Biography of President Rita Rice Morris

Shawnee State University's president, Rita Rice Morris, Ph.D., brings vision and leadership to SSU, the Tri-State, and the Appalachian region of Ohio, ensuring the institution continues to be a university that serves the citizens of the area, and the State of Ohio.

A native of California, Dr. Morris was appointed as the fifth president of SSU in December 2002, and began her duties in May 2003. She has over 40 years of experience in higher education serving as faculty member, dean, and provost/vice president for academic affairs at institutions like SSU. 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). She also studied university management at Harvard University and Carnegie Mellon University.

Dr. Morris chairs the Board of the Ohio Appalachian Center for Higher Education (OACHE) and serves as the Honorary Chair of the Ohio College Initiative to Reduce High Risk Drinking. She also serves on the OSU South Centers’ Liaison Committee, WesBanco Community Development Corporation, the Southern Ohio Medical Center Board of Directors, the Shawnee State University Development Foundation, and the Southern Ohio Growth Partnership. Additionally, she serves on the Association of American State Colleges and Universities’ (AASCU) professional development committee, membership committee, Council of State Representatives, and Board of Directors; the Entrepreneurial Signature Program Advisory Board, the Council of Presidents of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA); the Mid-South Conference of Presidents; Educate the Tri-State; the Higher Education Consortium of Southern Ohio (HECSO); and the Ohio Inter-University Council of Presidents Executive Committee.