The South University community is mourning the loss of Anne Patton, President of the university’s campus in Columbia, S.C. Anne Patton died late on Friday, January 9, after a long illness. To ensure South University’s students continue receiving the same high-level of attention and service that Anne Patton delivered every day, Brad Kauffman, dean of student affairs, has been named Acting President for the Columbia campus.
“Brad has had an excellent mentor and leader in Ms. Patton, and the result is that he has a comprehensive understanding of how the campus in Columbia operates on a daily basis,” said Joe Harm, Ph.D., system vice president for academic affairs. “I am confident that this transition of leadership will be as smooth for our students, faculty and staff as possible under these very sad circumstances.”
Anne Patton joined South University in 1985 as a faculty member in Business Education at the Savannah campus. She led the South University campus in downtown Savannah, working as the Registrar and the Director, for nearly 10 years before accepting the position of founding president for the Columbia campus in 1999.
“Anne will be greatly missed by all of us who knew her and loved her,” said John T. South, III, chancellor. “We have lost one of our brightest stars of the university.”
The Columbia campus reached several significant milestones under her leadership and guidance including accreditation by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), approval by the South Carolina State Board of Nursing to admit the university’s first nursing class in South Carolina, and enrollment growth to over 1,000 students in the Fall of 2008.
Kauffman began working for South University in February 2002, when Patton hired him as the campus Registrar. He was promoted to Dean of Student Affairs in February 2006 and has a comprehensive understanding of how the Columbia campus operates. He graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and a Master of Education degree in Higher Education Administration.
Established in 1899, South University is a private academic institution dedicated to providing educational opportunities for the intellectual, social and professional development of a diverse student population. South University offers educational programs at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels with campuses located in Columbia, S.C.; Montgomery, Ala.; Savannah, Ga.; Tampa and West Palm Beach, Fla.
Further information on South University is available at: www.southuniversity.edu.
Media Contact:
Heather Askew
Director of Communications
912.201.8114
haskew@southuniversity.edu