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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2006 

Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 352-5566
E-mail: jperez@shawnee.edu 

(Photos by Stephanie Smith, Communications Specialist)

                                         
Tech Prep Showcase Competition

Shawnee State University (SSU) hosted on Feb. 24 the annual Tech Prep Showcase Competition, an event coordinated by the Ohio South Tech Prep Consortium that allows students to work in teams or individually to develop projects related to their Tech Prep high school programs.

 

 From left to right) Nick Montavon, Brandy Lute, and Christie Norman from the Scioto County Joint Vocational School, won 1st place in the Health division for their showcase on animal abuse.

 

SSU Professor Debbie Risner and Director of Preprofessional Services/Education Paul Madden judge Kara Moore’s project, which took 3rd place in the Education division of the competition.  Moore is from the Collins Career Center/Dawson-Bryant High School.

 

(From left to right) Pictured are Nick Legg, Nick Dean, T.J. Oyer, and Jake Burton from the Pike County Career Tech Center, placed first in the Information Services/Systems category.  

Winners of this event are as follows:
Business:
First Place:
Students: Deana Sherman, Juanita Wilson, Morgan Koenig
Collins Career Center/Dawson-Bryant High School  (Lawrence County)  
Second Place:
Students: Kayla Boggs, Hannah Collins, Taylor Leach, Angie Reffitt
Collins Career Center/Dawson-Bryant High School (Lawrence County)  
Third Place:
Zach Abrams, Danielle Columbro, R.C. Lewis, Bobbie Watson
Collins Career Center/Dawson-Bryant High School (Lawrence County)  
Engineering:
First Place:
Students: Adam Cook, Kyle McGraw, Brandyn Ward
Pike County Career Center
Second Place:
Students: Ryan Appleton, Evan Baer, Dustin Woodruff
Pike County Career Center
Third Place:
Students: Adam Cook, Kyle McGraw, Brandyn Ward
Pike County Career Center
Health:
First Place:
Students: Brandee Lute, Nick Montavon, Christie Norman
Scioto County JVS
Second Place:
Students: Kim Harless
Collins Career Center  (Lawrence Co.)
Third Place:
Students: Brittany Curington, Brittany Sexton
Collins Career Center  (Lawrence Co.)
Interactive Media:
First Place:
Students: Joseph Conley,  Ryan Rose, Toni Ward
Pike County Career Center
Second Place:
Students: Corey Belville, Justin Kelley, Holly Madden, Blake Roth, Joey Zornes
Ironton High School
Information Systems/Services:
First Place:
Students: Jake Burton, Nick Dean, Nick Legg, T.J. Oyer
Pike County Career Center
Education/Teacher Preparation:
First Place:
Students: Susan Jaime, Erik McWhorter, Olivia Price
Collins Career Center/Chesapeake High School (Lawrence Co.)
Second Place:
Students: Shannon Steward
Collins Career Center/Dawson-Bryant High School (Lawrence Co.)
Third Place:
Students: Kara Moore
Collins Career Center/Dawson-Bryant High School (Lawrence Co.)

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2006 

Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 352-5566
E-mail: jperez@shawnee.edu 

Children's Learning Center Book Fair


                                       

Shawnee State Park naturalist Jenny Richards reads a book about insects to students at the Dr. Miller and Genevieve Toombs Children's Learning Center (CLC), located on Shawnee State University's campus, as part of the CLC's "Camp Read-a-Book" Scholastic Book Fair activities going on this week. The book fair is open to the public from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. for the remainder of the week.

 

Troy Newman of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and his wife Rachelle teach the children at the Dr. Miller and Genevieve Toombs Children's Learning Center (CLC), located on Shawnee State University's campus, about the importance of water safety on Tuesday, Feb. 28 as part of events for the Scholastic "Camp Read-a-Book" book fair. The couple read a book about different types of boats and taught students about boating safety with a demonstration. The Newman's son Pete, a CLC student, assisted his parents and explained his father's tools and gadgets to his classmates. The book fair is open to the public from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. for the rest of the week.  

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2006 

Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 352-5566
E-mail: jperez@shawnee.edu 

(Article by Stephanie Smith, Communications Specialist)

SHAWNEE STATE THEATER TO PRESENT WINTER QUARTER PLAYS 

            The Shawnee State University (SSU) Theater will be presenting several plays as a winter quarter production this year.  Five new one act plays open March 8th at 7:30 p.m. and run through March 11th in the Kahl Studio Theater, located in the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts.  Tickets for all SSU students, faculty, staff, and military personnel are $5, and $6 for the general public.
            The production is the brainchild of Lorri Tipton and adjunct professor of theater Jim Hayes, and is part of New Millennium Plays, a new international competition first presented three years ago in collaboration with the SSU theater department.  The finalists were chosen by Hayes and Tipton, who read scores of submissions. 
            “I designed the program when I first started this company as a way to support new playwrights and introduce the community to new work,” said Tipton.  “This company has since evolved into A Working Theatre Company, which is an incorporated semi-professional theatre company based in Portsmouth.  Jim Hayes and I worked together on Plays for a New Millennium from the first, and we are co-directors of A Working Theatre Company.  Jim’s unique personality as a director has been stamped on the productions from the beginning”.
            This year, several SSU students and recent graduates will read through the submissions and direct a short play which they have chosen.  Afterward, the competition winner will be decided by the audience in a secret ballot vote.
            Nathan Wheeler will direct the satiric and topical 10- minute piece by Thomas H. Diggs titled “Harper Lee’s Husband.”  Through the protagonists, “In Cold Blood” author Truman Capote and “To Kill a Mockingbird” author Harper Lee, the play presents an “In Cold Blood”-styled fictionalized account of their relationship and Lee’s relationship with her “imaginary husband,” represented by an inflatable doll.
            Recent SSU graduate Shaun Umland will direct “Leftovers” by Scott McMorrow, which in the author’s own words “takes a candid and comedic look at the taboo subject of cannibalism.”
            Tipton has chosen to direct a satire of aspiring but untalented authors who submit their work to play festivals in “Festival!” submitted by playwright Eileen M. Nowak, who also plans to attend the performance on the 10th.
            “The Devil is in the Details,” a short play by Jill Elaine Hughes, will be directed by Kasey Wallace, a recent SSU theater.  In a Los Angeles drug cartel warehouse, a gang “executive” and his sculptor girlfriend argue over the body of a man they have just killed.
            Loren Keller will direct the tragic comedy “Three O’Clock” by Dennis Edelsen, a short piece in which four soldiers wait out an unspecified war in a trench, all dreaming of the same girl.  Edelsen plans to attend two of the performances.
            “These students and recent graduates are all very bright people and they all have a very unique style,” said Vivian Robson, associate professor of theater at SSU.   “They have all chosen very interesting pieces.”         
            The event is sponsored by the Shawnee State Theater and SSU’s Development Foundation.  For more information or to purchase tickets contact the McKinley Box Office at (740) 351-3600.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2006 

Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 352-5566
E-mail: jperez@shawnee.edu 

(Article by Shanna Mustard, Communications Specialist) 

CELL PHONE COLLECTION DRIVE TO BENEFIT THE MARCH OF DIMES

            The Shawnee State University (SSU) Women’s Forum will be collecting used cell phones for the March of Dimes throughout March as part of Women’s History Month activities.
            The March of Dimes collects used cell phones as part of a national campaign to help fund the research of birth defects. The March of Dimes sells the phones to ReCellular, Inc. According to their website www.wirelessrecycling.com, the company pays the March of Dimes an average of $4 per phone but may pay more than $10 for newer phones. ReCellular, Inc. refurbishes the newer phones and uses older ones for parts.
            Debra Knutson, Ph.D., suggested the Women’s Forum participate in the cell phone drive to honor Virginia Apgar, Ph.D.
            According to www.pbs.org, in 1933 Apgar became one of first women to graduate from Columbia University with a medical degree despite financial hardships brought on by the Great Depression. In 1952, Apgar invented the Apgar test, which evaluates the vitality of a newborn based on pulse, respiration, muscle tone, color, and reflexes. The Apgar test, still in use today, is credited with saving countless infant lives by detecting birth defects quickly and recognizing trauma caused by birth.
            “Most people do not know that Dr. Apgar was a female,” said Shannon Lawson, Women’s Forum member and chair of the Women’s History Month committee. “We picked March of Dimes because of the connection to Apgar.”
            According to Lawson, the Women’s Forum wanted to inform people about the great things women have accomplished by recognizing a historical female figure who people wrongly assume to be male.
            “All cell phones, even the old bag phones, can help the March of Dimes,” said Lawson.  
           
Forum members will collect phones throughout the month of March. Collection points include:
·                              The Clark Memorial Library
·                              The English and math department on the fourth floor of Massie Hall
·                              The writing center in the basement of the administration building room 031
·                              The Student Success Center
·                              The ground floor of Kricker Hall
·                              The Advanced Technology Center (ATC) in the lobby near BASICS
·                              The University Center (UC) in front of the Student Activities office
            For more information on the drive, contact Knutson via email at dknutson@shawnee.edu. For more information on the March of Dimes mission, visit www.marchofdimes.com.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2006 

Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 352-5566
E-mail: jperez@shawnee.edu 

Mary Tomlin Retires

Mary Tomlin, associate director of financial aid, who has served the Shawnee State University (SSU) community since 1975, was honored Tuesday, Feb. 28 at her retirement party.  

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2006 

Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 352-5566
E-mail: jperez@shawnee.edu 

(Article by Shanna Mustard, Communications Specialist) 

                                                  SSU OFFERS COMPUTER TRAINING
            Shawnee State University (SSU), through the office of Business and Industry Training Services, will offer computer-training courses during March and April.  
            “We are offering a wide array of workshops which include Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, PowerPoint, web page design, and understanding Windows software,” said Brenda Covert, Education for Business and Industry manager. “The classes are three hours in length and individuals have the option of taking the classes during the day or evening.
            Each class costs $39 but participants can take two classes for $69 or three for $99. Any interested individual can take the classes, including community members, SSU staff, and students. 
           “This is an excellent deal,” said Covert.
           Classes include:

  • "Microsoft Word: Basics” on March 6 from 9 a.m. until noon and on March 7 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.
  • “Microsoft Word: Creating Forms and Templates for User Input” on March 6 from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. and on March 14, 6-9 p.m.
  • “Microsoft Word: Streamlining Mailings with Mail Merge” on March 13 from 9 a.m. until noon
  • “Microsoft Excel: Basics” on March 14 from 9 a.m. until noon and on March 20 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.
  • “Microsoft Excel: Advanced Editing and Formulas” on March 14 from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. and on March 27 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.
  • “Microsoft Excel: Designing Databases that Work” on March 28 from 9 a.m. until noon
  • “Microsoft Project Management with Excel” on March 28 from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.
  • “Microsoft PowerPoint: Basics” on March 20 from 9 a.m. until noon and on March 21 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.
  • “Microsoft PowerPoint: Pushing PowerPoint to the Limit” on March 20 from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. and on March 28 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.
  • “Microsoft Access: Basics” on April 3 from 9 a.m. until noon and on April 4 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.
  • “Microsoft Access: Building Queries and Managing Data” on April 10 from 9 a.m. until noon
  • “Microsoft Access: Creating Forms for Easy Input” on April 3 from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.
  • “Microsoft Outlook: Emailing Basics” on April 11 from 9 a.m. until noon and on April 17 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.
  • “Microsoft Outlook: Unleash the Power of Contact Management” on April 11 from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. and on April 18 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.
  • “Microsoft FrontPage: Web Page Design” on April 18 from 9 a.m. until noon and on April 24 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.
  • “Microsoft Windows: Skills for Home and Work” on April 18 from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. and on April 25 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.

Dan White, university information services (UIS) manager, will teach the classes.
            For more information or to register, call (740) 351-3304 or 866 672-8778.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2006 

Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 352-5566
E-mail: jperez@shawnee.edu 

(Photo by Shanna Mustard, Communications Specialist) 

                                                         Countdown to Commencement

                                                                   

 Shawnee State University (SSU) graduating seniors were able to complete many of required graduation tasks at once thanks to the "Countdown to Commencement" held on Tuesday, Feb. 28 from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. The event, sponsored by the participating offices, allowed students to get help from various offices and to ask questions about graduation requirements. Offices participating included the registrar's office, financial aid, the SSU bookstore, career services, and the alumni association. Students also ordered graduation announcements and class rings from Herff Jones. Over 160 students attended the event.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 2, 2006 

Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 352-5566
E-mail: jperez@shawnee.edu 

(Photo by Stephanie Smith, Communications Specialist) 

Hair and the Feminine Image 

                                                           

On March 1, Roberta Milliken, Ph.D., associate professor of English at Shawnee State University (SSU), presented “Hair and the Feminine Image” at the Southern Ohio Museum of Art in Portsmouth.  Her presentation, a depiction of women in art and literature of the Middle Ages, was given in celebration of March being Women’s History Month.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2006 

Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 352-5566
E-mail: jperez@shawnee.edu 

(Article by Shanna Mustard, Communications Specialist) 

SSU PROFESSOR FORMING BALLROOM DANCING CHAPTER 

            Shawnee State University (SSU) accounting professor Steve Doster, DBA, can dance his way through most situations.  
            Doster, an accounting professor at SSU since 1986, dedicates his free time to ballroom dancing. He began introductory group lessons in 1999 and has attended lessons and events over the years to improve his technique.
            “Ballroom dancing has undergone a resurgence of popularity because of films like ‘Shall We Dance’ and ‘Mad Hot Ballroom’ as well as reality shows like ‘Ballroom Bootcamp’ and ‘Dancing with the Stars,’” said Doster.
            According to Doster, others on campus enjoy his hobby.
            Dan Moore, Ph.D., Lois Rase, Julia Coll, Ph.D., Joyce McCall, Ruthie Heffner, Lindsey McRoberts, and Ray Carson, Ph.D. also share Doster’s enthusiasm for ballroom dancing.
            Doster has served as both student and teacher of ballroom dancing.
            “My most memorable learning experience was when I enrolled in theatrical tango, taught by visiting professor Bruce Marrs on SSU’s campus,” said Doster. “The course spanned 10 weeks, during which Marrs did a masterful job of teaching the technique and energy of tango to experienced dancers as well as to relative beginners like myself.”
            Doster teaches beginning dance classes both in and outside of the classroom.
            “Julia Coll and I have taught the tango many times on campus,” said Doster. “We taught her advanced Spanish students at the 2005 International Day. I also assisted Lois Rase, a professional dance instructor and SSU Bear Cubs program coordinator, in teaching the foxtrot, waltz, and swing to Upward Bound students during the summer. I also assist Lois in teaching these same dances to adults, as well as Latin dances such as the rumba, cha-cha, and tango.”
            Doster and Coll recently performed at the 2006 International Culture and Cuisine Day which included teaching students basic tango.  
            Doster hopes to eventually compete in the bronze category of ballroom dancing as an amateur in the future. He recently attended a national dance competition in Sarasota, Fla. as a spectator and received encouragement to enter a competition.
            Doster, a former vice-president of USA Dance (formerly U.S. Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association) in Kentucky, hopes to start a similar chapter in the Portsmouth Area.
            “USA Dance chapter activities vary, but typically include hosting one dance per month and supporting group dance lessons at the introductory, and sometimes the intermediate level,” said Doster.
            Anyone interested in ballroom dancing opportunities, such as lessons, dances, or competitions, or in establishing a Portsmouth chapter of USA Dance should contact Doster by email (preferably) at tangoman@maysvilleky.net or by calling (740) 351-3466 (work) or (606) 759-7457 (home).

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2006 

Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 352-5566
E-mail: jperez@shawnee.edu 

(Photo by Shanna Mustard, Communications Specialist)

SSU Children’s Learning Center Book Fair 

Shawnee State University (SSU) geology professor Jeffrey Bauer, Ph.D., teaches children from the Dr. Miller and Genevieve Toombs Children's Learning Center (CLC), located on SSU's campus, about rocks and fossils on Wednesday, March 1 as part of the events for the "Camp Read-a-Book" Scholastic book fair going on this week. The book fair is open to the public from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. for the remainder of the week.

Miss Jenny, the naturalist from Shawnee State Park, reads nature books to the children of the CLC.  Miss Jenny taught the students about insects and reptiles.

Mr. Steve, a local school guidance counselor and scout master, gives the children of the CLC a lesson in patriotism.  Mr. Steve and the children gathered around the campfire to learn about the American flag.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2006 

Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 352-5566
E-mail: jperez@shawnee.edu 

SSU PRESIDENT MORRIS TESTIFIES BEFORE HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING STUDY COUNCIL 

          Shawnee State University (SSU) president Rita Rice Morris, Ph.D. presented the following testimony on Thursday, March 2nd during a meeting of the Higher Education Funding Study Council (HEFSC) in Columbus.
          The HEFSC was created in the state budget and charged with reviewing all aspects of higher education funding contained in the state budget and recommending any changes it determines are necessary.
          The HEFSC will issue a report of its activities, findings and recommendations to the Governor, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the President of the Senate by May 31, 2006.

(FOLLOWING IS PREPARED TESTIMONY.  THE TESTIMONY AS PRESENTED MAY HAVE VARIED FROM THE TEXT.) 

Testimony of
Rita Rice Morris, Ph.D., President
Shawnee State University
Prepared for Presentation to the
Higher Education Funding Study Council
March 2, 2006

          Chairman Webster and distinguished members of the Higher Education Funding Study Council.  Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to speak for a few minutes about Shawnee State University and the role we play in serving Southern Ohio as a high quality regional university.
          As you consider higher education’s role in preparing Ohioans for the challenges that lay before us, I ask you to remember: one size does not fit all.  Different universities fill different roles and serve different types of students.  Young people and non-traditional students need an array of options to enable them to meet their educational goals.
          Shawnee State is the newest state university, established in 1986 with a clear and singular mandate:  Make a difference in the lives of those who live in Southern Ohio.  We have been and will continue to strive to be a high quality regional university. 
           In achieving that mission we are constantly mindful of the Appalachian Ohio and first-generation college student populations we serve.  Fully two-thirds of our students are the first in their family to attend college.  These are students who are more likely to attend college if they can do so near to home and family.  Were it not for Shawnee State University these students might not have the opportunity to pursue a college degree – and the need for more college graduates is acute in the region.
          As you can see on the front page of the pamphlet I have handed out, the median household income in the counties from which Shawnee State primarily draws its students is over $10,000 less than that of Ohio and the United States.  It is no coincidence that while the percentage of Ohioans with a bachelor’s degree is about 22 percent, only about 10 percent of residents in the Shawnee State counties have achieved that level.  As the CHEE report notes, there is nearly a $20,000 difference between the average annual income of a high school graduate and an individual who possesses a bachelor’s degree.  We will not improve the level of income and the quality of life in Appalachian Ohio without increasing the number of individuals with a bachelor’s degree.
          Since 2001 Shawnee State has expanded access to a college education by increasing enrollment 13 percent.  We are one of several institutions that are open-access.  But we play many roles.  We are an important part of the array of postsecondary options for Ohio citizens.
          To provide the access that is central to our mission, it is vitally important we keep tuition low.  Research indicates our students are keenly sensitive to cost as they consider whether or not they should attend college. 
          Let me say that again – our students are not choosing what college to attend, but whether they should attend college at all.  That is how important keeping tuition low is to our mission of providing the opportunity of a college education to those who live in our region.
          I also ask the council to keep in mind that many students from Appalachian Ohio are academically at-risk.  They need special attention from a university that can meet their needs.  Shawnee State provides a small student-to-teacher ratio (about 14 to one) and services designed to help students unfamiliar with campus life to adjust to the demands of a college education.  We assess our students’ ability to meet their academic goals, and help in developing a plan to meet them.  If they are not sufficiently prepared, they take basic courses, typically in math and English.  Thereafter, they are like any other students and are expected to achieve the same level of performance as someone who came to Shawnee State with an ACT score of 28.
         We take our access mission very seriously, but we are committed to being a high quality regional university.  We provide the opportunity to attend college and challenge every student to achieve excellence.  We offer faculty and staff dedicated to bringing out the best in our students.  Our promise of a brighter future through a university education must not ring hollow.
          In demanding the best of our students, we expect the same level of performance as at any other university.  In the new knowledge economy, the coin of the realm in both higher education and business is a bachelor’s degree.  Shawnee State offers a number of associate degree programs which are typically fully enrolled and provide very marketable skills.  However, we encourage students to look upon an A.A. degree as the beginning of their college education, not the end.  This standard is supported by business leaders looking for highly trained employees.
          At Shawnee State, students can earn bachelor’s degrees in such fields as: fine, digital and performing arts, social sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, teacher education, business, pre-law and pre-med.  We have a thriving undergraduate research program.  This program is a Center of Excellence and links our students to Third Frontier projects.
          As of this date 100 percent of our current students graduating in pre-med who applied for admission to medical or dental school have been accepted.  In recent years our acceptance rate has been in the neighborhood of 90 percent.
          In the past 20 years we have graduate nearly 9,000 students.  Beyond our impact on individual students, Shawnee State has played and will continue to play a major role in the region.
          In two weeks this council will be considering economic development.  Shawnee State plays an important role in regional economic development as a major employer in Southern Ohio.  Based on a conservative 1.5 multiplier, an economic analysis placed the impact of our student and staff spending at over $54 million last year. 
          Our professional faculty and staff serve the community in leadership and volunteer roles.  Through our Office of Outreach Services, Shawnee State provided training to more than 160 local companies and about 50 government offices and agencies during the last school year.  Shawnee State partners with OSU’s Endeavor Center to provide training to the regional business community.  We also have entered partnerships with higher education institutions throughout the tri-state region.
          Shawnee State is also host to a number of postsecondary options.  We offer an on-campus GED program, and a full array of federal TRIO programs.  We are working with schools in three counties on Tech Prep, and are working with local schools and hospitals to develop a literacy council.  Our students are in the community teaching adults to read, we extend our health care education programming to the community, and in partnership with local schools and the Ohio Appalachian Center for Higher Education (OACHE) raise student awareness of the possibilities created by a college education.
          As I have mentioned, the vast majority of our students are from Southern Ohio.  They earn a degree at Shawnee State and use it to begin promising careers in the region.  Our programs are absolutely essential to the communities in Southern Ohio who depend on our graduates.  Shawnee State graduates are found in every niche of the local economy, and are particularly prominent in education and the allied health professions. 
          At Southern Ohio Medical Center, 100 percent of the current certified occupational therapists and physical therapy assistants are Shawnee State graduates.  About 80 percent of the staff at Pike Community Hospital calls Shawnee State their alma mater.
          I am very proud to say that Shawnee State has already made significant changes to better serve our students and the region.
          Our experience as a university is somewhat unique in that we have always provided educational opportunity to so-called “non-traditional students.”  Just a few years ago Shawnee State was almost exclusively a commuter university.  Our Board of Trustees decided to expand the opportunities at our university by enhancing the on-campus living experience.  In response we have formed a partnership with a local developer who has built residence halls without spending any taxpayer money.  This year we had 500 beds, and this fall we will add another 100, with more on the drawing board. 
          We have seen in the last few years’ growth in the number of full-time traditional students.  We are striking a very happy medium that brings together traditional and non-traditional students to create an exciting, dynamic learning environment in which students benefit from the experience of their fellow students as well as their professors.
          We may have increased enrollment, but too many of our students do not graduate.  Addressing that deficit is part of the reason we have undertaken a dramatic change in campus culture by switching from quarters to a semester calendar.
          Many of our students come to Shawnee State entirely unsure if they can succeed at college.  These students may be adequately prepared (many are not) but nothing in their culture tells them they can make it, or that they need to complete their education.  In a 10-week course one bad quiz at week five and these students are wondering if college is right for them.  The 15-week semester will give students more time to adapt to college, more time to learn the course material, more time to succeed.  The semester calendar will also allow them to enter the workplace sooner, something that prospective employers have strongly urged.
          There are a number of students who go away for college, but decide they want to be closer to home.  There are also students attracted to the academic programs at Shawnee State because of their high rate of placement upon graduation.
          About 40 percent of our graduates transfer into Shawnee State with prior college credit.  To facilitate the smoothest possible transition to our campus we are adding a new admissions officer with the specific responsibility of assisting transfer students.  I should also point out that transfer students are not included in completion rates.  In effect, Shawnee State must bear a lower apparent completion rate for providing safe harbor to transfer students.
          Shawnee State will be offering its first master’s degree this fall. The program was created in response to the Occupational Therapy field now requiring a master’s degree for licensure. Shawnee State already participates in a number of cooperative programs with other campuses to give our students the chance to undertake graduate-level work.  Nevertheless, we felt strongly that if we were to ensure a steady supply of licensed occupational therapists for our citizens and communities, we had to offer our own master’s degree program.
          At Shawnee State we are expanding the opportunity of individuals to attend college, we are offering new programs in fields that will help graduates secure bright futures, and we are adapting our campus to the needs of students.  We believe we are proceeding in the same spirit of reform that has inspired this council. 
          Yet our efforts to keep this promise of a high quality regional university serving the needs of our students and the surrounding region are being eroded by fiscal pressures.
          We have done what we can to squeeze the most out of every dollar received. In 2003 Shawnee State was the most efficiently run campus in Ohio.  Our expenditure per FTE was $7,996, more than $1,100 less than the second lowest campus. 
          Because of our efficiency, we are able to offer an annual tuition of about $5,500, second only to Central State as the lowest in Ohio. 
          As I have already noted, our students face the most challenges in earning a college degree, yet Shawnee State receives less support – in 2003 $474 less per FTE than the average main university campus – to help our students overcome these challenges.  As you can see on page three of the pamphlet, our state operating support per FTE has dropped from $6,204 in 2001 to $4,262 in 2004.  We suffered a decrease of almost $2,000 compared to the average drop for universities of $959.
          We are concerned that current funding discussions could lead to further reductions of resources.
          To help us meet the promise of being a high quality regional university in Southern Ohio, Shawnee State has received a special Supplement, about 15 percent of our current state support.  It has been whittled in recent years.  In 1995 the Supplement was $4.8 million, but this year it stands at $1.8 million, $200,000 below the $2 million funding point recommended in the 1994 report of the Board of Regents, which was commissioned by the General Assembly.
          Please consider the predicament we face.  At Shawnee State we are expanding opportunity by enrolling more students, and giving them the top-flight education they deserve.  Yet, at the same time that we are growing, our state funding has been diminishing and our tuition has been capped.  We are very concerned that reduced funding is threatening our continued capacity to fulfill our mission.  The money to run Shawnee State has got to come from somewhere. 
          I would ask the Higher Education Funding Study Council consider including in its report the following:
          Restore the five percent each year of the biennium in cuts to Shawnee State’s Special Supplement through a funding model that recognizes the access mission of Shawnee State.
          Consider additional funding models that are based on factors other than average cost.  Shawnee State’s funding per FTE is less than the statewide average because we are open-access and almost exclusively undergraduate in our program offerings.
          Lift the tuition cap so we have the flexibility to gradually secure resources currently at risk because of dramatically reduced funding. 
          Identify access to undergraduate degrees as a funding priority.
          Recognize that universities will be unable to fulfill their role in the development of Ohio’s economy laid out in the CHEE report without sufficient investment by the state.
          Shawnee State cannot continue to serve more while receiving less.  Sooner or later something will have to give.  We want to do more.  We want to make a profound difference in Southern Ohio.  But we need the tools to do it.
          I know I speak for my colleagues in expressing our deep appreciation for the recognition regularly voiced by this council that Shawnee State and the other universities in Ohio are essential to the state’s re-birth.  I am at your disposal as you continue your work on behalf of the people of Ohio.
          Thank you for giving me this time.  I would be happy to answer any questions.
                                                                # # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7, 2006 

Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 352-5566
E-mail: jperez@shawnee.edu 

Saving Energy
By:  Butch Kotcamp
Director of Facilities

            We have all been stunned by the dramatic increase in utility costs over the last few months.  The university has responded by finding ways to reduce campus energy usage.  There are also steps we all can take to conserve energy.
            The natural gas unit price paid by the university has skyrocketed by approximately 50 percent in the last year alone.  Electricity will soon follow with scheduled rate increases of approximately 23 percent over the next three years – a 9 percent increase next year followed by seven percent increases in the subsequent two years.  Our current annual utility budget is approximately $1.12 million.
            The university is working hard to rein in energy costs.  We recently connected the HVAC systems of the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts and the Library to take advantage of the newer, more efficient system in the Riffe Center.  This modification allows the Riffe Center’s heating and cooling system to supply the Library except during peak energy load requirements in the Riffe Center, such as performances in the main auditorium.
            Most campus buildings were already equipped with digitally-controlled HVAC systems that automatically adjust building temperatures during unoccupied times.  A major lighting retrofit for the Library is under review, as are projects to address other causes of high energy consumption.
            What can we all do to improve energy conservation at Shawnee State?
            To the extent possible, schedule as many off-peak events – before 8 a.m. and after 5 p.m., Monday through Friday – into as few buildings as possible.  Try to use Kricker Hall, as it is the campus’ most energy efficient building.  Our goal should be to eliminate the need for multiple buildings to accommodate open labs and other smaller functions.  Other good building candidates to house night and weekend events are the Library and the University Center which already operate extended hours.
            As buildings are renovated, we are installing occupancy sensors with the most efficient lighting fixtures.  However, for most of our buildings, we depend on you to turn off lights and any other office equipment when not in use.
            Please contact the Plant Department, x3458, regarding any change in event scheduling, cancellations, or any other alteration of building occupancy.  Doing so will allow staff to change the building HVAC schedule to increase efficiency.
            By simply changing a few habits we can conserve energy with no additional renovation costs and with no effect on our level of comfort. Working together, we can lessen the strain dramatically increased energy costs will put on the university’s operating budget by reducing how much energy we use.  That’s good for us, and good for the environment.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 9, 2006 

Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 352-5566
E-mail: jperez@shawnee.edu 

(Article by Shanna Mustard, Communications Specialist) 

            MERIWETHER OFFERING "FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH" CLASS DURING SPRING QUARTER

            Nicholas Meriwether, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy at Shawnee State University (SSU), will offer “Foundations of Faith,” a philosophy class exploring Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
            According to Meriwether, the course will examine the origins of the three religions, their historical development in and their impact upon the West, including the Crusades, the Inquisition, and the wars of religion, and their relationship in modern times, including the sources of conflict and the prospects for peace in the Middle East.
            Course requirements include a midterm, final, one paper, and reading assignments.
            “With this class, I am trying to gauge student interest in a religious studies program,” said Meriwether. “Religious studies departments on public university campuses have a special role. The social sciences study religion as an object instead of as something in and of itself. Although these studies provide important information, religious people do not view their religion from this perspective, so it is important to study religion from the perspective of someone practicing the faith.”
            Class reading assignments will come from a newly published textbook, tailored to courses like this one, with contributions by Islamic, Jewish, and Christian scholars.
“It is also important to study important primary texts, like the Koran, to get an inside understanding,” said Meriwether. 
            Meriwether hopes to visit a mosque and synagogue in either Cincinnati or Columbus as part of the class.
            Some of the questions Meriwether hopes to discuss in the class include:

·         What are the unique contributions each religion has made to
Western Civilization?

·         Is conflict among the three faiths inevitable, especially between
Islam and the other two?

·         Are there resources within Islam for an enduring peace with other religions?

·         Can liberal democracy take hold in Islamic soil as easily as it has on Christian and Jewish soil?

            “Because the course is brand new, the format will be a bit more on the order of a symposium than a lecture,” said Meriwether. “I will also invite adherents of the three faiths to speak on the issues to the class.”
            The class will explore the future of the religions as well as the history and foundations of each faith.
           There are no prerequisites for the class, listed in the course catalog as “Philosophy 299.” The class will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays during spring quarter from 4:00 p.m. until 5:50 p.m.
            For more information, contact Meriwether by emailing nmeriwether@shawnee.edu or by calling (740) 351-3447.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 9, 2006 

Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 352-5566
E-mail: jperez@shawnee.edu 

(Article by Mistie Spicer, Communications Coordinator)

                                        SUNSHINE WEEK EVENT TO BE HELD AT SSU

           In observance of National Sunshine Week, March 13th through the 17th Shawnee State University’s (SSU) Clark Memorial Library in cooperation with the Portsmouth Public Library is sponsoring “Are We Safer in the Dark? A National Dialogue on Open Government and Secrecy”.
          Connie Salyers Stoner, the local event coordinator and associate director of public services at the Clark Memorial Library, said at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, March 13th there will be a telecast from the National Press Club in room 205 of the library.
          “They will be talking about secrecy in our government, the problems secrecy creates, and the real- life impact of unnecessary secrecy on ordinary Americans,” Stoner said.
          Those participating in the panel discussion from the National Press Club are Geneva Overholser, endowed Chair of the Missouri School of Journalism Bureau, who will serve as the moderator; Thomas Blanton, National Security Archive Director, Thomas M. Susman, Ropes and Gray Washington and Barbara Petersen, Florida First Amendment Foundation.
          “The National Press Club wants Americans to discuss how they use openness to keep communities safe and to examine at how government’s power to keep secrecy grows and the power of those secret keepers in our courts, in our Congress and in our executive branch. This undermines oversight.” Stoner said.
          Following the national telecast there will be a local community update on the Sunshine Law. Martin Susec, with the Ohio Attorney General’s office will give an overview of the state law and will lead a discussion about the effects of government secrecy on the lives of area citizens and what the public can do about it.
          Stoner said State Representative Todd Book will also give an update on House Bill 9 which enhances Ohio’s public records law and answer questions.
          “People should come if they are interested in having our legislator, our city council people and our county commissioners share with us how government really works and to make sure all of the discussions are out in the open,” Stoner said. “It’s up to the citizens to make sure that’s happening.”
          National Sunshine Week is sponsored by the American Library Association, American Association of Law Libraries, American Society of Newspaper Editors, Coalition of Journalists for Open Government, League of Women Voters, National Freedom of Information Coalition, www.OpenTheGovernment.org, SSU and the Portsmouth Public Library.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 9, 2006 

Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 352-5566
E-mail: jperez@shawnee.edu 

(Article by Shanna Mustard, Communications Specialist)

                                        EXPLORE THE GALAXY FOR ONLY $3

            Ever wanted to explore distant galaxies?
            If you can’t afford the roughly $200,000 to be one of the first people to enjoy a private 30-mintue space flight when they become available, the Shawnee State University (SSU) Clark Planetarium has the perfect opportunity for you.
            The planetarium, located in the Advanced Technology Center (ATC) on SSU’s campus, will offer a one-hour show, “More than Meets the Eye,” to the public for only $3 for adults and $2 for children under 12. The shows will be held every Monday and Thursday, at 7 p.m., beginning March 27 and concluding on June 1.
            “The show, ‘More than Meets the Eye,’ is a guide to backyard astronomy,” said Timothy Hamilton, Ph.D., assistant professor of physics at SSU and planetarium director. “It explains what we can see in the skies with our naked eyes, with an ordinary pair of binoculars, and with a small telescope. It is a wonderful introduction for the amateur, explaining constellations, major stars, nebulae, and galaxies.”
            Seating is limited to 66 persons admitted on a first-come, first-serve basis with money collected at the door. If the first show sells out, another show will be available at 8 p.m.
            Each show concludes with a special treat for visitors, thanks to the state-of-the-art Digistar II Projection System.
            “Each show will be followed by a set of our renowned ‘roller coaster rides’ of special effects,” said Hamilton.
            For more information or to schedule a private planetarium show, call (740) 351-3125.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 9, 2006 

Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 352-5566
E-mail: jperez@shawnee.edu 

(Photo by Shanna Mustard, Communications Specialist)

                                                           SSU CAREER EXPO


Many Shawnee State University (SSU) students and alumni attended the annual Career Expo in the James A. Rhodes Athletic Center on Wednesday, March 8. The event, sponsored by the SSU Office of Career Services from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., allowed students to learn about potential area employers and to interview with businesses seeking employees. Eighty-four employers attended the Career Expo.                                 

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 10, 2006 

Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 352-5566
E-mail: jperez@shawnee.edu 

(Article by Stephanie Smith, Communications Specialist) 

SSU HOLDS FOOD DRIVE 

            The Shawnee State University (SSU) Center for Community Service is holding a food drive to benefit the Salvation Army’s Food Pantry.  Through March 17th any non-perishable food items can be donated. 
            “I have held drives at the end of each quarter because a lot of students will be cleaning out their dorm rooms and realize they have food left over which could be donated,” said Tracey Leo, coordinator of Community Service at SSU.  “The Salvation Army has a soup kitchen every few weeks so the items will be used and appreciated.”
            Donation boxes are located in Massie Hall in the Student Success Center and in the University Center by the Student Activities Office.  For more information, contact Tracey Leo at (740) 351-3662 or by emailing tleo@shawnee.edu.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 10, 2006 

Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 352-5566
E-mail: jperez@shawnee.edu 

(Article by Stephanie Smith, Communications Specialist) 

                              

SSU TO HOST ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONAL DAY 2006 

            Shawnee State University (SSU) Outreach Services will host Administrative Professional Day 2006 on April 27. 
            “This year’s event promises to be our best ever,” said Tracy Conn, University Outreach Services representative who has coordinated this successful event for the past six years.  “Faculty, staff, and companies will enjoy this event.”
            There will be two presenters at this year’s event, Bruce Boguski and Kay Potetz, Ph.D.  
            “At the conclusion of each year’s event, we do an evaluation to find out the interests for the upcoming year, and the number one response last year was to have topics dealing with stress, difficult situations, or overcoming odds.  The Ohio Speakers Bureau has a list of people they recommend, and Boguski and Potetz were top rated for those topics.”
            Boguski will present, “The Winner’s Edge.”  An automobile accident paralyzed Boguski from the waist down at age 18.  After two years, he regained full use of his body and went on to become a two-time state champion in racquetball and also played on a state championship softball team.  He was a high school head baseball coach, assistant football coach and a university tennis coach.  He speaks, from personal experience, to all groups on how attitude makes the difference in whatever a person does in their life.  He is one of the most in-demand motivational speakers in the Midwest.
            Potetz, whose presentation will be, “What Makes me Tick, What Ticks me Off!” has been a keynote speaker and management consultant since the early 1980s. Her qualifications include 25 years of management and administrative experience and she was most recently vice-president of a Midwest hospital. 
            “Potetz combines her business experience with a generous amount of common sense,” said Conn.  “Her keen observations of people and quick wit make her presentations enjoyable and educational for all.”
            The event will include a morning session beginning at 8 a.m. or an afternoon session starting at noon, both to be held in the Micklethwaite Banquet Hall of SSU’s University Center.  The registration fee is $65 per session, and $59 for groups of five or more individuals.  SSU employees receive a 20 percent discount on the seminar. 
            “The event is suitable for anyone who works with the public, but we coordinate it each year to coincide with Secretary’s Week, which is now called Administrative Professionals Week,” said Conn.  “We try to do an event every year that brings frontline people on campus in for training and gives staff a special day away from the office.”
            For more information or to obtain a registration form, please contact Tracy Conn at (740) 351-3490 or email tconn@shawnee.edu.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 10, 2006 

Contact:
Jeff Perez, Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 352-5566
E-mail: jperez@shawnee.edu 

(Article by Stephanie Smith, Communications Specialist) 

LOCAL DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION CHAPTER ESTABLISH SSU SCHOLARSHIP 

            The Shawnee State University (SSU) Development Foundation is proud to announce the Joseph Spencer Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Scholarship (NSDAR).
            According to Susan Warsaw, executive director of the SSU Development Foundation, the scholarship was established as a way for the group to give back to the community.
            “This is indeed a special scholarship because its creation exhibits the s