A president of Ohio State University’s past is returning to campus to help advance one of the school’s newest learning centers.
Former university President E. Gordon Gee will take on a one-year consulting role at Ohio State, which will include working with the new Salmon P. Chase Center by recruiting faculty and increasing the center’s presence on campus and nationally, according to a copy of Gee’s university contract obtained by The Dispatch.
According to an Aug. 19 Ohio State press release, Gee will generally act as a resource for university leaders in advancing “their strategic priorities.” He will report directly to Executive Vice President and Provost Ravi V. Bellamkonda and engage with leaders of the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, Moritz College of Law and Chase Center.
Through these three collaborations, Gee’s contract says he will provide support, advice and open dialogue with programs and institutions nationwide that may be interested in working with the university. The contract goes on to mention Gee will further advance the Chase Center by working with its director, Lee Strang.
Gee was Ohio State’s 11th president from 1990-1998, then its 14th president from 2007-2013, according to the release.
Gee can make up to $150,000 in his role, according to his contract. He and Bellamkonda will mutually agree upon specific deliverables that must be accomplished throughout his one-year term, with three deadlines set for Oct. 31; Feb. 27, 2026 and July 31, 2026.
Gee will receive three installments of $50,000 based on his on-time completion of these deliverables, the contract states.
When asked what specific “strategic priorities” Gee will assist with, university spokesperson Ben Johnson said Gee’s role will involve missions outlined in current university President Ted Carter Jr.’s 10-year strategic plan, Education for Citizenship 2035. Though the plan was announced in November and launched in July, Carter will shed more light on its details at his State of the University address in September.
The Chase Center, an “intellectual diversity” center created through the passage of Senate Bill 117, was established to promote civil discourse and prevent leftist ideology from “replacing the lessons of history” on college campuses, according to a news release from Sen. Jerry Cirino, R-Kirtland, one of SB 117’s sponsors.
The center has garnered controversy on campus, with Ohio State faculty raising questions and concerns about its autonomy on campus, long-term funding and programming, as previously reported by The Dispatch.
Beyond the Buckeyes, Gee has served as president for four other universities, including Vanderbilt University, Brown University, the University of Colorado and West Virginia University, which he recently left after 11 years in the role, the release states.
“I am honored that President Carter asked me to return to Ohio State during my sabbatical leave from West Virginia University,” Gee said in the release. “Ohio State has played an extraordinary role in my life as have the people of Ohio, and to be able to serve the university in an advisory capacity is a great privilege.”
Dayton Daily News previously reported that during his second term with Ohio State, Gee spent $7.77 million in travel, entertainment and other discretionary expenses between October 2007 and June 2012. Separately, Gee was compensated $1.9 million a year, plus a car, house and charter jet access.
When compared to presidents at other large universities, Gee was the highest-paid CEO of a public university in the country during his second tenure, with Dayton Daily News reporting that he made a total of $8.6 million in salary and compensation between October 2007 and September 2012.
Gee will also meet with students and faculty to offer “support, advice and perspectives on higher education,” participate in classroom discussions and attend public university events, according to the release.
“We have an exciting vision for Ohio State to define the future of higher education, and we can only benefit from having experienced leadership voices around the table,” university President Ted Carter said in the release. “Gordon knows Ohio State well and will bring valuable insights to our conversations. I am pleased to welcome him to campus.”
Reporter Emma Wozniak can be reached at ewozniak@dispatch.com or @emma_wozniak_ on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Gordon Gee’s Ohio State return connected to new ‘intellectual diversity’ center, contract reveals
Reporting by Emma Wozniak, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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