Ohio University President Roderick J. McDavis spoke to Student Senate about the university’s plan for the growth of regional and online programs.
Ohio University President Roderick McDavis spoke to Student Senate Wednesday night about growing OU’s regional campus and online programs while focusing on increasing “quality and diversity” on the Athens campus.
The university does not plan to grow the student population on Athens campus much larger than it is today, and will concentrate its efforts on recruiting in-state students to fill regional and online programs, McDavis said.
For the third year in a row, OU had a record-breaking freshman class size, with the class of 2019 having 4,423 students as of the 15th day of Fall Semester, according to a previous Post report.
“Many of our faculty and staff, as well as students, don’t understand the breadth of our university,” McDavis said. “You see Athens, but what you also need to see is we have a research park in Beavercreek, given to us by Fritz J. and Dolores H. Russ, benefactors of the Russ College of Engineering and Technology, and that research park is within a shout of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, which is located in Dayton.”
During a question and answer session following McDavis’ presentation, members of the body asked him for help with initiatives such as making cultural competency courses mandatory for all OU students. McDavis said he would partner with senate, but the responsibility for making change would largely rest with students.
“Hear me with the right ear, I am willing to be a partner, and I think Dr. Jenny Hall-Jones is willing to be a partner,” McDavis said. “We are willing to be partners but if this change is going to happen, it’s going to happen because workers in this room get together with people on campus who can make this happen. And I think you are good enough to do that, I really do.”
He also encouraged Student Senate to meet with Faculty Senate to discuss cultural competency courses, as it would require a change to the curriculum.
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Also at Wednesday night’s meeting, Student Trustees P.J. Roden and Sharmaine Wilcox presented on current initiatives including meeting with student leaders such as Student Senate President Gabby Bacha, Graduate Student Senate President Carl Edward Smith III, and International Student Union President Hashim Pashtun bi-weekly and increasing communication with students.
“We definitely want to make sure that everyone knows we are entirely open to meeting with you,” Sharmaine Wilcox said. “We would love to hear from you. The office phone has only rang once in my entire time being here and it was my friend calling by accident.”
Additionally, senate viewed a demonstration on how to upload events to the university calendar, which is free when signing in with an OU email address.
“There are so few things in life that are free,” Tasha Attaway, an OU communication specialist, said. “Use the free stuff!”
Resolutions to appoint William Kolenky as an off-campus senator, to form the committee on community service and social activity, to fund senate’s Homecoming open house, and to fund tables at the annual Blackburn-Spencer Homecoming Scholarship Pageant passed at Wednesday’s meeting.
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