In an address to Ohio University Student Senate at its meeting Wednesday, OU President Duane Nellis discussed his visions for the university and a plan to create a broader honors college.
Nellis urged those in attendance to help create a diverse campus environment that is “respectful of everyone.” He also encouraged students to do their part in making OU more environmentally friendly.
“Each of you contribute, as much or more than I do, to the success of this great place,” Nellis said. “Leadership to me is about every individual in this room, and the way in which you take on the responsibilities that you have as student senators.”
Nellis also discussed his plan to add a larger honors program in addition to the Honors Tutorial College.
“We have the top Honors Tutorial College of any public university in the United States,” Nellis said. “I don’t want to do anything to change that, but I want to complement HTC with a broader Honors College of about 1,000 students.”
Nellis expects the program to increase enrollment at the university and improve OU’s national academic rankings.
At the meeting, LGBTQA Affairs Commissioner Briahna Shaniuk discussed OU Housing’s plan to launch a pilot program for residence halls to include more gender-neutral spaces. The program includes adding one gender-neutral space to Boyd Hall and six to eight suites in the new dorms on South Green.
The LGBTQA Affairs Commission is working on a bill that expresses its support toward those measures, but also acknowledges expectations for more gender-neutral amenities in the future.
All five resolutions presented at Wednesday’s meeting were passed. Two of the resolutions appointed new members to the Off-Campus and International Affairs commissions. One resolution created a Regional Campus Affairs Commission.
Senate also passed a resolution that suspended the State of the Senate address for the 2018 Spring Semester.
Additionally, the Women’s Affairs Commission will host the Ohio Women’s Alliance on Thursday. The event will take place in Baker Center room 240 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and will include discussions about women’s issues on campus. A resolution was passed to purchase pizza for the event.
