Beginning Monday, Nov. 1, Shawnee State University (SSU) students will be able to register for winter quarter 2005 classes with just a click of a mouse.

            Steve Midkiff, Ph.D., registrar at SSU said after students have been advised (if they need advising, are required to be advised, or if they are not required to be advised), they begin the Web registration process through their student home page on SSU's new campus Intranet—myssu.shawnee.edu.

            "Students will go to the student section of myssu.shawnee.edu, choose 'registration,' and once there, depending on the timetable in which they can register (beginning Monday for seniors, Tuesday for juniors, Wednesday for sophomores, and Thursday for everyone else) they can proceed to add classes to their schedule," he said. "There is no form to submit; students simply enter courses directly via the Web. In addition, students can print a copy of their schedule and bill."

            Registration, according to Midkiff, opens at 12:01 a.m. on Monday morning and will remain open for students to add/drop their classes all the way through the first week of winter term.

            "Students can also register the 'old way' via submission of the blue form," he said. "There are no signatures being taken from advisers. If students are required to be advised, they must see their adviser, and then the adviser or someone in the department will enter an authorization/release for them to register. Then they are eligible to enter their schedule. Prerequisites and other requirements are built into the system."

            Two terminals will be set up in the Office of the Registrar lobby, located in the University Center on the SSU campus, if students need assistance logging into their account.

            "This should make things easier for everyone," Midkiff said. "It's all right at their fingertips."

            Information about Web registration was mailed to all SSU students. It is also available in the SSU winter quarter course schedule. For more information or assistance, call the Office of the Registrar at (740) 351-3403.

            Shawnee State University’s (SSU) Clark Planetarium will celebrate Halloween Sunday night with a special presentation.

            The program—“Nightwalk”—will be featured four times Sunday evening, at 7 p.m., 7:20 p.m., 7:40 p.m., and 8 p.m., according to Timothy Hamilton, Ph.D., director of the Clark Planetarium and assistant professor of physics at SSU.

            The shows are free and open to the public. For more information, call (740) 351-3145.

            Shawnee State University (SSU) and Kent State University (KSU) will hold an informational meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. regarding offering a master of library and information sciences degree through the Shawnee State University Graduate Center. The meeting will be held in the SSU Micklethwaite Banquet Hall, located on the second floor of the University Center.

            SSU is exploring hosting this degree on campus as early as fall quarter 2005, said David Todt, associate provost at SSU. The degree would be offered through the 12-12-12 Distance Degree program of the Kent State University School of Library and Information Science (SLIS), he said. Courses are offered over a two-year cycle, although additional time is typically required to complete the degree. All coursework can be completed without taking courses at Kent. Courses are primarily offered through interactive video conferencing and classes would be held on the SSU campus.

            “In today’s technological and information-based society, there is a demand for individuals who can manage, retrieve, and handle information,” Todt said. “Kent State University has the only master’s degree program in library and information sciences (MLIS) in Ohio. We are happy to put the need that schools and libraries in our region have for individuals with the MLIS degree together with the program at Kent State. This is another example of the Graduate Center at SSU offering programs that serve the needs of southeastern Ohio.”

            The Graduate Center at SSU regularly holds informational meetings for potential as well as ongoing graduate programs offered on SSU’s campus by other higher educational institutions. The next such event following the MLIS meeting will be conducted on the SSU campus by the University of Dayton concerning school psychologist licensure and educational specialist degree programs. Meetings for ongoing programs with the University of Rio Grande such as a master of arts in education, and Marshall University’s master’s in environmental science or safety technology, are held each quarter.

            For information about other SSU Graduate Center programs, call (740) 351-3177 or send an e-mail message to smontavon@shawnee.edu.

# # #

            The number of new students—including Ohio and Kentucky residents, traditional-age college students, students from other states, and international students—boosted Shawnee State University (SSU) this fall to its highest enrollment mark ever, in addition to making SSU the institution with the second highest percentage enrollment increase among the 13 state universities in Ohio this academic year, behind only Central State University near Dayton.

            Preliminary enrollment figures for all public colleges and universities in Ohio, released yesterday by the Ohio Board of Regents (OBR), list SSU’s fall enrollment as 3,798, up 2.8 percent over last fall.

            “Everyone at SSU is excited that the university has experienced its highest enrollment ever,” said Rita Rice Morris, president of SSU. “These numbers reflect some important changes at SSU.”

            The number of full-time students increased by 3 percent, while subsidy-eligible students, the category for which the university receives state subsidy, increased by 3.4 percent.

            The enrollment increases at SSU are not surprising to many members of the southern Ohio community because SSU’s enrollment has increased at a steady pace every year since fall 2000, Morris said. In that same time period, the number of part-time students decreased while the number of full-time students increased. Other interesting aspects of SSU’s 2004-2005 student body include:

• There are 60.6 percent females/39.4 percent males on campus;
   
• The average ACT score has increased to 19.57;
   
• Among this year’s new students, there are 15 valedictorians, 93 students in  the top 10 percent of their class, and 173 students who were in the top quintile of their class;
   
• There is a 16 percent increase in the number of students housed in campus housing, going from 390 residents in 2003 to 453 in 2004;
   
• Eight Intramural programs are in place this fall and 12 new student clubs and organizations have been created.

            While the majority of SSU students come from Scioto, Lawrence, Adams, Pike, Ross, Brown, Jackson, and Franklin counties in Ohio, in addition to Greenup County in Kentucky, SSU draws its overall student population from 75 of Ohio’s 88 counties, 15 states, and 12 countries.

            Morris said she attributes the enrollment increase to SSU faculty and staff members working hard to ensure high-quality programming and student support, in addition to the SSU Office of Admission staff for its efforts in showcasing SSU to potential students and bringing them to campus for opportunities to meet with faculty members and other students, allowing them to “find that right match resulting in more and more students coming to SSU.”

            “We enjoy these changes that are taking place at SSU in regards to more residential students and the level of energy they bring to the University, and we find that the non-residential students are finding more things to do on campus as a result of new student life programming,” she said.

            Shawnee State University, located on the banks of the Ohio River in Portsmouth, features over 80 two- and four-year degree programs in fine, digital and performing arts; English and humanities; teacher education; business administration; mathematical sciences; natural sciences; social sciences; health sciences (dental hygiene, emergency medical technology, medical laboratory, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapist assistant, radiologic technology, respiratory therapy); and industrial and engineering technologies. For more information about the University or any of its programs, call (800) 959-2SSU or visit www.shawnee.edu.

# # #

            Whose ideology do you side with, George W. Bush’s or John Kerry’s? That will be the focus of a debate between the Shawnee State University (SSU) Student Liberal Association (SLA) and the SSU Conservative Student Association (CSA) at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 26 in the Flohr Lecture Hall in the Clark Memorial Library on the SSU campus in Portsmouth.

            The debate was organized by SSU’s student newspaper—the University Chronicle—to clarify any misunderstandings regarding the nature of the two student associations.

            “My personal hope is simply that some of the misunderstandings about what conservatives and liberals are will be cleared up,” said Joey DePew, SSU student and editor of the University Chronicle. “We decided to organize this debate because we felt as though there was a lot of misinformation being floated from both sides. What we hope to accomplish is a true explanation of both ideologies. It is important that people truly understand both sides in order for them to make an informed decision next month when it comes time for them to vote.”

            Media representatives from the area who will ask questions during the debate include Sam McKibbin, of WNXT/WZZZ Radio, Rick Greene, of the Portsmouth Daily Times, Richard Bussa, of the Community Common, and Rob Johnson of WSAZ Newschannel 3.

            The first round of the debate will primarily focus on issues-based questions. DePew said the reason for this is to try to generate as much genuine information for the public as possible. The second round of the debate will be a free-for-all, in which the media will ask questions of their choice.

            Jerry Holt, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at SSU, will serve as moderator for the debate, according to Depew. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call (740) 351-3278 or 351-3810.

            Preliminary enrollment figures for all public colleges and universities in Ohio, released yesterday by the Ohio Board of Regents (OBR), list SSU’s fall enrollment as 3,798, up 2.8 percent over last fall.

            “Everyone at SSU is excited that the university has experienced its highest enrollment ever,” said Rita Rice Morris, president of SSU. “These numbers reflect some important changes at SSU.”

            The number of full-time students increased by 3 percent, while subsidy-eligible students, the category for which the university receives state subsidy, increased by 3.4 percent.

            The enrollment increases at SSU are not surprising to many members of the southern Ohio community because SSU’s enrollment has increased at a steady pace every year since fall 2000, Morris said. In that same time period, the number of part-time students decreased while the number of full-time students increased. Other interesting aspects of SSU’s 2004-2005 student body include:

• There are 60.6 percent females/39.4 percent males on campus;
   
• The average ACT score has increased to 19.57;
   
• Among this year’s new students, there are 15 valedictorians, 93 students in  the top 10 percent of their class, and 173 students who were in the top quintile of their class;
   
• There is a 16 percent increase in the number of students housed in campus housing, going from 390 residents in 2003 to 453 in 2004;
   
• Eight Intramural programs are in place this fall and 12 new student clubs and organizations have been created.

            While the majority of SSU students come from Scioto, Lawrence, Adams, Pike, Ross, Brown, Jackson, and Franklin counties in Ohio, in addition to Greenup County in Kentucky, SSU draws its overall student population from 75 of Ohio’s 88 counties, 15 states, and 12 countries.

            Morris said she attributes the enrollment increase to SSU faculty and staff members working hard to ensure high-quality programming and student support, in addition to the SSU Office of Admission staff for its efforts in showcasing SSU to potential students and bringing them to campus for opportunities to meet with faculty members and other students, allowing them to “find that right match resulting in more and more students coming to SSU.”

            “We enjoy these changes that are taking place at SSU in regards to more residential students and the level of energy they bring to the University, and we find that the non-residential students are finding more things to do on campus as a result of new student life programming,” she said.

            Shawnee State University, located on the banks of the Ohio River in Portsmouth, features over 80 two- and four-year degree programs in fine, digital and performing arts; English and humanities; teacher education; business administration; mathematical sciences; natural sciences; social sciences; health sciences (dental hygiene, emergency medical technology, medical laboratory, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapist assistant, radiologic technology, respiratory therapy); and industrial and engineering technologies. For more information about the University or any of its programs, call (800) 959-2SSU or visit www.shawnee.edu.

            SSU BASICS student Chris Cooley requires the assistance of a guide dog, and sometimes has trouble when other people do not realize the dog cannot be treated as a normal pet when it is assisting him. Cooley decided there must be a way to educate the general public about the roles, responsibilities, and care of guide dogs. He suggested a guide dog demonstration to Judith Cheek, Adult BASICS instructor at SSU. That’s when they contacted the Pilot Dogs Association of Columbus, Ohio, which agreed to help out with an educational demonstration.

            The Pilot Dogs Association is a non-profit organization that provides guide dogs for qualified people who are blind, deaf, elderly, or epileptic. The dogs are specially trained and have incredible abilities to assist their owners.

            According to Cheek, the dogs can safely guide the blind and deaf, pull wheelchairs, pick up dropped items, and even predict seizures up to four hours in advance. Touching, feeding, or playing with the dogs can interfere with their performances of duties, Cheek said.

            “When they are working, they cannot be treated as pets,” she said.

            The owners must maintain a close bond with the dogs in order to have an effective working relationship, which means that even feeding the dogs must be done exclusively by the owners.

            In addition to explaining the correct way to treat the guide dogs, the Pilot Dog Association hopes their demonstration will educate those who may be qualified to get a dog from their program, to explain to local businesses and patrons that the dogs are specially trained to not have accidents indoors, and to educate attendees on the laws regarding service animals, Cheek said.

            Members of the SSU community, area schools, deaf services clientele, participants in the Star Workshop, business owners, those with disabilities and the elderly are invited to the demonstration and can benefit from it, Cheek said.

            The demonstration will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 20 at 10 a.m. on the Alumni Green. Cooley will be at the Dr. Miller and Genevieve Toombs Children’s Learning Center after the Pilot Dogs event to give a demonstration to the children using his own guide dog. For more information, contact Adult BASICS at (740) 351-3325.

BETHEL
Jason W Brumley

GREENFIELD
Teshia R Polley

LUCASVILLE
Bradley S Phipps

MCDERMOTT
Hannah E Ferguson

NEW BOSTON
Paul M Goode

PEDRO
Danny J Laney

PEEBLES
Jeremy R Boldman

PIKETON
James E Thomas

PORTSMOUTH
Amy R Cox, Eric M Curtis, Kevin Duncan, Daniel S Easter, Angela K Elrod, Joseph B Halcomb, Robert J Hammond, Yahnda N Morris, Derrick D Tucker, Tessa R Wilkerson

SOUTH WEBSTER
Cheryl R Hankins

STOCKDALE
Donald Allen

WAVERLY
Jennifer Hughes, Melinda S Rhoads, Erica J. Snodgrass

WEST UNION
Bryan L Church, Angela D Cook, Erin D Woods

MAYSVILLE
Jaime L Hummel

VANCEBURG
Kimberly C Hughes, Monica L Stafford

MILTON
Connie S Boggess, Tevin M Boles

CHILLICOTHE
Sarah A Delmoe, Stephen A Delmoe, II, Kimberly S Leeth

CIRCLEVILLE
Kimberly N Wilt

CORNING
Andrea D Schooley

FRANKLIN FURNACE
Megan D Tackett

FRIENDSHIP
Robert E Witterschein

HILLSBORO
Sara M Stamper

LUCASVILLE
Rhonda K Clark, Amanda K O'Brien, Shannon M Adams, Terra A Allison, Sara Chatfield, Nicole A Leaman, Daisy E Mosley

MCDERMOTT
Amanda R Patton

MINFORD
Kristin D Bennett, George S Richardson, Ann M Allen

NEW BOSTON
Jennifer D Day

OAK HILL
Sarah B King

OREGONIA
Sarah K Siemering

PEEBLES
Mellissa D Madden, Heidi A McAdow, Shanna M Mustard

PIKETON
Jennifer L Buckler, Andrew J Williams

PORTSMOUTH AND WEST PORTSMOUTH
Rhonda L Throckmorton, Stephen J Cucore, Allison L Dixon, Tina D Hart, Chelsey N Heft, Veronica M Mills, Terry W Allen, Melissa S Bloomer, Julie A Bond, Joshua A Burkart, Amanda S Faulkner, Jeremiah I Fort, Ronald R Greene, Stephanie L Haney, Christina R Hardin, Julie A Lewis, Micah S Ross, Rhonda M Sacks, Cynthia N Vo, Kristyn M Bradley, Deborah C Harper, Melissa R Kammer, Carrie L Matthews, Deanna D Phillips, Steven M Sowkulech, Leslie E Young

SCIOTOVILLE
Michelle L Kurtz, Marion W Mault, Nicole L May

SEAMAN
Amy Lynn Richey

SOUTH LEBANON
Lindsay R Allen

SOUTH WEBSTER
Debra R Montgomery, Teresa L Scott

UTOPIA
Clara E Smith

WAVERLY
Tiffany R Gullett, Delilah M Vonloh, Joy M Johnson, Michael V Rose

WELLSTON
Jane A Wilbur

WEST UNION
Bradley C Harmon, Tucker J Battrell

WHEELERSBURG
Kati L Schwamberger, Keri B Schwamberger, David S Brown, Timothy J Stepp, Gerard J Givan, Adam A Howe, Leatha M Jahnl, Kyungah Lee, Eric V Neff

WILLOUGHBY
Pamela J Hudec

WINCHESTER
Monica J Basford, Hollie M Grooms

FLATWOODS
Janet E O’Bryan

GARRISON
Alissa R Bloomfield

GREENUP
Melissa G Brown, Elizabeth K Hannah

SOUTH SHORE
Cheryl A Hall, Lisa L Bailey, Joseph M Briggs, Ginny E Nelson, Traci N Tackett

            SSU’s Clark Planetarium is open to the public every Thursday and Saturday at 7 p.m. through November 13. Admission charge is $2 per person, and shows will be chosen at the time of the event.

            The planetarium seats 66 and will sell out very quickly, according to director Tim Hamilton, Ph.D. On nights the planetarium sells out, a second show will be scheduled for 8 p.m.

            Directed by Hamilton, assistant professor of physics, Department of Natural Sciences, and operated by SSU students Jason Bryant and Mark Hamilton, the Clark Planetarium sports a magnificent array of shows for all ages and audiences.

            For more information, call (740) 351-3145 or (740) 351-3224.

            Dr. Miller F. and Genevieve (Jenny) E. Toombs, local retired physician and former teacher, respectively, became two of SSU’s largest contributors with the naming of the Dr. Miller and Genevieve Toombs Children’s Learning Center during today’s Founders’ Day celebration at the University.

            Rita Rice Morris, president of SSU, said it is exciting to receive a gift for the university from long-time members of the community who have watched SSU grow.

            “It is a wonderful compliment to SSU to have these fine people say they are proud of where the University is in its history and that they have faith in SSU’s future,” she said. “I’m excited that we were able to match this generous gift to the university with Jenny’s special interest—as a former teacher—and her interest in children and learning.”

            Dr. and Mrs. Toombs said their desire to contribute to SSU stems from their belief, borrowing from a quote from Woody Hayes, that they can never pay back all of the people who have helped them along the way so they are paying forward.

            “We are naming the CLC as our way of thanking a community that has been so good to us,” Dr. Toombs said. “It also illustrates our faith in the future of SSU.”

            Dr. Toombs said he and his wife were glad they could find a way in which they could help Shawnee State University through a charitable remainder trust, established through the cooperation of the SSU Development Foundation, a local attorney, and financial advisers.

            Dr. Toombs retired in January of this year from an active family practice he started in Wheelersburg in 1951. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree and an M.D. Throughout the years, Dr. Toombs has been a member of city and state medical societies, including serving as a former officer in the state society and as a member of its legislative committee. He served as president of the state society during the building of Scioto Memorial Hospital. Dr. Toombs enjoys hunting, fishing, and traveling.

            Mrs. Toombs, a former elementary school teacher in Worthington, Ohio, and Houston, Texas, is also a graduate of The Ohio State University with a B.S. in education. She is a docent at the Southern Ohio Museum and a former member of TWIG 13 of Mercy Hospital participating in charitable work. In addition, Mrs. Toombs is active in the Scioto County Medical Alliance having held numerous offices including president.

            Dr. and Mrs. Toombs, active members of All Saints Episcopal Church, have two children—a son, and a daughter (who is majoring in occupational therapy at SSU)—and five grandchildren, two of whom are majoring in teacher education at SSU.

            “Miller and Jenny love this community, they love children, and they are just wonderful examples of people who make a difference for Shawnee State University,” Morris said.

            SSU also dedicated its Memorial Rose Garden in memory of SSU employees who have passed away while employed at the University. Those individuals include Gerald Barry, William Cooper, Phillip Gearheart, Fred Medak, Elyse Saperstein, Roberta Stallard, Jeffrey Taylor, Wayne White, and Leslie Williams.

            Morris said that each day as SSU changes, each employee becomes a “Founder”—someone who builds upon a dream and adds a new piece to the University’s vision.

            “When we lose one of us—working among us—we must deal with our own individual sense of loss—and deal with the loss to our community,” she said. “These individuals played an important role in making SSU what it is today, and we will always carry, as a permanent part of who we are, wonderful memories of our dear SSU friends and colleagues.”

            Rita Rice Morris, president of SSU, said she is excited to have the marker placed on University property because it links the future the University brings to this region with the area’s past.

            “It reminds us to build upon the sacrifices and the bravery of the people in this region,” she said.

            Kathleen Fuller, public information officer for the Ohio Department of Transportation District 9, said Ohio had an extensive network of trails the Underground Railroad used as a transportation system to help fugitive slaves flee from the south to Canada. ODOT recently designated portions of U.S. 23 and State Route 4 as a commemorative highway, memorializing one of Ohio’s most frequently used corridors on the Underground Railroad, she said.

            ODOT will place a total of 10 brass markers along the River-To-Lake Freedom Trail to memorialize the neighboring communities and recognize the contributions of local Underground Railroad conductors. The Friends of Freedom Society played a large role in the marker location selection and development of the text for the markers, according to Fuller, and local historians and the State of Ohio Historic Preservation Office also contributed to the project.

            “There is a profound relationship between people and place, and trails can enhance that connection to the story of a community—past, present, and future,” said Cathy Nelson, of the Friends of Freedom Society. “We are proud to have partnered with ODOT and SSU to commemorate Ohio’s important role in the Underground Railroad Movement.”

            ODOT director Gordon Proctor said Ohio’s highway network was a vital resource long before it existed as it does today.

            “I am honored we could assist in memorializing Ohio’s role in the movement of those on the road to freedom,” he said.

            The dedication ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 8, and will take place where the marker will be placed—just off of U.S. 23 (Chillicothe Street), between Second and Third streets, in downtown Portsmouth, near the SSU campus where the new bridge is being built. A reception will follow the dedication ceremony in the Selby Grand Lobby of the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts.

            For more information call the SSU Office of Communications at (740) 351-3810.