Major initiatives

Through innovative funding, administrative efficiencies and careful resource stewardship, Ohio State is actively committed to innovative approaches to support our mission as a leading national flagship research university. Operational excellence and resource stewardship is a key focus of the strategic plan.

New Resource Generation

  • Comprehensive Energy Management Project - The 2017 partnership has provided $1.165 billion for the university, launched an unprecedented sustainability program to improve energy efficiency 25 percent within 10 years; and established Ohio State as an international leader in sustainability. An endowment established with proceeds of the partnership is funding the Buckeye Opportunity Program, which ensures that all Ohio students who qualify for Pell Grants receive an aid package that covers the full cost of tuition and mandatory fees.  (Learn more) (link is external)

  • Nike contract extension - Ohio State’s 2016 athletic and academic agreement has a total value of more than $252 million, with more than $41 million devoted to support non-athletic initiatives. The contract funded a $10 million endowment that supports the University Institute for Teaching and Learning and includes support for student scholarships, 90 internships over the life of the contract and other student benefits. 

  • Coca-Cola extension - In 2018, the university extended its pouring-rights agreement with Coca-Cola for another 15 years. With a total projected value of $84.7 million, the contact provides funds to support student initiatives and strategic priorities, including scholarships, student discovery projects, educational initiatives and internships. (Learn more)

  • Parking lease - The 2012 lease of the university's parking system generated $483 million that Ohio State has devoted to endowments supporting student scholarships, faculty positions, the Arts District and a sustainable campus transportation system. (Learn more) (link is external)
  • Affinity agreements: The university's relationships with Huntington (2012) and other partners have generated more than $139 million in support for the university, as well as internship opportunities for students and other benefits.

New resource generation at The Ohio State University

Highlights

Ohio State has generated more than $2 billion in recent years to our academic mission through innovative funding approaches.

These funds are supporting student scholarships, faculty positions, teaching excellence and other key priorities.

Operational Excellence at The Ohio State University

Highlights

More than 15,000 Ohio State students are receiving President's Affordability Grants each year with funding from administrative efficiencies.

Operational excellence

  • Operational efficiencies - The university has funded $85 million in President's Affordability Grants through efficiencies in our administrative offices over four years. These grants provide financial aid to more than 15,000 low- and moderate-income Ohioans at our Columbus and regional campuses. 
  • Strategic procurement - Since fiscal 2012, Ohio State’s strategic procurement program has produced cumulative savings of $689 million by utilizing the university’s buying power to drive both savings and quality enhancements. Our strategy has been to increase usage of university contracts, consolidate to master vendors in each category and negotiate best-in-class pricing. In addition, our contracts emphasize increased service levels and academic benefits such as student internships or research opportunities. (Purchasing website)

  • OE@OSU - Our dedicated efficiency experts identify opportunities where the university can save money, add more value or otherwise improve how we do our work. The OE@OSU program is actively training leaders throughout the university in operational excellence techniques, so the university's efficiency team now includes more than 900 individuals who have been trained or are undergoing training. OE@OSU projects saved or avoided $96 million and eliminated nearly 225,000 hours of non-value-added work since FY15. (Read more)

Other innovation and resource stewardship

  • Shelf-like registration process: Ohio State established an innovative strategy for issuing municipal bonds that has provided the university with enhanced flexibility over the timing and structure of bond issues. In 2017, this strategy was named Bond Buyer’s Midwest Deal of the Year and in 2017, it allowed the university to save money by moving quickly to issue general receipts bonds

  • Century Bonds: In 2011, Ohio State became the first public university to issue "Century Bonds" - financial that locks in low interest rates for 100 years. The university's $500 million bond issue provides a stable source of capital funding. (Read story

Financial Innovation at The Ohio State University