Ohio Moves To Create Second Land-Grant College

A proposal being prepared in the Ohio Senate would convey potentially lucrative land-grant status on a second Ohio university, the historically black Central State University. Such a move would open up the school to federal money for agriculture research and construction. It comes 122 years after a similar attempt was scuttled by former U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes. Senate Finance Chairman Chris Widener, a Springfield Republican, says he's been working for months on the plan. Details are due out Tuesday, with Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee scheduled to attend. Ohio State has been Ohio's only land-grant university since 1870. Hayes sat on Ohio State's board after leaving the presidency, and in 1890 he discouraged giving Central State land-grant status because of a lack of federal money.