Contact:
Elizabeth Blevins, Director, Office of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 464-4854
940 Second Street – Portsmouth, Ohio 45662
E-mail: eblevins@shawnee.edu 
Web site: www.shawnee.edu

            During its meeting on Friday, March 19, the Shawnee State University Board of Trustees passed a resolution to endorse the passage of State Issue 1, renewal of the Third Frontier program. The Third Frontier Program was created in 2002 as a way to preserve and create jobs and enhance educational opportunities by investing in technology-based economic development and university-based research. The program will end in 2012. An amendment to renew the program will be on the May 4 ballot.
            “Third Frontier money has funded the project in our Plastics Engineering program at Shawnee State to advance nanotechnology,” Dr. Rita Rice Morris, SSU President said. “Future Third Frontier funding has the potential to support our Center of Excellence, impacting economic development in southern Ohio.”
            The Board also passed a resolution recognizing winter sports and individual athletes, including the Women’s Basketball Team having returned from Sioux City, Iowa, as the NAIA Division II National Runner- ups. The team finished the regular season 24-5, and finished second in the American Mideast Conference.
            Individual athletes were recognized. Seniors Mallory Albers (Fort Loramie, Ohio) and Alison Meyer (Hamler, Ohio) both joined the Bears’ 1,000 point club this season. Albers ranked fifth all-time with 1,620 points in her career, while Meyer ranked ninth with 1,307 points.
            Senior Whitney Williams (Coshocton, Ohio) also tied the Shawnee State record for three-pointers in a game and broke the record for three-pointers in a season. Sophomore Abby Ballman (Cincinnati, Ohio) also broke SSU’s record for steals in a season, previously held by Camey Geiman with 109.
            Six Shawnee State women’s basketball players earned postseason recognition. Albers earned many postseason honors, including being named First Team All-American and to the First All-Tournament (NAIA) Team. She was also named First Team All-American Mideast Conference and an NAIA Scholar Athlete for the second time.
            Meyer earned Second Team All-Tournament (NAIA) and Second Team All-AMC honors, while being named an NAIA Scholar Athlete for the second time. Williams, along with junior Jill Cropper (Georgetown, Ohio) both earned Honorable Mention All-AMC and were named NAIA Scholar Athletes for the second time.
            Freshman Catrice Mitchell (Columbus, OH) was named to American Mideast All-Freshman Team. Junior Keilee Guthrie (Albany, OH) was also named an NAIA Scholar Athlete.
            The Men’s Basketball team was also recognized. Five men’s basketball players earned postseason recognition. Freshman Tyler Morgan (Hamersville, Ohio) was named American Mideast Conference Freshman of the Year and he was named Second Team All-AMC.
            Junior Keelyn Franklin (Warren, Ohio) was named Honorable Mention All-AMC, while freshmen Mark Bryant (Milford, Ohio) and Tyler Boyles (Raceland, Ky.) were named to the American Mideast Conference All-Freshman Team.
            Derek Lewis (Ironton, Ohio) was named an NAIA Scholar Athlete for the second straight year.
            In other business, the Board of Trustees approved the academic year 2010-2011 semester tuition and fee schedule for undergraduate and graduate programs, room and board fees, miscellaneous and lab/course fees. A proposal for a mid-year wage/salary increase for eligible Administrative/ATSS staff and Security Officers brought forth by Morris was also approved.
            “During State budget cuts we implemented many steps to reduce expenditures for the fiscal year, including postponing annual raises to our administrative staff,” Morris explained. “When we developed our FY10 budget, I promised that I would revisit the possibility of increases mid-year. This group has strongly supported the cost-containment steps taken so far, so I am pleased to be able to apply an adjustment at this time.”
            The Board approved a 2 percent increase effective January 1, 2010, capped at $1,000 for eligible staff.