OHIO NORTHERN UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY COUNCIL MINUTES
Minutes, November 2, 2010
Roll: (Absentees Underlined) President Kendall Baker, Dr. David Crago, Dr. Robert Ruble, Mr. Thomas
Stevick, Dean Karen Condeni, Ms. Adriane Thompson-Bradshaw, Dean Catherine Albrecht, Dean Eric
Baumgartner, Dean Jon Sprague, Dean James Fenton, Rev. Vernon LaSala, Dr. Jeffery Allison, Dr. Khalid
Al-Olimat, Dr. Nathaniel Bird, Dr. Bob Carrothers, Dr. Keith Durkin, Mr. Michael Hamper, Dr. Kevin Hill,
Dr. Brian Keas, Prof. Laurie Laird, Dr. Michael Milks, Prof. Sue Montenery, Prof. Traci Moritz, Mr. Clyde
Pickett, Dr. Harold Putt, Dr. Lisa Robeson, Dr. Sandra Schroeder, Dr. David Smith, Dr. Amy Stockert, Dr.
Bryan Ward, Dr. Rob Waters, Dr. Dexter Woods, Dr. Kay Zekany
Dr. Lisa Robeson, Chair of Council, called the meeting to order at 5:32 p.m.
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Minutes of the October 19, 2010 meeting were approved as distributed (Motion by
Catherine Albrecht, second by Jeff Allison, motion carried.)
Reports from Constitutional Committees:
a. Budget & Appropriations: Will meet Thursday, November 4.
b. Academic Affairs: have an item under Unfinished Business.
c. Student Activities: See agenda, no further report.
d. Personnel: See agenda, no further report.
Reports from Operational Committees:
a. Athletics: No report.
b. Information Technology: No report.
c. Cultural & Special Events: Will meet Friday, November 5.
d. International Affairs: Will meet Thursday, November 4 at 3:00 p.m.
e. Religious Affairs: The committee met last week.
f. General Education: See agenda, no further report.
Planning Council: The committee plans to meet on November 18.
Other Reports:
a. Karen Condeni reported on a successful Fall Open House (113 prospective students and
their families visited). Pharmacy applications are now in (November 1 deadline), with
other undergraduate colleges applications coming in prior to the December 1 deadline
for scholarships.
b. Tom Stevick stated that we have achieved approximately $84 million of the $100 million
goal for the current campaign. Gifts this fall have been up.
c. Catherine Albrecht reported that the music department will host two events this
weekend, a wind orchestra concert and the band-o-rama.
d. Eric Baumgartner reported that the ONU chapter of Tau Beta Pi (Ohio Iota) received five
awards at the recent national TBP convention including the R.C. Matthews Most
Outstanding Chapter Honorable Mention; Chapter Project Award; Greater Interest in
Government Award; Membership Awards and Secretary’s Commendation. The R.C.
Matthews award is one of two honorable mentions awarded and is the highest award a
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TBP chapter can earn. By receiving this award, Ohio Iota is recognized as one of the top
three TBP chapters in the nation. He also reported that the SAE Baja team traveled to
Wisconsin for an off-road vehicle race. Two teams/cars traveled and one team placed
2nd of 25 entries.
e. James Fenton reported that the Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series will host Paul R.
Hogan on Thursday, November 4. Everyone is invited to attend.
f. Jon Sprague proudly reported that the NABPLEX (National Association of Boards of
Pharmacy License Examination) pass rate was 99.2% and that the ONU student chapter
of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) was recently named the
2010 Student Chapter of the Year at the 112th NCPA Annual Convention and Trade
Exposition. This is truly a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students
and faculty.
g. Student Senate: Michael Hamper reported that senate is working with ONU Recycles to
place 25 recycling bins across campus in academic buildings. The bins are provided by
Waste Management free of charge. Senate is working on a schedule to ensure the bins
get emptied regularly. On November 3, Dr. Baker will host a discussion in General
Assembly about the Student Center and Becoming ONU. On November 30, Dr. Baker
will host a similar discussion for the student body. As a service project, Student Senate
is currently doing some clean-up at the Ada War Memorial Park. Budget appropriations
are down – senate appropriated $52,600 of the $73,100 budget for 102 organizations.
Most of the remaining funding will go towards a Student Leadership Conference that
senate will host in April 2011. This conference will be free and open to the campus
community. Also, three organizations were approved by senate and await university
approval.
h. Health services Advisory Committee: Has not met.
Announcements: None.
Questions for the President:
a. Dr. Baker, with David Dellifield’s assistance, made a presentation on the proposed
student center. Additionally, he requested UC input, questions.
b. Dr. Baker noted that McIntosh is outdated for current student needs and reported that
as early as 1999 (when he first came to ONU) the university was discussing replacing
McIntosh Center with another facility. He shared photographs of several newer student
centers on other campuses (Valparaiso, OSU, CSU, Ohio Dominican, Ohio Wesleyan,
BGSU, Boise State) and noted that several features exist in all of the newer centers: lots
of glass that provides natural light, “family room” spaces, multiple eating spaces,
student meeting spaces. At ONU, the proposed new student center could house
multiple eating areas, a bookstore, informal meeting areas, space for student
organizations and a student affairs office. Part of the fact-finding meetings going on is
to determine what the needs of the facility are. The Board envisions that the new
center would be 100,000+ sq. ft. with a projected cost of about $30 million. Funds
would be provided through fundraising and a dedicated student fee. McIntosh would
become an events facility and that some aspects of McIntosh would not be duplicated in
a new facility (i.e. there would be no need in a new facility for a ballroom).
c. Michael Hamper commented that he is involved in a Board task force for Student
Affairs. He stated that the proposed student center also includes revisions/additions to
the workout center at the Sports Center and that students live differently now than
students did when McIntosh was built. For example, the 1950’s style dining hall is
inappropriate. It would be nice to have a place where students who are on the meal
plan could eat with those who are not on the meal plan.
d. Dr. Rob Waters asked by do students want to hang out in a student center rather than
their apartments or other locations? Michael Hamper stated that students like to be
with each other and see each other at programmed activities, they like to have dining
options that they want vs. those that they have to go to, they don’t want to or can’t go
to the library (due to space restrictions and/or inappropriate location), they do a lot of
active/group learning and need places to do this. He likes the location – the middle of
the tundra – it is in the path of over 1400 colleges of pharmacy, engineering and arts &
sciences majors as they travel to their residences.
e. Dr. Nate Bird noted concerns of the Electrical and Computer Engineering & Computer
Science department. They are concerned for the location (i.e. no access for vehicles, no
parking for visitors, no access for delivery trucks) and that students won’t use the space
once we develop it (i.e. sofas and other seating/gathering spaces in McIntosh go unused
the majority of the time). Why not place the “hang-out”, active learning spaces in the
academic buildings where the students spend most of their time?
f. Dr. John Lomax wondered if ONU has built into the proposal the funds needed to
refurbish McIntosh, Lehr when offices, cafeteria, bookstore, etc. are removed from
those facilities. If not, those buildings could become derelict, unused buildings. Dr.
Baker responded that, yes, we still very much need the kitchen facilities and ballroom
and other large spaces in McIntosh for events so the building would not become
derelict. Additionally, plans are to move the President’s office into McIntosh and return
the Lehr auditorium to its original grandeur.
g. Dr. Michael Milks asked if fundraising for the new student center would be part of the
next capital campaign. Dr. Baker responded that it is a principle part of the current $100
million campaign.
h. Dr. Jon Sprague questioned how the student center gained importance over needed
academic space (like for engineering). He noted that students go to a college because
of their programs and academic reputation. Dr. Baker stated it is the intention of the
Board to continue to make investments in academics (i.e. faculty, classrooms) and they
understand the importance of it but have concerns also for student needs including the
activities and facilities available outside of the classroom. For example, many felt the
football stadium should not have been built ahead of an academic facility but it is a
great addition to campus and draws attention and support from many alumni and
prospective students and their families. It is just one other component of the learning
environment that we need to pay attention to.
i. Dr. Lisa Robeson commented that she doesn’t question the need to update our student
center but is uncomfortable with the lack of data. For example: Does the university
plan a survey of staff, students and faculty regarding the proposed student center and
its location? We are not a commuter school so we can’t really compare our needs to
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those of OSU and Cleveland State – their student center needs are very different from
ours. What about the current “hang-out space” on campus – in Mathile, in the new
apartments and affinity housing – has a survey been done to determine whether
students use those spaces? What about the environmental impact of locating the
building in the middle of the tundra? What will happen to the Village of Ada if we put a
major retail establishment (i.e. multiple eating locations, expanded bookstore, etc.) on
campus – will/can the local businesses (i.e. restaurants, Rite Aid, Health Chek, etc.)
survive? Will Ada become a wasteland that will turn off prospective students, families
and alumni? Why not put the student center on Main Street in Ada and rent out space
to local businesses? What is the timeline? And where is the process that is supposed to
happen (i.e. this project did not go through the campus facilities group). Dr. Baker
commented that all information being collected will be shared with the Board. After
that, we will figure out what goes inside the “box” and where it will be located. This all
has to be done before we can go forward with the project.
j. Michael Hamper stated that even though this project is Board driven, there is still a
need for student input but it is up to the students to provide that input at the forums
sponsored by Student Senate and at other opportunities (i.e. like through the planned
survey). He is very committed to a new center and has even contributed $250 to the
cause so far.
Unfinished Business:
a. One item from the Academic Affairs Committee (agenda attachment A) involving a
change in the semester calendar for fall 2011 and principles regarding zero-billing hour
courses were presented for vote. The motion to approve this item was approved
unanimously and without discussion. The voting record is attached.
b. One item from Budget & Appropriations (agenda attachment B) to modify the faculty
handbook (page 119, item 5.5.2) was presented for vote. One minor modification
suggested during discussion: remove the word “mid” in item E. The motion to approve
this item was approved unanimously. The voting record is attached.
New Business:
a. None
Adjournment: Lisa Robeson adjourned the meeting at 6:35 p.m. Council will next meet on
December 7, 2010.
Respectfully submitted,
Laurie K. Laird, Secretary
University Council
Attendance and Voting record
November 2, 2010
Voting Issue:
per agenda
Att. A
yes
no
Council Member
Dr. Kendall Baker
VP David Crago
VP Robert Ruble
VP Thomas Stevick
VP Karen Condeni
VP Adriane Thompson-Bradshaw
Dean Catherine Albrecht
Dean Eric Baumgartner
Dean Jon Sprague
Dean James Fenton
Rev. Vernon LaSala
Dr. Jeffery Allison
Dr. Khalid Al-Olimat
Dr. Nathaniel Bird
Dr. Bob Carrothers
Dr. Keith Durkin
Mr. Michael Hamper
Dr. Kevin Hill
Dr. Brian Keas
Prof. Laurie Laird
Dr. Michael Milks
Prof. Sue Montenery
Prof. Traci Moritz
Mr. Clyde Pickett
Dr. Harold Putt
Dr. Lisa Robeson
Dr. Sandra Schroeder
Dr. David Smith
Dr. Amy Stockert
Dr. Bryan Ward
Dr. Rob Waters
Dr. Dexter Woods
Dr. Kay Zekany
Totals
Shading denotes non-voting member
Voting
Issue:
abst
per agenda Att. B
yes no abst
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20
0
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20
0
0