The Board of Trustees announced a new $100 million scholarship fund for Ohio State students, approved increased football and men’s basketball ticket prices and approved the creation of a new affiliate at its meeting Friday.
The Ohio Scholarship Challenge will support undergraduate students from Ohio by finding individuals and groups to both donate and raise funds to be matched by the university through its “But for Ohio State” campaign.
The “But for Ohio State” campaign is an OSU fundraising initiative with the goal of raising $2.5 billion, according to a university press release.
OSU football head coach Urban Meyer and men’s basketball head coach Thad Matta are co-chairing the Ohio Scholarship Challenge.
Meyer said he likes the idea of helping students both in school and afterward.
“We are on a mission to not only graduate (students) but to place them in jobs,” he said.
Meyer was also at the meeting to receive an honor for the undefeated football season.
Board of Trustees chairman Robert Schottenstein said that since OSU is a land grant university, it must provide access, affordability and a quality education first and foremost for the people of Ohio.
The Board also passed a football and men’s basketball ticket price increase.
Football tickets will cost $2 more for student tickets, $4 more for faculty and staff and $7 more for the public. There will also be up to two “premier games” per year where tickets will be priced between $79 and maximums of $125 and $150 for the two games, or a maximum of $175 for a single game.
The Sept. 28 game against Wisconsin in upcoming season is the first to be designated a premier game, according to athletic director Gene Smith.
Basketball conference game ticket prices increased $1 per student ticket, $4.50 per faculty and staff lower bowl ticket, $3 per faculty and staff upper bowl ticket, $6 per personal seat license (PSL) in the lower bowl and $4 per PSL in the upper bowl.
Up to five home games can also be established as “premier games” with higher priced tickets.
The board established an affiliate named Partners Achieving Community Transformation to help with the reconstruction of the Near East Side of Columbus, located between downtown and Bexley.
The Near East Side is home to University Hospital East and CarePoint East.
OSU has committed $10 million and a 10-year investment to the project, which will “recreate a vibrant and thriving community in the Near East Side,” according to the meeting’s agenda.
