Ohio University will celebrate Founder's Day today to honor the men behind OU's beginning as well as the faculty and students who will bring the university into the future.
The day begins with a State of the University speech by OU President Roderick McDavis that will address current issues about the university as well as future plans for the institution, and will highlight the achievements of students who received nationally competitive awards last year.
At the ceremony, OU Provost Kathy Krendl will announce how university funds for graduate education and research will be allocated. Up to $250,000 in university funds will be used to support programs in either the Future Growth Fund, which focuses on new graduate programs research projects, or the Graduate Program Enhancement Fund, which will be used to improve existing programs.
A poster session for students, faculty and administrators highlighting VisionOhio's progress will be in Baker University Center in the afternoon. There will be a chance for attendees to ask questions about both the specifics of VisionOhio as well as plans for the future of the project.
In the evening, the university will hold a lecture by Tad Malinski, the 2006-07 Distinguished Professor, on nanomedicine and nanotechnology.
The university also will celebrate its past today as Trustee Professor Samuel Crowl will give a presentation on Manasseh Cutler, looked to as the primary founder of OU.
The 1787 Northwest Ordinance was the law passed by Congress that precipitated the founding of OU, Crowl said.
This was thanks to the ordinance's authorization of land grant means of supporting higher education, through which public income was used to fund public universities. OU was the first university to be founded in this way, but the University of Michigan and others followed suit.
Cutler was the man behind many of the provisions
said Crowl. He dreamed up the idea that at the center of these new territories was the public university.
Cutler, whose name adorns the oldest university building, never actually came to Athens, Crowl said. Rufus Putnam, who had been a general in the American Revolution, led the settlers into the territory, he said.
Putnam, after whom the School of Dance is named, was the leader of settlers who first established Marietta before founding the city of Athens. He was also a founder of the Ohio Company with Cutler, a land speculation company that helped settle much of Ohio.
It may be this association with the Ohio Company that is behind any land-swindling accusations.
In my knowledge there were never any people accused of that said Joanne Prisley, curator of the Athens County Historical Society.
17
Archives
Catie Coleman
