Miami University Government Relations Network

On December 3, President Crawford, Director of Institutional Relations Randi Malcolm Thomas, Esq., and students Collin Finn and Taylor Armstrong traveled to Portsmouth to visit Shawnee State University to tour the Kricker Innovation Hub and connect with local business owners. 

Collin Finn, Taylor Armstrong, and Director Randi Malcolm Thomas, Esq. stand in front of one of Portsmouth’s famous floodwall murals.

Miami University students, along with Director Randi Thomas and Dean of Libraries Jerome Conley visited the nation’s capitol on December 19 to update legislators and staff on Miami’s commitment to quality education. Topics of discussion included Miami’s Work+ program, and the John W. Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship’s impressive ranking in the Princeton Review. Also discussed was Miami’s impressive ranking for return on investment by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, in which Miami’s Oxford, Hamilton, and Middletown campuses occupied the top three rankings in the State of Ohio. 

Miami University Students meet with Congressman Brad Wenstrup during the December fly-in.

On January 8, President Greg Crawford and Director Thomas participated in a conference call with Jobs Ohio regarding the Elm Street project, which will be a TECH Innovation Hub. The two then traveled to the Ohio Governor’s Mansion on January 10 to visit with Governor Mike DeWine ‘69 to discuss collaboration to advance Ohio and its economy with talent and creative ideas.

President Greg Crawford, Laurel Dawson, Gov. Mike DeWine, and Director Randi Malcolm Thomas, Esq. meet at the Ohio Governor’s Mansion.

President Crawford and Director Thomas visited the nation’s capitol on January 15, talking with legislators, staff, and the House Small Business Committee about Miami’s plans to build a new TECH Innovation Hub. They discussed the university’s role in innovation and strategies with businesses for economic development with urban and rural revitalization. They also visited with CBS News Chief Justice and Homeland Security Correspondent Jeff Pegues ‘92.

CBS Chief Justice and Homeland Security Correspondent Jeff Pegues ‘92 meets with Director Randi Malcolm Thomas, Esq.

Legislation Tracking

Bill	Summary/Title	Last Action	Sponsors
HB310	Greek Life Anti-Bullying and Hazing Act	9/24/19Referred to House Primary & Secondary Education Committee	Greenspan (R)
HB194/SB111	Legalize/Regulate sports gaming/taxing sports gaming business (college sports betting)	4/10/19Referred to House Finance Committee	Greenspan (R) and Kelly (D)
SB181	Work +, Template for workforce education partnership program	11/12/19Passed Senate, Introduced in House	Coley (R)