State asks Ohio colleges for construction projects

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

The state has asked Ohio’s public colleges and universities to work together to form a list of their top construction projects rather than compete for construction money as they currently do.

Gov. John Kasich asked the presidents of all 37 state schools to support the change in a meeting this past week, The Columbus Dispatch reported Saturday.

“The governor wants to encourage collaboration among our institutions of higher education, to have them working together as a university system rather than as individual institutions,” Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols told the newspaper.

The governor has asked Ohio State President Gordon Gee to help the schools reach a consensus on the projects most deserving of state dollars. He’ll work to construct the list with a planning committee made up of the leaders of the two higher-education associations and a representative from each of the four-year universities and two-year colleges.

The group has until mid-February to hand in its targeted projects to state budget officials.

The Kasich administration has said the 2013-14 capital budget will be “restrained,” with a priority placed on maintaining facilities rather than building new ones.

Several higher-education leaders told the newspaper they were surprised by the state’s decision to change how the funds are divided among the schools. But they said they will try to reach an agreement.

“I’m just glad there is going to be a capital budget at all,” said David Harrison, president of Columbus State Community College.

After getting nearly $431 million in 2009-10, the state schools received nothing in 2011-12, the current two-year budget, according to the newspaper.

Harrison said his college’s top priority is the $15.2 million renovation of a building that houses laboratories used in nursing, respiratory care, early-childhood development and anatomy instruction.