Thursday, April 17
Audit and Risk Management Committee
Executive Director and Chief Audit Executive Mary Anne Boyle told the board that Rhiannon Davis was appointed as senior auditor, making the Internal Audit Function fully staffed for the first time since July 2020.
Boyle said all audits are in the field work stage, except the audit of the Office of Sustainability. A conference scheduled for May 1 aims to enter the office into the process. Some audits were momentarily deferred to complete external training for new auditors on the committee scheduled for July, Boyle added.
Boyle said this year’s performance goals include a quality evaluation, which has not been conducted since 2018 and will henceforth be conducted every five years to match new global internal audit standards.
Boyle proposed a change to the audit period starting July 1 of this year and ending December 31, 2026, with the intent to transition from a fiscal year plan to a calendar year plan. The university has 160 auditable units, but some have not undergone audits for several years.
“It’s seven to 12 years before we’re touching some departmental audits,” Boyle said. “This (transition) would allow us to be auditing continuously.”
Boyle said a month-specific plan for the 18-month transition would be presentable to the board in June, and next fall, the committee would present the board with findings of the continuous audit plan.
Christine Torres, an engagement partner with Crowe LLC, then shared an external audit report with the board that reflects the past five years. Crowe is working to renew its contract with Ohio University for another five years, after which point state law requires a rotation of external audit partners, Torres said.
Academics and Student Success Committee
Kevin Uhalde, director of the Center for Law, Justice and Culture, spoke about the center’s offerings, such as the Summer Law & Trial Institute, an undergraduate certificate and master’s degree in Law, Justice and Culture, and seven pre-law programs in the College of Arts and Sciences.
At the heart of the CLJC is the student experience. Anthony Banks, a master’s student studying war and peace, got his bachelor’s degree in history, pre-law. After graduating in May, Banks will attend the University of Minnesota Law School on a Fulbright scholarship.
Banks said the CLJC and the support from Uhalde and Larry Hayman, director of legal engagement and pre-law programming, allowed him to succeed on the Law School Admission Test, summer internships and the Minnesota Law School application.
Ava Poling, a junior studying political science pre-law and philosophy, is in the law, justice and culture certificate program. Through the CLJC, Poling had the opportunity to study abroad in Northern Ireland and received funding to help pay for expensive LSAT preparation programs and law school applications.
“The CLJC has provided me with so many unforgettable experiences and has assisted me in feeling prepared and even excited for law school,” Poling said. “I truly would not be the person I am today without the Center for Law, Justice and Culture.”
Institute for Sustainable Energy and the Environment Director Jason Trembly presented an overview of his research on carbon materials.
“When we look at the built environment over the upcoming years, we’re going to require 2.4 trillion square feet of new built space by 2060,” Trembly said. “To give you an idea, that's the equivalent of building in New York City every month between now and 2060.”
Trembly said this demand requires new supply chains for the materials to meet the demand sustainably. Currently, energy-intensive materials such as steel, aluminum and concrete are used. Trembly’s research utilized resources within the region to create carbon-based materials that can be used in a variety of ways.
“What’s unique about our approach is that we aren’t necessarily relying on mined material,” Trembly said. “We’re looking at utilizing waste resources within the region.”
Friday, April 18
Resources, Facilities, and Affordability Committee
For the 2025 financial year, the total revenue projection is $906.5 million with a positive variance from the revenue budget of *$10.3 million. The total expenses for the year have a projection is *$924.4 million with a positive $16.9 million variance from the expenditure budget.
A resolution was proposed to the BOT for a 12% increase in the cost of flight courses in the Department of Aviation. David Moore, vice president for finance and administration, said this is because of inflation, the cost of gas and the maintenance and upgrading of the planes. The resolution was voted unanimously to be sent to the full board for approval.
The changes in tariffs will increase the costs of McDavis Hall or the Translational Research Center, but the projects will not exceed their approved budget. Jonathan Cozad, associate vice president of design and construction, said the university does not know how the changes will affect the solar panel project until they contract it out.
The Bird Arena floor replacement is being delayed to summer 2026 because of the availability of labor, lead time on resources, discovering a way to maintain the floor through summer 2025 and ensuring the arena will be ready for next hockey season.
“We plan to carry that as an alternate design for how we would accomplish that increase to the regulation size,” Cozad said. “We would be able to make a decision based on the availability of funding and cost, with the design to go either direction.”
Governance and Compensation Committee
The Governance and Compensation Committee discussed amendments to the OU faculty retirement plan and elections of new members.
A committee from the university’s human resources department presented to the board about changes to the 457(b) plan, an additional retirement plan, which faculty can opt into.
The proposed amendments increase the required minimum distribution age to receive funds and the minimum cash balance distribution. They would also permit in-service distributions of funds at age 59-and-a-half and Roth individual retirement account contributions.
The fifth amendment would update the forced or mandatory cash-out provision, so staff with funds under $1,000 can easily get it out without going through the otherwise laborious process.
All proposed amendments were sent to the full board with a recommendation for approval.
The consent agenda, which included amendments to the understanding between OU and the OU Foundation, was also sent to the full board.
The final resolutions were to elect a new chair, vice chair and second vice chair to the board. Motions were passed to elect Matthew Evans as chair, Cynthia Calhoun as vice chair and Lorrie Platt as second vice chair. Those candidates will also be sent to the full board with a recommendation for approval.
Jack Solon, Elizabeth Talaga, Drew Hoffmaster and Zoe Weyand contributed to this report.
