The announcement was made during the Oct. 28 meeting of the university's board of trustees on the university campus in Central, S.C.

 

Spittal has served as president of Southern Wesleyan University since 1994 and upon retirement in June of 2011, will complete 17 years of service. During his tenure, the university has experienced significant growth and development. 

 

"I am proud of our community and the strong support we have received through the years. Our university is surrounded by wonderful friends who have helped to move the institution forward," Spittal said.

 

Dr. Charles Joiner, chairman of the university's board of trustees, said Spittal has made great strides in expanding Southern Wesleyan during his years of leadership.

 

"As university president, Dr. Spittal has guided Southern Wesleyan into an era of financial security and increased enrollment. Our campus in Central is a testimony to his leadership, with new structures, expanded property and space for more students," Joiner said. "Dr. Spittal has strengthened the university's relationship with the community by prioritizing buildings like the University Dining Commons and Newton Hobson Chapel and Fine Arts Center and welcoming community groups to use these buildings."

 

Spittal has been an educator throughout his career, with 24 years of service to Wesleyan higher education and 12 years as superintendent of schools in Indiana. He is a graduate of Ball State University, Muncie, Ind. He began his career by teaching secondary music and fine arts, then launched his administrative career in 1975.  

 

In his announcement, Spittal said the decision came with mixed emotions because of the many friendships that have been developed and the strong connections that exist between university and community. 

 

"I have been blessed to serve in this position and to participate in an amazing journey of progress and growth. The university has a great future and I anticipate continued advancement and growth in the future," Spittal said.

 

In his remarks, Spittal expressed deep appreciation for the members of his cabinet, administration, faculty and staff at the university.

 

Spittal and his wife, Donna, look forward to living closer to their children and grandchildren in Illinois. They plan to travel and spend time with family and friends.  

George Dehne, a national authority on higher education trends, will be the Sunday evening speaker at the SCICU Board of Trustees Retreat scheduled for February 27 and 28 at the Wild Dunes Resort on the Isle of Palms. A resident of Mt. Pleasant and president of George Dehne & Associates, Mr. Dehne will look at the future of private colleges with trustees and invited guests.

 

On Monday, Dr. David L. Warren will address the shifting political and higher education landscape at the federal level. President of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities since 1993, David is widely regarded as one of the most persuasive and influential voices for higher education within our nation's capital. He is a frequent guest at SCICU's retreats, and we look forward to his return visit.

 

Mike Shealy, budget director for the State Senate Finance Committee, and Craig Parks, committee senior research and budget analyst, will provide a financial perspective on the state's budget for fiscal year 2011-2012. In addition to reviewing the reasons for South Carolina's loss of billions of dollars in revenues, they will examine the long-term outlook for the financial future of our state, especially in the area of higher education and student financial aid.

 

The theme for the 2010 Retreat is Searching for the New Normal because few believe that our financial, economic, legislative, and educational institutions will ever return to what we knew as "normal" prior to 2008. Additional speakers and conference details will be announced in the coming weeks.

The next session of the General Assembly, slated to start on January 11, 2011, could be the most critical session for higher education since the inception of the Tuition Grants Program in 1970. Faced with a budget deficit of $1 billion or more after two successive years of significant spending reductions, the General Assembly must find a way to balance the interests of the state in the critical areas of education, corrections, health, and social services.

 

Campus representatives from SCICU member schools will meet in Columbia on December 8 to review the latest state economic outlook and assess the results of the general election. Plans and preparations will be made for this year's grass roots advocacy efforts including the highly effective student letter-writing campaign.

 

Those interested in attending the meeting and who have not yet registered should contact Eddie Shannon.

SCICU's on-line network of providers offering goods and services to the independent higher education community in South Carolina grew by 4 partners in the last month. The Business Partners program provides a convenient marketplace where SCICU member colleges and universities can preview offerings from some of the top companies in the country.
 
We proudly recognize and thank the following companies for their support:

CapinCrouse LLP
lynda.com
Pollock Company
PrimeTRUST Advisors

 

A complete listing of all the Business Partners may be found in the left margin of News & Notes or by clicking on the following link: http://www.scicu.org/scicu-business-partners.

During the course of the past two years, SCICU has worked with a number of companies to harness the aggregate buying power of 20 colleges and universities to get preferred or discount pricing on various goods and professional services. These providers include many of our Business Partners and those with national contracts through our membership in the Coalition for College Cost Savings.

 Detailed information on all current providers has been assembled in the 2010-2011 SCICU Collaborative Purchasing Directory. The directory is available upon request in either printed or electronic form to our campus communities. Please contact Eddie Shannon for copies or more information.