At its meeting on September 10, 2004, Ohio University's Board of Trustees authorized the establishment of the Astrophysical Institute (ApI). The creation of the ApI recognizes the growth in astrophysical research at the university and will facilitate plans to increase Ohio University's national and international reputation in this field.

The astrophysics group in the Department of Physics and Astronomy has improved the university's astronomy curriculum, involved increasing numbers of undergraduate and graduate students in research, and forged a vigorous collaboration of faculty with active research programs that make use of major telescopes around the world and in space. In a press release describing the Trustee's actions, Vice President for Research Jack Bantle noted that "the astrophysics faculty has a proven record of successfully competing in the national arena for federal funding and for access to premier research facilities." Activities of the new Institute will be supported by funding from the the National Science Foundation and NASA.