[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17112]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE LEADERSHIP AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF KAREN HOLBROOK DURING 
        HER TENURE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DAVID L. HOBSON

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 21, 2007

  Mr. HOBSON. Madam Speaker, it is a distinct honor for the central 
Ohio delegation to rise today to commend the leadership and 
accomplishments of Karen Holbrook during her tenure as the president of 
the Ohio State University. Holbrook became Ohio State's 13th president 
in October, 2002, and has served the University and the greater 
university community nobly for 5 years by guiding Ohio State towards 
ever-increasing prominence in research initiatives and funding, higher 
academic standards, and enhanced community partnerships.
  Ohio State has steadily risen in national rankings of universities 
since 2002, climbing to 19th among the nation's public universities in 
U.S. News and World Report's 2007 edition of ``America's Best 
Colleges.'' Under Holbrook's watch, the quality of the student body has 
also increased dramatically. Fifty-two percent of Ohio State's incoming 
freshmen in the fall of 2007 are expected to be in the top 10 percent 
of their high school class and 90 percent will be in the top 25 
percent. Average ACT scores have also increased. Thanks to better-
prepared incoming students and a nationally recognized First-Year 
Experience program, freshman-sophomore retention has risen to 91.5 
percent, well above the average among similar universities.
  The completion of the South Campus Gateway project, a mixed-use 
development of retail, entertainment, offices and housing, has 
revitalized the edge of campus through the Campus Partners initiative. 
These improvements have enhanced student life, revitalized an urban 
neighborhood and provided high-quality destinations for the campus 
community and visitors alike.
  With annual research expenditures now at $652 million a year, Ohio 
State is ranked 8th among public research universities in the nation by 
the National Science Foundation based on the amount of sponsored 
research. Also, the University has risen from 5th to 3rd among public 
universities in industry-sponsored research. Holbrook presided over the 
creation of the Undergraduate Research Office to encourage and enable 
undergraduate students to connect to research projects as part of their 
educational experience. As a result, more than 300 students now 
participate in the annual Denman Undergraduate Forum.
  Finally Holbrook has led the University into strong partnerships in 
the community, especially with renowned research institute Battelle, 
which includes the Metro High School for students interested in 
science, technology, engineering and math, the Urban Arts Center, 
WOSU@COSI (a collaboration of the university's public media stations 
and the Center for Science and Industry), and the Battelle Center for 
Mathematics and Science Education Policy at the John Glenn School of 
Public Affairs. These partnerships and initiatives are already bearing 
fruit, and their impact and importance will only increase down the 
road.
  It is truly a pleasure to have worked with President Holbrook over 
the last five years and to have joined her in efforts that increased 
the prominence and reputation of a great institution. The Ohio State 
University is a better place because of Holbrook's leadership, and for 
that, all Buckeyes are forever in her debt. Go Bucks. Beat Michigan.

                          ____________________