SRU trustees recognize student-athletes and advance degree programs at quarterly business meeting

Matt Lautman, Slippery Rock University trustee, delivers a committee report during the council's Sept. 21 quarterly business meeting.

Sept. 21, 2018

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Slippery Rock University's council of trustee's today voted to advance two academic programs to Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education interim chancellor for approval.

The programs, a Master of Accountancy and a Master of Social Work are designed to meet a growing market demand in the commonwealth.

The proposed Master of Accountancy program would be a new hybrid housed in the College of Business as a 4+1 option that would allow students to earn both the Bachelor of Science in Accounting and the Master of Science in Accounting at a substantial savings of both time and money. The program would join the current MBA, offering students seeking graduate business degrees a choice of direction.

The proposed Master of Social Work, which would be accredited by the Council of Social Work Education, anticipates an annual program enrollment that would develop to a capacity of 72 students. It would utilize a hybrid curriculum, with approximately half of the credits offered face-to-face and half online. It would also include a 900-hour internship requirement and service learning component.

Read more about the proposed programs by clicking here.

Jeff Smith, chair of the council, formally presented the University with its 2018 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award trophy. SRU was one of only 15 organizations nationally to receive a DOD Freedom Award, the highest U.S. government honor to employers for support of National Guard and Reserve employees. Smith accepted the award on behalf of the University at the official presentation ceremony in Washington, D.C. The trophy will be housed in the University's Medal of Honor Room in North Hall.

Smith said the event was overwhelming.

"The one word that sums it up best is overwhelming. When you have the secretary of veterans affairs thanking you personally for everything that Slippery Rock has done, it was really special," Smith said.

Nominations for the award must come from a military member employed by the recognized business or organization. Gary Clark, an SRU assistant professor of physical and health education and an Army Reserve member, nominated the University.

"The University has been fantastic when it comes to allowing me to fulfill my reservist duties," said Clark. "Military obligation can definitely place a burden on employers and in the 10 years I've been at SRU, I have been deployed twice.

"Through it all, the University has been incredibly supportive. It's not always easy to find someone with the background and expertise to cover some of the classes that I teach and pulling a faculty member away for a month during the middle of a semester is not easy for anyone; but through it all the University and my colleagues have always been there."

The Freedom Award began in 1996 under the auspices of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve to recognize exceptional employer support. There have been 250 honorees to date.

Trustees presented commendations to Courtney McQuaide, a health informatics graduate student from Saltsburg, who earned first team All-America honors and won the national title in pole vault on the opening day of the NCAA Division II Track and Field National Championships May 24; and to SRU's women's field hockey team, which claimed its seventh consecutive team GPA award from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. The Rock field hockey program concluded the 2017-18 season with a team GPA of 3.658, recording the highest GPA among any field hockey team in all of NCAA Division II for the season. The honor marked the fifth time that SRU had recorded the nation's top GPA under head coach Julie Swiney.

In other action, the trustees received updates on the University's budget; parking at SRU's Harrisville Building; a status report regarding the Gail Rose Lodge and the President's Tent; an overview of advancement and foundation operations; and reviewed the facilities and planning project list.

The council will next meet Dec. 6-7.

MEDIA CONTACT: Robb King | 724.738.2199 | robb.king@sru.edu