Dantonio and Geiger Highlight OSUM Celebrity Golf Outing

The Ohio State University at Marion will welcome golfers from throughout central Ohio for its Fourth Annual Celebrity Golf Scramble on the Ohio State University Scarlet Course, Columbus, on Monday, May 12th. 

Ohio State Athletic Director, Andy Geiger will make a special appearance during morning registration, which begins at 9:20 a.m. and Ohio State Football Defensive Coordinator, Mark Dantonio is scheduled as the keynote speaker for the dinner, program, and auction that begins at 5 p.m.

Numerous Ohio State sports celebrities who have participated in past OSUM golf outings, such as Pete Johnson and Jim Karasatos, have committed again to join a foursome for a round of golf. Other celebrities in this year's scramble include OSU basketball great Tony White, and former Buckeye kicking sensation Vlade Janakievski.

There are many levels of participation available. Scarlet and Gray sponsorship levels, which include recognition on a tee sign, all promotional materials and event signs, eighteen holes of golf, cart, boxed lunch, the dinner, program, and auction are still available. In addition the Scarlet sponsorship level includes first choice of celebrity golfers, based on registration order. 

Participation levels range from $500 for a golf foursome (includes eighteen holes of golf, dinner, program and auction for a team of four); $150 for an individual (includes eighteen holes of golf, dinner, program and auction for an individual golfer); or $35 for an individual to participate in just the dinner, program, and auction. For an application or more details contact The Ohio State University at Marion Office of Community Relations at 740-389-OSUM, extension 6340.

Proceeds from the annual event benefit community youth, cultural arts and Marion's campus athletic programs.

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Annual Norman Thomas Lecture Scheduled For Friday

The Ohio State University at Marion welcomes Professor Susan McKay who will present this year's annual Norman Thomas Memorial Lecture, "How do you mend broken hearts? Girls in fighting forces in Mozambique, Uganda, and Sierra Leone." The lecture, which is open to the public will be held Friday, April 25, room 200 of Morrill Hall. There will be a seminar lunch following the lecture in Morrill Hall, room 219.

Since 1972, Ohio State Marion has hosted a Norman Thomas Lecture, bringing in a speaker to discuss a topic related to Thoması ideals. Norman Thomas is a not-so-well known Marion native who was a tireless advocate of pacifism, civil rights, socialism, anti-Communism, and civil liberties. Thomas, a theologian, was the United States presidential candidate on the Social Party ticket six times between 1928 and 1948. By the time he died in 1968, both major political parties had adopted many of the ideas he suggested in his early career in existence.

This yearıs lecturer, Susan Ann R. McKay, Ph.D., currently serves as Professor of Womenıs Studies of womenıs studies at the University of Wyoming.

McKay earned her undergraduate degree from DePauw University in 1964. She went on to receive a masterıs of science from University of Colorado and a Ph.D. in 1978 from University of Wyoming where she joined the faculty in 1986.

Her publications include: "Maternal health care at a Japanese-American relocation camp," Birth, 1997; "Gendering peace psychology," Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 1996; and "Women's voices in peace psychology: A feminist agenda," Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 1995.

This yearıs Norman Thomas Memorial Lecture is supported by a generous contribution from Fahey Bank. For more information on the Norman Thomas Lecture, please contact Dr. Vlady Steffel at 740-389-6786, ext. 6249.  

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OSU-Marion Students Participate in Undergraduate Humanities Conference

Three OSU-Marion English majors recently presented papers at Shaw University's Undergraduate Humanities Conference. 

Amanda Crease, Lois Everitt, and Amy Yoder traveled to Raleigh, NC, where they presented their ideas about Barbara Kingsolver's novel, The Poisonwood Bible, to a very receptive audience of students and professors from North Carolina, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and other states.

OSU-Marion professor Anne Bower chaired the panel. Crease, Everitt, Yoder, and Bower also attended other sessions at the conference, and were impressed with the variety of topics and approaches chosen by students--everything from analyses of nineteenth-century British novels to original essays on black entrepreneurship, from papers about the "struggle between literacy and culture for African American students" to a discussion of Gertrude Stein's influence on Ernest Hemingway.    

As with any academic conference, there was plenty of time to meet informally with other students and professors, trading ideas, questions, and stories about university life. The conference included a luncheon, and at this time, besides friendly discussion, conference participants engaged in a lecture by Dr. Lucinda MacKethan (North Carolina State University), editor of The Companion to Southern Literature, who spoke about "Contexts as Co-Texts in the Study of Literature."    

Crease, Everitt, and Yoder were able to travel to North Carolina due to the generosity of the Hendricks travel fund, although each of them also had to pay for part of the expenses. 

According to Bower, "It was worth it they feel, for after this conference they have a new sense of scholarship and intellectual life, as well as greater confidence in their own abilities to succeed in their chosen careers."

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State Budget Woes Force Cuts at Ohio State Marion

State budget reductions of higher education over the past three years are forcing colleges and universities across the state to tighten their collective belts. Now new proposals to cut additional funding from higher education budgets over the next two years have colleges and universities across the state, including The Ohio State University at Marion, facing the monumental task of increasing revenues and cutting university expenditures to make ends meet.

Figures from the Ohio Board of Regents show state budget cuts to higher education from 2001 through 2003 represent a loss of 313.6 million dollars in funding, or just under $1,000 per full-time student.

Further reductions to the higher education budget are being proposed for fiscal years 2004 and 2005.

To address the reductions to their budget, faculty and staff at Ohio State Marion have identified a number of reduction and revenue enhancement options. 

After two and a half months of discussion, the university will discontinue childcare services offered at Ohio State Marion's Early Childhood Education Center, reduce instructional travel funds, delay hiring selected positions, implement energy saving enhancements, and reduce funds for faculty development.

"Our goal is to always maintain core academic programs during uncertain budget times. Tough decisions were made over the past months, but we must work within the parameters of funds the state provides to maintain quality, affordable education for our students," said F. Dominic Dottavio, Dean and Director of The Ohio State University.

This year's decision to discontinue the Early Childhood Education Center's childcare program was a continuation of discussions that have put the program in jeopardy over the past five years. The program, which has been reviewed regularly due to accumulating annual deficits, could not survive another round of state budget cuts. The university was forced to look at closure of the Early Childhood Education Center during budget cuts in 2001-2002 and is now faced with the closure of the facility due to a new round of cuts to higher education, of which OSU Marion will bear over $100,000 in lost funding from the state.

Since the inception of Ohio State Marion's Early Childhood Education Center in 1993, the university has provided an average of $79,830 in annual subsidies to keep the doors open and provide a quality childcare option. 

According to Leslie Beyer-Hermsen, assistant dean at OSUM, if the Early Childhood Education Center were filled to capacity throughout the year, the need to subsidize the program to the tune of $80,000 per year would still exist due to such factors as subsidized childcare reimbursements and childcare tuition not keeping pace with expenses.

"From the beginning it was understood that the campus would need to subsidize the Center, but the amount of the subsidy was unknown," explained Beyer-Hermsen.

"We intend to work with the families of children in our program to ensure they have time to secure appropriate daycare options," explained Beyer-Hermsen. 

According to Beyer-Hermsen, a survey of area childcare provider enrollments indicates vacancies in some of the established and licensed daycare facilities in and around Marion.

To help offset the need for even more drastic reductions, recommendations for revenue enhancement strategies were put forward, including tuition increases, parking fees, and the addition of alternative education programs.

State funding for higher education in Ohio is among the lowest of any state in the nation. The hope for The Ohio State University at Marion, and many colleges and universities across the state, is that the recent cuts will be reversed in the near future.

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Watch Your WasteŠMarion Campus Plastic Recycling Initiative

In conjunction with Earth Day, April 22, 2003,the Marion Environmental Group, (a Marion Technical College/Ohio State Marion student organization concerned with the environment), will hold a week-long plastics recycling effort called, "Watch Your Waste."  

The purpose of the effort is to create awareness among students, faculty, and staff about the impact that can be made when plastics are recycled on campus. All Marion campus students, faculty, and staff are asked to join in efforts to recycle all plastics on campus and from home throughout the week of April 21-25.

The Marion Environmental Group, in cooperation with Marion campus maintenance staff, will set-up recycling bins to accept all plastics near Marion campus vending machines, student lounges, the student center, as well as Morrill Hall and MTC's main entrances during the event. All plastics during the week will subsequently be gathered on a daily basis and sent to a caged bin at the center of campus to allow everyone to visualize the impact one week's worth of plastics has on our environment.

Angela Carbetta, from the Marion County Recycling and Litter Prevention Office will be on hand throughout the week at the Alber Student Center highlighting resources for education majors to incorporate environmental practices into their teaching curriculum. Sims Brothers Inc. will have a visual display and brochures on the importance of recycling. Stratford Woods Ecological Center of Delaware will also be on campus to highlight their educational programs and farm refuse-recycling efforts.

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PRESIDENT HARDING REVISTED AT OHIO STATE MARION Five Nights on Campus Literary Review Free To The Public

The Ohio State University at Marion, in cooperation with the Harding Home State Memorial, welcomes Dr. Warren G. Harding, III, author, historian, and great nephew of President Warren G. Harding, to Morrill Hall Auditorium on the Marion Campus, Thursday, April 17, 7:30 p.m.

Harding will present a free public literary review of the book "Our Common Country, Mutual Goodwill in America," as part of this Five Nights on Campus cultural and performance arts series extra.

A practicing physician in Cincinnati, Ohio, Harding served as editor of the recent re-publication of the book originally written by his great uncle.

In the re-published Our Common Country: Mutual Goodwill in America, President Warren G. Harding expressed messages of reassurance and hope to all Americans. The eighteen informal speeches, which were given while Harding was President-elect (November, 1920 - March, 1921) dealt with the issues of his time: war, economic collapse, high national debt, and social unrest.

Join Dr. Harding as he introduces you to the views of the President on the challenges faced by post-WWI America. As relevant today as they were 80 years ago, the speeches provide us with new insight into President Harding and the America that he served.

A short reception will follow the presentation, and Dr. Harding will be available to sign copies of, "Our Common Country." Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event, and cost $14.95 plus $.90 tax. Payment will be accepted in the form of cash, check w/ ID, Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express. Those interested in purchasing the book prior to the lecture can call the Harding Home at 740-387-9630 for ordering information.

Attendees are also encouraged to visit The Wayne & Geraldine Kuhn Fine Arts Gallery next to the auditorium in Morrill Hall.

Five Nights on Campus is a cultural arts outreach to the residents of the seven-county regional service area of Ohio State Marion. This series features a variety of entertainment styles form classical music to bluegrass, with an opportunity for the audience to meet with artists following each performance.

The mission of the Five Nights on Campus performance art series is to provide unique cultural opportunities to the community, educational opportunities about diverse cultures and backgrounds, and to encourage residents to be a part of campus life.

This year's sponsors of the Five Nights include: Clear Channel Radio, Marion; Herald Printing; Marion Area Health Center; Marion Steel; Medical Mutual; Smith Clinic; Verizon; Warren Brown Family Foundation; Whirlpool Corporation; and Wyandot Inc. Five Nights is also made possible through a grant from The Ohio Arts Council, which helped fund this program with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

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OSUM Staffs Career Services Position

The Ohio State University at Marion is pleased to welcome Will Smith to the position of Coordinator of Career Services.

Smith comes to OSUM from Wartburg College in Iowa, where he served as Director of Career Services for the past 13 years. He has over 15 years of direct experience in career services, admissions, orientation and financial aid. 

As Coordinator of Career Services, Smith will be responsible for providing comprehensive career counseling services and helping students identify values, skills, and interests and translate them into post-graduate plans. 

The position will also utilize career assessment instruments, counsel students regarding job search strategies, internship searches, graduate school selection, and timing and serve as a resource on internal and external fellowship opportunities.

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Marion Native Joins OSUM Advising Team

The Ohio State University at Marion is pleased to welcome Scott Murphy, Academic Advisor for Education to the academic advising staff. 

A Marion native and 1992 graduate of Ridgedale High School, Murphy is a former Ohio State Marion and Columbus campus student. His personal experience as an Ohio State student offers him a familiarity and a wealth of practical knowledge of the university, as well as personal knowledge of what it means to be a part of the Ohio State community. 

He finalized his undergraduate degree in education from the University of Findlay, where he most recently worked in the office of admissions. Murphy is also currently pursuing completion of his master's degree in education from the University of Findlay.

Murphy and other academic advisors at OSUM are responsible for: ACT testing; placement testing and scheduling; course selection/educational planning; changing a major course of study; dropping/adding courses; Clarification of academic procedures and policies; academic probation, dismissals, petitions, re-admission; evaluation of course workloads and study habits; transferring to a degree-granting college; and referrals to other departments/services on campus.

Academic Advising at Ohio State Marion offers a comprehensive array of services designed to assist students in attaining their personal, academic, and career goals. Academic Advising services at OSUM are available to all new and returning students, including adult, post-baccalaureate, post-secondary, and transfer students.

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Ohio State Marion To Host Science Day

North Central Ohio area students converged on The Ohio State University at Marion campus on Saturday, March 29 for the 2003 North Central District Science Fair and Marion Area Science and Engineering Fair.

Over 200 young scientists entered the District Science Fair, ranging from fifth graders to high school seniors. School districts from Crawford, Knox, Marion, Morrow, Union, and Wyandot Counties, as well as Buckeye Valley, Olentangy, Delaware City, Delaware Christian, and St. Mary's Schools in Delaware County are all part of the North Central Ohio District. Each participant vied for trophies and the possible privilege of competing at the state level in May.

Judging of the students' projects began at 8:45 a.m. in OSU Marion's Student Center. After two rounds of judging, the exhibition was opened for viewing from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., allowing families, teachers and interested individuals an opportunity to check out the wide variety of science projects. 

Students winning top honors for outstanding projects were presented with trophies at an awards ceremony held in Morrill Hall's auditorium.  

The Ohio Junior Academy of Science will be holding its State Science Day at The Ohio State University in Columbus on Saturday, May 3, 2003. The students who will be participating in the State Science Day, and alternates, will be selected from among those in grades 7-12 earning Superior ratings at the District Science Day. State Science Day registration materials at handed out at the District Science Day.

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