The office of university outreach services at Shawnee State University (SSU) will host a seminar called, “Mentoring: The Key to Organizational Growth,” in the Micklethwaite Banquet Hall located in the SSU University Center on Oct. 17 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., at a cost of $79.

           The program is being held in observance of National Bosses Day and is open to the community. David Robey, Ph.D., professor of communication and theater at Cedarville University and independent management trainer, who has previously hosted seminars at SSU on other business topics such as office professionalism, will lead the seminar.

           Participants will experience an energetic and motivational program that will provide essential information and practical skills for a successful mentoring program, according to Tracy Conn, university outreach services representative at SSU.

           “The course will be an excellent choice for all business owners or managers. We are very excited about this event,” said Conn. “Dr. Robey has previously taught workshops here and we have had a very positive response. This promises to be a great half-day workshop.”

           For more information, call (740) 351-3490.

           Returning students at Shawnee State University (SSU) discovered something new on campus this fall--a student health clinic.

           The clinic, under the direction of local physician George Pettit, M.D., is located on the first floor of the James A. Rhodes Athletics Center, Room 118, on the SSU campus. Staffed with a receptionist and a nurse practitioner, its hours are from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday, and services are provided free of charge to all full- and part-time SSU students.

           Larry Mangus, Ed.D., vice president for student affairs at SSU, was instrumental in getting the clinic up and running.

           “It became very clear to us in the last two to three years, as we grew with additional students in campus housing, that they were having great difficulty getting medical service,” said Mangus. “It’s sometimes tough to get into a doctor’s office, and the only choice they had was to run over to the emergency room or to one of the urgent care clinics. That can get expensive.”

           The need for a health clinic was only further established when Ray Musser, former student government association president, sent out a survey asking students what they needed most on campus. According to the survey, students were willing to pay $50 per quarter for on-campus health care, which is the price for only one visit to a clinic, said Mangus.

           In addition, parents were wondering what services were available for their children.

           “One of the questions parents would always ask was: ‘Do you have a health clinic on campus?’” said Mangus. “When we announced this summer that we were going to have one, they were thrilled.”

          The Student Health Clinic is fully outfitted to deal with a variety of medical problems. Services available at the clinic include treatment of colds, sore throats, infections, sexual health issues, minor sprains and strains, gynecological issues, prescriptions, and allergy injections, among others, said Mangus.

          Thus far, the clinic has been well-received by SSU students.

          “I think it’s gotten off to a good start,” said Karen Krekeler, a registered nurse who works at the clinic. “We’ve seen several students already, but I think that as the quarter goes on, and the word gets out, we’ll see more students come in.”

           SSU student Candice Tibbs, who recently sought the services of the clinic, appreciates the addition of a health clinic on campus.

           “It’s a good idea,” said Tibbs, a radiology major from Chillicothe. “The nurses were very nice and it’s a very nice facility.”

          The services are provided free of charge to students enrolled at SSU for at least one credit hour. They will not be required to participate in the University insurance plan in order to receive medical service.

          When students arrive at the Student Health Clinic, they will need to complete a registration form, indicating their medical history and reason for the visit. They will also be required to show their SSU identification card.

           “We’re very pleased with the facility,” said Mangus. “We think it’s an excellent addition to our campus. The personnel, facility, and the equipment are top-notch.”

           For more information, call (740) 351-4362 or (740) 351-4DOC.

           As contract negotiations between Shawnee State University and its faculty continue, SSU has set up a web site and telephone line to provide the latest information for students, faculty and staff, and concerned citizens.

           Rita Rice Morris, Ph.D., president of SSU, said the web site and telephone line would give everyone a chance to remain up-to-date on the negotiations process.

           “The telephone message contains general information about negotiations, while the web site contains in-depth information,” Morris said. Our main goal is to stress that Shawnee State University is open for business as usual. At this point, there are no modifications in how the University operates.”

           Morris said the negotiations for a new faculty contract are continuing.

           “Shawnee State University is doing everything it can to facilitate the negotiations process and minimize the effects a possible faculty strike would have on SSU students,” she said.

           The latest information on the situation is available on the web at update.shawnee.edu or via telephone at (740) 351-4466. Individuals who have questions that are not addressed by the web site or telephone line should send an e-mail message to update@shawnee.edu <mailto:update@shawnee.edu>.

           “Given the high value all SSU employees-faculty, staff, and administrators-place on SSU’s mission and commitment to students, I have no doubt that everyone involved in the negotiations process is committed to ensuring a resolution that is in the best interests of the entire SSU community,” Morris said.

           Shawnee State University’s office of university outreach services (UOS), will be hosting a variety of courses for the public during the upcoming months.

           “Mentoring: The Key to Organizational Growth” will be held in the Micklethwaite Banquet Hall, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 17, with a registration fee of $79. The seminar, presented by David Robey, Ph.D., professor of communication arts and theater at Cedarville University and independent management trainer, is in observance of National Bosses Day and will educate business people on mentoring employees in today’s business environment.

           “The Health Professional Satellite Series” is a series of satellite broadcasts held in SSU’s Clark Memorial Library for health professionals looking to stay up-to-date in their fields. The broadcasts, which require a one-time registration fee of $10, are an excellent way for people in the health field to refine their skills while gaining CEU hours.

           The following broadcasts will be available: “Preparing for the Return of SARS: Are We Ready? (Part I/II)” Sept. 23 and 30 from 2 to 4 p.m.; “Disease, Disaster and Detection: Partnering with Public Health Laboratories,” Sept. 25 from 2 to 3 p.m.; “Incorporating HIV Prevention in the Medical Care of Persons Living with HIV,” Nov. 13 from 1 to 3 p.m.

           “Bureau of Workers’ Compensation: Workplace Safety and Hygiene” is a series of courses on workplace health and safety issues that is free to any employee of an Ohio company.

           The following classes will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: “Controlling Workers’ Compensation Costs” on Oct. 16 and “OSHA Recordkeeping” on Nov. 5.

           According to Tracy Conn, UOS representative, the courses are an excellent way for members of the community to upgrade their skills.

           “These courses are offered because we want the community to have access to these courses locally,” said Conn. “They have been very popular in the past and they are always well-attended. It is a great opportunity for people to get the training they need in a comfortable, enjoyable, and affordable way.”

           For more information, call (740) 351-3274.

           Shawnee State University (SSU) negotiators met today with faculty negotiators and a federal mediator for over two hours in an attempt to forge a new contract agreement. 

SSU proposed salary increases for University faculty members of 4.5 percent in the first year, 3.5 percent the second year, and 3.0 percent in the final year of a three-year contract. 

Stephen P. Donohue, vice president and general counsel at SSU and member of the University’s negotiating team, said this salary offer includes a modest contribution to health care by the faculty of 1 percent to1.3 percent of salary to help offset the medical care hyperinflation experienced around the country and by the University in particular.  

“Since 1999, the University’s health care expenses have increased over 50 percent,” he said.  “Last year the University paid an average of $9,640 per employee in the health plan.”

Donohue said the average faculty member making $50,000 with a family would pay $650 per year, or $55 per month toward health care.  The University’s health care plan would increase maximum out of pocket medical expenses from $300 to $600 for an individual and $600 to $1,200 for a family plan, he said.

This is the same plan that all other employees at the University, administrative and hourly, have been on for the last year.

The University has also offered to increase life insurance coverage significantly, a retirement incentive plan, and a tax-sheltered flexible spending account, Donohue said. 

The next negotiating session is scheduled for Tuesday, September 23, at 7 p.m. at the University. 

# # #

(Article by B.J. Parsons--communications specialist, SSU Office of Communications)

           Shawnee State University (SSU), in conjunction with the Lawrence Economic Development Corporation Procurement Outreach Center, will host a small business workshop entitled “Government Contracting 101.”

           The program, which will run from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 7 in the Micklethwaite Banquet Hall located in the University Center on the SSU campus in Portsmouth, will provide companies with information on the government purchasing process to enable them to successfully compete for federal, state, and city government contracts.

           Larry Musick, manager of business and industry training at SSU, believes the program is one that all small to medium size business owners who are desiring to grow should consider.

            “Companies that are desiring to expand their business and those who do business with any sort of government agency should consider this course,” said Musick. “It will explain how to do business with the government, how to interact with the government, and also how to become involved in government purchasing programs. It will be extremely beneficial to those businesses who are desiring to be involved with state or federal government procurement programs.”

           According to Musick, many small business owners are apprehensive about dealing with the government as they are afraid of the complexity of the transaction.

           “The complexity of dealing with the government is often enough to scare small businesses away from potentially lucrative business with the government,” said Musick. “’Government Contracting 101’ will demonstrate that dealing with the government is not only possible, but not as difficult as one may think.”

           The LEDC Procurement Outreach Center, which is presenting Government Contracting 101, is part of the Defense Logistic Agency’s Technical Assistance Center program. The program, which is a congressionally-authorized initiative, is part of an ongoing partnership between the LEDC and SSU, according to Musick.

           “The business and industry training department at SSU has a collaborative relationship with the LEDC,” said Musick. “It is a way to provide growth opportunity for businesses in the area by educating them on the nuances of doing business with state and federal government. And anytime we have growth in the business sector of our community, it benefits us all.”

           “Government Contracting 101” costs $29 per person and includes refreshments and all conference materials. To make a reservation, call (740) 351-3591.

           For more information on “Government Contracting 101,” call (740) 351-3304.

(Article by B.J. Parsons--communications specialist, SSU Office of Communications)

           Shawnee State University (SSU) and Foster “Sid” Meade Career and Technical Center in Vanceburg, Ky., have formed a partnership to offer an emergency medical technology (EMT) program for students in the Lewis County school district.

           The program, which will be available to 17-year-olds, will allow those who have taken the EMT classes while at Foster Meade to sit for the Ohio state EMT certification test upon graduation.

           According to William Turner, director of the EMT program at SSU, the partnership is something that SSU’s EMT program has been investigating for a while.

           “We had thought about doing this kind of thing for some time,” said Turner. “There are several vocational schools in Ohio that already offer EMT, fire, and law enforcement courses to 17-year-olds, and there was a niche for this program. It is a great course for young people to take, and we are glad to be involved with Lewis County schools.”

           The idea began when Dean Dixon, an EMT-paramedic instructor at SSU, approached Turner with the EMT/vocational school crossover idea. Dixon, who resides in Kentucky, believed that the Foster Meade school would be an ideal fit for the program. The Kentucky EMT board approved the program on April 1, while the Ohio EMS board and the Foster Meade school granted approval for the course on Aug. 20. The course instantly drew attention from the student body, with the maximum amount of students signing up for the course in the first few months.

           According to Stanley Allen, principal of Foster Meade, the choice to host the course at the school was an easy one.

           “Any time a high school student can graduate with some type of qualification or college-level experience, it is worth it,” said Allen. “We have similar programs in other areas of health science, so it really went along with what we were doing. Really, if it benefits our students, we will investigate using it.”

           The course, which will start on Jan. 1, 2004, is an extension of SSU’s EMT program, which has been offering the required courses for EMT certification since 1976. SSU also has an EMT degree program, the associate degree of applied science in emergency medical technology.

           “The program at SSU has been around for a long time,” said Turner. “We have about 20 students graduate from the program per year. Because of the multitude of uses for EMT personnel-from hospitals, emergency centers, fire departments, and transportation groups-students who graduate from this program are highly employable.”

           With the interest generated by the partnership, Turner believes that more schools will be looking to add EMT programs to their vocational schools.

           “This is really a trial-run,” said Turner. “If everything runs smoothly and there is sustained interest in the program, then we will certainly investigate the possibility of expansion.”

           For more information, call (740) 351-3463.

           The friends and family of the late Jimmy Allen have established a scholarship at Shawnee State University (SSU) to celebrate the former SSU student’s love of education and to remember his philosophy that higher education adds meaning and purpose to the lives of all.

           Allen, who was studying social sciences at SSU, passed away on Dec. 4, 2002, from an apparent heart problem. He suffered paralysis after a diving accident and was confined to a wheelchair.

            In his own words, Allen explained what coming to SSU meant to him in the 2001-2002 Development Foundation’s annual report. He said, “Coming back to school was a very intimidating thought, but everyone here at Shawnee State University has been very helpful in accommodating my needs.”

           Attending SSU was a highlight in his life, according to his sister, Cathy Spradlin, of Wheelersburg.

           “He thrived in school,” said Spradlin. “Jimmy wanted to help someone else in the same predicament as he was in--a life-threatening change--so he decided education was the way to achieve that. Everyone was helpful to him at Shawnee State.”

           Allen is remembered by the SSU community for his drive to succeed despite any hardships that may have been caused by his disability.

           “His accident didn’t change him or his positive attitude,” said Spradlin.

           Before coming to SSU, Allen had trained for five years to become a sheet metal worker. The accident forced a change in his life, but it did not weaken his positive spirit, according to his mother, Jean Allen.

           “He was so thrilled to go to school,” said Mrs. Allen. “He had to go a different path for his life and it was just amazing how he adjusted. He was an inspiration to us all--he made the best out of his life. I think his life touched a lot of people at Shawnee State.”

           Elaine Evans, assistant director and counselor of Student Support Services at SSU, was one such person.

           “Jimmy was a very dedicated student who was pursuing a degree in sociology, with the goal of entering a master’s program after graduation from SSU,” said Evans. “His desire was to use his own experiences with his disability to be a rehabilitation counselor, a career in which he would have been terrific.”

           As a member of Student Support Services, he utilized most of the services available to him, and was very supportive of other students in the program, said Evans.

           “He was only with us for 10 months, but in that time he touched many lives with his friendliness, encouragement, and positive outlook," she said. "On a more personal note, Jimmy helped me deal with my nephew Kyle's diving accident in the summer of 2002. Kyle's injury was almost identical to Jimmy's, and he was always willing to share with me things that Kyle might be feeling, procedures that he would need to follow for the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation, adaptive equipment he'd need, etc. He was never hesitant to share his experiences if it would help someone else."

           The family and friends of Allen established the scholarship so that his legacy of helping people in similar circumstances will carry on forever.

           “I really felt this is something Jimmy would want to do since he is not here to do it,” said Spradlin. “I won’t forget him and I want people to know he had a lot of strength and the will to persevere.”

           Scholarship applicants must be non-traditional students who require the use of a wheelchair. The recipient of the $1,000 award must be a full-time student, remain in good academic standing, and receive the award in increments of one-third to cover three academic quarters.

           Offering more than 80 bachelor’s and associate degree programs in areas such as the arts, English and humanities, mathematical sciences, natural sciences, social sciences, teacher education, business administration, industrial and engineering technologies, and health sciences, SSU has over $1 million available to students in both need- and academic-based scholarships.

           For more information about the scholarship, call (740) 351-4243. For more information about establishing scholarships and other development opportunities, call (740) 351-3284.

           Gilbert C. Meilaender, Ph.D., Richard and Phyllis Duesenberg Professor of Christian Ethics at Valparaiso University, will be presenting a free lecture, "The Good of Research and the Worth of an Embryo," at Shawnee State University (SSU) at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 22, in the Clark Memorial Library's Flohr Lecture Hall.

           Meilaender, one of the pre-eminent theological ethicists in the United States, was asked to serve on President Bush’s Council on Bioethics in August 2001. The Council, consisting of 17 of the nation's leading scientists, ethicists, doctors, social scientists, lawyers, and theologians, has taken on such issues as embryo and stem-cell research, assisted reproduction, and cloning. In July 2002, the Council presented its recommendation on the use of human embryos in research. Meilaender will discuss the report's recommendations and explain his position.

           Given the rapid growth in technology and science, ethicists, theologians and moral thinkers alike have been grappling with the question of human life, its meaning and worth, and where exactly public policy should stand, according to Nicholas Meriwether, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy at SSU. Meriwether has pushed his students to confront the same issues as well.

           "Stem-cell research involving human embryos requires the death of the embryo, which is genetically a human being," said Meriwether. "So the essential question regarding research on human embryos is this: Is any moral price too high to find a cure for Parkinson's disease, or to discover ways to regenerate damaged nerve tissue or organs? I can't think of another person better qualified than Dr. Meilaender to analyze and reflect on the vast range of issues bearing on this deeply troubling question."

           Meilaender's presentation will be the culmination of extensive education and experience in the field of ethical inquiry. Working on the council with such scholars as Francis Fukuyama, Ph.D., Charles Krauthammer, M.D., and Leon Kass, M.D., Ph.D., has brought to Meilaender an intensive amount of carefully-crafted and insightful thought, said Meriwether.

           After earning his bachelor’s degree from Concordia Senior College, Meilaender went on to receive a master’s in divinity degree from Concordia Seminary and his Ph.D. from Princeton University. He taught at the University of Virginia and Oberlin College before settling in at Valparaiso University in 1996. Meilaender has been on the editorial boards of the Journal of Religious Ethics, the Annual of Society of Religious Ethics, Religious Studies Review, and First Things. He is also a Fellow of the Hastings Center, a nonprofit bioethics research institute.

           An accomplished author, Meilaender has written on a variety of topics ranging from friendship, virtue, faith, and bioethics. Some of his works include “Body, Soul, and Bioethics” (1995), “Bioethics: A Primer for Christians” (1997), “The Taste for the Other: The Social and Ethical Thought of C.S. Lewis” (1998), “Working: Its Meaning and Its Limits” (2000) and “Abortion: The Right to an Argument” (2000).

           Meilaender will be speaking as a guest of the Jane M. G. Foster Distinguished Lecture Series at SSU at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 22, in the SSU Clark Memorial Library's Flohr Lecture Hall. For more information, call (740) 351-3447.

           Getting a pin at the end of four years of hard work may seem like an unfair trade, but for the graduates of Shawnee State University’s (SSU) nursing program, receiving a nursing pin signifies the achievement of a personal milestone and the beginning of a career of compassion and respect.

           “Receiving a pin is a symbol that you have completed the nursing program, but it is also a symbol of achievement,” said Anna Gampp, associate professor of nursing at SSU. “It is very important to our students for its symbolic purposes, and it is something they look forward to when they finish their degrees.”

           The pin originated during the time of the Crusades, when wounded soldiers where healed by a group known as the Hospitallers, who dressed in black robes with white Maltese Crosses sewn on the front. The cross evolved to became the symbol for groups who care for the sick, with the pinning idea coming in modern times as a unique symbol for each program that a school offers.

           The bachelor of science and associate of applied science in nursing degrees at SSU continue to honor these age-old traditions, as each member of the graduating class receives a pin representing their degree and the school that they attended. On June 13, 40 SSU graduates went through the pinning ceremony.

           Graduates receiving pins for bachelor’s degrees were:

OHIO
Dayton
Cathreen Rafla

Ironton
Mary Cole

Portsmouth
Hui Suk Jones, Jacqueline Malone, Cathy Tackett, Roxanne Vice

Stout
Jody Gray

KENTUCKY
South Shore
Karen Newell

           Graduates receiving pins for associate degrees were:

OHIO
Chillicothe
Mindy Mitchell

Ironton
Amy Kimble, Jill Porter

Minerva
Annette Johnson

Oak Hill 
Laurel Cook

Piketon
Beth Pack

Portsmouth
Debra Applegate, Allison Brammer, Misty Day, Jamie Dyer, Amy Fagan, Kathy Foster, Lynn Hall, Michele Howard, Tessa Hyland, Kendra Johnson, Melissa Jordan, Shasta Lewis, Leah Liston, Elizabeth Mingus, Christopher Morgan, Pamela Nyland, Jodie Pistole, Carla Smith, Charlotte Turner, Nancy White, Alisa Williams

Waverly
Kristan Bishop, Connie Fultz

KENTUCKY
Flatwoods
James Miller

Raceland
Amanda Oakes

South Shore
Karen Newell, Misty Allard, Paul Foit, Stacy Hatcher, Susan Smith, Daniel Trippett

           For more information, call (740) 351-3225.

(Article by B.J. Parsons--communications specialist, SSU Office of Communications)

           As part of a yearlong celebration of the Ohio Bicentennial, Shawnee State University (SSU) has co-hosted a series of lectures with the Portsmouth Public Library on local and Ohio history entitled, “The River Runs Through It.”

           Next up in the series will be two presentations this month, “Branch Rickey and Woody Hayes: A Portrait of Two Ohio Sports Legends” and “The Underground Railroad.”

           “Branch Rickey and Woody Hayes: A Portrait of Two Ohio Sports Legends,” will be held in the Flohr Lecture Hall, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. Presented by Jerry Holt, Ph.D., dean of SSU’s college of arts and sciences, the lecture will detail the exploits of Rickey, a professional baseball manager from McDermott, Ohio, who was instrumental in helping Jackie Robinson break the professional baseball color barrier; and Hayes, one of the most successful college football coaches in history at the Ohio State University whose résumé includes four national and 13 Big Ten titles.

            “Those are two mythic figures in Ohio sports history,” said Holt. “They are extremely different individuals, and they used sports as a frame of reference to involve themselves in other things. Rickey was highly involved in the Civil Rights movement, while Hayes was a fierce advocate of education. This makes for a very interesting comparison.”

           “The Underground Railroad in Southern Ohio,” will be presented by Beverly Gray, coordinator of the Ohio Underground Railroad Association’s southern region, in the Flohr Lecture Hall, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m.

           The presentation will focus on the Underground Railroad, a network of safehouses established by northern blacks and white abolitionists to help slaves escape from southern oppression, while also paying particular attention to the role southern Ohio played in the events.

           “Nobody knows just how many slaves escaped through southern Ohio, because it was a highly secretive operation,” said Gray. “But there was a significant amount of traffic in the southern Ohio region, as the Ohio River was the crossing point into free territory. I will address this in the lecture, while also profiling the trails, the people, and the places that are known to have been involved in the Underground Railroad.”

           According to Tess Midkiff, director of SSU’s Clark Memorial Library, the lectures are an entertaining way to learn about important Ohio history.

           “We are looking forward to bringing these lectures to the community and bringing local history to life,” said Midkiff. “We hope the community will join us at these events and gain some insight into local and regional Ohio history.”

           Both lectures will also be presented at the Portsmouth Public Library at 2 p.m. on the same days.

           For more information, call (740) 351-3267.

           The executive committee of the Shawnee State University Board of Trustees will meet on Monday, September 8 at 4 p.m. in the Founder’s Room located in the University Center on the SSU campus.