BOWLING GREEN, O. -- Collaboration is a word we can expect to hear more often, the Bowling Green State University Board of Trustees learned at its meeting April 1.

Dr. Linda Dobb, executive vice president, told the board that in today's environment of limited resources and large social issues, collaboration between colleges and universities will become increasingly important because they save money, avoid duplication of effort and move things along much more quickly than could be accomplished by one institution alone.

Successful collaborations improve services to students and help address issues for the region, the state and the nation, she said. However, Dobb cautioned, collaborations must be entered into only after careful consideration to determine whether they are in keeping with the University's mission. They must also be "very outcome driven," she added, saying, "We need to know going in what we want to accomplish in the collaboration."

She outlined a number of successful collaborations already under way and talked about others the University plans to undertake in others in the near future.

Among successful collaborations are participation in Ohiolink, a statewide electronic network of research libraries; a collaborative master's degree program in library science with Kent State University; and COSMOS, a program involving a number of area colleges, universities, schools and businesses working together to improve math and science education in northwest Ohio schools.

She noted that the University's historic leadership in preparing teachers leads naturally into partnership programs to improve teacher training and learning in classrooms at all levels. Perceived as a leader in distance education, BGSU has been much sought after for collaborations in that area, she added.

Locally, the University is partnering in several ways with the University of Toledo and the Medical College of Ohio, as well as with Owens Community College. Plans call for continuing joint work in the area of alternative fuel research, pursuing participation in Third Frontier initiatives funded by the state of Ohio, and creating a shared research institute to develop proposals for grant-funded projects. Bowling Green also is working with some of Ohio's two-year colleges to offer BGSU's bachelor's degree programs, Dobb said.

Those at the meeting also learned that Bowling Green has received a high rating from the Ohio Board of Regents in its annual report on the financial health of state colleges and universities, Trustee David Bryan of Perrysburg reported. Out of a possible combined rating of 5, BGSU scored 4.2 overall. The study comprises such criteria as financial viability, debt and net income, Bryan said, adding that BGSU's enrollment growth over the past several years was a major contributing factor in its performance.

Actions taken by the board included approving a resolution for the refinancing of general receipt bonds in an amount not to exceed $30 million dollars. The bonds were originally issued to provide funds to pay the cost of residence hall rehabilitation and some future projects. By taking advantage of the low interest rates currently available, the University can save between $500,000 and $600,000 in debt service, Trustee Michael Marsh of Bowling Green told the board.

The trustees also approved auxiliary improvement projects totaling $524,500. The projects include $450,000 for renovations for the Kohl Hall Living Learning Center and $74,500 to replace the elevator in the Saddlemire Student Services Building.

In addition, the board passed a resolution giving approval to proposed easements and rights of way to the city of Bowling Green for a project to widen East Wooster Street. They also accepted a $750,000 gift from the BGSU Foundation and authorized that the funds be used to proceed with renovation of the University president's residence on Hillcrest Drive.

(Posted April 02, 2003)