The Ohio University Board of Trustees begins its Fall Semester meeting Thursday, and topics from all aspects of campus will be discussed.
Planning, construction and tuition — oh my! The Ohio University Board of Trustees begins its Fall Semester meeting Thursday, and topics from all aspects of campus will be discussed. The meetings will take place in Walter Hall throughout Thursday and Friday to discuss:
Ridges Master Plan
The Ridges Advisory Committee is working with consultants and the public to develop a plan for The Ridges. The plan will look for new uses of the buildings and land, while aiming to preserve the property’s historical integrity. For more information regarding the possibilities being discussed, read our recent coverage here.
State Share of Instruction updates
The State Share of Instruction is a formula which determines how the state of Ohio distributes government money to its public universities. Two small tweaks will most likely lower the amount of funding OU will receive from the state. Read more of our coverage here.
OHIO Guarantee budget
The OHIO Guarantee is a model, previously approved by the Board of Trustees, to make financial planning for college easier. The board will be determining the cost of tuition for the first group of students under the new plan — the class of 2019. For more coverage of guaranteed tuition, read our coverage here.
Jefferson and Boyd halls renovations
A resolution will be introduced to the board that would approve more funds for the planning of renovations at Jefferson Hall. A separate resolution for Boyd Hall construction would allow the university to accept bids from contractors, which would allow work to begin after the end of Fall Semester.
Surplus property
OU owns land across Athens County, including property on East State Street. A resolution will be introduced to the board, which would declare several parcels on East State Street as surplus property — allowing the university to sell the land, which could net OU about $12 million. Read more about the universities plans here.
Century Bond
Any deferred maintenance projects for the next 100 years will be funded by a century bond worth $250 million, pending approval from the board. The board will be further discussing the details of the bond. The century bond is a way to finance a large number of projects by selling parts of the bond to the investors, and paying them back with interest over the next 100 years. Read more about the century bond here.
