SSCC awaits governor's appointments to college board
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
SSCC awaits
appointments
to college board
Will Fayette
County have
representation?
By BRANDY CHANDLER
The Highland County Press
Southern State Community College is facing four vacancies to its board
of trustees before 2010 commencement and is anticipating replacement
appointments by Gov. Ted Strickland’s office.
However, depending on Strickland’s choice of board members, Fayette
County could be left without representation.
The Highland County Press asked Strickland’s office this week when
appointments to the board could be expected, and from which counties would
the nominations be made.
Amanda Wurst, spokesperson for Strickland’s office, told The Highland
County Press, “The governor is always looking for Ohioans interested in
serving on the state’s various boards and commissions, including
the Southern State Community College Board of Trustees. Geographic diversity
will be taken into consideration, although the governor always selects the
individual he believes will best serve the institution and the state of
Ohio. Shortly after the governor makes appointment decisions, the governor’s
office announces those appointments.”
Southern State’s main counties of service are Adams, Brown, Clinton,
Fayette and Highland, and board appointments can be made from residents of
those five counties.
According to the Ohio Revised Code section regarding community college
board appointments, “The government of a state community college district is
vested in a board of nine trustees who shall be appointed by the governor,
from within the district, with the advice and consent of the senate ...
Appointees shall be qualified electors residing in the state community
college district.”
Terms for the board members last six years. In 2008, according to the
board’s policy on member rotation, an appointment should have been made from
Adams County, but Strickland appointed two members from Clinton County and
one member from Brown County – Dr. Vicki Wilson, Don Gephart and Ben Houser,
respectively.
Gephart has since resigned from the board, and members Patty Griffiths
and Jim Ward, of Fayette County, and Ralph Shell, of Highland County, are
scheduled to rotate off the board. The remaining members of the board are
president Kay Ayres, Highland County; Paul Hall, Brown County; and Rory
Ryan, Adams County.
With both Griffiths and Ward rotating off at the same time, Ayres
acknowledged that Fayette County could be left without a representative.
However, since the ORC only specifies that board appointments must be made
from districts represented by the college, all four appointments could come
from one county.
“I hope that isn’t the case. I think that would be absolutely wrong, but
it could happen,” Ayres said.
Ayres said that she believes geographic diversity is very important when
it comes to appointing board members. “It is highly important all five
counties are represented, and we have so stated that,” Ayres said. “We have
nine (board positions), so there will always be one county that only has one
representative. It was really time, during the last appointment, for Adams
to have two.
(The board) set up a schedule, adopted a schedule that would allow for every
county to be represented and it was ignored (by Strickland’s office). It is
important the responsibilities of the government of the college be shared by
all of the counties.”
“I think geographic diversity is a part of the makeup of our area,” said
SSCC president, Dr. Kevin Boys. “Southern State serves five counties, and
the governor’s intent is to certainly look at that. It wouldn’t make sense
for him to appoint nine board members from one or
two counties. We have expressed the board’s desire (all counties be
represented) and generated a letter to both the governor – Chairperson
Kay Ayres and I – and to the chancellor. We are hopeful the governor will
take a look at the board’s policy and honor it.”
Rory Ryan, the board’s only member from Adams County, said the county
deserves fair representation.
“Former Adams County trustee Ernie McFarland has always been a very
strong voice for the college, and I believe Adams County and the Southern
State district would certainly be well-served by an additional trustee from
the county. It is my hope that Gov. Strickland will give all due
consideration to a new member from Adams County.”
Ward said representation of all five counties on the board of trustees
is necessary for the continued growth and excellence of the institution, and
were Fayette County not represented on the board, “I would be very upset. We
worked extremely hard to have all five counties represented, and it has been
working since the formation of the college in 1975. Now we have the new
(Fayette) campus, and the largest enrollment increase. I believe Fayette
County should have representation.”
Ward said all areas the college serves deserve to have their voices
heard. “Each county has a different culture,” Ward said. “The school
systems are different. We need to do what is best for each of the five
counties, and to do that we need a representative from each county.”
Richard Shoemaker, the Democratic Party Chairperson for Adams County,
said that the central committee has not discussed a possible recommendation
to Strickland to consider for appointment.
The Fayette County Chairperson, Judith Craig, did not immediately return
calls seeking comment from The Highland County Press.
Southern State Community College is facing four vacancies to its board of trustees before 2010 commencement and is anticipating replacement appointments by Gov. Ted Strickland’s office.
However, depending on Strickland’s choice of board members, Fayette County could be left without representation.
The Highland County Press asked Strickland’s office this week when appointments to the board could be expected, and from which counties would the nominations be made.
Amanda Wurst, spokesperson for Strickland’s office, told The Highland County Press, “The governor is always looking for Ohioans interested in serving on the state’s various boards and commissions, including the Southern State Community College Board of Trustees. Geographic diversity will be taken into consideration, although the governor always selects the individual he believes will best serve the institution and the state of Ohio. Shortly after the governor makes appointment decisions, the governor’s office announces those appointments.”
Southern State’s main counties of service are Adams, Brown, Clinton, Fayette and Highland, and board appointments can be made from residents of those five counties.
According to the Ohio Revised Code section regarding community college board appointments, “The government of a state community college district is vested in a board of nine trustees who shall be appointed by the governor, from within the district, with the advice and consent of the senate ...
Appointees shall be qualified electors residing in the state community
college district.”
Terms for the board members last six years. In 2008, according to the board’s policy on member rotation, an appointment should have been made from Adams County, but Strickland appointed two members from Clinton County and one member from Brown County – Dr. Vicki Wilson, Don Gephart and Ben Houser, respectively.
Gephart has since resigned from the board, and members Patty Griffiths and Jim Ward, of Fayette County, and Ralph Shell, of Highland County, are scheduled to rotate off the board. The remaining members of the board are president Kay Ayres, Highland County; Paul Hall, Brown County; and Rory Ryan, Adams County.
With both Griffiths and Ward rotating off at the same time, Ayres acknowledged that Fayette County could be left without a representative. However, since the ORC only specifies that board appointments must be made from districts represented by the college, all four appointments could come
from one county.
“I hope that isn’t the case. I think that would be absolutely wrong, but it could happen,” Ayres said.
Ayres said that she believes geographic diversity is very important when it comes to appointing board members. “It is highly important all five counties are represented, and we have so stated that,” Ayres said. “We have nine (board positions), so there will always be one county that only has one representative. It was really time, during the last appointment, for Adams to have two.
"(The board) set up a schedule, adopted a schedule that would allow for every county to be represented and it was ignored (by Strickland’s office). It is important the responsibilities of the government of the college be shared by all of the counties.”
“I think geographic diversity is a part of the makeup of our area,” said SSCC president, Dr. Kevin Boys. “Southern State serves five counties, and the governor’s intent is to certainly look at that. It wouldn’t make sense for him to appoint nine board members from one or two counties. We have expressed the board’s desire (all counties be represented) and generated a letter to both the governor – Chairperson Kay Ayres and I – and to the chancellor. We are hopeful the governor will take a look at the board’s policy and honor it.”
Rory Ryan, the board’s only member from Adams County, said the county deserves fair and equal representation.
“Former Adams County trustee Ernie McFarland has always been a very strong voice for the college, and I believe Adams County and the Southern State district would certainly be well-served by an additional trustee from the county. It is my hope that Gov. Strickland will give all due consideration to a new member from Adams County.”
Ward said representation of all five counties on the board of trustees is necessary for the continued growth and excellence of the institution, and were Fayette County not represented on the board, “I would be very upset. We worked extremely hard to have all five counties represented, and it has been working since the formation of the college in 1975. Now we have the new (Fayette) campus, and the largest enrollment increase. I believe Fayette County should have representation.”
Ward said all areas the college serves deserve to have their voices heard. “Each county has a different culture,” Ward said. “The school systems are different. We need to do what is best for each of the five counties, and to do that we need a representative from each county.”
Richard Shoemaker, the Democratic Party Chairperson for Adams County, said that the central committee has not discussed a possible recommendation to Strickland to consider for appointment.
The Fayette County Chairperson, Judith Craig, did not immediately return calls seeking comment from The Highland County Press.
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