Ohio State will award Chase Meola, a fifth-year in marketing, who was killed Oct. 11 a posthumous Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Dec. 13. Credit: Owen Milnes | Campus Producer
Chase Meola will be awarded a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, which the Academic Affairs, Student Life and Research Committee approved Wednesday.
Meola, a fifth-year in marketing, was killed Oct. 11 near an off-campus party. His degree, recommended to be granted posthumously by the Fisher College of Business, will be awarded during spring commencement. The committee also heard recommendations from the University Task Force on Community Safety and Wellbeing that was created after Meola’s death at the meeting Wednesday.
“Our hearts go out to Chase’s family,” Executive Vice President and Provost Bruce McPheron said.
The University Task Force on Community Safety and Wellbeing presented three recommendation focus areas including safety awareness and education, enhanced security measures, and outreach and engagement efforts, Vice President for Student Life Melissa Shivers said.
“During the course of our review, each meeting resulted in a deep dive to review both current crime prevention and education resources as well as safety issues on campus and in neighborhoods near the university,” Shivers said. “The task force also provided four virtual feedback sessions with students and their families.”
Recommendations included specific action steps such as enhancing implicit bias and cultural diversity training currently being conducted within University Police, increasing the staffing of University Police to allow for a 24/7 joint patrol with Columbus Police, and expanding off-campus surveillance by adding additional cameras, according to a release.
Implementation of the task force’s recommendations is planned for December.
The new general education curriculum moved into the implementation phase after the Council of Academic Affairs approved the plan Oct. 21, McPheron said. The new plan will require 32-39 hours of general education requirements across three categories: thematic pathways, foundations courses and bookend courses.
“The new structure will provide students with a strong educational grounding and far more flexibility to pursue second majors, minors or electives,” McPheron said.
The foundations courses will be available by fall 2021 with the full curriculum in effect by fall 2022, McPheron said.
The committee also approved the creation of a clinical/teaching/practice appointment type in the College of Arts and Sciences for non-tenure-track instructors. The Master of Education in Agricultural and Extension Education was renamed the Master of Education in Agriscience.
The Department of Theater was renamed to the Department of Theater, Film and Media Arts. The Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science was renamed to the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences.
Resolutions are subject to final board approval Thursday.
Editor’s note: An original version of this story stated Meola would be awarded the posthumous degree during Autumn 2020 commencement, as stated in the committee meeting’s agenda; the degree will instead be awarded during Spring 2021 commencement. The Meola family requested the degree be conferred in the spring after the deadline for Board of Trustee materials.
