Spartanburg Community College Welcomes Dr. Cheryl A. Cox as Vice President for Academic Affairs

SPARTANBURG, SC – January 5, 2011 – Spartanburg Community College (SCC) recently welcomed Dr. Cheryl A. Cox as vice president for academic affairs. In this role, Cox is responsible for leading SCC’s educational programs and services and ensuring the quality of academic curriculum, instruction, and student assessment while enhancing the overall learning environment.

“We are very excited to have Dr. Cox join our administration,” said Dr. Para M. Jones, SCC president. “With Dr. Cox’s years of experience in academic affairs and higher education, along with her accomplishments in education advocacy initiatives, we look forward to what her leadership will bring to the College.”
 
Dr. Cox joins SCC from the South Carolina Technical College System (SCTCS) in Columbia, SC, where she served as the vice president of academic affairs for the past four years. In this position, Cox made a positive impact on the state’s technical college system through her leadership in developing and acquiring major grants, collaboration with key groups and education advocacy. These efforts led to statewide initiatives that include:

• technical college-based training programs and centers that support the federal Weatherization Assistance Program;
• a national accreditation for associate degree early childhood programs that enabled the development of articulation between those programs and baccalaureate level education programs, which is a career pathway of value to many early childhood graduates; professional development programs for college faculty and staff;
• development of web-based systems to improve the accuracy and efficiency of administrative processes that support curriculum development and accountability;
• and creation and revisions in academic policies to meet accreditation requirements and state regulations.

The wealth of knowledge and experience Dr. Cox brings to SCC comes from over 20 years in education. Her career began as a science education instructor at the University of South Carolina and led to her positions as the director of teaching and learning at Midlands Technical College from 1997-2001; senior manager for curriculum and instruction at the SCTCS from 2001-2005; and the interim president of Williamsburg Technical College in Kingstree, SC from 2009-2010. Dr. Cox has a doctorate of philosophy and a master of science degree from the University of South Carolina. She received her bachelor of science degree from Murray State University.

“I’m thrilled to join the Spartanburg Community College family. I believe the College is committed to student access to high quality programs and high quality instruction, removing barriers to student success and aligning programs to meet the needs of both students and businesses – all of which are high priorities for me,” said Dr. Cox. “I look forward to working with a great team and in a community known to value the education and workforce training community colleges provide.” 

Throughout her educational career, Dr. Cox has served on many respected state and national committees including the:

• SC Commission on Higher Education’s Advisory Committee on Academic Programs;
• Commission on Higher Education’s “Course Alignment Project” Steering Committee; 
• Articulation, Dual Enrollment, High School Graduation and Postsecondary Education Alignment Committee of the SC Education and Economic Development Act of 2005 (EEDA); 
• and the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) Associate Degree Program Accreditation Advisory Council.

About Spartanburg Community College.
SCC offers more than 80 academic programs of study including associate degrees, diplomas and certificates plus University Transfer opportunities to four-year universities. SCC provides flexible class scheduling including online classes through SCCOnline, FlexStart classes, evening classes and more. The College also offers non-credit classes through the SCC Corporate & Community Education Division.  For more information visit www.sccsc.edu.