On a day when Gov. Bob Taft ordered $39.2 million in cuts to state spending on higher education to help balance the state budget, the Ohio State Board of Trustees discussed giving money to certain departments for continued improvements.

The departments of history, physics and law received selective investment money two years ago. The programs were reviewed by the board yesterday to determine the success of the programs.

“The selective investment program was started in 1997 to identify some of our stronger departments and programs and to give them the resources they need to move to the very top of their field,” said Edward J. Ray, university provost.

Thirteen programs have been invested in by the program. They are chosen based upon their academic mission, excellence in their program and outreach goals.

“Results are now being realized and we are moving closer to our goals,” Ray said.

Kenneth Andrien, department of history chair, gave a presentation on the status of the history department since receiving selective investment money.

Andrien said the selective investment money has allowed the department to invest in good people, which will help increase the department’s reputation.

The goal of the department is to become one of the top 10 programs in the United States. A new environmental history course has been initiated since selective investment started.

“Selective investment will continue to enrich the program,” Andrien said. “It has helped us to raise the bar in the history department.”

Robert Scherrer, vice chair for undergraduate studies and a member of the physics department, and Chris Hammel, also of the physics department, gave a presentation on selective investment as well. The physics department is one of the top 25 in the country and the selective investment money has helped its progress.

Selective investment has helped to create new research areas, including a new biophysics program.

“It was very clear that there was investment in the department and that it would be growing,” Hammel said about his decision to take his job at OSU.

Nancy H. Rogers, dean of the Moritz College of Law, gave her perspective of the impact of selective investment on the college. “Our incoming student credentials have grown more rapidly in the last two years than any other school in the Big Ten,” she said.

The College of Law has hired eight new faculty members in key areas through the selective investment initiative, including the hiring of Joshua Dressler in 2001, whom Rogers named as “one of the top five criminal lawyers in the country.”

Rogers cited the combined efforts of selective investments and donations from alumni as the reason for success in the College of Law.

Other portions of the meeting included OSU President Karen A. Holbrook’s monthly report, during which her main focus was the impact of the world situation on OSU’s 5,300 international students.

Holbrook said the Office of International Education is working with advisories to be in compliance with the government. Study abroad programs have been canceled in Israel, Jordan and Syria in light of travel warnings. There are international student organizations for foreign students to form an informal network.

In response to the state spending cuts on education, Holbrook said it is not an emergency, but it is difficult.

“A $7.7-million cut near the end of the budget period is not trivial; it’s very substantial,” Holbrook said.