I want to share with you the first steps we have taken to build a foundation for implementing Vision OHIO. Members of the implementation teams, academic and administrative leadership, faculty, staff, and students have contributed to the discussions that have brought us to this point. I am grateful to all for the time they have invested.

As we move forward with the implementation of Vision OHIO, two important areas have emerged – strengthening the financial base of the institution and investing in the future. In taking these first steps, we have kept three goals in mind. First, we must align our resources with the University’s mission. Second, we are committed to investing in and enhancing learning opportunities for our students. Third, we must achieve financial stability and prepare for the transition to a new budgetary process, as recommended by last year’s Task Force Resources Committee, co-chaired by Phyllis Bernt and Terry Conry. This new process will drive budget decisions, planning, and accountability to the planning unit level. For each primary area of focus, I have provided some examples of the steps we have taken.

Strengthening the Financial Base of Ohio University

The establishment of the Office for University Outreach and Regional Campuses represents an important resource. This office will serve to support the development of partnerships and outreach programs. To a large extent, the focus of this office will be to identify and pursue new sources of revenue that will strengthen the financial resources of the institution by serving new audiences. There are two immediate examples of the benefits of such an office.

• Oversight and Administration of Summer Programs – Beginning with the 2006 Summer Quarter, the Office for University Outreach and Regional Campuses has implemented a planning approach that adopts the principles of the new budgetary process. It provides strong analytical tools, as well as clear incentives, for the colleges. Revenues flowing back to the colleges will be directly tied to productivity and can be immediately applied to college priorities.
  
  

• Revision of the Resource Distribution Model, the revenue system used to allocate funding for offering programs and courses on the regional campuses – Beginning with the 2006 Winter Quarter, we launched the first program under the terms of a new financial agreement between the Office for University Outreach and Regional Campuses and colleges. The program is the Ed.D., which now is being offered at the Pickerington Center. The financial agreement provides strong incentives to the colleges to offer programs at the regional campuses and learning centers. The College of Education already is realizing the benefits of this new approach. Other colleges have identified similar opportunities to pursue next year. The goal is to reach new audiences and grow our enrollment in specific undergraduate and graduate areas consistent with each college’s mission and priorities. Such growth in enrollment in off-campus locations offers opportunities for significant new revenues for the colleges..

• Restoring $400K in graduate student fee waivers – A three-year plan to reduce graduate fee waivers by $400K per year had been in place for the last two years. The decision to restore these funds affirms the University’s goal of investing in graduate education.
  
  
• Formation of a Graduate Education and Research Board –  This Board will identify initiatives to elevate and improve graduate education and set priorities for research investments. The composition of the Graduate Education and Research Board, as outlined in Vision OHIO, draws on the membership of established bodies, including the Graduate Council, the Council for Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity (CRSCA), the faculty at large, and the academic leadership. Bringing these representatives together provides a new focus on developing processes and initiatives that will target Ohio University's graduate, research, and creative activity investments in the areas of greatest potential impact.
  
  
• Reinvestment of unused undergraduate scholarship funds – Carry-forward funds remaining from unused scholarships previously were used to absorb budget shortfalls. By reinvesting unused scholarship funds back into scholarships and financial aid funds at the end of each year, we will affirm our commitment to student support and continue to make Ohio University accessible.
  
  
• Allocating $1.5 million in one-time funding to the colleges – In December 2005, $1.5 million was allocated to colleges to support specific priorities tied to institutional and college goals. Each college submitted a plan to launch efforts that would bridge programs to the Vision OHIO goals. Funds were directed to support these proposals.
  
  
• Development of plans for an integrated Faculty Commons in Alden Library – This  facility will integrate resources, programs, and tools to support faculty development across the institution.
  
  
• Establishing budgetary guidelines for the future – The work of the Budget Planning Council, which consists of faculty, staff, and student representatives, is focused on establishing guidelines and principles for long-term planning in terms of tuition policy, compensation policy, and central funding policy. Their recommendations will inform the new budgeting process and guide budget planning well into the future.

Related Links:

• Vision OHIO