2008 Woodie Awards
Scism is new Vice President
Kayla Turnbow and Lauren Dickens
Issue date: 1/28/08 Section: News
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He is responsible for working with instructional academic issues including retention, curriculum and other academic programs.
He said that he also works with external partners to make sure high schools and colleges communicate well "to remove barriers of access."
Before coming to Vol State, Scism worked at Lee College in Baytown, Texas as Chief Academic Officer, which is the same job he is performing here, but with a different title, he said.
He also served for five years as the Vice President of Academic Affairs at a univeristy in Chicago, Ill.
Scism has a master's degree from Eastern Illinois University and a doctorate from the University of Illinois.
Scism had the opportunity to travel to Vietnam while working at Lee College. He said Saigon Tech was interested in a potential partnership related to the oil industry refinery process.
He took the trip to Vietnam in order to correspond regarding the partnership.
Scism was one of four candidates who toured Vol State's campus in September.
He said that some of the reasons that he chose Vol State were the geographical location, the school size, student retention, the diversity on campus, service and developmental learning and the online education program.
He said he also liked the climate better in Tennessee because in Chicago it was winter all the time and in Texas it was summer all the time.
Currently, Scism has limited contact with students.
"My contact with students is limited in a day-to-day basis because the practices on campus are to have students interacting with faculty and department chairs," said Scism.
He has contact with students when they need curriculum waivers or substitutions approved.
He said he wants to change the limited contact.
"I hope to begin to meet fairly regularly, say every other month, over lunch with student leaders, including leaders of student government, the paper, and other organizations," said Scism. "I want to allow a dialogue to develop so that if there are things on their minds or agenda we can answers questions so I can do whatever I can to support the students."
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