Location: Undergraduate Student Government Office

Policy Report

Week of November 7, 2005

General Meeting: Monday, 9:00PM

Members present: Michael Braunlin, Darren Cross, Kyle Dolan, Ashley Dyckson, Chris Dyer, Mary Estock (Intern), Wendell Gingerich, Megan Hartman, Mike Hemmelgarn, David Knapp, Ramzy Mardini, Jon McCann (Intern), Dominique Pierson, Danielle Smith, Brian Rothenberg, Travis Shaul, Sarah Snyder, Andy Schreiber, Debra Van Camp (Intern), Ben Watson, Ian Young

Visitors: Mike Noon, Matt Dodovich, Eric Samuels, Rukku Singla

Internal Issues

I-1Elections Reform

Project Manager: Kyle Fox

Senate Liaison(s): Ajmerie Hoque,

Patrick Sprinkle

I-2USG Bylaw Reform – Deferred to WI06

Project Manager: Unassigned

Senate Liaison(s): Nick Benson

I-3Student Communication Survey

Project Manager: Wendell Gingerich

Senate Liaison(s): Matt Dodovich

I-4Academic Enrichment Grants

Project Manager: Kyle Fox

Senate Liaison(s): None

I-5Online Polls

Project Manager: Wendell Gingerich

Senate Liaison(s): None

I-6Ohio Senate Bill 168 - Completed

Project Manager: David Knapp

Senate Liaison(s): Matt Dodovich

I-7USG Ethics Review

Project Manager: Sarah Snyder

Senate Liaison(s): Matt Dodovich &

Igor Brin

I-8USG Assessment

Project Manager: Wendell Gingerich

Senate Liaison(s): None

External Issues

E-1Textbook Prices- Closed

Project Manager: Chris Dyer

Senate Liaison(s): Matt Dodovich

E-2Departmental Policy Groups

Project Manager: Brian Rothenberg

Senate Liaison(s): None

E-3Survey Classes

Project Manager: Dominique Pierson

Senate Liaison(s): Mike Noon

E-4Tuition Reform

Project Manager: David Knapp

Senate Liaison(s): None

E-5Honors Program

Project Manager: Unassigned

Senate Liaison(s): Brad Reed,

Steven Knoepfler

E-6General Education Curriculum

Project Manager: Unassigned

Senate Liaison(s): Steven Knoepfler

E-7Transcript Costs

Project Manager: David Knapp

Senate Liaison(s): Igor Brin

E-8Recycled Paper

Project Manager: Travis Shaul

Senate Liaison(s): Charlene Chi

E-9Music Advanced Placement and Credit

Project Manager: Ian Young

Senate Liaison(s): Elaine Yeh

E-10Economic Benefits Assessment

Project Manager: Corey Dickey

Senate Liaison(s): Kyle Fogt

E-11Student Printing Fee

Project Manager: Danielle Smith

Senate Liaison(s): Rukku Singla

E-12Religious Tolerance

Project Manager: Carrie Ross

Senate Liaison(s): Matt Dodovich,

Eric Samuels

E-13Professor Evaluations

Project Manager: Darren Cross

Senate Liaison(s): None

E-14South Asian Studies

Project Manager: Travis Shaul

Senate Liaison(s): Rukku Singla

E-15Buckeyelink 24 Hour Operation

Project Manager: Unassigned

Senate Liaison(s): None

E-16Freshman Parking Impact

Project Manager: Wendell Gingerich

Senate Liaison(s): Igor Brin

E-17Weekend Operation for

WilceStudentHealthCenter

Project Manager: Jerry Dunleavy

Senate Liaison(s): Igor Brin

E-18International Students –

University Policy Education

Project Manager: Unassigned

Senate Liaison(s): None

E-19Double Minor/ Double Majors/

Dual Degrees

Project Manager: Mike Hemmelgarn

Senate Liaison(s): Steven Knoepfler

E-20Applied Science Series

Project Manager: Ben Watson

Senate Liaison(s): Zara Lockshin

E-21Student Vehicle Network

Project Manager: Jerry Dunleavy

Senate Liaison(s): None

E-22Improved Buckeye News Net

Project Manager: Mary Estock

Senate Liaison(s): None

E-23USG – OSU Libraries
Open Reserve Textbook Program

Project Manager: Chris Dyer

Senate Liaison(s): Matt Dodovich

E-24USG – OSU Libraries
Online Textbook Program

Project Manager: Chris Dyer

Senate Liaison(s): Matt Dodovich

E-25Online Syllabi and Textbook Information

Project Manager: Chris Dyer

Senate Liaison(s): Matt Dodovich

E-26OSU Advising

Project Manager: Kate Riestenberg

Senate Liaison(s): None

Project Updates

The following is an update to the summaries of active projects in The Policy Group.

Titles in parentheses are (DD) = Deputy Director, (PM) = Project Manager, (SL) = Senate Liason.

I-1A preliminary report is in the process of being reviewed. The Report will be published with recommendations and concerns by the end of the Autumn Quarter.

I-2No further information.

I-3Discussions were held this week with the Registrar’s Office regarding the possibility of receiving access to Undergraduates attending the university, their majors, and their contact information in order to obtain a random sample for purposes of a survey.

Additionally we met with Barbara Wharton who is the director of Student Affairs’ Assessment Department. We have arranged to have at least one Policy Member trained in their process. This will help us reduce our cost and provide the ability to conduct surveys on a regular basis. She mentioned that some Universities sample their student population often and publish their results very publicly. This demonstrates to students that their opinions matter and establishes an expectation of completing a survey if you wish for your opinion to be heard.

I-4Five students and five faculty members will serve on the committee. We have currently selected three faculty members for the committee (Charles Massey, Art; Pat Whittington, AG; Jim Oppermann, English) and are awaiting the remaining two faculty before we will make the remaining student selections (Kyle Fox – Chair, Kate Dennis).

Timeline:

Nov. 14 – Applications posted online

Jan. 18 - Applications due

Jan. 25 - Binders complete; distribute to selections committee

Feb. 16 - Individual committee member reviews due

Feb. 20-Mar.4 - Selections meeting to decide final winners

Mar. 6 - Announce winners

Mar. 28/29 - Banquet

The application has been posted on the USG website and the program has been promoted in the Buckeye News Weekly and Honors and Scholars Net.

I-5We met with Lucas Damicone, the Student Affairs monitor of our website. We are able to change our simple, nonscientific online polls. The longer polls will take some SA consulting to change and/ or develop the results.

I-6The bill associated with this issue past USG Senate. The issue is now complete.

I-7Sarah Snyder has contacted different Universities regarding their Undergraduate Student Governments’ policies. Additionally she will interviewing members of the Senate and Cabinet for their opinion.

I-8Following the meeting with Student Affairs Assessment, we were assigned this project by President Suz Scharer. We will coordinate with the Office of Assessment and target the beginning of Winter Quarter to launch the survey.

E-1 This project is now closed and split due to size. This issue is now handled in Projects E-23, E-24 and E-25

E-2No further information.

E-3 Met with the Assistant Dean of USAS on Thursday.

E-4No further information.

E-5No further information.

E-6The McHale report has now been published and is available online. Senior Policy Group Officials will review the report and decide the course of this project.

E-7A follow-up meeting was held with the Associate Registrar. He informed the Group that the additional $2 cost for purchasing Transcripts online was levied by the company who handled the online payments. He did not foresee this method changing in advance of the approximate 2009 release of the new student information system.

It is now readily apparent that the University depends on the money earned from transcripts to supplement the general fund. We inquired into the possibility of a small increase in the general fee in order to offset the disproportionate costs levied on transcript purchasers. He will investigate the possibility and get back to The Group.

E-8We have contacted several different departments and working to establish meetings.

E-9Final Report will be due out soon. We will meet with advisors to confirm the information received so far.

E-10Corey Dickey (PM) and Chris Dyer (DD) met with Anand Desai from the School of Public Policy.

The following are the steps necessary in conducting an Economic Impact Study as stated by Anand Desai:

Data collection (if data is not available, reasonable assumptions can be made)
Model formulation
Calculation of data
Conclusions

Anand Desai estimated total costs for such an undertaking would be roughly $10,000, which is similar to the cost of the previous study. He stated it would be quite feasible to perform a study that would show the impact that OhioState students in particular have on the city of Columbus and that a report on the impact of the entire state was not necessary. Anand Desai is unable to personally oversee such a project at this time, but directed us to contact one of the following:

David Kraybill
Elena Irwin

Findings & Concerns

From the meeting with Anand Desai, it is clear that such a study is possible and could be very beneficial. Similar studies have been performed to assess the impact of OhioState football games. Performing the study simply requires finding a faculty member willing to oversee it and paying students to do the research. The School of Public Policy is unable to fund such an undertaking and in order to complete a study, additional funding would need to be acquired.

E-11Awaiting Update.

E-12A letter of inquiry was submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs requesting the official university policy on this issue.

E-13OIE has responded to Darren Ross (PM) and we met with Diane Tugood who is Martha Garland’s Secretary regarding the issue.

E-14We are setting up a meeting with Randy Smith, Chair for the Council on Academic Affairs.

E-15Buckeyelink systems do not communicate interactively with each other because a large number the systems were written to a code created nearly 30 years ago. Due to the age of the current systems and the lack of uniformity among many of the different departments, this system has to shut down for several hours each day in order to ensure that information is updated across the entire OSU system.

The new student information system due out in approximately 2009 will be interactive and the results posted will be automatic.

E-16Upon consultation with the Student Affairs Office of Assessment, we will plan on launching this survey no later than Tuesday, November 29, 2005. The questions for the survey will be completed over the course of the next week and will be submitted to members of the Political Science and Statistics Department for verification.

E-17We met with Ted Grace, the Director of the StudentHealthCenter. He discouraged opening the health center on weekends because it is generally too costly to operate such a facility on weekends because most students do not take advantage of the option. He informed us that they have partnered with the University Hospitals who will take the student health care plan if a person becomes ill on the weekend.

The Group also inquired about the OSU Family Health Centers in Grandview, North High Street and in the Short North. These centers do not currently fall within the Student Health Care Plan but we will pursue extending the plan to these facilities (some of which are open on the weekend) for students.

E-18No further information.

E-19Meeting with Jay Yutzey who is the Undergraduate program Director at Fischer College of Business and discussed ASC3 dual degree program with USAS.

E-20We will conduct research into what is offered in the different science class options of the GEC. Upon evaluation of those courses, we will create a sample plan and submit a preliminary report to the College of Arts and Sciences.

E-21No further information.

E-22Mary Estock was assigned project manager.

E-23We met with the libraries to discuss final details regarding this issue. We determined the need for an exit survey to determine the effectiveness of the program and the need for more books. Several policy members will be assigned to the promotion of this program. A final report will be written regarding this project. The project is now complete.

E-24We will need to meet with the libraries and TELR’s office regarding this issue in the next couple weeks. We are planning on a pilot program for the Spring Quarter.

E-25This project was originally part of Project E-1. We will be coordinating with the TELR’s Office in order to post syllabi or at least the textbook for each class online prior to the beginning of the quarter.

E-26Kate Reistenberg was assigned project manager.

Referred by Kate Reistenberg.

Focus: Our objective is research how to the improve different OSU advising programs.

Outlook

The Group has made a great deal of progress this past week. We have come to realize the need for establishing a consistent method of surveying the student public and it seems that we will soon be able to establish such a method.

Furthermore, our members have met with a large number of faculty and staff demonstrating our commitment to changing the University. We have done a superb job with investigating, but we must now ensure that we report our findings so that such pivotal information is known by USG and the student community.