Halloween is supposed to be scary, but it is OK to have a little fun, too.

           That is the maxim that could be applied to the annual Shawnee State University (SSU) Halloween Carnival, which will be held in the University Center at SSU from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 28.

           Sponsored by the office of Student Activities at SSU, the free event that is open to the public will feature pony rides, a petting zoo, games, a costume contest, candy, and rides for children of all ages who are looking for a frightfully good time.

           “The Halloween Carnival is something that we have done for several years, and it continues to be an extremely popular event for children in the community,” said Tiffany Weaver, SSU’s student activities coordinator. “Last year, we had over 300 children participate in the various events, and every one of them left with a smile on their face.”

           According to Weaver, various offices, departments, and clubs around campus run all of the games and booths, allowing the whole university to get involved in making the event a great one for children.

           “We have a lot of people around campus get involved in this event, from staff to students,” said Weaver. “So far we have the Children’s Learning Center, Shawnee BASICS, Student Government Association, fraternities, sororities and more. Everybody wants to be a part of it and that is what makes it such a special event.”

           For the older crowd, SSU is hosting a masquerade party in celebration of the inauguration of SSU’s fifth president, Rita Rice Morris, Ph.D., at 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. The cost is $25 per person. There will be music, dancing, and a costume contest with cash prizes. To make a reservation, call (740) 351-3284.

           For more information on the Halloween Carnival, call (740) 351-3217.

          The Shawnee State University (SSU) Board of Trustees voted today to accept and ratify an agreement with the Shawnee Education Association (SEA)-SSU’s faculty union-effective September 8, 2003.

          The agreement, accepted by the SEA on October 9, includes:

• A 4.5 percent or $1,300 salary increase in the first year, 4 percent or $1,300 salary increase in the second year, and a 4 percent or $1,300 salary increase in the third year (faculty members will receive the greater of the percentage increase or a $1,300 raise);

• A $6 (single)/$10 (family), $6.50 (single)/$10.50 (family); $7 (single)/$11 (family) per week faculty contribution toward health care coverage in years one, two, and three respectively;
• A $50,000 group term life insurance policy;
• Faculty participation in IRC Section 125 Flexible Spending Program as authorized by the Board in December 2002;
• A retirement incentive for faculty who meet STRS retirement eligibility requirements, have at least 10 years of services to SSU, and are at least 62 years old as of December 31, 2003, paying 60 percent of their last year’s salary. Faculty members meeting these criteria must apply for retirement prior to October 1, 2004, and retire at the end the 2004-2005 academic year.

A change in the selection of academic department chairs to internal candidates by a vote of the department’s faculty. The agreement sets the term for chairs at three years. Chairs may be reappointed and recalled. Summer pay for chairs is 1/6 of their academic year salary for half-time presence plus any summer teaching or up to an additional 1/6th stipend for special projects approved by the dean and provost.

          Rita Rice Morris, Ph.D., president of SSU, noted the Board of Trustees, in its approval motion, expressed its appreciation to both negotiating teams for their “conscientious efforts in negotiating an agreement that could be ratified by the members of the SEA and the Board of Trustees.”

          The next meeting of the SSU Board of Trustees is scheduled for October 30 at 1:15 p.m. in the Selby Board Room located in the Clark Memorial Library on the SSU campus in Portsmouth.

           Shawnee State University (SSU) will officially install the fifth president in the institution’s 17-year history at its presidential inauguration later this month.

           Rita Rice Morris, Ph.D. began her tenure as president of SSU on May 27, 2003. She will be sworn in during the installation ceremony on October 31 at noon in the Main Theater of the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts. A reception will follow. Both events are free and open to the public.

           Steven D. Rader, Ph.D. associate professor of sports studies at SSU and co-chair of the inauguration committee, says a presidential installation is a great opportunity for faculty, staff, administrators, students, alumni, and members of the community to come together to reflect on the remarkable progress SSU has made since its creation, and a time to rededicate oneself to making the university the best institution possible.

           "Anytime there is new leadership on campus, the celebration of that new leadership provides an excellent opportunity to showcase the entire university,” he said. “Obviously SSU is enormously important to the city of Portsmouth, Scioto County, and all of southern Ohio. As we have been planning the inauguration festivities, it has become increasingly clear that Rita understands what we're about, and is excited about the opportunities ahead of us. She has an appreciation for the fiscal challenges facing the university, and has requested that the Inauguration Planning Committee control the cost of the inauguration, while at the same time holding a nice institutional celebration.”

           Consistently committed to high-quality, publicly-funded higher education, Morris has brought more than 30 years of broad-based experience in higher education administration--academic, business, and student affairs--to her position in southern Ohio.

           Prior to her appointment at SSU, Morris was provost and vice president for academic affairs at Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho. She has served throughout her career as professor and dean, holding appointments at Clarion University of PA, Slippery Rock University, Davis and Elkins College, Bowdoin College, Montana State University, Southwest Missouri State University, State University of New York at Buffalo, Albion College, Illinois State University, and Northern Illinois University. Her Ph.D. is in communication from the State University of New York at Buffalo (1978), M.A. is in speech communication education from Northern Illinois University (1970), and B.A. is in speech communication from California State University at Long Beach (1968).

           In her first four months at Shawnee State University, Morris has spent a significant amount of time on budget matters both on and off campus, working with cabinet members, campus constituencies, and meeting with legislators. She also established a safety committee on campus; participated in an extensive media tour throughout this region of Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia; and has met with students, faculty and staff members, alumni, community members, local and regional leaders, and donors.

           According to members of the SSU community, Morris places a great deal of emphasis on openness-discussing issues and clarifying dialogue. At the beginning of each quarter, she plans to give the campus community an update on university issues through convocations.

           Jerry G. Holt, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said he has found Morris to be “at all times, accessible, communicative, and most resourceful.”

           “She has a wonderful sense of humor--always an administrative plus--and she seems genuinely interested in what my colleagues and I have to say,” he said. “She's a triple blessing for SSU: the right person in the right job at the right time."

           In the eyes of Martha Rader, Ph.D., dean of the College of Professional Studies, Morris has done an exceptional job of integrating into the university and the community.

          “She has a good grasp of the issues and maintains a positive approach to working toward solutions,” Martha Rader said. “In addition, she is a delightful person with a ‘can-do’ attitude who brings lots of energy to the presidency. We are very pleased to have her with us in a leadership role.”

          "These last few months have given us a great glimpse of what Rita's presidency will be like,” Steven Rader said. “She understands that SSU's continued success will require the involvement of the entire SSU community, which extends beyond the students, faculty, and staff to the residents of Scioto County and southern Ohio. It is important to Rita that this inauguration reflect the roles of all of those groups, and that all constituencies be involved in celebrating what SSU has to offer. That's the spirit we need."

           Following the noon installation ceremony and reception that follows, a masquerade party will take place at 8 p.m. in the Rhodes Athletic Center gymnasium. A variety of music will be provided, and attendees are encouraged to wear a mask or costume, although it is not required. Tickets for this event are $25 per person and may be purchased by calling (740) 351-3284.

           More information about inaugural events may be obtained by calling (740) 351-3810 or by visiting the SSU web site at www.shawnee.edu.

           Shawnee State University’s (SSU) enrollment this fall is at its highest level ever.

           Headcount enrollment at SSU is 3,693, up 2.4 percent over the 2002-2003 academic year. This is on top of a record-setting enrollment figure last fall when the university had the highest percentage enrollment increase among the 13 public universities in Ohio.

           Rita Rice Morris, Ph.D., president of SSU, said this is the third year in a row the university has seen an enrollment increase; she attributes it to SSU’s high-quality programming and a focused recruitment effort on the parts of the office of admission and academic departments.

           “Shawnee State University is becoming widely-known for its excellent academic programs,” Morris said. “In addition, our office of admission has done a great job of giving prospective students in the region and state the opportunity to take a look at what SSU has to offer. That has really paid off.”

           The university also saw a 6.5 percent increase in the number of new students, including first-time freshmen, new transfers, and new post-secondary options (POP-high school students taking college classes) students.

           Bob Trusz, director of admission at SSU, said the 6.5 percent increase in new student enrollment should be attributed to the work of the entire university.

           “The increase in new student enrollment didn’t happen without the efforts and support of the entire university community,” Trusz said. “It is my unwavering belief that every member of the campus community plays a role in recruiting a new student to SSU.”

          Trusz said he consistently hears positive comments from prospective students and their families during campus visits.

           “They talk about the beauty and friendliness of our campus,” he said. “Students and parents appreciate all of the contacts and interactions offices and departments around the campus provide. Those letters, telephone calls, and kind words make a difference.”

           SSU, located on the banks of the Ohio River in Portsmouth, Ohio, is one of the state of Ohio’s 13 public, four-year universities. SSU offers more than 80 two- and four-year degree programs in fine, digital, and performing arts; teacher education; natural sciences; social sciences; English and humanities; mathematical sciences; business administration; health sciences; and industrial and engineering technologies.

           Morris said more and more residents of the region and state are taking advantage of SSU’s low tuition rate that is well below the state average, and the more than $1.5 million in scholarship opportunities offered at the university every year.

           “They are getting degrees that make a difference in their lives and communities at a very reasonable cost,” Morris said.

           For more information, call (800) 959-2SSU (2778) or visit SSU on the Web at www.shawnee.edu.

           The Shawnee State University (SSU) dental hygiene program is sparkling and shining-both literally and figuratively speaking.

           The 30-year-old program, which recently placed eighth overall in a ranking of 76 dental hygiene programs in a 15-state region, is a two-year associate degree program that prepares students to take national and state dental hygiene licensure exams.

           “The dental hygiene program is one of the top programs of its kind in Ohio,” said Nancy Murray, director of SSU’s dental hygiene program and an assistant professor of dental hygiene. “To compete against dental hygiene programs and to rank so well against them says a lot about our program.”

           Part of SSU’s high-ranking stems from its graduates’ sterling 100 percent pass rate on the national board exam, as well as the clinical portion of the regional exam last year. These exams are administered to graduates of the program who are preparing to enter the workforce, and include both written and clinical testing.

           “Students may think that they are getting a better product if they go to a bigger school, but that is not the case,” said Murray. “We all follow the same guidelines in order to receive accreditation from the American Dental Association, and our students all have to pass the same national and state licensure exams, so our procedures and policies are pretty much the same.”

           While SSU’s dental hygiene program has had the opportunity to grow and develop, so have SSU dental hygiene graduates. The department hosts an annual Alumni Day, during which alumni are able to come back to SSU to continue their education and to spend time with former classmates and friends.

           “Alumni Day is a very popular way for alumni to come back to SSU and earn their continuing education units,” said Murray. “Dental hygienists are required to have 12 continuing education hours every two years, and they can earn all of those by attending the annual Alumni Day event. It is a day of fun and learning.”

          While the community benefits from the capable graduates that SSU prepares for the dental hygiene field, there is also a more direct benefit-the SSU dental hygiene clinic. Used by students as a place to gain supervised clinical experience in real and model situations, it is also a place where members of the community can go to receive quality dental health care at a minimal cost.

           “The dental hygiene clinic is a resource for students, but it is also a resource for the community,” said Murray. “We have had a dental clinic for over 30 years, and we have members of the community who have been coming here for a long time. All the work is supervised, and it is extremely affordable, because we only charge enough to help cover our costs.”

           According to Murray, the dental hygiene field is a career with many job opportunities for students from SSU.

           “We have no trouble placing our graduates into positions,” said Murray. “Many of them are already employed before they graduate. It is an open job market, and our graduates are very employable.”

           For more information, call (740) 351-3236.

(Article by Caleb Miller--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 a presentation, “The Mound Builders: A New Perspective.”

           “The Mound Builders: A New Perspective,” will be held in the Flohr Lecture Hall in the SSU Clark Memorial Library, on Monday, Oct. 6, at 7:30 p.m. Presented by James Miller, Ph.D., chair of SSU’s department of social sciences, the lecture will put forth a new perspective on the significance of mounds built by the Native Americans.

           “When the Europeans first came to the United States they noticed that there were no ‘urban-centers’ resembling those of their motherland. Now people tend to believe that the Native Americans were simply ‘close with nature’ and that is why they never created civilization,” said Miller.           

           However, after reading an article entitled “1491” by Charles C. Mann in Atlantic Monthly over a year ago, Miller began to do research of his own. What he found was very interesting, he said.

           “The mounds that we see today are evidence of the beginnings of the creation of a civilization. Then, mounds were used primarily for religious purposes and religion is one way in which people will come together and begin civilized centers,” said Miller.

           “However, what we find out is that the Native Americans kept deserting the mounds because they didn’t need to stay. There were too many things that allowed them to be independent. In a word, they didn’t need to create ‘cities’ because survival was just as easily accomplished through tribal society,” said Miller.

           It will be in this light that Miller will be viewing mounds and mound building in parts of Wisconsin, Canada, Illinois, the southern states, and the Ohio Valley.

           “The Ohio Valley is very much known for its mounds. Portsmouth even has one-Mound Park,” said Miller.

           The lecture will be open to the public free of charge at the Portsmouth Public Library at 2 p.m. and at the Clark Memorial Library, Flohr Lecture Hall at 7:30 p.m. on the same day.

           For more information, call (740) 351-3323.