Mission & Strategic Plan

Southern State is committed to its mission to provide accessible, affordable and high-quality education to people in southern Ohio.

Vision Statement

The College's vision is to produce student outcomes and superior service to students and our community that render Southern State indispensable.

Mission Statement

Southern State is committed to its mission to provide accessible, affordable and high-quality education to people in southern Ohio.

Statement of Commitment

  • The institution declares that it will educate students by means of free, open, and rigorous intellectual inquiry to seek the truth.
  • The institution declares that its duty is to equip students with the opportunity to develop the intellectual skills they need to reach their own, informed conclusions.
  • The institution declares its commitment to not requiring, favoring, disfavoring, or prohibiting speech or lawful assembly.
  • The institution declares it is committed to create a community dedicated to an ethic of civil and free inquiry, which respects the autonomy of each member, supports individual capacities for growth, and tolerates the differences in opinion that naturally occur in a public higher education community.
  • The institution declares that its duty is to treat all faculty, staff, and students as individuals, to hold them to equal standards, and to provide them equality of opportunity, with regard to those individuals' race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression

Strategic Plan

Southern State's Strategic Plan

Core Values

In our strategic endeavors, we will collectively and individually strive to live up to our core values:

Accessibility – With multiple locations, we remove barriers while providing the tools and people to help students navigate college and be successful.

Community Engagement – We are a central contributor to our communities' successes through partnerships with employers, social agencies, local government and schools to help build a well-trained workforce.

Quality-driven – Our academic programs prepare students for life and the workforce, supports continuous improvement processes, and professional development efforts as well as provides transferable, meaningful, credible credentials.

Personal Connection – Our campuses maintain a friendly and welcoming environment for all. We demonstrate respect and concern for each individual.

Unity – We instill a culture that promotes a sense of safety, community, and place for all to have a voice.

Life-Enrichment – We meet students where they are by providing a pathway to life-long learning and a place where students can find or pursue their passion.

Priority Areas

Southern State Community College's Strategic Plan is driven by four priority areas: Enrollment, Workforce Development, Student Success, and Relevance and Excellence.

Enrollment – Accessibility is a hallmark of Southern State's mission. Open, convenient access is necessary for learners of all ages and backgrounds, and must be reflected in the College's enrollment profile.

Workforce Development – Higher education in Ohio faces unprecedented pressure to meet an expected employment surge stemming from major employers entering the area and anticipated suppliers to those large employers.

Student Success – Adopting an holistic approach to student support with an emphasis on a student's sense of belonging will serve as a cornerstone for success. Quality learning environments, well-designed courses, clear processes, and an institutional appreciation for regulatory standards and protocols indirectly influence student success.

Relevance and Excellence – Relevance is only realized when the outcomes or outputs of our work are significant to others. Continuous efforts to "be better" in doing what matters is the key to the College's continued existence and reputation for excellence. The College must deliver service, learning experiences, and outcomes so well that stakeholders couldn't imagine southern Ohio without Southern State.