OHIO Board of Trustees to hear about University’s initiatives to integrate Artificial Intelligence into learning, receive sports administration program update from students and faculty

The Ohio University Board of Trustees will learn about the University’s ongoing efforts to integrate and engage with Artificial Intelligence (AI) via curriculum and in the classroom, as well as hear from faculty and students from the sports administration program on the current state of the industry and the experiential learning opportunities available during meetings Thursday, April 16, and Friday, April 17, on the Athens campus.  

Additionally, the Board will receive an enrollment update from Vice President of Enrollment Management Candace J. Boeninger, highlighting the preliminary census headcounts for spring 2026, as well as updated retention rates for the Athens and Regional Campuses. She will also provide a brief real-time preview of the fall 2026 entering class ahead of the May 1 National Candidate’s Reply Deadline and provide insight into the various topics shaping the enrollment landscape in Ohio and nationally. 

The Board will also hear from Director of Athletics Slade Larscheid, who will provide an update on Ohio University’s Intercollegiate Athletics, including key staffing updates, upcoming football opponents and efforts to boost the visibility of Ohio Athletics. He will also provide an overview of the “Stand Up for Ohio Football” giving campaign and its role in supporting the continued growth and success of OHIO’s football program.

Committee meetings are set to begin at 11:15 a.m. on Thursday, April 16, in Walter Hall 104 and conclude around 3:30 p.m. Committee meetings will resume on Friday, April 17, starting at 9:30 a.m., with the main board meeting beginning approximately at noon. The complete schedule and agenda for the April meetings, as well as links to livestreams for both days, is available online at ohio.edu/trustees.  

Additional agenda items from the Board of Trustees’ April meetings are anticipated to include: 

Integrating AI into the classroom
Academics and Student Success Committee, 1 p.m., Thursday, April 16, Walter Hall 104 
 
Executive Vice President and Provost Don Leo; Paul Benedict, associate professor of instruction in management and director of the Center for Entrepreneurship; Melinda Rhodes-DiSalvo, executive director of the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment; and Paul Shovlin, assistant professor of English, will present on OHIO’s AI readiness, differentiators in AI for teaching and learning, key institutional risks in AI adoption and a proposed initiative and associated investments. They will also highlight AI faculty cluster hires.

The Board will hear how OHIO is preparing students for an AI-driven future through curriculum embedded in general education, upper-level coursework and credentialing opportunities, as well as the impact of faculty and staff development through the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment, which focuses on teaching excellence. The presenters will also highlight the University’s decentralized approach to AI adoption, which has fostered innovation across disciplines and earned national recognition, and share how OHIO’s strategy prioritizes "human-first AI,” strengthening critical thinking, adaptability and ethical AI use that aligns with the institution’s Dynamic Strategy.

Finally, the presentation will outline plans to expand the AI Fellows program to include additional faculty and student leaders and how the University plans to deepen industry partnerships to create new experiential learning opportunities.

Celebrating OHIO’s world-renowned Sports Administration Program
Academics and Student Success Committee, 1 p.m., Thursday, April 16, Walter Hall 104 

The Board will hear from EVPP Leo; Jim Strode, associate dean in the College of Business; and Lamar Reams, chair of Sports Administration, on Ohio University’s Sports Administration program. They will provide a brief historical overview of the program, widely recognized as the first of its kind in the world, highlighting its longstanding leadership and impact in the field of sports management education.

They will also include an update on the program’s current state, including the composition of its student body and its strong emphasis on hands-on, experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for careers in the sports industry. Current first-year MBA–MSA students will also present to the Board, sharing insights into the real-world experiences they have gained through the program.

Advancing research education through doctoral degrees
Academics and Student Success Committee, 1 p.m., Thursday, April 16, Walter Hall 104 

Leo, along with David Koonce, dean of the Graduate College, will present on doctoral degree production at Ohio University. The presentation will highlight the critical role research doctoral programs play in advancing the University’s research mission, scholarly reputation, and public impact, as well as their importance in Carnegie’s R1 Classification. The discussion will also highlight OHIO’s doctoral outcomes within national trends.

The Board will also learn about two current initiatives that demonstrate OHIO’s shift from descriptive analysis to proactive support, including Doctoral Milestone Tracking, which provides consistent visibility into key points of doctoral progress while preserving faculty authority over academic decisions, and the Konneker Grant-supported Dissertation Writing Support Program, which offers sustained, community-based support for doctoral writers, as well as master’s and Honors Tutorial College students completing theses. 

Capital Projects 
Resources, Facilities, and Affordability Committee, 9:35 a.m., Friday, April 17, Walter Hall 104 

Jon Cozad, senior advisor for Design and Construction, will share facility project highlights with the Board including:

Start of construction (Projects over $500,000):

• Grosvenor Hall Renovation Phase I
• OUC Bennett Hall Storm Improvements
• OUL Brasee Hall Nursing Renovations Phase III
• OUZ HVAC and Energy Efficiency Improvements Phase II
• West Green Chilled Water Plant Upgrades 

Continued construction progress (Projects over $500,000):

• Bush Airport New Hangar Construction
• Chilled Water Plant 3 Expansion
• College of Fine Arts Facilities Renewal 
• Convocation Center Electrical, HVAC and Fire System Improvements 
• Heritage Translational Research Center
• Housing Phase II New Construction – McDavis Hall
• Marching 110 Practice Field
• Old Heating Plant Switchgear 

Substantial Completion (Projects over $500,000):

• Bentley Hall and Bentley Annex HVAC and Controls
• Bush Airport Zero Hangar Renovation
• Copeland Hall HVAC and Controls