Thursday, August 30, 2007

Grads to hear from retired president of Franklin University


Dr. Paul J. Otte

Graduates in the Summer Quarter Class of 2007 will hear from a long-time friend and former neighbor at the commencement ceremony on Friday, September 7.  

Paul Otte, Ph.D., president emeritus of Franklin University, will address the candidates for degrees in Veterans Memorial at 10 a.m. The ceremony is free and open to the public.

Dr. Paul J. Otte took the presidency of Franklin University in 1986 and over two decades ushered in an era of progressive and steady growth as well as diversification of course offerings and methods of delivering instruction. He retired June 1 and on August 1 became president emeritus and executive director of the Franklin University Leadership Center.

Following the Franklin tradition of developing programs based on students' needs and requests, Dr. Otte's tenure as president has seen the addition of two suburban campuses in Dublin and Westerville, as well as the creation of the innovative virtual campus, Franklin's online learning tool, and "GoArmyEd," a new online program for the U.S. Armed Forces.

Dr. Otte also established Franklin's graduate programs, which confer MBA degrees as well as master of science degrees in marketing and communication and computer science.

Dr. Otte started the Community College Alliance (CCA) Program, which fostered partnerships with more than 230 community and technical colleges in 28 states to serve students in the communities in which they live and work.

Quarterbacking a new team, Dean of Arts & Sciences ready to roll


Dr. Jack Cooley

Dr. Jack Cooley looks very comfortable in his new Columbus State office, decorated with nary a scrap of scarlet and gray. You wouldn't be able to guess that "football is about as close as I have to a religion."

The 35-year Ohio State veteran loves to watch college football on weekends--he played quarterback in college at Oberlin College, and was raised in Dover, Ohio, playing football, basketball and baseball in the "appropriate season."

But the new Dean of Arts and Sciences is writing a new playbook here at Columbus State. By his first day on campus August 1, he was already busy briefing himself on all the "terrific things being done by this terrific institution." One thing he likes about the college so far is the attitude that "the college is never satisfied; we always see things that can be done better."

Cooley doesn't have any "pronouncements" about things he'd like to change at Columbus State--he's too busy learning about what's currently on the books. But he knows that he'd like to strengthen the relationships between the college and Ohio four-year institutions, as well as the ties between the Career and Technical programs and the Arts and Sciences.   He sees great potential in helping second-year students identify "pre-majors" here, helping them adapt their AA or AS curriculum to better prepare them for transfer.

"When I came to campus initially for a tour, they took me around to look into classrooms," recalls Cooley. "The students inside looked so engaged, I thought maybe they were setting me up. So I came back later and looked around on my own and sure enough, I saw the same engagement in the classroom. I'm sure that's why our faculty responds so well. Columbus State students take their education very seriously."

Cooley worked for Ohio State for 35 years prior to accepting the dean's position here. For 15 years he was the director of the Arts & Sciences Honor Program, and for the last 20 years served as assistant provost.

In college at Oberlin he studied zoology, with thoughts of going to medical school, but he realized midway that wasn't his calling, and went on to study history in graduate school at Ohio State.

Cooley--who wants everyone to call him Jack--is married to Jane Pletcher. He serves on several planning commissions in Clintonville and Columbus, including the Columbus Development and Transportation Commissions.

Tiffin U. offers bachelor degree in criminal justice on CSCC campusTiffin University now offers a degree completion program for a Bachelor of Criminal Justice degree with a major in justice administration on the Columbus State campus.  

The program takes less than two years to complete. Most courses last five weeks, meeting on Saturdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Classes run consecutively, allowing students to concentrate on one subject at a time. Class size is small, averaging 12 to 20 students, and students progress through the program as a group, starting and finishing together. Groups begin twice a year in September and March.

Tiffin also offers a Bachelor in Business Administration degree with a major in Organizational Management, offered only online. 

To learn more about Tiffin programs go to http://www.tiffin.edu or call Amy Wood at (614)581-7255 or email woodar@tiffin.edu.

 

Join Team CSCC in making strides against breast cancer This year, hundreds of thousands of people will hear the words, "You have breast cancer," and there's a good chance that some of them will be people we know and love.

Team CSCC has chosen to fight back against this disease and help make a difference by participating in the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer® walk. You can join in this event. The 5K walk will begin at 10 a.m. Sunday, October 14, at COSI, 333 W. Broad St.

Please visit Columbus State's team page to sign up, or you can start your own team or walk as an individual.

If you have questions, please contact Heather Borland, supervisor of Student Wellness and Recreational Activities, at ext. 5348.