Facilities Named, Improvements Planned

The Bowling Green State University Board of Trustees at its Feb. 23 meeting approved a new Bachelor of Science in respiratory care degree program, to be offered by BGSU Firelands.

It will be the first bachelor’s degree to be granted entirely through BGSU Firelands, and replaces Firelands’ associate degree in respiratory care. The next step in its implementation will be approval by the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

The new bachelor’s degree will prepare graduates for a variety of professional roles and for graduate study. More in-depth training is required as physicians increasingly rely on respiratory therapists to be more self-directed in patient care.

“With its extensive programs in allied health and its many longtime connections to health care sites throughout the community, BGSU Firelands is well situated to offer this enhanced opportunity to students,” said President Rodney Rogers. “This is also another opportunity for BGSU to meet the workforce needs of the state, while providing highly trained health care professionals for its citizens.”

Also at the meeting, the trustees set room and board rates for fall 2018. The average room rate will increase by 2.3 percent while the cost of a standard double room, which is used by the state for comparative purposes, will rise by 2.7 percent. Meal plan rates will rise for all students by 3 percent, or $3.33 per week for the Bronze Plan, the standard used across the state for comparison.

With the new rates for rooms and meals and an anticipated tuition increase for fall 2018 incoming undergraduates, BGSU’s total cost of attendance remains the lowest among the large, public, four-year universities in Ohio.

The trustees also approved special fees for the rapidly growing aviation program to keep up with demand and equipment needs, along with a new, one-time fee for education students, calculated based on their academic year. The fee funds students’ ongoing access to the LiveText portal, an assessment and portfolio-management system, as recommended by the national accreditation board for education programs.

“This is new this year and provides a long-term benefit to students to still have access to all their assessments and materials when they apply for state licensure,” said Sherideen Stoll, chief financial officer.

In construction action, the board approved extensive repairs to the Eppler Complex, a major academic center. The building needs a new roof and significant exterior and some interior repairs. The work, scheduled to begin in summer 2018, is expected to cost $1.7 million, which will come from the deferred maintenance fund.

The trustees also approved the renovation of the Life Sciences Building forensic science laboratory, using funds provided by the Ohio Attorney General’s office. The $1 million project will include construction of a teaching laboratory and office suite on the first floor of the building, which is close to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation facility. The laboratory will serve the Ohio Attorney General’s Center for the Future of Forensic Science and strengthen the academic relationship between the center and the University by creating curriculum and instructing students in the areas of forensic science, forensic biology and forensic chemistry.

Also on the agenda, the trustees approved the remaining $37.3 million for the renovation and expansion of the former Hanna Hall into the Maurer Center as the new home for the College of Business. On display at the meeting were renderings depicting the $44.5 million project, which will be funded by donations and long-term debt. The project is expected to be completed by fall 2020.

In related action, the board ratified the naming of a number of spaces and rooms in the Maurer Center in honor of donors supporting the project. Among them are: the Diane Golero Beni and David Beni Supply Chain Management Faculty Office; the Allen A. and Mary D. Green Mezzanine; the Michael and Michele McDaniel Executive Conference Room, and the Riedl Courtyard.

In addition, a walkway in the Greek Village will now be known as the John J. Riedl Promenade in recognition of financial support from Riedl, a member of the BGSU Foundation Board of Directors.

An area of the renovated University Hall also received a new name in honor of donor support. The Michael E. Hoskins Grand Foyer commemorates Hoskins’ significant support for the University, its students and faculty, especially in the area of global education.