Archive Press Releases
October 2009

NEWS RELEASE

October 29, 2009

SSC Recommended for Maximum Accreditation

SSC receives a recommendation for maximum accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Universities Wednesday.

Seminole State College learned Wednesday morning that it will be recommended for the maximum 10-year accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools with no visits, reports or further follow-up required.

SSC underwent a comprehensive visit Oct. 26-28 by a team representing HLC as the culmination of several years of preparation and the development of an extensive self-study report.   The college last underwent the accreditation process in 1999 when they received ten-year accreditation with a follow-up focus visit on student assessment.

Dr. Jim Utterback, SSC President, said that while it may be several months before we receive official accreditation notice and the final report on the site visit, he was thrilled with the news of the recommendation.

“We were extremely fortunate to have a highly-qualified team with a tremendous understanding of the accreditation process.  Going through this process has given us the opportunity to look closely at ourselves and discuss ways to strengthen the institution in the coming decade.  Without exception – the team members commented on the quality of the self-study report, the gracious hospitality they received on campus, and the pervasive positive environment among the faculty, staff, students and community supporters of Seminole State College,” Utterback said. 

Dr. Thompson Brandt, Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences at Highland Community College in Freeport, IL who chaired the team of evaluator/consultants, addressed a crowd of faculty, staff and students during the Wednesday morning exit summary.  Brandt applauded the college on behalf of HLC and community colleges around in United States on a job well done. 

He told the group that the integrity of the self-study report was not in question and that all challenges addressed in the previous report a decade ago had been cited.  Brandt complimented Utterback on his leadership and said, “…clearly Seminole State College is a robust, comprehensive and effective institution.”

Brandt said, “I count SSC as one of the finest and best organized site visits I have ever been on, and on having one of the better self studies I have seen in 25 years.”

The efforts of the SSC Communication and Marketing Committee to create HLC awareness through “Mission Possible” T-Shirts were acknowledged by the team’s consciousness of the shirts being worn around campus.

He said the team was very impressed with the community support shown at the “Community Supporters Reception” held Monday and the student involvement and awareness displayed at the “Student Luncheon held Tuesday.”

Brandt concluded, “SSC has much to be proud of.  The team shows sufficient evidence to support that SSC has met the five criteria, therefore SSC is recommended to receive full accreditation for a ten year period.  Mission Accomplished.” 

The Higher Learning commission is one of six accrediting agencies in the United States that provides institutional accreditation on a regional basis.  Institutional accreditation evaluates an entire institution and accredits it as a whole.  Other agencies provide accreditation for specific programs.  Accreditation is voluntary.

SSC has been engaged in a process of self-study for several years, addressing the Commission’s requirements and criteria for accreditation.  The evaluation team visited the institution to gather evidence that the self-study is thorough and accurate.

Other member of the site visitation team were Dr. James Underwood, President of Kaskaskia College in Centralia, IL; Dr. Marlene Tignor, Vice-President of Instruction at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, WY; and Dr. Russell Baker, Interim Chancellor at Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana in Fort Wayne, IN.The Commission accredits approximately 1,100 institutions of higher education in a nine-teen state region.  The Commission is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

NEWS RELEASE

October 27, 2009

SSC welcomes Higher Learning Commission to campus

Seminole State College Native American Student Association students welcomed the Higher Learning Commission on campus Monday with an Honor Song performed by Nick Jackson.  The HLC accreditation visit will continue through Wednesday.  Members of NASA present were Andrea Larney, NASA President; Elyse Wind, NASA Secretary; Bryant Runsabove, NASA Treasurer; Katherine Little; Jessica Shaw; John Bartos, Sponsor; and Shelly Watson, Sponsor

October 23, 2009

SSC gears up for Higher Learning Commission campus visit

Seminole State College Higher Learning Commission Marketing and Communications Committee increased awareness on campus about the HLC accreditation visit, Oct. 26-28, with the unveiling and hanging of the SSC Mission Banner in the Student Union.

 Excited students waited in line for free “Mission Possible” T-Shirts to show their support of the upcoming visit.  Members of the HLC Communications and Marketing Committee are Marie Dawson, Mechell Downey, Eddy Cathey, Teresa Norman, John Bartos and Dustie Butner

NEWS RELEASE

October 23, 2009

SSC to host Native American Story Sharers

The Seminole State College All Nations Student Development Center and Sigma Kappa Delta student organization will be hosting Native American Story Sharers Cedric Sunray and his children, Niigan and Tdohasan. Sunray and his children tell traditional tales intermingled with contemporary experiences. Sunray is a member of the MOWA Band of the Choctaw Indians located near McIntosh, Al, and is of Scottish-Canadian decent. The Sunray family will share these indigenous stories and experiences at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 in Jeff Johnston Fine Arts Center on the Seminole State College campus. 

NEWS RELEASE

October 23, 2009

Regents Convene for October Meeting

Jon Flowers, Chair, signs a resolution supporting the name change of “Seminole State College of Florida” formally known as Seminole Junior College.

The Seminole State College Board of Regents convened Thursday for their October meeting to discuss changes to the SSC Board Policy Manual, review the College’s external audit and accept a resolution supporting the “Seminole State College of Florida” name change.

During his President’s Report, Dr. Jim Utterback informed the Regents of a recent trip to Washington D.C. by College officials.  During the trip, Utterback, Vice President for Institutional Advancement Lana Reynolds and Rural Business and Resources Center Director Larry Smith met with members of the Oklahoma Congressional Delegation to discuss higher education and hosted a reception for Congressional staff members.

Utterback told the Board that the Educational Foundation’s golf tournament held in August raised more than $13,000. He also on Darci Logan hired as the new GEARUP Advisor.   The board heard about a new federal grant received by SSC to implement a textbook rental program to better serve students.  Utterback introduced Pam Koenig, Social Science Division Chair, who gave the board an update on the Higher Learning Commission Self Study campus accreditation visit set for October 26-28.  Utterback thanked her for all her hard work and time she has given to the HLC report.

Utterback also shared plans with the Board for a Capital Campaign being implemented by the SSC Educational Foundation.  He said that results of a pre-campaign study conducted by an independent firm late last Spring showed tremendous support of the College by various constituencies – both on and off campus.  The Foundation Board of Trustees met recently to review a plan for future projects and will be exploring avenues to fund the projects.

As their first action item, the Regents reviewed and approved the FY09 external audit report performed by Cole + Reed, PC of Oklahoma City. Utterback informed the Board that the College received an unqualified (clean) opinion. The external audit will be submitted to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education later this month.  Kevin Marshall complimented the College, Administration and staff for all their hard work and efficiency in making this one of the cleanest audits conducted.

Next, the Board reviewed and approved a change in the SSC Policy Manual to the wording of section II-4-11 regarding employee grievances. In working with the Faculty Senate Welfare Committee, the Faculty Senate President and the Administrative Council, the grievance policy has been reduced and simplified with the intention of detailing steps for filing and processing employment grievances in the procedure manual.   The final action item on the agenda involved unanimous approval of a resolution supporting the name change of a two-year college in Florida to “Seminole State College of Florida.”

Utterback said “For many years, this institution shared the name ‘Seminole Junior College’ with us.  Numerous other colleges and universities across the country also share names such as “Northwestern” and “Southeastern,” the President of the Florida college contacted me several months ago regarding their plans to change their name and solicited our support of the change.  “I believe it is appropriate to show our support and appreciation for them seeking our consent of their name change with the signing of this resolution,” said Utterback

Members present at the meeting were: Jon Flowers, chair; Bill Huser, Marci Donaho, Jeff Miller, David Wilson, Marilyn Bradford and Kenneth Henderson.

The next meeting is scheduled for December 10, 2009.

October 9, 2009

Seminole State College nursing students, with the assistance of the Seminole County Health Department, administered free flu shots to 122 SSC students and employees Friday afternoon.  Nursing student Roberta Harris of Wewoka, gives a shot to classmate Brooke Belles of Seminole. 

NEWS RELEASE

October 9, 2009

SSC Instructor Interviewed for National Television Program 

Seminole State College’s Medical Laboratory Program Director Perthena Latchaw was interviewed for Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) NewsHour with Jim Lehrer that aired recently on Oklahoma Educational Television Authority, Channel 13. 

The topic was “Tanzania Moves to Build Laboratory Capacity” and focused on how African hospitals are forced to wait months for necessary supplies to run common medical tests. Shawnee resident Latchaw has traveled to Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, Lesotho and Nigeria as a Global Outreach consultant through the American Society for Clinical Pathology.  The outreach program analyzes certificate level schools of medical technology, in 14 countries worldwide, and helps re-vamp and expand their curriculum.  Many of these schools are poorly staffed, underfunded and lack adequate modern, automated equipment to handle the increased workload. ASCP Global Outreach’s purpose is a five-step accreditation process to strengthen the health systems and improve patient care on the continent.  

Latchaw was part of a group of three women who trained about 30 of Tanzania’s best lab professionals on how to train others on her fourth trip to Africa in 2006.  In August 2009, she and two other consultants re-visited Tanzania and presented a professional development workshop for the certificate level teachers and principals.  After a year of working with the county to develop new curriculum, each school was given a laptop computer and projector to use in their classroom. She assists and observes the national laboratory training team as they train their own lab professionals throughout different cities. Latchaw has traveled to Tanzania eight times since 2005.

When interviewed by PBS, Latchaw said she feels that increasing the number of trained staff in Tanzania is a must.  “It is very difficult for those people, especially in faith-based hospitals where the lab technicians and technologists may also be the instructors.  They are doing double and triple duty,” said Latchaw. She mentions that she has already seen improvements in Tanzania’s labs over the last few years.  She has seen expansion on the menu of tests they can offer and feels that accreditation will build on that. “Life is far more than personal fulfillment.  I have been given this amazing opportunity to use what I have spent my life learning, to find the purpose for the rest of my life,” said Latchaw.

NEWS RELEASE

October 9, 2009

Seminole Chamber Honors SSC Personnel     

Two Seminole State College employees were honored for their outstanding dedication and work during the monthly Chamber of Commerce Forum Thursday, Oct. 8.  Accounting Clerk Sherry Combs and English Instructor Jessica Isaacs were recognized as “Staff Member of the Month” and “Educator of the Month”, respectively.

The Seminole Chamber of Commerce Education Committee, along with the Lions Club and Blue Ribbon Realty recognizes SSCemployees several times during Forum each year. Individuals are nominated from across the campus and chosen by SSCadministrators, chairpersons and other directors of campus services to receive the honor.

Sherry Combs accepts her Staff Member of the Month award from Dr. Paul Gasparro, SSC Vice President of Academic Affairs at the Seminole Chamber of Commerce Forum Thursday

Combs has worked at SSC for one year as the Accounting Clerk and is the Vice-President of the SSC Classified StaffAssociation.  She graduated from Tecumseh High School and attended Seminole State College, receiving her Associates in Applied Science in Business.  

She and her husband, David, love to travel and visit museums and art galleries.  They enjoy spending time with their children Janelle and Jeremy Westerman, and Kasey and Glen Long whom are expecting a baby boy in January; and their grand-children Jonathan and Kadence Westerman    

Jessica Isaacs accepts her Educator of the Month award from Dr. Paul Gasparro, SSC Vice President of Academic Affairs at the Seminole Chamber of Commerce Forum Thursday.

Isaacs, who is an Assistant Division Chair at SSC, began working at the college eight years ago in her current position as English Instructor. Isaacs attended East Central University and The University of Central Oklahoma and received a Bachelor’s of Art in English Literature, Bachelor’s of Science in Mass Communications and Master’s of Art in Creative Writing.

NEWS RELEASE

October 1, 2009

SSC SGA Students attend National Summit

Autumn Wiles and Calli Wood 

SSeminole State College Student Government Association President Autumn Wiles of Seminole and Vice President Calli Wood of Seminole along with Faculty Advisor Bill Knowles attended the National Student Government Summit in Washington D.C. Sept. 24-27.

While attending the four-day training conference students and advisors from across the nation shared ideas, networked and received training from the American Student Government Association staff. 

The summit offered private consulting on specific areas of concern, student government related workshops, sight-seeing tours, roundtables with student government leaders and a tour of the U.S. Capitol.

The SSC Student Government Association is dedicated to promoting the interests of the total student body by formulating and proposing ideas to administration for the improvement of the college.

We strive to encourage and promote student participation in the planning and implementation of college activities and to serve as an open forum for the discussion of issues that impact students of SSC,” said Knowles.

 The Washington D.C. trip gave the SGA officers training on topics and issues that impact students across the nation and was a great opportunity to form bonds with other SGA leaders cross the nation.”