Southern Ohio Police Training Institute accepting recruits

The Southern Ohio Police Training Institute of Ohio University-Chillicothe is accepting recruits for the Peace Officer Basic Training Program, which begins July 15 and continues through Dec. 20. The Application deadline is June 14.

Open interviews for the program will be held between 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on May 20 in room 110 of OU-C’s Technology and Business Development Center, 22 S. Pohlman Road, Chillicothe, 45601.

The interviews will include a basic overview of the academy, as well as dates, costs, physical fitness standards and other details.

Interested individuals should bring a driver’s license and Social Security card, official high school and college transcripts and a competed enrollment packet, which is available online at www.chillicothe.ohiou.edu/sopti.

For more information, contact Academy Commander Christopher Jones at (740) 774-7286 or jonesc@ohio.edu.

OU-C golfers place third in state tourney

The OU-C golf team concluded their season by finishing third at the Ohio Regional Campus State Tournament.  Akron Wayne won the tournament, which was shortened to 27 holes because of inclement weather, with a total score of 462 with Miami Hamilton finishing second at 468 and OU-C third at 480. Ohio State Newark was fourth at 483.  Cameron McKimmy and Tyler Tetley led OU-C with 27-hole totals of 117. 

Campus’ energy conservation efforts are paying dividends

OU-C’s ability to conserve energy is garnering recognition for the campus. The Chillicothe Campus recently earned a certificate of recognition from American Electric Power (AEP) for its commitment to energy efficiency and savings incentives among businesses in 2012.

According to AEP, the campus is saving 196,349 kilowatt hours of electricity annually, which translates to 164.9 tons of carbon dioxide, the amount that would be generated by 165 single-family homes. This savings is equivalent to taking 31 cars off of the road or the growth of 3,843 tree seedlings for 10 years.

The campus has achieved this success through a practical approach to energy efficiency and conservation that includes a series of initiatives that put its commitment to energy conservation into action.

“Much of savings can be attributed to smarter, more efficient energy usage,” Director of Facilities Management Dave Scott said. “The campus has taken several common-sense steps over the past few years that have resulted in more efficient use of energy and, consequently, more savings.”

Among the initiatives are practical measures such the use of automated building control systems that shut off heating and cooling systems between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. when campus buildings are generally unoccupied. The temperatures in the buildings at night are offset by four degrees. For example, with 72 degrees as a target temperature during business hours, buildings are maintained at 68 degrees during off-hours in the winter and at 76 degrees in the summer.

Also, a variable frequency drive system has been installed, which allows equipment to be ramped up gradually instead of all at once, thereby using less amperage and saving energy.

These green initiatives are reflected in the green currency of money and the campus’ fiscal bottom line. For example, OU-C spent $1.1 million in maintenance and operations in fiscal year 2012 (which ended June 30, 2012). Through March 2013, the campus spent $587,000 on operations during that nine-month fiscal period. This puts OU-C on pace for savings of $317,000, or 29 percent over the previous fiscal year. The campus has also earned $5,700 in rebates from AEP, resulting in additional savings.

The Chillicothe Campus also saved $3,800 in gas costs over a recent six-month period.

“This is real money and allows the campus to invest in its strategic priorities and other areas of campus rather than everyday operational expenses such as heating and cooling,” Scott said.

Additionally, the campus has partnered with First Capital Enterprises on recycling efforts that are targeted at reducing waste. This effort resulted in a total collection of 84.15 tons of recyclable materials and trash being collected over six months, from January through June of 2012. The campus also extends the recycling effort to the community through the placement of bins in the parking lot.

Beyond the accolades and the numbers, being good stewards of its resources is the right thing to do.

“The main thing is, as a university campus, we should be a community leader in conservation efforts. It supports our mission of serving our region and setting a tone for our students to hopefully follow,” Scott said.

Management Leadership Series webinars capture spirit of Technology and Business Development Center

A webinar series hosted by OU-C this academic year captures the spirit of the Technology and Business Development Center in which the series was held. The Management Leadership Series featured insights from experts with various viewpoints and was designed to help individuals, particularly small business owners, gain the practical insights they need to succeed.

A central purpose of the center, which became operational in January 2012, is to provide students and area residents access to the insights, resources and support they need to put their concepts in motion and possibly launch their own business ventures. In this manner, the facility upholds its mission of serving its students and serving its region by stimulating the regional economy and supporting job growth.

The center also is focused on the impact of partnerships with organizations that share a similar focus. The Management Leadership Series also mirrors this concept. The series is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Ohio Department of Development. Other sponsors include the Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce, Ohio University-Chillicothe, Kingston National Bank, the Ohio State University South Centers and the state of Ohio Small Business Development Center.

OU-C Assistant Professor of Business Tanya Hire incorporated the series into her upper-level leadership special topics class by having students attend the discussions.

“The topic that has been discussed during the presentations this semester, innovation, is very contemporary and relevant for organizations in any industry today,” Hire said. “Having the students attend these types of events allows them to connect our classroom discussions to the real world and be exposed to a variety of industries and companies and get a sense of what is happening in organizations today.  It is also beneficial to the students in preparing them and introducing them to the concept of lifelong learning. I try to stress the importance of taking advantage of these types of events once they get to the ‘real world.’”

Jeremy Riley, an applied management major from Logan Elm High School, found the webinars useful. “The webinars were very interesting and led to a great project that we completed in Ms. Hire’s class,” he said. “The first webinar that we sat through, I did my project on Southwest Airlines, which the lady spoke about.  The second webinar that we sat through, I found even more interesting. The speaker talked a lot about marketing which interests me.  I think, in going forward, the webinars are a great idea for future classes.”

Hire indicates that she plans to blend the webinar series into future courses, such as the Managing Strategically in the Future capstone course, as well as the leadership special topics class.