Protesters interrupt Ohio State board meeting, trustees discuss sustainability and Carmenton

Ohio State University's Board of Trustees met this week for the last time before its next president officially joins the university.

Acting President Peter Mohler thanked trustees at the board's full public meeting Thursday afternoon for their support during this leadership transition. Incoming President Walter "Ted" Carter, who currently serves as president of the University of Nebraska System, begins his tenure at Ohio State on Jan. 1.

Mohler also spent time to address the ongoing toll that the Israel-Hamas war has had on the campus community, both "encouraging an environment of respect and compassion during this extremely difficult time," and condemning violence in the Middle East and at home.

"We will not tolerate violations of the law or university policy," he said, adding that the university will not condone intimidation of anyone on the basis of nationality, religion or sex.

Trustees met for committee meetings at the Longaberger Alumni House throughout the week, culminating in a full meeting on Thursday.

Two different protests took place during this week's board meetings.

More than two dozen Ohio State students, alums and community members shut down Ohio State University Board of Trustee's Finance & Investment Committee meeting Thursday morning, calling on trustees to divest from corporations they say support Israeli and fossil fuel companies.

Then in the afternoon, sexual abuse survivors of former university doctor Richard Strauss demonstrated on the steps outside the building.

Here's a look at what else happened during this week's board meetings:

Sustainability goals made progress but still off target

In 2015, Ohio State laid out a slate of goals aimed at making the university more sustainable and reducing resource use. The goals were specific and ambitious — like achieving zero waste by 2025 by diverting 90% of waste away from landfills — but university leaders said sustainability was integral to being a Buckeye.

Nearly a decade later, those goals need to be reevaluated, Senior Vice President of Administration and Planning Jay Kasey told trustees at the Master Planning & Facilities committee Thursday morning.

The sustainability goals include:

• Achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 per Presidents’ Climate Leadership Commitment;

• Increase the energy efficiency of the university by 25% per building square foot by 2025;

• Reduce potable water consumption by 10% per capita every five years (to be reset every five years);

• Increase Ecosystem Services Index score to 85% by 2025;

• Reduce carbon footprint of university fleet per thousand miles traveled by 25% by 2025;

• Achieve Zero Waste by 2025 by diverting 90% of waste away from landfills.

Kasey updated trustees on six of the eight goals, all of which were below target. He said five of the six goals were in the "yellow" category, meaning it made progress since last year but didn't quite hit the goal. Only one goal was in the "red" category, indicating no progress.

That goal was to reduce potable water consumption. In fiscal year 2023, the university used 15,995 gallons per weighted campus user, up from 14,084 in 2022 and about 600 gallons per weighted campus user off target. Kasey said part of that increase is because of massive water leaks on campus during last winter's freeze. Those leaks accounted for about 6.7 million gallons of water in January alone, he said.

Kasey pointed to reasonable progress in the other five goals, like green space enhancements across campus and the addition of five new electric vehicle charging stations. He also noted that almost all of the goals have made meaningful strides since 2015.

But one goal is particular is well off target: diverting landfill waste. Kasey said Ohio State is diverting about 41% of waste away from landfills and instead composting, recycling or reusing materials. While the university started at a 29% diversion rate in 2015, Kasey said Ohio State is well off track of its 90% diversion rate goal.

"We are not being as aggressively successful as we hoped," he said.

Kasey said these goals will be reassessed, and he will be back in May with updated goals.

Carmenton major projects moving forward

Carmenton continues to expand, but not without growing pains, Vice President of Facilities Operations and Development Mark Conselyea told trustees Thursday morning at the Master Planning & Facilities committee meeting.

Construction on the Energy Advancement and Innovation Center officially wrapped up since the trustees last met in August, Conselyea said.

The $49.2-million, 66,000-square-foot facility is designed to "spur on the next generation of energy research," Conselyea said. The facility is expected to officially open sometime this semester.

Not all of the construction projects in Carmenton are on track though.

Conselyea said construction of the nearly $300 million new Combined Heat & Power Plant is looking better but is still behind schedule and over budget. The plant, which will eventually power Carmenton and is expected to significantly cut carbon emissions, was already delayed and over budget because of the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain issues.

Then construction came to a halt last summer following the dismissal of its previous contractor and work on the plant resumed last October with a new contractor. The plant, which was expected to open in December 2023, is now expected to be completed by September 2024, another seven months after its last expected open date.

Committee Chair Alan Stockmeister told trustees that the project was not marked under the "red - not on track" category but rather the "yellow - watching closely" category to signal "a new start" and move away from "the baggage" of its last contractor.

"We have a new start, a new beginning with Engie (the project's new contractor)," Stockmeister said.

Trustee John Zeiger, however, did not agree with that assessment.

Zeiger said given that the board approved $289 million for the project but will now have to pay at least $25 million more to finish it, "Please consider if it shouldn't be marked 'red' for on budget."

Academic council appointed to 'intellectual diversity' center

Trustees on the Talent, Compensation & Governance Committee voted Wednesday morning to recommend the appointment of seven members of the inaugural Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society academic council.

During state budget discussions this summer, Ohio lawmakers passed Senate Bill 117, which created “intellectual diversity” centers at five state public universities: Ohio State University, the University of Toledo, Miami University, Cleveland State University and the University of Cincinnati.

Senate Bill 117 was a separate initiative from Senate Bill 83, a controversial higher education bill that did not make it into the state's biennial budget.

More: Ohio State's Board of Trustees issue a statement opposing Senate Bill 83

Ohio State's center will be "an independent academic center physically housed in the John Glenn College of Public Affairs," according to the board.

A seven-member academic council for the center, per the new law, needed to be sent to the Ohio Senate for confirmation by Nov. 20. Three members of the council will serve initial two-year terms and four will serve four-year terms.

The appointees are:

• Robert George: McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, professor of politics, James Madison Program Director, Princeton University;

• Vladimir Kogan: professor of political science, director of Undergraduate Studies, College of Arts and Sciences, Ohio State University

• Lucas Morel: John K. Boardman, Jr. Professor of Politics and head of the politics department, Washington and Lee University

• Colleen Sheehan: professor, School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership, Arizona State University

• Bradley Smith: Josiah H. Blackmore II/Shirley M. Nauly Professor of Law, Capital University Law School

• David Van Slyke: Dean, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University

• Jean Yarbrough: Gary M. Pendy Sr. Professor of Social Sciences, Bowdoin University

Academic council members will be tasked with performing a nationwide search for the executive director of the Chase Center. Finalists will be recommended to Ohio State's president for selection and appointment, subject to final approval by the board.

The executive director will be responsible for the operational structure of the center, overseeing hiring and appointment of faculty to the center. Once officially opened, the center will have at least 15 faculty members.

“We are excited to create an academic center of the highest caliber in teaching, research and engagement on U.S. civics, culture and society. The first members of the Chase Center academic council are academic leaders of the highest caliber in research and scholarship,” said Trevor Brown, dean of the Glenn College. “Ohio State is committed to free speech, civil discourse, critical thinking and intellectual diversity on our campuses. The Chase Center will be a focal point for advancing these values and our land-grant educational mission.”

Executive cabinet comings and goings

Mohler lauded Executive Vice President and Provost Melissa Gilliam during Thursday's public board session. Gilliam, who was hired by former Ohio State President Kristina Johnson in 2021 to be the university's chief academic officer, is leaving the university at the end of the semester to lead Boston University.

Dr. Karla Zadnik, who currently serves as interim dean of the College of Public Health and dean of the College of Optometry, will take over as interim provost upon Gilliam's departure. Ohio State's Board of Trustees announced the decision during Wednesday morning's Talent, Compensation and Governance committee meeting.

Mohler also recognized Kasey, who announced he will retire in June 2024. Kasey joined Ohio State in 2007 as chief operating officer of the health system.

Sheridan Hendrix is a higher education reporter for The Columbus Dispatch. Sign up for Extra Credit, her education newsletter, here.

shendrix@dispatch.com

@sheridan120

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: OSU trustees discuss sustainability, Carmenton as protests halt meeting