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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 23, 2001

Contact:
Terry Hapney, Director of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3112; FAX: (740) 351-3179
E-mail: thapney@shawnee.edu    

SSU Professor to Give Lecture Thursday About Anthrax

             Dr. Eugene Burns, a microbiology professor in the Department of Natural Sciences at Shawnee State University, will give a lecture about anthrax at 4 p.m. on Thursday, October 25 in the Flohr Lecture Hall located in the Clark Memorial Library on the SSU campus in Portsmouth.

Anthrax, which is dominating the headlines these days, can cause a deadly disease in humans. Terrorists are attempting to spread the deadly agent through the mail.

Gary Gemmer, chair of the Department of Natural Sciences at SSU, said the Department is sponsoring this lecture through a grant from the Shawnee State University Development Foundation.

“This is an opportunity for area residents to learn more about this microbiological agent and the effects it has on humans,” he said.

For more information, call the Department at (740) 351-3456.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 31, 2001

Contact:
Terry Hapney, Director of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3112; FAX: (740) 351-3179
E-mail: thapney@shawnee.edu    

Blanchard Promoted At SSU

Jerry Blanchard of Russell was recently promoted to project director of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers at Shawnee State University.  The Centers are 36 school sites located throughout a three-county area, providing approximately 6,000 students in the “After-School Mall” a variety of free, fun-filled educational activities. 

The mission of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers is to provide a safe and drug-free before/after school environment with recreational, cultural, and academically enriched experiences involving parents and the community. 

Blanchard said that each 21st CCLC program is funded for a three-year period.

“We hope to extend the grant in the future to include more sites for an additional three-year period,” he said.  

            Blanchard, who worked in the Russell School District for 29 years, was principal of Russell High School for 11 years (1982-1993).  During the four years preceding his retirement from the Russell Schools, he was the technology coordinator and handled extended school services at the county office.  He also coordinated the school district's intern program.   

Ginnie Moore, director of the Office of University Outreach Services at SSU, said the 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative in southern Ohio is enjoying the benefit of Blanchard's years of experience as an educational leader.

“We are fortunate to have him with us.  We are very proud of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program and the great job Jerry is doing.” 

Blanchard said his position with the 21st Century Community Learning Center at SSU has allowed him to extend his career in education and experience the trend in education for the 21st century. 

“This program through the Office of University Outreach Services at SSU has given me the opportunity to participate in a quality program to provide students in southern Ohio an enriched academic environment to enhance their future success,” he said.  “The state of Ohio is fortunate to have many dedicated educators who are willing to extend their workday and make a difference in the lives of these students.” 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 10, 2001

Contact:
Terry Hapney, Director of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3112; FAX: (740) 351-3179
E-mail: thapney@shawnee.edu      

SSU Board of Trustees
To Meet October 12

            The Shawnee State University Board of Trustees will meet Friday, October 12 at 1:15 p.m. in the Selby Board Room located in the Clark Memorial Library on the SSU campus.

            The committees of the Board will meet in the University Center at SSU as follows:

·        Finance and Facilities—9:15 a.m. in the Ketter Room;

·        Quality of University Life—9:45 a.m. in the Howard Room;

·        Academic Affairs—10 a.m. in the Founders’ Room.


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 12, 2001

Contact:
Terry Hapney, Director of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3112; FAX: (740) 351-3179
E-mail: thapney@shawnee.edu      

SHAWNEE STATE UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
ACTIONS AND BUSINESS FROM OCTOBER 12 MEETING

            At its October 12 meeting, the Shawnee State University Board of Trustees:

  • Directed the University to solicit requests for proposals from professional executive search companies or consultants, in the Presidential Search, in accordance with existing policies and to report to the Board a list of qualified bidders and their fees.  The Board of Trustees requests two nominees each from the SGA, CWA, USA, SEA, UFS, and UAA, for the purpose of forming a Presidential Search Advisory Committee as provided in Board policy 1.02.;

·         Approved the waiving of lab fees for non-credit classes for senior citizens, effective winter quarter 2002;

·         Approved the direction of an administrative review of Board Policy 4.54, Administrative Development Policy, and the continued funding of the policy contingent upon the President consulting with the University Administrative Assembly and recommending a new tuition reimbursement policy consistent with the resolution, the University’s core mission, and the practices of peer institutions not later than the Board meeting in February 2002;

·         Approved the submission of an Early English Composition Assessment Program and Supplemental Funding Student Support Services Grant proposals.  Approved the submission of the Ohio Appalachian Education Opportunity Center (EOC) and Educational Talent Search (ETS) Grant renewals;

·         Approved the establishment of a part-time, temporary administrative position in the Department of Teacher Education to support the TERC grant; and

·         Approved personnel action items.

The next meeting of the Shawnee State University Board of Trustees will be December 13 at 4 p.m., in the Selby Board Room of the Clark Memorial Library on the campus of Shawnee State University.  The next meeting of the executive committee of the SSU Board of Trustees will be November 13 at 4 p.m. in the Founders’ Room located in the University Center on the SSU campus.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 12, 2001

Contact:
Terry Hapney, Director of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3112; FAX: (740) 351-3179
E-mail: thapney@shawnee.edu    

George Clayton, chairman of the Shawnee State University Board of Trustees, administers the oath of office to Suzanne Brumfield, SSU's new student member of the BOT, at the Board's October 12 meeting. Brumfield, an occupational therapy junior from Portsmouth, will serve a term through June 2003.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2001

Contact:
Terry Hapney, Director of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3112; FAX: (740) 351-3179
E-mail: thapney@shawnee.edu      

SSU CHEERLEADERS EXCEL AT CAMP

The Shawnee State University cheerleaders and mascot recently attended the UCA College Spirit Camp at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and were very successful during their time there. 

The group learned new cheers and stunts, and participated in several evaluations and competitions judged by the UCA staff.  They were rewarded for their hard work by bringing home one "Excellent" ribbon, three "Superior" ribbons, a fourth place trophy for "Sideline Cheer" competition, the "Leadership" trophy for their division, and the trophy for "Most Improved Mascot". 

Coach Amy Reed was pleased with her squad's performance.

"Cheer camp is a very intense, grueling three days with the competitions held at the end when the cheerleaders are all tired and sore.  Our cheerleaders really pulled together when it counted and they were rewarded for it by being able bring home trophies and ribbons,” she said.  “The Bear also spent many hours in uniform learning new skills to add spirit and fun to the games.  Anyone who comes to our games this year will really enjoy the entertainment he will add to the game atmosphere." 

The campus and Portsmouth communities will have their first chance to see the 2001 squad perform at the annual "Moonlight Madness,” held each fall to spotlight SSU's fall sports teams and kick off the basketball season.  This year’s event will be November 15 at 7 p.m. in the gymnasium of the Rhodes Athletic Center on the SSU campus. 

Front:  Sheena Wallace - Ironton, OH
Row 1 (l to r) :  Amanda Jones - West Union, OH, Ashley Caudill - McArthur, OH, Jessica Carr - Gallipolis Ferry, WV, Marcy See - Portsmouth, OH, Anna Strange - New Lebanon, OH
Row 2 :  Courtney Peck - Danville, OH, Kami Post - North Lewisburg, OH, Deana Reedy - Sciotoville, OH, Jessica Cooper - Portsmouth, OH, Lanika Freeman - Chillicothe, OH, DeAnn Mareena Lotspeich - Wheelersburg, OH
Back :   Kevin Bauer - Wheelersburg, OH, "The Bear" - Shawnee State University, Megan Diamond - Wheelersburg, OH

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 16, 2001

Contact:
Terry Hapney, Director of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3112; FAX: (740) 351-3179
E-mail: thapney@shawnee.edu    

Children's Learning Center's "2nd Birthday Party

Members of the media are invited to the Shawnee State University Children's Learning Center's (CLC) "2nd Birthday Party," Thursday, October 18, from 10 a.m. to noon at the CLC located at the corner of Third and Union streets on the SSU campus in Portsmouth.

This event will serve as the celebration for the second anniversary of the CLC's opening.  Shawnee State University's interim president Dr. Michael Field will unveil a beautiful wall of tiles containing the names of the many individuals who gave money to the facility, in addition to artwork containing a children's theme.

Children who are enrolled in the CLC, donors whose names will appear on the tiles, local school district administrators, parents of the many children who are enrolled at the early childhood facility, early childhood teachers, agency personnel, and members of the community will be in attendance.

This event will provide many great photo and video opportunities,

illustrating an important element in our society-the educating of children ages three to five years of age, interacting with their teachers, parents, donors, and members of the community.

The majority of children at the CLC are the children of SSU students.  This is mainly for what the facility was designed.  However, others include the children of faculty, staff, and members of the community.    The facility also serves as a lab school for the SSU Department of Teacher Education.  Ohio's new early childhood license for teachers requires that teacher education students' field hours must be with certified teachers.  Because only some preschools require their teachers to be certified, the number of potential field sites is limited.  The Children's Learning Center has an experienced director and three certified teachers, allowing the University to house its own field site that meets the state's criteria.

For more information about the event, please send me an e-mail message or give me a call.  I hope to see you on October 18!

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2001

Contact:
Terry Hapney, Director of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3112; FAX: (740) 351-3179
E-mail: thapney@shawnee.edu    

Enrollment Up at SSU; Statewide Budget Cuts Inevitable

             There was good news and bad news from Shawnee State University’s interim president Dr. Michael Field as he addressed the institution’s faculty, administrators, staff, and students Thursday afternoon at the University’s quarterly convocation. 

 The good news is that SSU has experienced a healthy increase in enrollment over last year.  The bad news reflects continuing budget woes at the statewide level that translate to a 6 percent budget cut at SSU and a comprehensive hiring freeze.

 Fall headcount enrollment at SSU is 3,364, up 84 students or 2.6 percent.  Overall Full Time Equivalent (FTE) enrollment is 2,879, up 103 students or 3.7 percent.  Subsidy eligible FTE, probably the most significant figure, is up approximately 3.9 percent or 96 FTE students.   

             The University’s student population has also seen a shift in the time of day the majority of its students attend classes. 

             “SSU has become a more traditional university in that 85.5 percent of our students attend classes during the day,” Field said.  “When you consider this and the fact that for the last two years we have seen more students receive baccalaureate degrees than associate degrees at SSU’s commencement, it is clear SSU has become a traditional university.”

 In addition, Bob Trusz, SSU’s director of admission, said SSU has seen an increase in total new students, those seeking degrees, those direct from high school, and transfer students.  The average ACT composite scores of students attending the University has increased during the last two years, from 18.8 in the fall of 1999, to 19.0 last fall, and finally 19.6 this fall.

             Field discussed Governor Bob Taft’s Executive Order (2001-22T) that was issued on Tuesday, ordering the Executive Branch, and all state agencies, departments, offices, institutions, boards, and commissions of the executive branch that have General Revenue Fund appropriations, to cut their budgets back, limit the hiring of or the filling of vacancies to essential employees, and to take other appropriate steps to reduce expenditures.  The order is expected to remain in effect until June 30, 2002.

             Shawnee State University’s special supplement was previously cut $523,000 each year of the current biennium.  Now the University faces a retroactive cut of 6 percent of state appropriation, due to Ohio’s budget problems.   

             “This will translate to an additional budget cut for us of approximately $900,000 this year and also next year,” Field said.  “The cut may well be greater.  Cuts in higher education amount to half of the entire state agency cut.”

             On top of this, Field said the decision made in the DeRolph case (K-12 funding issue) might bring even greater cuts to higher education in Ohio.

             To counter the state budget cuts, Field said SSU has declared a comprehensive hiring freeze.  The exceptions are grant-funded positions, appropriate use of adjunct instructors, and positions that are determined to be absolutely essential.  Field said he and SSU’s vice presidents are reviewing other possible cost-saving measures.

             “We will certainly be looking to the University’s governance and committee structure to review and make recommendations about a whole range of possible steps,” Field said.  “We will do everything possible to avoid any layoffs.  In fact, we are looking at a number of other ways to handle this.”

             Field said University personnel must move ahead together, with a spirit of cooperation and recognition of shared responsibility for the health of the University.

             “The budget challenge is really very serious.  These problems call for everyone to contribute their good judgment, common sense, and intelligence to finding solutions,” he said.

             Field added that the University has recognized that the budget problems it faces due to the statewide budget problems are immediate and serious, and called for both immediate steps to reduce spending and a longer-term plan to close the gap between revenue and expenditures.

             “Shawnee State University has weathered tough budget times before.  We have a positive enrollment picture, a talented and dedicated faculty and staff, and great students.  If we can work together and move ahead together, we will be fine,” he said.  “It is my intention that the difficult, budget decisions we face will be made together.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 2, 2001

Contact:
Terry Hapney, Director of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3112; FAX: (740) 351-3179
E-mail: thapney@shawnee.edu      

SSU Dental Hygiene Program
Attains 100 Percent Passage Rate 
On National Boards

One hundred percent of the graduates in the class of 2001 from the Shawnee State University Department of Dental Hygiene successfully completed the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination.  In addition, the average score for the clinical portion of the Northeast Regional Board’s Dental Hygiene Examination was 99 percent. 

Nancy Murray, program director and assistant professor of dental hygiene, said this is an outstanding accomplishment, and the faculty and staff are very proud of this class.

Our passing rate, as far as the national boards go, is very good.  The class average was 99 percent on clinical examinations this year.  We always score high but this class did exceptionally well,” Murray said.

Murray believes the success the department has experienced is a combination of two things—a reflection on the quality of students who are enrolled in the program and the quality of instruction they receive at Shawnee State University. 

“We are probably one of the few schools that provides close, individualized attention.  We are very accessible to our students.  And that’s well received by them,” she said.

One such student was Amanda Johnson of Beaver, Ohio, a June 2001, graduate of the SSU Dental Hygiene program.  Johnson, who works as a dental hygienist at Ohio Dental Family Center in Columbus (a facility that features three dentists, an orthodontist, and an oral surgeon), said she believes the SSU program is the best around. 

“I have not attended another school.  However, I have heard things from other hygienists and people who have attended other schools, and heard about the other programs.  I think the SSU program is one of the best.  I think it definitely prepared me for my job,” Johnson said. 

Graduating June 15, going through an interview July 2, and beginning work in her new position on July 17, Johnson has been working hard in an office that stays very busy. 

“We have three dentists here, and I always have a patient.  I am always going from patient to patient.  I felt prepared from my first day here.  I never felt I was getting into something that I wasn’t sure about.  I felt like I was very prepared.  Another thing I felt prepared for were boards.  I had all of the information I needed to know,” she said.  “I think I speak for the rest of my class.  We were all prepared very well.” 

Johnson credits the dental hygiene faculty members for ensuring their students are prepared overall.

“The teacher’s are great and were very helpful to us.  They are always willing to answer a question.  They take time out of whatever they are doing to help you.  There have been plenty of times we have interrupted their lunch and they stopped eating to help us,” she said. 

            The program has a full class this fall, and is admitting students for fall quarter 2002.  Prospective students who are interested in the SSU Dental Hygiene program should be good in math, science, and have a solid background in biology, chemistry, and algebra.  The program requires a minimum of 480 clinical hours working on patients.

            The Department begins looking at applications shortly after the April 1 deadline, and usually has the next class in place by early May.  A wide-variety of students is accepted into the program. 

“There are students straight out of high school; however if they’ve had a year of college courses—including biology and algebra—and they do well on those courses, they will score higher as far as the ratio that is needed for admission is concerned,” Murray said.

While the program admits students right out of high school, it has graduated many non-traditional students, including a grandmother who was 48 years old.

“She had spent several years as a waitress, obtained her GED, and later in life completed our program.  So our student population is very diverse, probably mostly commuter students.  The majority of students in the program come from northern Ohio, southern Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia.  Many students are married and have children,” Murray said.

            The program has an excellent placement rate.  Typically, all graduates have found jobs in the dental hygiene field within a few months after graduation, and a great percentage of students have a position lined up before graduation.

            To find out more about the dental hygiene program at SSU, call the Office of Admission at (800) 959-2SSU (2778).

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 2, 2001

Contact:
Terry Hapney, Director of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3112; FAX: (740) 351-3179
E-mail: thapney@shawnee.edu      

Dr. Dan Evans (right), dean of Ohio University Southern Campus in Ironton, visited Shawnee State University in Portsmouth recently to meet with SSU interim president Dr. Michael Field (second from left).  The two discussed ways in which OUSC and SSU can collaborate to meet the core mission of institutions of higher education-- increasing the college going rate in the region.  Ginnie Moore (left), director of University Outreach Services at SSU, and Dr. John Kelley (second from right), interim provost at SSU, joined Field and Evans in the discussion.  Prior to his appointment at OUSC, Evans served as dean of Wright State University's Lake Campus in Celina, Ohio, and assistant vice president for academic affairs at SSU

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 23, 2001

Contact:
Terry Hapney, Director of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3112; FAX: (740) 351-3179
E-mail: thapney@shawnee.edu    

(Article by Michael Butcher; Photographer/Communications Specialist--SSU Office of Communications)

SSU's Waller Conservatory Holds Open House

PORTSMOUTH, Ohio--The Waller Conservatory at Shawnee State University is holding its annual open house through October 25 from 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. daily. 

The greenhouse has many tropical plants and over 150 species of orchids.  Joyce Banks, greenhouse manager, said many of the flowers are in bloom, which offers great photo opportunities, so do not forget to bring a camera.

"Everyone is welcome to stop by and see SSU's very own greenhouse," Banks said.

For more information, call (740) 351-3673.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 17, 2001

Contact:
Terry Hapney, Director of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3112; FAX: (740) 351-3179
E-mail: thapney@shawnee.edu    

SSU Middle East Expert To Speak on Afghanistan

Lorentz Set To Address Status of U.S. Military Action 
Against Terrorism

            A Shawnee State University professor who spent a substantial amount of time living and working in the Middle East will speak on Afghanistan and the military action the United States is taking there, on Thursday.

            Dr. John H. Lorentz, professor of history and director of the Center for International Programs and Activities at Shawnee State University, will give a presentation titled Afghanistan: A Legacy of Neglect, on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Flohr Lecture Hall in the Clark Memorial Library on the SSU campus in Portsmouth.

             Lorentz, a Peace Corps Volunteer in Iran during the 60s and a consultant on the Middle East during his entire career, was the executive director (during the mid 1980s) of American Aid for Afghans (AAFA), Inc., a non-profit organization founded in 1980 to raise funds to support the freedom fighters in Afghanistan. 

            AAFA was the first American aid group benefiting the people of Afghanistan established after the Soviet Invasion.  Over the years this organization delivered medical supplies, winter clothing, blankets, boots, and food to Afghanistan.  Their boot projects were recognized worldwide as an important contribution to the Afghan resistance.  American Aid for Afghans, Inc. also supported Radio Free Kabul through a network of portable radio transmitters and helped send teams of American doctors and nurses inside Afghanistan.

“Our program provided warm winter clothing and other humanitarian supplies to the freedom fighters inside Afghanistan.  The contributions we received were an important part of the valiant struggle to create a Free Afghanistan,” Lorentz said.

Despite the efforts of American Aid for Afghans and many other organizations, the Afghans were desperately short of basic necessities in the mid 80s, and increasingly so in the area of food.  Lorentz said that at that time, little attention had been paid to food shortages inside Afghanistan, which hindered freedom fighter operations.  The shortages built slowly resulting from the Soviet policy of terrorizing civilians and systematically depopulating the countryside.

“The problem was becoming a crisis situation.  I traveled to Pakistan where I was bombarded by Afghans with requests for food assistance.  As a consequence, AAFA mounted a campaign for food.  While in Pakistan I purchased and delivered clothing items for the Afghan freedom fighters with funds that individuals contributed to our organization,” he said.

The Soviets had methodically destroyed the agricultural system of Afghanistan.  This was the primary tool by which they hoped to accomplish their aims.

“Farm lands were scourged, irrigation systems destroyed, and over 4 million people were driven from their lands.  The results were devastating.  Those who remained on their land needed help in re-cultivating to feed themselves and the Freedom Fighters who relied on the local population for their food.  The shortage was severe,” he said.

AAFA worked toward the redevelopment of Afghan agriculture.  Where there was a degree of security, Lorentz and his organization rebuilt irrigation systems, and supplied seed, fertilizers, tools, and pesticides.

“This enabled those who had survived those many years of Soviet aggression to continue to resist,” he said.

Through meetings with individual commanders, visits to training camps, and coordination with their political representatives, Lorentz determined where the need was greatest and the best means to ensure that goods went inside Afghanistan.

“I then went into local bazaars with commanders and their representatives and let them bargain for the goods.  In this manner, we ensured that the items were appropriate to the needs and that we received rock-bottom prices,” he said.

In the face of overwhelming odds, the Afghans, at the time Lorentz was working to help them, had fought for over six years against Russian occupation and showed no signs of weakening in will.  The rest is history.

Lorentz’s presentation Thursday will focus on Islam as a religion, and the misperceptions associated with it.

“There’s so much misperception on this.  I feel a need to at least say something about that.  I’ll basically address the question, are the Taliban or Osama bin Laden really representative of an Islamic view.”

Lorentz will also discuss the recent history of Afghanistan.

“Where does Osama Bin Laden come from?  I knew that name when I was working with the Afghans.  But he was a minor player at that time.  What happened?  How did he turn from what was a minor player into the Osama bin Laden we know today?  I will discuss these an many other aspects of the United States war on terrorism,” he said.

For more information about the presentation, call the SSU Department of Social Sciences at (740) 351-3234.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2001

Contact:
Terry Hapney, Director of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3112; FAX: (740) 351-3179
E-mail: thapney@shawnee.edu    

Article by Erica Fulton; Communications Specialist-SSU Office of Communications)

 SSU Professor of Middle Eastern History Speaks on U.S. Actions in Afghanistan


John Lorentz

             PORTSMOUTH, Ohio – Shawnee State University professor of history and director of the Center for International Programs and Activities (CIPA), Dr. John H. Lorentz, spoke to an attentive audience Thursday evening on a topic he has first-hand knowledge of—the situation in Afghanistan and the people there who are suffering because of neglect. 

            Lorentz who spent a substantial amount of time working and living in the Middle East is an expert on Afghanistan history and people.  The present situation in Afghanistan and events of September 11, led him to address the issues Americans should understand in a lecture entitled, Afghanistan: A Legacy of Neglect.  Lorentz, during a two-hour presentation, addressed the United States’ role in the formation of the Taliban, how Osama Bin Laden came to power, the state of the Afghan people, his predictions for the war, and most importantly, what he believes needs to happen for the United States to leave a positive mark on the Afghan people. 

             Lorentz stated that one key point to understand about Afghanistan is that it is not and has not been a nation state in the Western sense of the word, and instead is, “essentially a loose federation of ethnic and tribal groups each of which are autonomous into themselves and resent any kind of interference in terms of their own affairs. That in times of peace and where there has not been external forces in play, have been able to come into some...way in which they have been able to achieve a balance power where there was some autonomy but there was still a government called the Government of Afghanistan.  And whenever that balance was upset and that happened quite frequently there was internal strife and the equivalent of civil war.”

             However, more importantly to understand is, according to Lorentz, “Whenever there has been an outside interference or intervention in some these competing tribal groups come together to form something that is quite formidable in terms of the resistance to external interference.  That is exactly what happened to the Soviet Union.” 

             Of course, this is also the situation where the United States came into play in Afghanistan in that the U.S. sent military assistance, unofficially and without any humanitarian relief, to aid in the resistance to the Soviets.  However, when the Soviets withdrew so did the Americans leaving the Afghan people to continue their cycle of civil war in a desperate land ravaged by warfare.   As a result, when the Taliban, which means “religious students,” rose up to offer a sense of order and an incorruptibility that the Americans thought would help with the oil and drug situation, they were a supported and came into power. 

 As we now know, when the Taliban, who were always an Islamic fundamentalist group, gained that power they began changing and ignoring the needs of the people and cutting women out of society.  They fired all women teachers and doctors, forbid women to become educated, ordered the full veil, and instituted as Lorentz said, “ the disenfranchisement of women.” 

The Taliban also helped in supporting Osama Bin Laden’s rise to power and formation of a terrorist organization in part because of Bin Laden’s financial clout.  But, according to Lorentz, “He was a relatively minor player when I was there.” 

 Bin Laden, who was in Afghanistan at the same time as Lorentz, was actually a Saudi Arabian native who traveled to Afghanistan to help in the resistance against the Soviets.  Bin Laden became the dangerous figure he is today after he offered to organize a military to intervene in what became the Gulf War.  As we know, the Saudi government rejected Bin Laden’s request and instead turned to the United States for help. 

According to Lorentz, “Bin Laden saw this as a sacrilege of a holy area and thought there was no need to bring in the United States when Muslims could handle it.” 

 Of course, after the Gulf War the United States still has some 20,000 troops in Saudi Arabia and this is Bin Laden’s number one complaint. 

 “Bin Laden is not saying you don’t have the right to exist.  It is not a clash of civilizations, that’s not what this is all about.  What he is really saying is get out of Saudi Arabia and let us handle our own situation,” Lorentz explained.

Of course, Bin Laden’s message of hate and disdain for the Americans and their involvement with the Middle East was never more apparent than on September 11, which of course, has led to the bombing of Afghanistan.  So, what now?

 Lorentz predicted, “In my opinion, the bombing will be effective in bringing down the Taliban but there is much more going on.”  The Afghanistan people are in need of a government that represents them, but they will not, Lorentz warned, look favorably on a government the United States sets up for them. 

 “The Afghanistan people need to follow their own person weight,” he said.  “Lots of Taliban supporters are on the edge,” and according to Lorentz, this is a good thing because when the Taliban falls, the Afghani people will be able to rebuild without extensive U.S. intervention.  Again, this goes back to the Afghani history that outside interference must be avoided or else risk the people banding together to keep those forces out.

 “That’s why we don’t want ground troops,” Lorentz explained.

 Of course, the issue of terrorism is still primary on the U.S. agenda, but Lorentz believes that the answer to that problem is “extensive humanitarian efforts.”  He believes that terrorism in Afghanistan and in other areas is a result of powerlessness and despair of the people, who are starving and dying. 

 “Afghanistan is the most devastated inhabited place on earth,” Lorentz emphasized.  He added that if the United States respects the Afghani people by providing humanitarian relief and engage the situation “in an intelligent sense and not a reactive sense” we can leave a positive mark on the people and also help prevent further uprisings of terrorist groups once we address the current situation.   

Lorentz, a Peace Corps Volunteer in Iran during the 60s was the executive director during the mid 1980s of American Aid for Afghans (AAFA), Inc., a non-profit organization founded in 1980 to raise funds to support the freedom fighters in Afghanistan.  AAFA was the first American aid group benefiting the people of Afghanistan established after the Soviet Invasion.  Over the years this organization delivered medical supplies, winter clothing, blankets, boots, and food to Afghanistan.  Their boot projects were recognized worldwide as an important contribution to the Afghan resistance.  American Aid for Afghans, Inc. also supported Radio Free Kabul through a network of portable radio transmitters and helped send teams of American doctors and nurses inside Afghanistan.

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 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2001

Contact:
Terry Hapney, Director of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3112; FAX: (740) 351-3179
E-mail: thapney@shawnee.edu      

(Shawnee State University is one of the major sponsors of this special presentation. However, media contacts should be directed to:)

Jane Johnson
Julia Marlowe Program Director
(740) 353-5366

Julia Marlowe Drama to Premiere in Portsmouth, Ohio   

On Saturday, October 20, Portsmouth Murals, Inc. will "bring the floodwall murals to life" at the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts through the premiere of the one-person drama, Julia Marlowe.

"We are very pleased to be able to present this program," said Robert L. Morton, Portsmouth Murals, Inc. president. "This is a unique opportunity for those interested in history, arts and drama."

Julia Marlowe, written by Jerry Holt, Ph.D., Dean of Arts and Sciences at Shawnee State University, provides an insight into the life of one of the most celebrated Shakespearian stage actors of her day.  It previewed at the 2001 Antioch Writers' Conference to an audience of approximately 200 working writers and received excellent reviews. Julia Marlowe represents Holt's third drama.

The drama will star Barbara Calarese who is a resident artist with The Human Race Theatre Co. at The Loft in Dayton, Ohio. Calarese has also performed in Chicago, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis. Some of her credits include Martha in Virginia Woolf, Eleanor in Lion in Winter and M'Lynn in Steel Magnolias.

Portsmouth, In91In 1994, Portsmouth Murals, Inc. dedicated a mural to Marlowe who lived on Front Street in Portsmouth during her childhood.

Tickets for the production will go on sale Oct. 3 through the McKinley Box Office at (740) 351-3600. The price is $10 per adult ticket, with a student price of $5 per ticket. There is no reserved seating. Seating will be based on the preferences of customers on a first-come, first-served basis.

"This educational and cultural event is through the cooperation of the Scioto County Area Foundation and Shawnee State University," said Morton.

Portsmouth Murals, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to the creation of an outdoor art gallery at the Portsmouth Flood Wall. The organization's mission celebrates the life of several centuries surrounding the Portsmouth, Ohio area.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 12, 2001

Contact:
Terry Hapney, Director of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3112; FAX: (740) 351-3179
E-mail: thapney@shawnee.edu    

(Article by Erica Fulton; Communications Specialist-SSU Office of Communications)  

Scholarship Created to Memorialize Beth Popham

            PORTSMOUTH, Ohio – Two years ago this month, the life of Beth Popham, an aspiring student studying at Shawnee State University (SSU) to become a teacher, was tragically taken in a car accident.  To honor her memory, Miss Popham’s family has created a memorial scholarship in her name.

            Originally, Mrs. Faye Popham, Beth’s mother, and her two sisters, Missy Malone and Cristy Wallingford, managed the scholarship themselves, but it became too much to administer.  As a result, they donated the scholarship money to the SSU Development Foundation to be awarded as the Beth Popham Memorial Scholarship.  Mrs. Popham explained that her daughter, Beth, received scholarships to come to SSU and it would have been difficult to manage college costs without them. 

            “We appreciated everything,” Faye Popham said. 

            The Popham family hopes to help other students in the same way.  Miss Popham is remembered as a giving person and a scholarship is a perfect way to keep her memory going.

            Ambra Knoche, Miss Popham’s best friend and a student at SSU, remembers her friend’s personality the most.

“She was very unselfish in that she always thought of everyone else and their feelings before herself.  I feel that anything to help others remember her would be great,” Knoche said.

            The SSU Beth Popham Memorial Scholarship for $500 will be awarded for the first time for the 2002-2003 academic year to a middle-income student with a minimum grade point average of 3.5.  The scholarship fund currently has enough money to award for three years, but donations can be made to the SSU Development Foundation to keep the memorial scholarship going after the initial funds are depleted.

            For more information about the scholarship, contact the SSU Office of Financial Aid at (740) 351-4243.  To make contributions to the scholarship fund, contact the SSU Office of Development at (740) 351-3284.   

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2001

Contact:
Terry Hapney, Director of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3112; FAX: (740) 351-3179
E-mail: thapney@shawnee.edu    

Article by Erica Fulton; Communications Specialist-SSU Office of Communications)

The PASS (Prevent Addiction to Smoking and Snuff) program discourages tobacco use by children. Developed by Mary Ann Canter, associate professor of respiratory therapy at SSU (shown above with respiratory therapy students administering breathing tests to local elementary students), the PASS program, in its third year of existence, has shown over 550 elementary school students ho the respiratory system works and the harmful effects smoking and smokeless tobacco use can have on human beings. PASS is a collaborative effort between SSU and Southern Ohio Medical Center.)

SSU Respiratory Therapy Students Take Lessons in Caring
National Respiratory Care Week October 21-27

            PORTSMOUTH, Ohio – Shawnee State University’s (SSU) Respiratory Therapy students and faculty may be a secret of the health care community because many people are not familiar with the profession, but they certainly should be no strangers to the local community.  The Respiratory Therapy students and faculty at SSU are champions of community service and devote countless hours to serving the general public.

            Students in the two-year associate degree program are encouraged by their professors to get involved with the community and learn to better themselves by helping others. 

            Don Thomas, chair of the respiratory therapy department, explained, “I think everyone should try to return something to their community, especially people in health care.  So much is about taking care of patients and I think we have to move our focus to include the public in general.” 

            Part of that move includes students working at free health fairs and other community events, where they test the blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, and breathing of participants. One such event will be held on Thursday, October 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Kroger’s Community Room in Portsmouth.  The event is part of National Respiratory Care Week, October 21 through 27, which is dedicated to the celebration of the profession.  Mayor Greg Bauer is scheduled to attend at noon to present the Proclamation of Respiratory Care Week in the city of Portsmouth.  Refreshments will be provided as well as information about both the respiratory care profession and SSU’s Respiratory Therapy Program.   Elevator access is available for those who may not be able to climb the stairs to the Community Room. 

            Respiratory therapists care for patients of all ages and work in a variety of health care settings to include, but not limited to, acute care, long-term care, emergency rooms, doctors’ offices, and sleep disorder labs.  Therapists also take care of patients in their homes.  The majority of therapists choose to work in the hospital setting where they deliver oxygen and breathing treatments to patients who need respiratory care, however, there are a growing variety of specialty areas into which they might want to work.  A therapist may choose to specialize in selected areas such as pulmonary diagnostic testing to assist the physician with identifying those patients with respiratory diseases or disorders.  Others enjoy working in critical care units and emergency rooms where they provide mechanical ventilation and other therapies to patients who have trouble breathing on their own.   Another area of specialization is the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit where mechanical ventilation and therapy are administered to critically ill infants. Patients with chronic lung disease often benefit from pulmonary rehabilitation where therapists work with and teach the patient techniques to help improve breathing and overall quality of life.   

            Mary Ann Canter, associate professor of respiratory therapy, said, “We do an awful lot that people aren’t aware of.”

            But aside from preparing students in SSU’s top-notch program, faculty members create opportunities outside the classroom or clinical experiences for students to help the community.  For instance, Canter developed the PASS (Prevent Addiction to Smoking and Snuff) Program, a tobacco use prevention program for children in elementary schools, to teach them the dangers of smokeless tobacco and cigarettes.  The Program is offered in conjunction with the Community Relations department at Southern Ohio Medical Center (SOMC). During the first phase of the PASS Program, SSU’s respiratory therapy students go into area schools to interact and share information with third-graders about the health hazards of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco.  Later, when the same school children enter the sixth grade, SSU students will talk with them again and focus the interaction on peer resistance skills. 

            Thomas and Canter are proud of the program and the disease prevention aspect it brings both to the community and students.

            “Hopefully it will have a strong impact.  Kids are under so much pressure,” Thomas added.

            Of course, children aren’t the only people in the community served by the Respiratory Therapy Program.  The Student Respiratory Therapy Organization (SRTO2) is active with Hillview Retirement Center’s assisted living unit.  Each year the students adopt residents of the center and decorate their Christmas tree, sing carols to and purchase gifts for the residents. 

            Canter noted, “It is very popular with both the residents and students.”

            All of the service events are designed to teach students how much of a helping career they are entering and it seems to be working.  First-year student Emily Bailey, when asked why she chose respiratory therapy answered, “I think it will be neat to help people.”  Another first-year student, Anne Griffin, mentioned that it is important to her “to help relatives who have breathing disorders.”