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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 26, 2002

(Article by Shannon Hess, Communications Specialist-SSU Office of Communications and Terry Hapney)

SSU student Elizabeth Scott (right), works on a resolution while serving on the interior committee of the Model Arab League recently at Miami University in Oxford

SSU Students Participate In Model Arab League

With the Arab League summit opening tomorrow in Beirut, Lebanon, and the focus of the summit being the endorsement of a Saudi peace proposal aimed at ending more than half a century of Arab-Israeli conflict, several Shawnee State University (SSU) students have begun to reminisce about their recent experiences at the Model Arab League.

Seven SSU students attended the Model Arab League held in late February at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. The Model Arab League, sponsored by the National Council on U.S.- Arab Relations, gives students from participating universities the opportunity to develop leadership skills, as they learn about the social, economic, cultural, and political issues facing the leaders of the Arab world.

Each university represents a different Arab country, and the meetings are conducted in parliamentary procedure similar to that of the real Arab League.

"So similar in fact," says faculty advisor John H. Lorentz, Ph.D., professor of history at SSU, "that over the years the resolutions that have come out of the Model Arab League have helped to give ideas for resolutions in the National Council on U.S.-Arab relations."

Students are responsible for making resolutions concerning their country's problems in the areas of Palestinian affairs, defense, social, interior, and environmental affairs. Representing Jordan, SSU students included Jynx Jenkins of Portsmouth and Michael Stapleton of Sciotoville on the social affairs committee, Brian Napier of Portsmouth on the Palestinian affairs committee, Shannon Southworth of Lucasville and Deborah Swayne of Peebles on defense, Shannon Todd of Oak Hill on environmental affairs, and Elizabeth Scott of Lucasville on the interior committee.

Once assigned their country, students had approximately three months to research and study the country, as well as gain expertise in their specific committee assignment.

"Basically," says Scott, "you try to pass resolutions to solve the problems within the country."

Once a plan is written out, it must pass in the committee. Then, all of the students gather for the summit, during which the chairs from each country go through the resolutions and pass or fail them.

"Normally, if the resolution gets to summit, it will pass but when it gets there the whole country gets the chance to look at the resolution and debate it," Scott said.

"It can be very frustrating. Sometimes they get quite emotional, but it is also very rewarding. There is a real competitive aspect, just as there would be when a country is representing its own self-interest," Lorentz said.

"It was really interesting because you weren't Shannon Southworth from Shawnee State University, you were a representative of Jordan. So, you voted what Jordan would vote," Southworth said.

It was important that the students were familiar with the country's beliefs, attitudes, and religions, as well as their political and economic standing.

"Whether we viewed it as our own moral standards or not, we had to go with the moral standards and policies of that country," Scott said.

Lorentz said during the debates the students learn a great deal about the Arab world and politics in general.

"They learn a lot during the three days about parliamentary procedure and the nature of politics. By the time we come back they've gone through a whole course work worth of information and material. They learn a tremendous amount because they have actually been a part of the process itself. That is why it is so valuable. It's something that sticks with them," Lorentz said.

Southworth said she thinks a lot of people who don't know very much about the Middle East think, "Why can't they just get along?"

"Going into this you see the reasons why. It's not just black and white. There is a lot of gray in there and you have to wade through that to work some resolutions out."

The resolutions passed this year go to the national Model Arab League in Washington, D.C. on April 3.

This is the third year that students from SSU have participated in the Model Arab League and Lorentz encourages students to consider attending the conference next year. It is open to all SSU students regardless of major or class.

"It is a total immersion kind of experience. For three days students are immersed in this from morning to night. It is a very intense experience," he said.

Scott said she was speaking in parliamentary procedure for three days after she returned home.

"I loved it," she said, "It was my thing. I was a newcomer but it was like second nature to me. It is what I want to do with my life. My interest in the Middle East has grown, and I have made it my concentration in my international relations major."

Southworth had her own personal interest in it as well.

"I was on the defense committee and I really like weapons, defense, and security,” she said. “I started taking classes about Islam and the Middle East, and this kind of brought these two things together. It was a really great experience. I learned a lot and I want to do it again!"

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 8, 2002

Article by Emily Allen, Communications Specialist—SSU Office of Communications)

Businesswoman/Author/Psychologist
To Be Featured Speaker During
Women’s History Month at SSU

During the month of March, the multicultural student affairs office at Shawnee State University (SSU) is celebrating National Women’s History Month. The highlight of the month will be a guest presentation by Dr. Grace Cornish, a much-traveled businesswoman and psychologist who has entertained audiences in the United States, England, France, Switzerland, and Jamaica. Cornish will speak at SSU on March 20 at noon in the Micklethwaite Banquet Hall located in the University Center on the SSU campus in Portsmouth.

“Grace Cornish provides a positive message of self-reliance directed toward women from all aspects of life. As an author, she has outlined her many years of experience as a relationship and self-esteem image consultant in two different books that she has written,” said Matt Matthews, coordinator of multicultural student affairs at SSU.

Cornish will speak at a brown bag luncheon to the SSU Women’s Forum, consisting of women of the faculty, administration, and support staff at Shawnee State University. Her topic will be titled “Turning Stumbling Blocks into Stepping Stones.”

Cornish is no stranger to television, having made frequent appearances on “Good Day New York,” and also being on talk shows such as “Rikki Lake” and the “Montel Williams Show.”

“I feel that women have made remarkable steps in the history of our country, and that it is important to honor and acknowledge them with Women’s History Month.”

The presentation is free and open to the public. Those who plan to attend are encouraged to bring their own lunch. To find out more about Women’s History month, or to talk to someone about multicultural affairs, call the SSU Student Success Center at (740) 351-3553 or e-mail Matthews at mmatthews@shawnee.edu.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 8, 2002

(Article by David O’Brien, Communications Specialist—SSU Office of Communications)

Debate on Civil Liberties and Terrorism
To Be Held Monday at SSU

Portsmouth, OH.—In response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 and subsequent events, “Civil Liberties and National Security in an Age of Terrorism”—a public debate, will be held on the campus of Shawnee State University in the Flohr Lecture Hall, located in the Clark Memorial Library, on March 11, at 7 p.m. The participants in the debate will be Christine Link, executive director of the Ohio American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and Nathan Sales, U.S. Department of Justice.

Clifford Poirot, Ph.D., economics professor in the social sciences department at SSU, encourages students, faculty, and the public to attend this special event.

“I think students should be interested because the changes in the laws after Sept. 11 affect them,” Poirot stated.

The topic of the debate will be the enactment of certain laws, such as the Patriot Act, designed specifically for the justice process involving national security and suspected terrorist acts. There have been concerns raised as to whether enough consideration has been given to a suspect’s rights in the rush to seek justice.

“We need to be very careful in the manner in which we bring these suspects to justice. Our (U.S.) whole reasoning for our actions has been that these individuals (suspected terrorists) went beyond all scope of acceptable behavior,” said Poirot.

In his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, Attorney General John Ashcroft, summed-up the feelings of fear that gripped the country in the wake of the attacks. Ashcroft urged the quick passage of the Bush administration’s recommendations to deal with the threat of terrorism.

“Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, the American people do not have the luxury of unlimited time in erecting the necessary defenses to ward off future terrorist acts,” Ashcroft warned.

According to Kevin Galvin, writer for the Seattle Times, some government watchdog groups fear that the laws meant to protect Americans actually pose a threat to everyone’s civil liberties.

The debate by Link and Sales at SSU is meant to raise public awareness and answer questions concerned citizens may have.

“The U.S. must ensure and uphold the principles of human rights in dealing with suspected criminals or we risk losing our credibility with the rest of the world,” Poirot said.

The debate, sponsored by the SSU Honor’s Program and by a grant from the Pixley Fund of the Scioto County Area Foundation, is free and open to the public. Individuals with questions are encouraged to contact Poirot at (740) 351-3396.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 6, 2002

SSU Nursing Programs Receive National Accreditation

A Shawnee State University (SSU) academic department’s degree programs, that have always had the state’s endorsement, now have national accreditation.

The Department of Nursing at SSU received full national accreditation for its associate degree in nursing (ADN) and bachelor of science in nursing (RN-BSN) programs, through the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), an entity within the National League for Nursing (NLN). This organization accredits nursing education schools and programs, and was on campus in November 2001 to review both programs.

Cheryl Boyd, Ph.D., interim dean of the College of Professional Studies and chair of the Department of Nursing at SSU, said the NLNAC governing body is composed of articulate leaders representing nursing education, nursing service administration, and the public.

“The Commission, separate and independent of NLN—both administratively and financially—has the sole authority and accountability for carrying out the responsibilities inherent in the accreditation process for NLN. They did that at SSU and our accreditation visit went very well. The maximum accreditation is for five years, and we received that,” she said.

Things went very well with the visit because the Department has excellent programs was well prepared, according to Boyd.

“There were four visitors from NLNAC who reviewed both the associate degree and the RN to BSN programs, with the recommendation for full accreditation for both programs,” Boyd said. The Reviewers were from the University of South Carolina-Spartanburg, Eastern Kentucky University, Capital Community College in Hartford, CT, and North Carolina A & T State University in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The reviewers were very complimentary of the SSU campus, the resources available to students, the concern faculty and staff members have for students, and the advising that is done in the Department of Nursing, Boyd said.

“They were very impressed that we follow the mission of the University through our nursing programs in preparing nurses as health care providers for this community,” she said.

The NLNAC group visited the Southern Ohio Medical Center (SOMC) maternity unit, and the Hempstead Manor Campus of SOMC, where they observed SSU nursing students in the clinical area. They conducted interviews with Dr. Wayne Wheeler, medical director of community health and wellness at SOMC, and Claudia Burchett, vice president of patient services, about the roles of SSU and its nursing programs in this community, in addition to the need the medical center has to employ registered nurses at the hospital and other agencies.

“I don’t think the hospital would be able to recruit, retain, and staff without Shawnee State University’s nursing program. I think that if you look at the figures on pass rates on the nursing boards, for example, Shawnee State University, over many years, has had a wonderful passing rate, and has provided quality education,” Wheeler said.

The process also included interviews with nursing alumni, current students, faculty, staff, administrators, other employers from long-term care and outpatient settings, and members of the University’s Board of Trustees. Visitors said the SSU visit included the largest public forum in their experience.

“They interviewed two of our RN to BSN graduates who are now in graduate school at Marshall University,” Boyd said. “And those students stated that they felt they were well-prepared for graduate school.” In addition, Boyd said reviewers observed in the classroom setting in both the ADN and RN to BSN programs.

“They also complimented the University on the pleasant campus environment at SSU, in addition to the recently-built facilities,” she said. The group was impressed with SSU’s Vern Riffe Center for the Arts, and the related cultural opportunities available to nursing students, Boyd said.

Other positive attributes of SSU that were acknowledged by the NLNAC visitors include the “very nice library facility, the state-of-the-art computer equipment, and the support services that the University has.” They also mentioned the quality of the nursing faculty, and the quality of the students attracted to the nursing programs.

“The review process included an evaluation by the National Review Board of NLNAC. That board met in February and forwarded comments about the strengths of the program to the National Commission of the NLNAC. The National Commission met March 2-3 to complete the review process and granted the maximum length of initial accreditation for five years,” Boyd said.

Michael Field, Ph.D., interim president of SSU, said that the accreditation visit was the best he had seen in his 30 years in higher education.

“I sat through that visit and I have never heard as positive a report on a disciplinary accreditation as I heard for nursing. It was spectacular,” he said.

Boyd said she and the nursing faculty are very appreciative of the support they received from the University and the community as a whole.

“It went very well. We worked very hard. It takes a lot of coordination and effort to accomplish a positive accreditation visit, because you want everything to flow smoothly,” she said.

The Department of Nursing also received additional good news recently. The Ohio Board of Nursing, the agency that approves pre-licensure nursing programs in Ohio, notified SSU that the ADN graduates of the class of 2001 who took the registered nursing licensure exam this past summer have a 100 percent pass rate on the exam.

Both programs are now accepting applications for the fall 2002 quarter. Many courses in the RN-BSN program are offered using distance learning methods. For additional information about the SSU Department of Nursing and its degree programs, call (740) 351-3210, or contact the SSU Office of Admission at (800) 959-2SSU.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 21, 2002

Family Time Visitation and Exchange Center
Open House Scheduled for Wednesday at SSU

Center provides safe, non-confrontational child visitation and exchange environment for divorced or separated families.

Shawnee State University’s (SSU) Department of Teacher Education has scheduled an open house for its Family Time Visitation and Exchange Center, Wednesday, March 27, from 4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. at the Children’s Learning Center (CLC), a lab school for the SSU Department of Teacher Education located on the University’s campus.

The Family Time Center provides a new and free service to separated families in need, by providing a safe, secure, and neutral site for separated parents to be able to spend some quality time with their children, according to David Todt, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Teacher Education at SSU.

“This is a very important step in helping the children cope with separation while providing a non-violent environment for them,” he said.

The center, which opened this past September, is taking in new clients on a regular basis, and is made available through grants received by the Child Support Enforcement Agency from the state of Ohio and from the Scioto County Area Foundation. It is a collaborative effort of SSU’s Department of Teacher Education, Southeastern Ohio Legal Services, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Scioto County Child Support Enforcement Agency, and the Portsmouth Police Department.

“There are similar programs around the state, but this is the first for Scioto County,” Todt said. “While the local courts have ordered supervised visits and exchanges in the past, they were coordinated by family members themselves or through local agencies that would meet with these family members at public places to facilitate the visits or exchanges.”

Magistrate Jay Willis, of Domestic Relations Court in Scioto County, said his court, which deals solely with divorce and paternity cases, utilizes the center for domestic relations issues.

“We use it especially for domestic violence issues, or problems between the parents and the children,” Willis said. “I think it is very good for the area. It’s a public service that is being offered through a grant, and at this time, there’s no fee for the families that partake in the services that are offered. In that respect, I think it is very helpful to the area, especially considering the economic climate of this area.”

Willis said for his court, the center helps resolve cases.

“If we have problems where a parent doesn’t really have a relationship established with the child, and they are in here on pending litigation, we can use the center for supervised visitations that allow a neutral supervised area for the parent to get to know the child, or establish a relationship with the young child, and then move into a regular overnight visitation situation,” he said.

Local family law attorneys, judges, Children’s Services and Catholic Social Services staff members, Job and Family Services personnel, and families who may be in need of this type of service will be in attendance at Wednesday’s event. Members of the Scioto County community are also invited to attend.

For more information about the center or event, call (740) 351-3090 or (740) 351-3571.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 1, 2002

Student Support Services Students Enjoy the Harlem Globetrotters

As part of the cultural enrichment component of their program, Student Support Services at Shawnee State University recently took some of the students in the program to Columbus, for a day filled with shopping at the City Center Mall, dining at Buca di Beppo, and watching the entertaining antics of the world famous Harlem Globetrotters at Nationwide Arena.

Elaine Evans, assistant director/counselor for Student Support Services, said the program is a federally funded grant program targeting students who are first generation college students, who meet an income guideline established by the U.S. Department of Education, or have a documented disability of some kind.

“Our primary goal is to help these students stay in school and successfully graduate with a college degree. Another important part of a college education is broadening a student's world experiences and outlook," Evans said. "We choose activities that will appeal to our students and expand their awareness."

Even dining can be a new experience for students in the program, according to Evans, so restaurants that are not available locally are chosen.

“This time we chose Buca di Beppo, which is a chain of Italian restaurants that serves their meals family-style, in an atmosphere of the old family-owned eateries in Italy. And of course, many have heard of the Harlem Globetrotters, who are true Ambassadors of good will for the U.S., but few have the opportunity to see them in person because they rarely book games in small cities. All of our students enjoyed themselves and look forward to another cultural experience in the future," she said.

For more information concerning Student Support Services at SSU, contact Evans at (740) 351-3430 or Mary Ann Malone, director, at (740) 351-3307. Student Support Services is located in the TRIO Center in the Administration Building on the SSU campus in Portsmouth, and accepts new students into the program throughout the school year.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 25, 2002

John Lawhorn of the Adams County/Ohio Valley School System, interviews Amanda Munion of New Boston, teacher education student at SSU, during Shawnee State University's Job Fair held recently at the University. More than 250 students and alumni attended the event, at which 85 employers were present. The Job Fair is sponsored by the SSU Office of Career Services, Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission, and Scioto Employment and Training Systems. Employers present included Southern Ohio Medical Center (SOMC), the United States Military and Armed Services, Morehead State University and Marshall University graduate schools, and companies with intern positions available. For more information about the Job Fair and other services provided by the Office of Career Services at SSU, visit their website at www.shawnee.edu/off/car/index.html, “The Bearhunter” at www.shawnee.edu/off/car/bearhunter.htm, or call (740) 351-3213.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7, 2002

SSU Nursing Programs Receive National Accreditation

A Shawnee State University (SSU) academic department’s degree programs, that have always had the state’s endorsement, now have national accreditation.

Things went very well with the visit because the Department has excellent programs was well prepared, according to Boyd.

“They were very impressed that we follow the mission of the University through our nursing programs in preparing nurses as health care providers for this community,” she said.

“I sat through that visit and I have never heard as positive a report on a disciplinary accreditation as I heard for nursing. It was spectacular,” he said.

Boyd said she and the nursing faculty are very appreciative of the support they received from the University and the community as a whole.

“It went very well. We worked very hard. It takes a lot of coordination and effort to accomplish a positive accreditation visit, because you want everything to flow smoothly,” she said.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 22, 2002

(Article by Michael Butcher, Photographer/Communications Specialist-SSU Office of Communications)

SSU Security Offers Advice to Students
Heading Off to Enjoy Spring Break

Portsmouth, Ohio—Cancun, Fort Lauderdale, Panama City, Daytona Beach, parties, and having fun are some of the thoughts on college students’ minds as they look forward to spring break, but Shawnee State University’s Office of Security said there are other things they should also have on their minds.

Many college students will be looking forward to the weeklong spring break and anticipate having fun before going back to class, but many do not think about any of the negative things that could happen. According to Jeremy Hamm, lieutenant in the SSU Office of Security, students should be mindful of some simple things that could prevent disaster in their lives.

“Some things that students should keep in mind include:

· If you drink alcoholic beverages, drink in moderation;

· Always have a designated driver;

· If you are riding in a vehicle with someone who may have been drinking and is driving, demand to get out;

· Too many people in a car leads to distractions and accidents;

· If there is no one to be a designated driver, take a taxi. Spending a few dollars on a taxi will be money well spent;

· Seatbelts save lives—use them;

· Do not expose yourself—you never know if someone has a camera or video camera and one night of ‘fun’ is hardly worth doing something that could ruin your life later;

· Over exposure to the sun can cause severe burns and can contribute to cancer later in life—use sunscreen; and

· If you are driving for long periods of time, make sure you are well rested and take several breaks throughout your trip.”

Hamm said all students are very important, and the University does not want any of them to get hurt or killed in an accident.

“Be safe, and if you drive, be careful and alert during your spring break,” he said.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 22, 2002

(Article by Sarah Halcomb, Communications Specialist—SSU Office of Communications and Terry Hapney)

SSU Children’s Learning Center
To Celebrate “Week of the Young Child”

The week of April 8 is national “Week of The Young Child,” and Shawnee State University (SSU) will participate in the celebration in many ways. In conjunction with Scioto County Head Start, the Carousel Center, South Central Ohio ESC's cooperative preschools, and Scioto County Even Starts, SSU’s Children’s Learning Center (CLC) will be hosting and sponsoring a number of activities focused on the national theme of “Children’s Opportunities…Our Responsibilities.”

Cindy Ferguson, director of the CLC, said the Center is committed to quality early childhood care.

“It is our privilege to host the Children's Fair for partnering programs that share this commitment," she said. "Quality early childhood education is one of the best investments we can make for our children's future."

Kicking off the week will be an art display at the CLC. The artwork, created by children ages 3 – 5, will be exhibited all week beginning Monday, April 8.

Midday Tuesday and Wednesday, April 9 and 10, an ice-cream social will take place at the Learning Center. Children, parents, students, and faculty members are invited to attend. Friday, April 12, beginning at 9 a.m., there will be a workshop on playground safety, to be held in Room 134 of the Advanced Technology Center on the SSU campus. The workshop will address the important problem of injuries occurring on playgrounds. For information on the workshop, contact the Portsmouth City Health Department at 354-7854.

The main event of the “Week of the Young Child,” a Children’s Fair, will take place Thursday, April 11 on the Alumni Green on the SSU campus. The fair will include booths such as parachutes, Studio 104 dancing, obstacle courses, story time, chalk walk, and silly songs. A magician, bubble machine, and many local mascots will also be present to provide entertainment. Participating children will receive gift bags, suckers, temporary tattoos, free t-shirts and Pizza Hut and Domino’s Pizza coupons.

For parents, an information center will be set up and will include information on Head Start, Southern Ohio Medical Center, Ohio Kids’ Cards, and Even Start. The fair will begin at 10 a.m. and conclude at noon. Sponsors of the event include the SSU Children's Learning Center, Pizza Hut, Roger W. Davis Funeral Home, Domino’s Pizza, Montgomery's Custom Screen, and Pepsi.

Ferguson said it is SSU’s hope to build a broad base of support for early childhood programs that nurture young children's early learning and growth.

”Truly, children's opportunities are our responsibilities," she said.

For more information on the week and the local activities, contact Ferguson at (740) 351-3252. Interested individuals can also find out additional information about “Week of the Young Child” on the Internet by visiting www.naeyc.org.

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SSU Honors Program Presents
Public Forum On Civil Liberties and National Security

The events of September 11 have raised important and frightening issues, and while the public has been traumatized by the events of September 11, concerns have been raised about the efficacy of recent actions by the federal government to combat terrorism.

To address these issues, Shawnee State University’s Honors Program presents “Civil Liberties and National Security in an Age of Terrorism,” a public forum, on Monday, March 11 at 7 p.m. in the Flohr Lecture Hall located in the Clark Memorial Library on the Shawnee State University (SSU) campus in Portsmouth.

Chip Poirot, assistant professor of economics at SSU, said Christine Link, executive director of the Ohio American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), would debate Nathan Sales of the U.S. Department of Justice.

“Some are concerned that recent changes in the law give law enforcement agencies too much power and threaten civil liberties,” he said. “How we as a society respond to the threat of terrorism is a challenge that faces us all.”

The event is free and open to the public. Anyone who is concerned with how the U.S. responds to terrorism and its implications for national security will find this event to be of importance, Poirot said.

The program is being offered by the SSU Honors Program, and made possible by a grant from the Pixley Fund, as a means of fostering critical thinking and discussion of significant issues on campus and in the wider community, Poirot said.

For more information about the event, call (740) 351-3396.

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