Ohio State to spend $190,000 on offices for Gordon Gee

He will occupy suite as president emeritus

In June retiring Ohio State President Gordon Gee discussed his decision to leave in July. He will become president emeritus and a professor in the law school.

COLUMBUS — Ohio State University will construct a $190,000 suite of offices for former President Gordon Gee, who will serve as the newly minted president emeritus this summer.

Construction on Mr. Gee’s office suite is set to begin Aug. 1 and be completed Sept. 20, according to the OSU facilities operations and development project database. The office will be at the east end of the Oval in Page Hall, which houses offices and classrooms for the John Glenn school of public affairs.

University spokesman Gary Lewis said Mr. Gee has temporarily been using an office in the South Campus Gateway complex alongside other university, restaurant, and retail operations.

Mr. Gee, 69, announced in June he would step down from the university's top post after disparaging comments he made last year about other university officials publicly surfaced. His retirement, which began July 1, came four years before his contract expired and while the university is in the middle of a $2.5 billion fund-raising campaign.

The OSU Board of Trustees increased Mr. Gee’s annual base pay to $860,000 in November, 2012. His 2012 total compensation package, including bonuses and deferred pay, ranked him No. 3 highest-paid university president on the Chronicle of Higher Education’s annual list.

Mr. Gee’s contract grants him tenure in the law school and “president emeritus” status that comes with a stipend, secretary, and office for five years.

Mr. Lewis said the details of Mr. Gee's postpresidential duties and final compensation package are not yet finalized.

Mr. Gee also has not yet moved out of Pizzuti House, the university-owned residence in the Columbus suburb of Bexley.

Mr. Lewis said there is no timeline for setting Mr. Gee’s responsibilities or moving him from the residence.

Pizzuti House underwent $1.39 million in renovations plus added $673,000 worth of furniture, artwork and other decor before Mr. Gee moved there in spring 2008.