The SOCHE Segue - November / December 2009
Working Together
With this issue of the SOCHE Segue, I’m reminded that things happen in collaboration that couldn’t occur otherwise. There is creative vibrancy at work here – making the region ripe with learning and activity.
Here are a few ways southwest Ohio is working together:
- Wittenberg is working with local health departments to keep students healthy.
- Dr. Joe Law and the Articulation Committee are connecting institutions to promote student achievement.
- Ohio Campus Compact is reaching statewide to link 49 of our State’s colleges.
- The Dayton Development Coalition and DaytonCREATE are rallying for local business and talent development.
- Central State University is working with the National Park Service to preserve its historical buildings.
In short, we’re busting at the seams with news and opportunities. I hope you’ll enjoy these stories and find inspiration in them.
Sincerely,
Sean Creighton
Keeping Campuses Healthy
With the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) predicting an upswing in flu activity this season, colleges and universities may struggle to keep their students and faculty healthy. College students living in dormitories or group housing are among several high-risk populations for the H1N1 influenza, also referred to as swine flu.
Wittenberg University, which requires its freshmen and sophomore students to live on campus, established a detailed plan of action should the flu outbreak reach pandemic proportions.
In letters to parents, Dr. Kathryn McKee, director of Wittenberg’s Student Health Center, said the University increased cleaning of bathrooms and other common areas to reduce the spread of infection.
Wittenberg has encouraged creativity as a form of prevention – in addition to isolation and frequent cleaning.
As part of its plan, faculty and staff are encouraged to think creatively about ways to increase space between people, while keeping classes going. For example, when weather is mild, classes can be held outdoors. Or, faculty can encourage students to leave vacant seats between students or move desks farther apart to reduce contact.
Flu shots are also being made available on campus. A small amount of the H1N1 vaccine was available to high-risk students at no charge, and additional vaccine is expected.
Later this month, Wittenberg’s Student Health Center and the Springfield Health Department will be leading an immunization program for the seasonal flu. Students will be able to get flu shots on campus, with the costs being posted to the students’ account. That way, the availability of cash doesn’t prevent students from protecting their health.
SOCHE Takes a Road Trip to See Malcolm Gladwell
SOCHE recently sponsored a road trip to Akron to see Malcolm Gladwell, best-selling author of Outliers, Blink and The Tipping Point. Gladwell has been praised for his ability to interpret new ideas in the social sciences and making them understandable, practical and valuable to business and general audiences alike.
Several attendees commented, “What a great experience. We hope SOCHE looks at hosting more road trips like this in the future.”
Colleges Respond to “Today’s” Students with Articulation and Transfer Policies
The “traditional” college student – the one who enrolls in a single university and program from day one through graduation – is almost a rarity. It’s far more likely today that students will change their major (maybe even several times), change residence, or attend college part-time.
And, with flexible delivery options, more students are mapping their degree plans based on multiple colleges’ courses... maybe an online course at Edison, combined with a summer session at Sinclair, leading to a bachelor’s degree at the University of Dayton.
One institutional response is Articulation and Transfer Agreements. For students, collaboration between campuses can make graduation attainable.
Dr. Joe Law, assistant vice president for articulation and transfer coordinator at Wright State University, explains:
“Transfer agreements make it possible for students to change schools or majors without losing as many credits. They don’t have to start over. With defined agreements in place, students can take their credits with them when they enroll in another Ohio institution.“
Law believes articulation and transfer agreements are critical in Ohio’s ability to graduate more students.
The success of this approach often lies behind the scenes – where campus faculty and administrators work together to develop agreements and policies and to determine campus equivalencies.
In Ohio, public institutions are required to offer a core set of courses that will transfer to other Ohio public institutions. But, that doesn’t always make the process simple. For example, a school’s calendar year (semesters vs. quarters) may impact schools’ agreements or course equivalencies.
SOCHE’s Articulation Committee, which is led by Law, stays abreast of state developments that impact course transferability. The Committee connects individuals from various institutions so they can determine how to handle state mandates and new issues, like advanced placement policies or new veteran’s benefits, in their agreements.
In December, the Committee will host a one-day conference and workshop where articulation agreements can be crafted and revised. The event will also feature expert speakers on issues impacting such agreements.
For more information about the conference, visit SOCHE’s events calendar. The Articulation Committee also provides basic terminology and tips for the Articulation process here.
The Power of Collaboration: Ohio Campus Compact
While SOCHE is deeply vested in the success of higher education in Southwestern Ohio, Ohio Campus Compact (OCC) focuses on its advancement statewide. Here’s a snapshot of OCC, another great resource for Ohio’s higher education:
- A non-profit coalition of 49 college and university presidents and their campuses throughout Ohio, working to promote and develop the civic purposes of higher education.
- Offers member campuses a broad range of services and resources designed to increase the effectiveness of their civic engagement efforts.
- Provides member campuses grants and funding, training and technical assistance, and opportunities for regional collaboration.
DaytonCREATE Featured at November 17 Rally
The Dayton Development Coalition is organizing a public rally to highlight business developments and opportunities in the Dayton region. The rally is scheduled for Tuesday, November 17 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the University of Dayton Arena.
DaytonCREATE, a SOCHE-assembled project to attract, retain, and engage the local creative class will be featured, as well as local business success stories. Sean Creighton, executive director of SOCHE, will present alongside Theresa Gasper who has been involved from the onset of the project.
Leaders from SOCHE campuses Central State University, Air Force Research Laboratory and the University of Dayton will also present.
For information on the rally, go to http://www.getmidwest.com/daytonregionrally/
Learn more about DaytonCREATE.
UD Ranked Nationally as a “Savior of our Cities”
UD tied as No. 2 overall in the 2009 ranking of “Saviors of Our Cities: A Survey of Best College and University Civic Partnerships.” The list identified 125 institutions that have positively impacted their urban communities through commercial and residential activities such as revitalization, cultural renewal, economics, and community service and development.
“We have seen a major shift in our national economy, and many U.S. cities that once depended on corporations and large populations are struggling to survive,” said University of Dayton President Daniel J. Curran. “Higher education must take the lead and bring a sense of urgency and willingness to engage their communities and regard revitalization as mission-central.”
The “Saviors of Our Cities” ranking described UD as “perhaps the most innovative of all engaged colleges and universities... The University of Dayton’s great lesson of engagement is that mutually beneficial partnerships between institutions of higher learning and their communities are based on the social capital created through respect and the sharing of assets.”
Eleven criteria were used to rank the schools on the list. These included the institutions’ longstanding involvement, dollars invested by the universities, faculty and student involvement in community service, sustainability of neighborhood initiatives and the effect on local student access and affordability to attend college through K-12 partnerships. Twenty-five colleges were ranked and 100 colleges made the “honor roll.”
For a sample listing of UD’s community revitalization efforts, see the University’s news website.
Wright State’s College of Business ranked in world’s top 100
Wright State University’s Raj Soin College of Business is among the top 100 business schools in the world, according to a report released by the Aspen Institute.
Wright State ranked No. 56 in the 2009-2010 edition of Beyond Grey Pinstripes, a biennial survey and ranking of business schools. The survey spotlights innovative full-time MBA programs that are integrating issues of social and environmental stewardship into curricula and research.
Ohio State was ranked No. 24 on the list and Case Western Reserve University was ranked No. 33. No other Ohio schools made the list. The entire “Global 100” list of business schools is available at www.BeyondGreyPinstripes.org.
CSU Receives Federal Aid to Restore Emery Hall
As part of a federal stimulus program to preserve historical buildings and landmarks, interior secretary Ken Salazar and the National Park Service has allocated 1.75 million dollars to the restoration of Emery Hall on Central State University’s campus.
Additional information was featured in Architect Magazine here.
SOCHE Adds Alumni Relations Committee
SOCHE actively administers over a dozen Committees ranging in topic from Articulation to Diversity and PR. These committees provide representatives from higher education the opportunity to become resources for one another, share information and best practices, identify common challenges, and, ultimately, broaden awareness of the resources, services, and activities in higher education in our region.
Katie Scott, manager of alumni affairs at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) will lead a new SOCHE committee focused on Alumni Relations.
When Scott started her position with AFIT in April, she was tasked with starting an alumni program from scratch. She looked to SOCHE for support and was able to assemble this new committee. The group hosted its first meetings in September and November.
“We assembled alumni directors from SOCHE campuses and held an open forum on what we do,” said Scott. “... how alumni relations fits into our schools’ missions, best practices and challenges we’re having.”
Scott said the meetings provided immediate impact for alumni directors who were researching best practices on topics like fundraising and phon-a-thons, as they were able to benefit from other schools’ experiences and lessons learned.
The group will continue to meet bimonthly and is open to alumni relations professionals at SOCHE member campuses. For more information, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Introducing Ashley Appleman
Ashley Appleman is an intern with SOCHE and a graduate student at Wright State University studying student affairs in higher education. She enrolled at Wright State after completing a bachelor’s degree in English at Juniata College in central Pennsylvania and then a year of AmeriCorps service in Columbus, Ohio.
At SOCHE, Ashley is sitting on a variety of committees to help her learn about the various departments within colleges and universities. When she’s not in class or coordinating projects for SOCHE, Ashley enjoys photography and hiking and running around Yellow Springs.
She's scheduled to graduate in Spring 2010 and will be working at SOCHE through December 2009 at a minimum. SOCHE plans to continue provide ongoing internship opportunities for students studying higher education.
Watch SOCHE News Online
Now you can watch news about SOCHE member campuses online via a DATV program called College Bound. Click here for recent episodes of the lively and informative program about SOCHE member colleges in the Dayton area.
In this Issue:
SOCHE road trip to see Malcolm Gladwell
Agreements help graduate more students
Power of Collaboration / Ohio Campus Compact
DaytonCREATE featured at rally
UD ranked nationally as a “Savior of our Cities”
WSU College of Business ranked in world’s top 100
CSU receives federal aid to restore Emery Hall
Intern Spotlight: Ashley Appleman
Watch SOCHE member news online
Flu Facts from the CDC:
Approximately 1/5 of the U.S. population attends or works in schools. (U.S. Dept of Ed, 1999).
Some viruses and bacteria can live from 20 minutes up to 2 hours or more on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks. (Ansari, 1988; Scott and Bloomfield, 1989)
Students need to get plenty of sleep and physical activity, drink water, and eat good food to help them stay healthy in the winter and all year.
Get the CDC’s Guidance on Influenza for Higher Education here.
Articulation and Transfer Conference & Work Session Wed., Dec. 2, 2009
SOCHE is hosting an Articulation and Transfer Conference and Work Session to bring the right individuals together to develop and refine articulation and transfer agreements. There is no cost for SOCHE members to attend. More information is available here on SOCHE’s website.
Common Articulation Terms
An Articulation Agreement is a formalized agreement between two institutions that outlines the general transferability of students, courses and credits.
The Ohio Articulation and Transfer Policy is intended to facilitate transfer from one Ohio institution to another. The entire policy is available on the Ohio Board of Regents web page.
The Ohio Transfer Module is a core of courses that will transfer from one Ohio public institution to another. The Ohio Transfer Module includes courses in English composition, mathematics, arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and natural sciences.
The Course Applicability System (CAS) (www.transfer.org) is a web-based course equivalency system that allows student to determine the transferability of courses from one institution to another.
Save these Dates
Articulation and Transfer Conference and Work Session Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Leadership Series “Politics in the Workplace”
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Special Topics Forum “Greening of the Curriculum: Classroom, Co-op, and Career” Thursday, February 18, 2010
Leadership Series “Social Skills for Upward Mobility” Thursday, February 25, 2010
Saviors of Our Cities
The Saviors of Our Cities rankings are composed of academic institutions diverse in size,
geography and course offerings. These institutions have demonstrated and documented long-standing cooperative efforts to rehabilitate the cities around them, to influence community revitalization and cultural renewal, and to encourage local economic development, urban development and community service.
The top 25 institutions are:
University of Pennsylvania – Philadelphia, PA & University of Southern California – Los Angeles, CA (TIE)
University of Dayton – Dayton, OH & University of Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh, PA (TIE)
Indiana University‐Purdue University Indianapolis – Indianapolis, IN
Creighton University – Omaha, NE
Case Western Reserve University –
Cleveland, OH
Tulane University – New Orleans, LA
Portland State University – Portland, OR
Drexel University – Philadelphia, PA
Virginia Commonwealth University – Richmond, VA
University of Louisville – Louisville, KY
University of Rochester – Rochester, NY
University of Houston – Houston, TX
University of Missouri at Kansas City – Kansas City, MO
University of Missouri at St. Louis –
St. Louis, MO
Emory University – Atlanta, GA
University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee – Milwaukee, WI
Carnegie Mellon University – Pittsburgh, PA
Rhode Island School of Design – Providence, RI
Miami‐Dade College – Miami
St. Louis University – St. Louis, MO
Rutgers‐Newark, State University of New Jersey – Newark, NJ
George Washington University –
Washington, DC
University of Nebraska‐Omaha – Omaha, NE
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