SSCC honors outgoing board members
Lead Summary
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
The Southern State Community College Board of Trustees honored three of its members, whose terms have ended, during their regular session May 12.
Patty Griffiths, Ralph Shell and Jim Ward served what is expected to be their final meeting as board members, and prior to the session, the college honored them with a reception.
Griffiths, of Fayette County, has served since 2004, and Shell and Ward, of Highland and Fayette counties, respectively, have both served since 1992.
SSCC President Dr. Kevin Boys presented the three with gifts on behalf of the school, including a framed collage of the SSCC campuses, and said that they should each be proud of the positive changes SSCC has seen during their time on the board.
Boys said that in 1992 SSCC had an enrollment of 1,654 students and a budget of $5.8 million. In 2004, the college had an enrollment of 2,300 students and a budget of $11 million. In 2010 3,370 students are enrolled at Southern State and the college has a budget of $17 million, Boys said.
"In 1992, there was no such thing as the Patriot Center. There was no Appalachian Gateway Center," Boys said.
Though he has only worked with Griffiths, Shell and Ward for a few months, Boys said, "I have come to respect your work."
"We're going to miss you," said board president Kay Ayres. "But go with the knowledge that this is a better place than when you started. And isn't that the endeavor of us all?"
Ward said that he wanted to thank the board members, college administration, faculty and staff, and in particular thanked two people. Ward thanked SSCC Vice President of Business and Finance Jim Buck saying, "he always tells it to you like it is," and "he gave us the hard numbers. I didn't always like them, but he was always right." Ward also singled out board secretary Stevetta Grooms, "Who is always upbeat, no matter what kind of day it has been."
Three replacement board members, as well as a seat left vacant by the resignation earlier this year of Don Gephart, will be appointed by Gov. Ted Strickland. Strickland¹s office has not said when the appointments will be made.
• In other business, the board heard from Becky Storer, who has been working on the implementation of a partnership, which has been several years in the making, with Shawnee State University that would allow SSCC students to complete four-year degrees in education.
The classes would be held at the SSCC south campus and would be early childhood education-centered classes. Storer said that as the partnership develops the program may expand to junior and senior education classes.
The program, Storer said, will allow students to do their field world in local school districts, which allows them to built valuable contacts, as many SSCC education students stay in the area. There is already considerable interest, she said, and the next step it to try to expand four-year programs to other campuses. Her next goal, Storer said, is to work on a partnership between Ohio University Chillicothe and SSCC's Fayette Campus.
In other business, the board:
• Heard Boys report that several SSCC students, along with James Bland, vice president of student affairs, were attending the May 12 One Voice Legislative Summit in Columbus.
• Heard Boys recognize Kris Cross, director of public relations, on her development of a weekly newsletter, "This Week at SSCC" and her implementation of YouTube videos, as well as her use of Facebook and twitter to promote SSCC.
• The 2010 graduation speaker has been selected. Boys said the college decided to make this year¹s ceremony a student-centric event, and allowed students and faculty to submit nominations for speakers ³from within the college community. The nominees included: Gayle Cabello, of Hillsboro; Wotsa Klu, of Hillsboro; Shaun Powell, of Greenfield; Christina Chilelli, of Mt. Orab; Tiffany Eagan, of Georgetown; Jessica Bracken, of Peebles; Jennifer Taylor, of Washington C.H.; Tarina Quraishi, of Peebles; Russ Wickham, of Hillsboro; David Evans, alumnus from Iowa; Amay Walls, of Wilmington; Toni Powell, of Washington C.H., and Rachel Kiser, alumnus from Hillsboro.
Powell, who Boys described as a non-traditional student with an interesting story, was selected. Graduation is scheduled for June 11 at 7 p.m. in the Patriot Center.
The Southern State Community College Board of Trustees honored three of its members, whose terms have ended, during their regular session May 12.
Patty Griffiths, Ralph Shell and Jim Ward served what is expected to be their final meeting as board members, and prior to the session, the college honored them with a reception.
Griffiths, of Fayette County, has served since 2004, and Shell and Ward, of Highland and Fayette counties, respectively, have both served since 1992.
SSCC President Dr. Kevin Boys presented the three with gifts on behalf of the school, including a framed collage of the SSCC campuses, and said that they should each be proud of the positive changes SSCC has seen during their time on the board.
Boys said that in 1992 SSCC had an enrollment of 1,654 students and a budget of $5.8 million. In 2004, the college had an enrollment of 2,300 students and a budget of $11 million. In 2010 3,370 students are enrolled at Southern State and the college has a budget of $17 million, Boys said.
"In 1992, there was no such thing as the Patriot Center. There was no Appalachian Gateway Center," Boys said.
Though he has only worked with Griffiths, Shell and Ward for a few months, Boys said, "I have come to respect your work."
"We're going to miss you," said board president Kay Ayres. "But go with the knowledge that this is a better place than when you started. And isn't that the endeavor of us all?"
Ward said that he wanted to thank the board members, college administration, faculty and staff, and in particular thanked two people. Ward thanked SSCC Vice President of Business and Finance Jim Buck saying, "he always tells it to you like it is," and "he gave us the hard numbers. I didn't always like them, but he was always right." Ward also singled out board secretary Stevetta Grooms, "Who is always upbeat, no matter what kind of day it has been."
Three replacement board members, as well as a seat left vacant by the resignation earlier this year of Don Gephart, will be appointed by Gov. Ted Strickland. Strickland¹s office has not said when the appointments will be made.
• In other business, the board heard from Becky Storer, who has been working on the implementation of a partnership, which has been several years in the making, with Shawnee State University that would allow SSCC students to complete four-year degrees in education.
The classes would be held at the SSCC south campus and would be early childhood education-centered classes. Storer said that as the partnership develops the program may expand to junior and senior education classes.
The program, Storer said, will allow students to do their field world in local school districts, which allows them to built valuable contacts, as many SSCC education students stay in the area. There is already considerable interest, she said, and the next step it to try to expand four-year programs to other campuses. Her next goal, Storer said, is to work on a partnership between Ohio University Chillicothe and SSCC's Fayette Campus.
In other business, the board:
• Heard Boys report that several SSCC students, along with James Bland, vice president of student affairs, were attending the May 12 One Voice Legislative Summit in Columbus.
• Heard Boys recognize Kris Cross, director of public relations, on her development of a weekly newsletter, "This Week at SSCC" and her implementation of YouTube videos, as well as her use of Facebook and twitter to promote SSCC.
• The 2010 graduation speaker has been selected. Boys said the college decided to make this year¹s ceremony a student-centric event, and allowed students and faculty to submit nominations for speakers ³from within the college community. The nominees included: Gayle Cabello, of Hillsboro; Wotsa Klu, of Hillsboro; Shaun Powell, of Greenfield; Christina Chilelli, of Mt. Orab; Tiffany Eagan, of Georgetown; Jessica Bracken, of Peebles; Jennifer Taylor, of Washington C.H.; Tarina Quraishi, of Peebles; Russ Wickham, of Hillsboro; David Evans, alumnus from Iowa; Amay Walls, of Wilmington; Toni Powell, of Washington C.H., and Rachel Kiser, alumnus from Hillsboro.
Powell, who Boys described as a non-traditional student with an interesting story, was selected. Graduation is scheduled for June 11 at 7 p.m. in the Patriot Center.
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