
Nellis created the regional higher education study committee in April, which is a task force that aims to “create a bridge” to the community and promote partnerships, Nellis said.
“We want to figure out how we can create a sustainable and more enhanced model for regional higher education as part of the system of Ohio University,” he said.
Construction in 2019
Updates to the Capital Improvement Plan were approved by the Board of Trustees on Friday, which includes capital needs and priorities for fiscal year 2019.
The board approved several new project budgets, including a new laboratory which will replace the ground floor of Clippinger Hall. The total project is budgeted to cost $42.6 million.
Other projects include repairs on James Hall, the Convocation Center’s residential restrooms and facility improvements for the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.
The Board of Trustees also approved the repaving of several campus roads in collaboration with the City of Athens, which will cost $584,000.
Strong Start to Finish Grant update
Elizabeth Sayrs, interim executive vice president and provost, updated the board on a grant which aims to increase college graduation rates of low-income students.
The Ohio Department of Education was awarded $2.1 million from the Strong Start to Finish Grant to support college completion in February.
In Ohio, 12 public universities and 18 community colleges are participating in the grant, according to the Ohio Department of Higher Education website.
“That was a very unique opportunity to band together with other universities in Ohio,” Board of Trustees Chair Dave Scholl said.
OU’s goal is to increase the percentage of students completing gateway math and English courses in their first year, from 65.8 percent to 72.7 percent on the Athens campus within the first year of participation.
