President Gonzalez, OHIO leadership share answers to community questions from Jan. 22 ‘University Updates’

President Lori Stewart Gonzalez hosted the second University Updates event on Monday, Jan. 22, as part of OHIO’s ongoing efforts to further connections and dialogue throughout the University community. 

Following each event, both online and in-person attendees also have the opportunity to submit questions for leadership. Answers to the questions that were submitted during the Jan. 22 event are now available to view on the University Updates website.

Since its inception in November 2023, more than 1,400 OHIO faculty, staff and students have attended University Updates, an engagement series designed to offer deeper insights into OHIO's strategic priorities, provide transparency and discuss important topics impacting higher education.

OHIO’s next University Updates event is scheduled to take place Thursday, March 21 at 9:30 a.m. in the Baker University Center Theater. Additional details, including a list of anticipated presenters, will be shared closer to the event date on the University Updates webpage and via OHIO News. 

University Updates: Jan. 22 Leadership Presentations

President Gonzalez began the event by sharing a brief update regarding the progress of OHIO’s ongoing Dynamic Strategy effort and noted that members of the Dynamic Strategy Core Committee will share updates and an overview of their preliminary work on Feb. 19 in the Walter Hall Rotunda. 

Vice President for Student Affairs Lyn Redington provided an overview of OHIO’s Division for Student Affairs and the four student-focused areas that are central to its mission: care and wellbeing, people and partnerships, engagement and leadership and inclusive excellence. Dr. Redington also emphasized the department’s role as a leader in providing student employment opportunities that offer valuable on-campus work experience and resume-building. 

Vice President for Enrollment Management Candace J. Boeninger began her presentation by highlighting the modernized organizational structure of the Division of Enrollment Management. In addition to the record-breaking fall 2023 first-year cohort, Boeninger noted that OHIO is seeing increases in new students in the RN to BSN and in non-nursing undergraduate programs online, as well as stable enrollments in the Heritage College of Medicine. She also provided an update regarding federal and state aid, explaining how the Department for Education’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has become simpler and more streamlined by integrating with the IRS and modernizing its technology. Such improvements are also anticipated to provide opportunities for more students in the form of increased Federal Pell Grant recipients and overall Pell amounts.

Interim Vice President for Finance and Administration John Day provided a department overview: the division is responsible for finance, facilities, transportation and police department, with a staff of 148 administrative and 385 union employees. Day also presented a brief update on the University's FY24 financial forecast, noting that such information and data will continue to evolve as OHIO moves forward in FY24 and continues to gather more detailed information from its planning units. Day shared brief updates on OHIO’s Ridges Development Strategy and the Campus Space Optimization Initiative as well. 

General Counsel Stacey Bennett outlined the organizational structure of OHIO’s Office of Legal Affairs and the wide range of expertise across their team. Bennett also noted that the core charge of Legal Affairs, whose authority is derived from the Ohio Attorney General, is to provide legal support to both the institution and its employees in a job-related capacity. Additionally, Bennett provided insight into University ethics, including the importance of spotting potential conflicts of interest in the workplace before they occur; she also addressed the importance of employees obtaining appropriate signature authority before executing agreements on behalf of the University. Above all, Bennett stressed the importance of continued transparency and communication and encouraged OHIO employees to contact her office with any University-related legal questions or concerns.