OHIO Zanesville dean recognized for leadership by national higher education organization

Jeremy Webster, campus dean of Ohio University Zanesville, is one of three people recognized nationally as a 2018-2019 Society for College and University Planning Fellow. The fellowship is a one-year program designed to recognize and develop higher education leaders who will help build or will contribute to the body of higher education planning knowledge.

“The valuable research from our SCUP Fellows contributes to our understanding of higher education planning processes”, said SCUP President Michael D. Moss. “Our members are tremendously interested in their topics and look forward to their research outcomes each year."

Fellows, chosen after a competitive process, network with higher education leaders; are coached by SCUP members to expand their knowledge of planning; initiate and complete a research project of their choosing; and share the outcomes of their project with constituents. 

“Through the SCUP fellowship, Jeremy has the opportunity to bring his innovative ideas and pioneering solutions forward to better Ohio University,” said President M. Duane Nellis. “We are thrilled to have faculty and staff who want to not only improve the University, but further their scholarly activity along the way.”  

For his research project, Webster hopes to learn effective planning strategies for collaborative projects with Ohio University Zanesville’s co-located institution, Zane State College.

In the coming months, he plans to contact co-located campus leaders and arrange visits to their campuses to interview them about planning methods for joint projects. 

“I am especially interested in developing expertise that will lead to innovative solutions for surmounting the obstacles that inhibit collaboration and shared governance,” Webster explained. “Can collaborative planning processes lead not only to greater shared governance and budgetary efficiencies, but also to an improved student experience and academic programming?” 

To read more about the SCUP fellowship, visit www.scup.org.