I Would Like to Thank Each of You for Your Part in Making Last Thursday's
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Seminole State College CAMPUS MEMO From Dr. Jim Utterback – President April 13, 2006 I want to wish each of you well as we enter the final weeks of the Spring semester. This time of year always seems to move swiftly as the calendar fills with events and activities. As the term draws to a close, I would like to update you about several items. Higher Education Appropriations Yesterday, the Oklahoma State Senate passed a Higher Education Appropriation Bill with $87 Million in new funds by a 35-10 vote (including support from our local Senator Harry Coates). While we appreciate the action of the Senate, $87 Million for the system will not allow any new money for growth or expansion. The State Regents’ budget request for FY 07 is $123.1 Million. The bad news is that the House leadership has proposed only $24 Million in new funds for Higher Education. The proposal by House leadership would not even cover mandatory cost increases and would most assuredly lead to dramatic double digit increases in tuition. As was stated in a memo from the Higher Education Alumni Council (HEACO), “this week is a time of both crisis and opportunity for Oklahoma higher education.” Should you wish to express an opinion regarding Higher Education funding for the coming year, you may contact Speaker Todd Hiett or other members of the House of Representatives. Please note: if you write a letter, or send an email to these individuals, please do not use SSC letterhead or computers. Contact information is listed below: The Honorable Todd Hiett, Speaker [email protected] The Honorable Todd Hiett, Speaker Oklahoma House of Representatives Oklahoma State Capitol Oklahoma City, OK 73105 Other area representatives, Rep. Ryan Kiesel (D-Seminole), Rep. Shane Jett (R- Tecumseh) and Rep. Kris Steele (R-Shawnee), Rep. Danny Morgan (D-Prague) may be reached at the same address and by email using their first and last names “@okhouse.gov.” Outreach Efforts As part of new State laws and policies instituted by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, concurrent enrollment of high school students has changed dramatically in recent months. As an institution, we are increasing our efforts to make offerings available to qualified students and waiving tuition for up to six hours each fall and spring semester for the junior and senior years. While this presents some challenges, it is a great program for these students and a potential windfall for increasing enrollment. To this end, Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Rebecca Kennedy, academic division chairs and faculty members have been working diligently to get off-site offerings in place for fall at several area high schools. I want to personally thank these individuals for their efforts. - Continued on Back - Meeting with Architects As we proceed with the plans for our campus capital improvements funded through the Higher Education Bond Issue, we would like to solicit input from various campus constituencies. The architectural firm of Meyer Architecture Plus of Oklahoma City was selected by the SSC Board of Regents in January, following a lengthy screening and interview process, to oversee the three major construction projects of the Bond Issue. On Tuesday, April 18, 2006, representatives from Meyer Architecture Plus will be on campus to discuss plans for these projects. This planning session will be held in the Haney Center Lecture Hall on Tuesday afternoon. The schedule for addressing the various projects will be as follows: Maintenance / Parking and Renovation – 2:00 p.m. Student Success and Retention Center – 3:00 p.m. Wellness / Title IX Improvements – 4:00 p.m. You are welcome to attend any, or all, of these sessions. If you have any questions, please contact Vice Presidents Lana Reynolds or Katherine Benton. Annual Foundation Banquet The SSC Educational Foundation will host its annual Spring Dinner on Thursday, May 4, 2006. The trustees met in March to finalize plans for the event. One of the highlights of the evening will be three inductions into the SSC Alumni Hall of Fame. This year’s honorees are: Superintendent of Okemah Public Schools Tom Condict, President and CEO of Unity Health Center in Shawnee Chuck Skillings, and Shawnee chiropractor Dr. Chris Waddell. Two SSC employees, Fred Bunyan and Kelly Kirk, will be recognized at the banquet for their 30 years of service to the College. Corporate tables of eight are available for $300 and individual tickets are $25. Proceeds from this event support the foundation in providing student scholarships and assisting with numerous college projects. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend this event. As always, I thank you for your commitment to providing educational opportunities for our students – and for your dedication to Seminole State College. .