Southern State Students
Benefit from Full-Time Faculty
A recent report from the Ohio Board of Regents (OBOR) shows that
Southern State Community College has a very high percentage of
freshmen student credit hours being taught by full-time faculty. The
Central Campus in Hillsboro actually topped the list of community
colleges with the highest percentage in the state – 68 percent.
The North Campus at Wilmington tied for the second highest
percentage (with Cuyahoga’s Metro Campus) at 64 percent.
In a second survey, the OBOR shows that the percentage of
Southern State’s freshmen student credit hours based on the
highest degree that the faculty member has attained is also
exceptional. Southern State tied with Edison State for second place,
at 86 percent. They were exceeded only by the Western Campus of
Cuyahoga Community College, with 88 percent.
Dr. Ernest Cronan, Academic Vice President of Southern State
said, "We are proud of this recognition of our commitment to
the highest quality of teaching."
When Dr. Cronan assumed his position in July, seven of Southern
State’s forty full-time professors had doctoral degrees. They
included Dr. Carol Callahan (English), Dr. Denise Decker-Flum
(Biology), Dr. Allison Gough (History), Dr. Robert Headley
(English), Dr, William Henry (Ag/Biology), Dr. Susan Peter
(Chemistry) and Dr. Donald Storer (Chemistry).
SSCC President Lawrence Dukes said, "When I came here, in
1995, I was impressed by a survey which showed that Southern State
students who transfer to four year universities have a higher grade
point average upon graduation than those school’s native students
(those who had attended the university all four years.) I think our
highly qualified faculty are the reason for such success among our
students."
"Our fall quarter starts September 18, and all of our
full-time faculty members will be returning with the exception of
Dr. Gough, who has taken a position at the University of
Hawaii," Dukes added. "Even many of our renowned faculty
members who have retired from full-time teaching have returned –
such as John Porter (Sociology) and Ken Storer (Biology), who has
assumed a temporary position as Director of the North Campus."
