Ohio University’s Board of Trustees met Thursday in Walter Hall to discuss the university’s fundraising and advancement strategy, housing updates and the Title IX process.
Bryan Benchoff, vice president for University Advancement, presented his department’s strategic plan called Advancing OHIO. The plan sets a fundraising goal of $35 million by 2021 and $50 million by phase three of the project, which ends in 2029.
Benchoff said he hopes the plan springboards off the success of the Promise Lives campaign that wrapped up last year.
That fundraising campaign started in July 2007 and raised more than $500 million over the course of eight years.
Trustees and presenters from University Advancement said many of the university’s top donors already pledged money during the Promise Lives campaign. Because those individuals and groups are unlikely to donate again in the coming years, some trustees said the university might have to wait for the next generation to make enough money to contribute larger, or “transformational,” donations.
OU President Roderick McDavis said the university is “almost tapped out with top prospects” and that some of the donations might come in a little bit smaller than in the past few years.
“One of the challenges that will be faced going forward … we talked to a lot of folks right at the peak point of their careers,” he said. “It takes awhile for this next generation of Bobcats to reach these critical points in their careers.”
Benchoff said he hopes his team will reach a wider variety of people and that they are working to open offices in Dublin and possibly Cleveland.
Vice President for Student Affairs Jason Pina also presented on future updates to Housing Master Plan and the status of construction around campus.
Pina mentioned the demolition of Cady Hall, Foster House and Brough House that took place over the summer and said the university has slowed the process of demolishing some of the other Back South residence halls.
He added that he and other university officials are working to examine the costs of some of the projects and how best to plan for future construction.
Sara Trower, OU’s new Title IX coordinator, also explained what her office does and how the Title IX process and sexual misconduct investigations work.
