Academic Affairs VP Optimistic about the Future of SC State
Dervedia Thomas
Issue date: 11/16/09 Section: Features
New Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Joyce Blackwell is optimistic about the future of SC State. Coming out a three day Academic Affairs Institute funded by Title III grants, Blackwell spoke with The Collegian about the Institute, challenges she has faced since arriving at SC State and plans for maintaining academic excellence.
The institute's theme: The ABC's of Academic Success: Charting a New Direction in Academic Affairs at South Carolina State University, included presentations and workshops hosted by SC State faculty and staff.
According to Blackwell, the theme challenged deans, chairs and program directors to focus on broad aspects of quality, excellence and the university's contributions to the community. "Deans, chairs and program directors attended workshops that generated a great deal of thought and discussion," she said. "Discussions often led to recommendations, modifications and/or adjustments that needed to be made to existing academic programs to ensure that SC State's students would remain competitive with their peers attending other institutions. More specifically, as a result of the Institute, I and the majority of the participants have a renewed focus on academic excellence, interaction with the community, and the quality of student experience we provide."
When asked about challenges that she has faced since taking up office at SC State, Blackwell explained that she has not encountered any "challenges" that are un-common to other universities. "The challenges that we face at SC State are no different from challenges faced by faculty, students and administrators at other institutions across America," she said. "Therefore, I do not view them as challenges--just issues, events, etc. that sometimes occur-which requires that we not lose focus on our purpose for being here. Somehow we tend to believe that we are uniquely affected. We are not. Like other institutions, we must focus our energies on how we all can, as a university, weather this storm in a way that will not compromise the quality of our academic programs and services for the students whom we serve."
The institute's theme: The ABC's of Academic Success: Charting a New Direction in Academic Affairs at South Carolina State University, included presentations and workshops hosted by SC State faculty and staff.
According to Blackwell, the theme challenged deans, chairs and program directors to focus on broad aspects of quality, excellence and the university's contributions to the community. "Deans, chairs and program directors attended workshops that generated a great deal of thought and discussion," she said. "Discussions often led to recommendations, modifications and/or adjustments that needed to be made to existing academic programs to ensure that SC State's students would remain competitive with their peers attending other institutions. More specifically, as a result of the Institute, I and the majority of the participants have a renewed focus on academic excellence, interaction with the community, and the quality of student experience we provide."
When asked about challenges that she has faced since taking up office at SC State, Blackwell explained that she has not encountered any "challenges" that are un-common to other universities. "The challenges that we face at SC State are no different from challenges faced by faculty, students and administrators at other institutions across America," she said. "Therefore, I do not view them as challenges--just issues, events, etc. that sometimes occur-which requires that we not lose focus on our purpose for being here. Somehow we tend to believe that we are uniquely affected. We are not. Like other institutions, we must focus our energies on how we all can, as a university, weather this storm in a way that will not compromise the quality of our academic programs and services for the students whom we serve."
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