OHIO NORTHERN UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY COUNCIL MINUTES
Minutes, March 18, 2014
Roll: (Absentees Underlined) President Daniel DiBiasio, VP David Crago, VP William Ballard, VP Ken Block, VP
Larry Lesick, VP Adriane Thompson-Bradshaw, Dean Catherine Albrecht, Dean Eric Baumgartner, Interim Dean
Thomas Kier, Dean James Fenton, Dean Richard Bales, Chaplain David MacDonald, Dr. Alisa Agozzino, Dr. Jeffery
Allison, Dr. Joanne Brant, Dr. Denise D’Arca, Prof. Jennifer Donley, Dr. Kami Fox, Dr. Firas Hassan, Dr. David Kisor,
Prof. Kelly Kobiela, Dr. Lou Lobenhofer, Dr. David Mikesell, Dr. Sue Montenery, Dr. Michelle Musser, Dr. Brian
Myers, Dr. Kristie Payment, Dr. Ronald Peterson, Mr. Joseph Railey, Dr. Susan Schertzer, Dr. Sandy Schroeder, Dr.
Jenny Walton, Dr. Dexter Woods
Jeff Allison, Chair of Council, called the meeting to order at 5:31 p.m. in Dicke Hall 230.
I.
Minutes of February 18, 2014 meeting approved as distributed.
II.
Reports from Constitutional Committees
a.
Budget & Appropriations: Committee met last week. Working on the numbers through Dec/Jan of this
year. There are emerging concerns about revenues and expense spending rates. Will be meeting again
tomorrow to discuss the current year’s budget and next year’s budget, which is still in progress.
b.
Academic Affairs: Old Business on the agenda. A friendly amendment was approved that will allow for
the Credit Hour Definitions to be updated to include several additional schedule types specific to law
internships, nursing, study abroad, and varsity sports. Julie Hurtig will make an announcement in April
in regards to the additions.
c.
Student Activities: Committee met on February 28th and approved several new groups: The
Undergraduate Affiliate Network of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
Game Design Club, Yoga Club, Phi Mu Delta, ONU Christian Apologetics, and Oxfam American at
ONU.
d.
Personnel: No report.
III.
Reports from Operational Committees
a.
Athletics: Cody Lovejoy, wrestler, received the Elite 89 Award for the second year in a row. He also
qualified for the athletic All-American.
b.
Information Technology: IT is about to begin working on the improvement of the wifi network on
campus. They will be adding additional antennas after they do a numeric reading of the areas. The
printing inventory of campus has been completed. IT and Purchasing are working on a printer policy.
Lou Lobenhofer mentioned that there have been problems with computer compatibility and the larger
Konica printer units.
c.
Cultural & Special Events: No report.
d.
International Affairs: No report.
e.
Religious Affairs: The healing service will be tonight at 7 p.m.
f.
General Education: No report.
V.
Other Reports
a.
Vice-Presidents
i.
Academic Affairs: In addition to the announcements made during the Faculty Meeting,
Academic Affairs is working with the Registrar’s Office to develop a commencement
attendance policy that would allow students who are within a certain amount of credits from
graduating to participate and walk across the stage. This would recognize the programs that
end after the summer such as student teaching, internship experience, or six-credits short of
graduation.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
b.
c.
d.
VI.
Financial Affairs: Working hard on the budget. The Northern Promise has made it a bit trickier
than usual. Have also requested the departmental student employment needs form Beth
Runsor. The last part of the refinancing was completed. There is also some potential for
moving on the 2005 bonds in the coming year. These efforts will save the University money
and improve our Moody’s rating.
University Advancement: The 160/90 branding agency is on campus interviewing individuals.
This will be the first of several visits to campus. Campbell and Company is working on the
feasibility study for the Engineering campaign. Their interviews of individuals across the
country have led them to suggest a focus on capital campaigning. That suggestion will most
likely be proposed to the trustees in April so that they can move forward with the process.
Admissions and Financial Aid: Report from Larry Lesick:
1. Over 900 financial aid packages went out the week of March 11th to freshmen. This
is down from last year because of the Mathile Scholarship competition and finetuning of our financial aid regimen. We have received about the same number of
FAFSA’s from prospective students as last year.
2. Faculty are strongly encouraged to contact, via phone or email, accepted students in
their areas. With financial aid packages in hand, students will be making decisions.
Contact Deb Miller for contact information, including affinity rankings of students
(i.e., likelihood to enroll).
3. As of March 14th, we have 22 more deposits than this time last year. However, the
projection for new freshmen is 645, 55 short of the goal.
4. Raymond Orinoco, our new Director of International Admissions, started work on
March 17th. Next Wednesday he and Marjorie Pitts will fly to Japan and China to
recruit students for the fall.
5. Zac Goldsmith and Melanie Vincent, both admissions counselors, submitted their
resignations. Zac’s last day was Saturday and he is going to work for Western
Southern. Melanie has accepted a position with Belmont University in Nashville and
will leave later in the spring.
6. Two open houses last Saturday were very successful. One hundred and thirty-one
students attended the pharmacy open house (compared to eighty-one last year) and
seventy-five attended the engineering open house (compared to sixty last year).
Student Affairs: The housing lottery will be coming up soon. Bill Ballard, Student Affairs, and
Dining Services have been working on flexible and improved dining plans for the upcoming
school year.
Deans
i.
Arts and Sciences: Many upcoming events, including the accreditation site visit for the
Construction Management Program. The Matt Hart poetry reading will be tomorrow night.
Romel Joseph will be presenting in Presser on March 31st on music education in Haiti. The
spring musical in April will be a production of Footloose.
ii.
Engineering: No report.
iii.
Pharmacy: The new Pharmacy Dean, Steve Martin, has been selected. The department is
looking to fill three positions.
iv.
Business Administration: The Pinnacle Award went well last Friday.
v.
Law: No report.
Student Senate: Finished the report for the Board Meeting next month. Collaborative will meet with
Senate and the student body on April 9th to discuss the Master Plan. Planning this semester’s
Coffeehouse with the President. Two new student organizations are going through the approval process:
Chinese Cultural Organization and Klondike Kalisthenics.
Health Services Advisory Committee:
Chair/Faculty Comments: Jeff Allison: Please contact Jeff if you would like to nominate yourself or someone
else for the at-large positions. The elections will be held on April 15th. Dennis DeLuca will be unable to run for
Council Chair because he will be on sabbatical next year, but Lou Lobenhofer and Jeff Allison will be running.
VII.
President Comments/Questions: The Ohio Board of Nursing accreditation went very well. They met all of the
requirements and the final word will come out in May. Ann Donnelly will be putting the commencement
information on the ONU website for parents and students. An acceptable settlement offer has been made for the
Inn lawsuit against the architect.
VIII.
Unfinished Business
a.
IX.
Academic Affairs: Mark of ‘I’ Policy (Attachment A): No changes have been made since the first reading of
the policy. Denise D’Arca motioned to approve the policy and Lou Lobenhofer seconded. Motion passed.
(See Attachment B for voting record.)
New Business
a.
b.
Ron Peterson raised a question about the eligibility of visiting faculty to run for University committees,
since most of the visiting faculty members are on one-year contracts. Julie Hurtig clarified that the wording
in the Faculty Handbook grants a visiting faculty member the same rights and privileges as a tenure-track
faculty member, which allows them to run for committee positions after their first contract year, as long as
the position does not have a tenure requirement. This includes University Council. However, it would
require them to have a visiting contract term of at least three years. Ron suggested a constitutional
amendment of that policy. Lou Lobenhofer and Jeff Allison will look into the process of a constitutional
amendment and will contact Ron.
Julie Hurtig suggested striking two Operational Committees from the listing in the Faculty Handbook. Tom
Kier motioned to strike them, and Lou Lobenhofer seconded. There will be a vote at the next meeting.
Julie’s report below:
The two groups that I propose be deleted from the Operational Committee listing are in the Faculty
Handbook on page 145. The current members of the Presidential Speaker Series Committee are listed
on page 156. To our recollection in the Provost's and President's offices records, this committee has not
met since its inception in xxxx. The University Planning Council is currently handled via a different
structure within the Strategic Planning work groups. Membership on the six current work groups
include representatives from all constituencies of campus (staff, faculty, administrators, students,
trustees, and the Village of Ada).
L. Presidential Speaker Series Committee
(1) Membership:
Two representatives from each college serving 3-year terms. No single department or division should
have more than one representative. Vice President for Advancement or designee and Managing Director
of Freed Center as non-voting members.
(2) Selection:
By action of each college for staggered terms, such that the entire composition of the committee
changes every three years.
(3) Area of Responsibility:
Solicit from the University President suggestions and ideas for an appropriate topic or them. Choose the
topic or theme, select the format of the series annually, and select proposed speakers, based on available
budget. The President shall have final approval of the program.
(4) Administrative Coordinator or Liaison:
Committee Chair
M. University Planning Council
(1) Membership:
President of the University, each Vice President, President of Student Senate, and faculty as appointed
(2) Selection:
By position or by appointment by the University President
(3) Area of Responsibility:
Develop and monitor the “Strategic Plan of Ohio Northern University” as an expression of the
University’s efforts to identify priorities, aspirations and directions. Modify and update the plan and the
strategies identified to achieve its goals as needed and necessary.
(4) Administrative Coordinator or Liaison:
President of the University
X.
Announcements: None.
XI.
Adjournment at 6:09 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Donley, Secretary
Attachment A
Changes to Policy on marks of “I” (Incomplete)
Page 23 of the Course Catalog
Marks of “I” not removed within 12 weeks of the next regular semester in which the student is enrolled will be
recorded as “F” or “U”. Extensions of incompletes can be approved by the dean of the college of registration
for a specific period on the recommendation of the course instructor.
3.1.3 (p. 53) FT Faculty Handbook
2.3 (p. 19) PT Faculty Handbook
All "I" (Incomplete) grades are to be removed within twelve weeks after the beginning of the next regular
semester in which the student is enrolled unless the time is extended by the dean of the college in which the
student is registered. If the student does not complete the required work in the allotted time the grade will be
recorded as an "F" or "U", if "S/U" is appropriate.
Attachment B
University Council Attendance and Voting record Attendance x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 03/18/14 Council Member President Daniel DiBiasio Provost/VP David Crago VP William Ballard VP Ken Block VP Larry Lesick VP Adriane Thompson‐Bradshaw Dean Catherine Albrecht Dean Eric Baumgartner Interim Dean Thomas Kier Dean James Fenton Dean Richard Bales Rev. David MacDonald Dr. Alisa Agozzino Dr. Jeffery Allison Dr. Joanne Brant Dr. Denise D'Arca Prof. Jennifer Donley Dr. Kami Fox Dr. Firas Hassan Dr. David Kisor Prof. Kelly Kobiela Dr. Lou Lobenhofer Dr. David Mikesell Prof. Sue Montenery Dr. Michelle Musser Dr. Brian Myers Dr. Kristie Payment Dr. Ronald Peterson Mr. Joseph Railey Dr. Susan Schertzer Dr. Sandy Schroeder Dr. Jenny Walton Dr. Dexter Woods Academic Support Staff Rep Voting Issue: per agenda Att. A yes no x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x Shading denotes non‐voting member Totals
19 0 abst 0