President Gonzalez delivers ‘State of the University’ address

»¨¼¾´«Ã½ President Lori Stewart Gonzalez announced several new initiatives, recognized OHIO’s successes of the past year and expressed her gratitude for the entire University community during the annual State of the University address on Wednesday, Sept. 24 in the Walter Hall Rotunda on the Athens Campus

“Whether you’re here in Athens or tuning in from one of our regional or extension campuses or elsewhere, I'm grateful for your time and commitment to »¨¼¾´«Ã½,â€� President Gonzalez said. “We welcomed more than 8,000 new students across all our campuses and OHIO online and hosted countless activities during welcome week for our incoming students. We also welcomed 161 new faculty members, including 12 new research faculty hired as part of our Dynamic Strategy implementation.â€�

Another year of achievement at OHIO

During her address, President Gonzalez highlighted several accomplishments and points of pride that have taken place across OHIO, including:

• Completion of phase one of the through increased research activity, community-engaged coursework and redesigned administrative structures driving momentum in four key pillars: Learn, Discover, Engage and Work.
• Recognition as one of only 21 R1 research institutions in the country, and the only one in Ohio, to be designated as an Opportunity College and University in the latest Carnegie Classifications.
• A No. 1 ranking among public universities in the state for Best Value by U.S. News and World Report – for the sixth year in a row.
• The reaffirmation of »¨¼¾´«Ã½â€™s institutional accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission – OHIO has been continuously accredited since 1913.
• The formation of the Institute for Molecular Medicine and Aging, positioning »¨¼¾´«Ã½ as a national leader in healthy aging research.
• Continued progress on capital projects, including construction of the Roderick J. McDavis Residence Hall on South Green and Heritage Translational Research Center.

“I want you to embrace all this good news. Remind yourself every day of the great work we’re doing to hold the door open to higher education to deserving students and to deliver a life-changing student experience,� President Gonzalez said.

Building on OHIO’s success

To honor the ingenuity of the OHIO community, President Gonzalez announced the formation of the new »¨¼¾´«Ã½ Employee Innovation and Efficiency Awards program. This program, which will officially launch soon, will celebrate and amplify the spirit of innovation by recognizing individuals and teams whose ideas overcome challenges, solve problems in new ways and keep OHIO’s mission moving forward.

Gonzalez noted that beyond the awards themselves, the work of OHIO’s employees will stand as proof that innovation lives in all corners of the University and that our greatest progress happens when everyone feels valued, heard and empowered to share ideas that move us forward.

“That’s the kind of impact we want to lift up and scale—practical solutions that make OHIO stronger, more efficient and more aligned with our mission,� said Gonzalez. “These awards embody the very heart of our Dynamic Strategy Work pillar: building a stronger, more agile University by aligning our operations with our mission.

President Gonzalez continued by announcing numerous ongoing and upcoming initiatives that will help move OHIO forward, including:

• OHIO recently announced the launch of the Center for Community Impact to align and elevate OHIO’s outreach and partnerships, ensuring that the University’s work reflects the needs and aspirations of the communities it serves while creating new opportunities for collaboration and regional impact.
• Furthering OHIO’s R1T1 initiative in collaboration with the John Gardner Institute for Excellence in Higher Education to define a “T1 Institution,â€� and aiming to achieve the nation’s highest standards in both research and teaching.
• Expanding alumni mentorship opportunities with a focus on coaching to career, as well as co-curricular opportunities for students. This effort will also include an expanded alumni mentoring and coaching initiative that will extend freshman learning communities into the spring semester with a focus on group mentorship opportunities.
• Sharing additional details and learning from the ModernThink Workplace Survey, which worked to confirm areas of pride in OHIO’s mission and teaching and provided feedback that will guide action at both the unit and institutional levels.
• Forming a collaborative working group across the Engage and Learn Dynamic Strategy pillars to explore the development of non-credit-bearing courses and credentialing opportunities to support workforce needs.

“For more than 220 years, OHIO has adapted, persevered, and led,� President Gonzalez said. “Today, we are ready to keep moving forward with that same determination and spirit.�