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The 91̽»¨ Board of Trustees will learn about the academic successes and experiential learning opportunities within intercollegiate athletics, hearing directly from student-athletes, during their scheduled January meetings on the Athens campus. 

Additionally, Chief Information Officer Chris Ament will share an update on the University’s goal to further modernize its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) capabilities and request approval to proceed with the ERP digital modernization. 

Committee meetings will begin at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 16, and last until approximately 5 p.m. Committee meetings will resume at 9 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 17, with the main board meeting scheduled for 10:40 a.m. All meetings will take place in Walter Hall 104. The complete schedule and agenda for the January meetings, as well as the livestream links are available online at ohio.edu/trustees. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;

Additional agenda items from the Board of Trustees’ January meetings are anticipated to include:

R1 Status Update
Academics and Student Success Committee, 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, Walter Hall 104 

Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Don Leo and Vice President for Research and Creative Activity Dr. Eric Muth will present to the Board on the importance of OHIO achieving and maintaining the R1 classification in the Carnegie classification of higher education.

The Board will learn about the importance of achieving this status, an overview of the Carnegie methodology for this classification, an explanation of OHIO’s research expenditures and initiatives at OHIO that will help solidify the institution’s R1 status and where we stand for the next cycles. 

Intercollegiate Athletics Update
Academics and Student Success Committee, 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, Walter Hall 104 

The Board will hear from Director of Athletics Julie Cromer, as well as several current OHIO student-athletes, on the continued academic success of these student leaders within the MAC. Cromer will discuss student-athletes’ academic outcomes and Graduation Success Rate (GSR), highlighting impressive academic statistics including OHIO being tied for second in the MAC in the GSR at 93% and how 18% of student-athletes are first generation college students, among other accolades.

Cromer and the panel of students will also present the numerous experiential learning opportunities offered by the University within intercollegiate athletics to both undergraduate and graduate students that fill a variety of roles to help provide meaningful career development experience and are integral to OHIO’s success on and off the field. Opportunities include gaining work experience directly in sporting events, coaching education, athletic training and more. 

Enrollment Update
Academics and Student Success Committee, 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, Walter Hall 104

Vice President for Enrollment Management Candace J. Boeninger will provide an enrollment update to the Board, highlighting spring 2025 enrollment numbers, as well as 2025-2026 application trends. She will also share an update regarding the goals, objectives and high-level project framework for the University’s next Strategic Enrollment Plan (SEP).

FY25 Financial Forecast
Resources, Facilities, and Affordability Committee, 9 a.m., Friday, Jan. 17, Walter Hall 104

Interim Vice President for Finance & Administration and CFO Dr. John Day will provide the Board with a brief update on the FY25 financial forecast. During his presentation, he will focus on the most significant variances to impact the FY25 forecast including net tuition and fees, investment income, internal and external sales and compensation. 

Capital Projects
Resources, Facilities, and Affordability Committee, 9 a.m., Friday, Jan. 17, Walter Hall 104 

The Board will consider seven new capital projects, including:

• Marching 110 Practice Field - The Board will consider approval of the funding for the design phase of a dedicated practice facility for the 91̽»¨ Marching 110. The facility will include an artificial turf field, restroom facilities with a covered pavilion, director’s tower and field lighting. The full $3.5 million project will be funded with gift funding.
• Bird Arena Floor Replacement – The Board will consider approval to replace the ice rink floor and dasher boards at Bird Arena. This $3.15 million project will be funded by a combination of department funding, Century Bond residual funding and reserves.
• Athens Campus Solar Energy Installation â€“ The Board will consider approval to install rooftop solar arrays on three facilities on the Athens campus, with a total anticipated capacity of one megawatt. These solar arrays will enable the University to generate renewable energy on-site, leading to cost savings in the utilities operating budget. The $2.06 million project will be funded by Internal Bank Financing.
• Grosvenor Hall Renovations Phase I - The Board will consider approval to enhance building efficiency and occupant comfort by updating HVAC controls, electrical distribution equipment and life safety systems. This $2.03 million project will be funded by Century Bond residual funding.
• Pruitt Field Turf Replacement â€“ The Board will consider approval to replace the turf and shock absorbent subsurface at Pruitt Field to enhance athlete safety and ensure facility usability. The $1.96 million project will be funded with a combination of departmental and reserve funding.
• Convocation Center Floor Replacement â€“ The Board will consider approval to replace the existing floor and subfloor at the Convocation Center. The $600,000 project will be funded with a combination of departmental and reserve funding.
• Indoor Tennis Court Fabric Roof Replacement â€“ The Board will consider approval of the canvas roofing membrane of the tennis center, enabling continued indoor tennis activity year-round by the University and community. The $565,000 project will be funded by department reserves.