Theodore Long, President of Elizabethtown College, Announces His Retirement

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President Ted Long of Elizabethtown College

ELIZABETHTOWN, PA (01/18/2010)(readMedia)-- Theodore Long, Ph.D., president of Elizabethtown College, announced that he will retire from his position as president, effective July 2011. Long has been credited with guiding the College to its current stature of academic excellence and with devotion to its motto to "Educate for Service." Under his leadership, Elizabethtown College is considered one of the leading comprehensive liberal arts colleges in the United States.

"I have mixed emotions upon receiving President Long's letter of notice for retirement in the summer of 2011," expressed David Hosler, chair of the Board of Trustees of Elizabethtown College. "My immediate emotion is sadness that such a long-tenured, strong leader of the institution has set his timeline for retirement and will thus no longer be among us in the ways we have become so accustomed. Nevertheless, one also feels absolute appreciation and admiration for President Long's outstanding work during the 15 years he will have led Elizabethtown College. He has guided an amazing advance in the strength and stature of Elizabethtown College."

During his tenure, Long initiated and completed an institutional strategic plan, master facilities and land use plan, and a major branding initiative, resulting in new academic, athletic and residential facilities, along with the creation of a new campus center in August 2002. Under his leadership, 11 new academic programs and the Elizabethtown College Honors Program (sponsored by The Hershey Company) have been created, along with Elizabethtown's first master's degree program in occupational therapy. Four new athletic programs also were initiated.

While President Long has led Elizabethtown College, the quality of faculty has improved dramatically. During his tenure the percentage of faculty with terminal degrees in their field increased from 74 percent to more than 90 percent. At the same time, enrollment grew by 15 percent while admission became more selective. There are now more than 1,850 students enrolled at Elizabethtown College.

President Long successfully led the campaign to increase the College's endowment, raising $26.1 million. In the newest comprehensive campaign, the College raised $47 million, well above the original goal of $35 million. Long has instituted a multi-year plan to strengthen the College's financial position, allowing Elizabethtown to weather recent economic challenges while increasing enrollment and improving selectivity.

President Long is also responsible for enhancing academic excellence through four signature attributes which shape the education of Elizabethtown College students -- educate students in a relationship-centered learning community, foster in students an international and cross-cultural perspective, classroom instruction strengthened with experiential-learning opportunities, and preparing students for purposeful lives and meaningful work. Long feels strongly that these four signature attributes have been integral to Elizabethtown College's distinction as a dynamic institute of higher education.

Dr. Long has served as president since 1996. Prior to that, he served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Merrimack College in North Andover, Mass. He also previously taught sociology at George Washington University, Hollins University, and Washington and Jefferson College. He is a 1965 graduate of Capital University, where he majored in sociology and philosophy, Long earned a master's degree in sociology from Duke University and a doctorate in sociology from the University of Virginia.

Dr. Long completed a term as chair of the board of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Pennsylvania, chaired the boards of the Pennsylvania Campus Compact and Brethren Colleges Abroad, and serves on the boards of The Fulton Theatre, the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, the Foundation to Enhance Communities in Harrisburg, and the Economic Development Company of Lancaster County. He has immersed himself in the culture of south central Pennsylvania and contributed his time and support to the cultural and academic activities in the area.

He is a trustee of Capital University, his alma mater, the largest Lutheran university in the country. He is active in the national movement to promote civic engagement among colleges and their students, as well as the Council of Independent Colleges and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.

Long notes, "I have devoted myself to helping the College realize its greatest possibilities, and it is now time for a new leader to move the institution even further ahead. The College has made notable progress in the past 15 years, and as we conclude some important work over the next year, this is a good time to launch a new stage in the College's development." While remaining active in higher education, Long and his wife, Betty, will relocate to their home in Maine.

Elizabethtown College, in south central Pennsylvania, is a private coed college with degrees in liberal arts, fine and performing arts, science and engineering, business, communications and education. The hallmarks of an Elizabethtown education are academic rigor, high expectations and intellectual curiosity. Our faculty members are teacher-scholars, pursuing their academic areas of expertise while sharing that expertise with students. We "Educate for Service" and bring a unique global perspective to our students' lives.

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