9 24 lantern page 1

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Tuesday September 24, 2013 year: 132 No. 73

the student voice of

The Ohio State University

www.thelantern.com

thelantern President Alutto guides OSU in ‘period of uncertainty’

sports

ANDREW TODD-SMITH AND DANIEL BENDTSEN Lantern reporters todd-smith.1@osu.edu and bendtsen.1@osu.edu Ohio State Interim President Joseph Alutto is leading the university during a “period of uncertainty,” he said Monday. Alutto sat down with The Lantern staff for the first time since assuming the interim presidency July 1, and touched on topics such as the search for a new university president, higher education affordability and off-campus safety. He said OSU must “continue to attract the very best students possible to this institution … (and) some of the very best new faculty we can to build off the staff we already have here who’ve established a foundation for excellence and eminence.” Building on the OSU brand is something Alutto plans to work on

6A

Urban to face the ‘King’

In the Buckeyes’ upcoming game against Wisconsin, coach Urban Meyer said the team is facing one of the Big Ten’s best.

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RITIKA SHAH / Asst. photo editor

Interim president Joseph Alutto speaks with The Lantern staff Sept. 23.

You don’t apply for a position like this.

during his tenure. That brand has in the past been tied to the image of former OSU President E. Gordon Gee. “Ultimately this is about Ohio State, not about who is the president,” Alutto said. University Presidency Alutto said since assuming the interim presidency, he has been well-received and supported by the community. “I haven’t had any difficulty,” he said. “Everyone has been very, very supportive. I’ve built up credibility with people over the years, and I’ve worked with all of our donors … None of this is new.” Alutto said it is unlikely his tenure as president will be permanent because he’s not actively seeking the position. “You don’t apply for a position like this,” he said. He said the university’s next president needs to be someone who has an appreciation for passionate OSU supporters. “We want somebody who embraces that, and who understands that’s one of the big advantages of being at Ohio State. It’s not just that we’re big, it’s that there is this passion for us among our alums that recognizes that it’s a very special university,” he said. He added a forward-thinking president is essential and part of his role as the interim president is to make sure the next president doesn’t have to worry about short-term problems.

continued as Alutto on 3A

Somali president: ‘You have to go out of the box’

4A

Party on, Columbus

One-man band Andrew W.K. is scheduled to play at A&R Music Bar Sept. 25.

campus

2A

Study digs into sport injury

An OSU researcher’s study found that athletes who only play one sport are 50 percent more likely to develop knee injuries.

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CAITLIN ESSIG Managing editor for content essig.21@osu.edu “Sometimes you need to go and see how life is going in other parts of the world, then only you can evaluate the one you have here.” When the president of Somalia visited Ohio State Monday, he tried to leave students with an international mindset. “You have to go out of the box, America is its own world,” said Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in a Monday interview with The Lantern. “You need to go to Africa and Asia, particularly Africa, where you will see how the bad politics lead the nations into very difficult circumstances.” Somalia is located on the Eastern coast of Africa. Mohamud was met by both supporters and protesters when he spoke to students, faculty and members of the community in a public lecture forum at the Ohio Union. Mohamud, who was named to “Time” magazine’s list of 100 most influential people in April, spoke for about an hour in a lecture co-sponsored by the Columbus Council on World Affairs, the Somali Students Association, OSU and other university groups.

Many of Mohamud’s talking points centered on education, which has been integrated into many aspects of his life. He attended Somali National University, was a lecturer there, helped start SIMAD University in Mogadishu, Somalia, and served as that university’s dean for 10 years. Mohamud was elected into the presidency Sept. 10, 2012, under the Peace and Development Party, which he founded. He said he wanted students who attended his lecture to remember one message. “What I want students to keep in mind is Somalia,” Mohamud said. “So (be) there, sit with the Somali students, share with them what the life looks (like) here and how the people who are learning in these universities, what future they are looking at, what possibilities they have, and how that’s similar to the possibilities that can happen (in Somalia).” Ilhan Dahir, a third-year in political science and English, introduced Mohamud before his speech on behalf of OSU’s Somali students. Following the speech, she said

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CAITLIN ESSIG / Managing editor for content

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud speaks at the Ohio Union Sept. 23.

Campus construction project about 3 months ahead of schedule CAMERON RODA Lantern reporter roda.7@osu.edu At least one construction project on Ohio State’s campus is nearly a fourth of a year ahead of schedule. The newly constructed Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Chemistry Building is set for a grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 1, 2014, about three months before its original estimated completion date, said Stuart Cooper, chair of the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department. Construction began on the $126 million project, located between 19th and Woodruff avenues, in June 2012 and is largely funded by the state of Ohio. The state provided more than $67 million through capital funding, according to budget information emailed to The Lantern by Integrated Physical Planning program manager Charles Finlay. OSU dedicated $25 million to the CBEC project from a central pool of funds senior leadership members can choose to dedicate to specific projects, while the remaining funds for the project were a blend of tuition dollars, philanthropy and grants, Vice Provost of Academic and Strategic Planning Michael Boehm said. The new CBEC is to be a two-building structure, featuring a traditional building and a connecting tower. The traditional building portion of CBEC will

SHELBY LUM / Photo editor

The Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Chemistry Building, located between 19th and Woodruff avenues, is set to be completed Oct. 1, 2014. host research and computer labs, design space for chemical engineers and a 117-seat auditorium. The auditorium is scheduled to open for classes in the 2015 spring semester, Cooper said. The tower portion of the building has six floors, five of which will house faculty and administrative offices. The sixth floor of the tower will become the Dow Student Lounge, filled with

space for students to study or relax, Cooper said. Dow Chemical Co. donated $1 million to the CBEC construction project. The connection between the two buildings will allow engineers to monitor the airflow of every floor in both of the buildings and correct any imbalances in energy usage, Susan Olesik, chair

continued as Construction on 3A 1A


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