HUNTINGTON, IN Oct 15, 1997—Huntington College President G. Blair Dowden announced today that Dr. Gerald Smith, vice president and dean of the college, will step down as dean at the end of this academic year to return to full-time teaching of undergraduates.

"It is with great reluctance that I have granted Dr. Smith’s request to return to the classroom," said Dowden. "He has served Huntington College very effectively as our vice president and dean since 1982. While he is an outstanding teacher, his wisdom and strong administrative and leadership skills will certainly be missed."

Dr. Smith will fill the faculty position left vacant by Dr. Robert Hale's retirement last year. Beginning in 1998, Smith will teach full-time in the natural sciences division as professor of physics and chemistry.

"Dr. Smith’s leadership as dean has had a profound impact on this campus and his accomplishments are numerous," said Dowden.

Smith, the longest-serving dean in Huntington College's history, is widely credited with increasing the academic reputation of the Christian liberal arts school. When Smith took the position in 1982, only 45% of Huntington faculty had an earned doctorate. Today, 80% of Huntington faculty have an earned doctorate, the highest percentage of any Indiana institution within the Coalition for Christian Colleges and Universities.

Smith hired approximately three-quarters of current Huntington College faculty. When his transition was announced at a faculty meeting today, his colleagues gave him a lengthy standing ovation.

"Dr. Smith helped launch several innovative academic programs at Huntington College, including youth ministry, theatre, mass communication, graphic design, fine arts, recreation management and exercise science," said Dowden. "He has spearheaded an overall strengthening of all academic programs at the college. He has provided strategic leadership and wisdom to the College’s marketing and admissions programs. He has worked to improve retention rates and established meaningful admissions standards that have significantly improved the academic preparedness of the student body."

Smith was intimately involved in planning the construction of several campus facilities. These include the Richlyn Library, Merillat Centre for the Arts, Merillat Complex for Physical Education and Recreation, Loew Center, several residence halls, and the Habecker Dining Commons.

"Personally, I am very sad to see Dr. Smith leave this position," Dowden added. "He has been a faithful colleague and friend who has provided wisdom and guidance on key issues."

Huntington College will soon form a search committee to identify Smith's successor as vice president and dean. The committee will include three faculty members, one member of the senior leadership team, one student representative, and one staff member reporting to the dean.

"The search process will begin immediately," Dowden said. "It is hoped that we will name a new dean by early March, 1998."

Founded in 1897, Huntington College seeks "to equip men and women to impact our world for Christ." Located on a contemporary, wooded campus in Huntington, Indiana, the four-year liberal arts college offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in nearly 50 academic concentrations.

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Gerald D. Smith
Vice President and Dean of the College

Highlights of Career Before Being Named Dean in 1982

Graduated from Huntington College with chemistry major and physics and mathematics minors in 1964

Awarded US Atomic Energy Commission Graduate Fellowship to University of Washington in Seattle, and conducted radiation research as AEC Fellow at Battelle Northwest Laboratories at Hanford Atomic Energy facility in Richland, WA

Awarded US PHS Graduate Fellowship in Radiological Health Physics at Purdue University where obtained PhD in radiation physics in 1972

Awarded US National Science Foundation fellowship for study of neutron activation analysis at Louisiana State University in 1967

Received US HEW Summer Faculty fellowship to study statistics and institutional research at Ball State University in 1966

Received NSF Chautauqua on microprocessors and microcomputers at Michigan State University, 1979; NSF Chautauqua microcomputers in the laboratory, 1981.

Received Argonne National Laboratory Summer Faculty Institute in neutron activation, 1974; Argonne faculty workshops in nuclear magnetic resonance, 1974; energy alternatives, 1976; and energy uses, 1981

Received Oak Ridge National Laboratories Summer Faculty Institute in Fission and Fusion, 1982

Appointed by Governor to Indiana Emergency Radiation Response Team in 1974, participated in training exercises to respond to radiation incidents in state, and attended Marble Hill Nuclear Seminar in 1981

Received NSF/AAAS Chautauqua on thermodynamics, 1971

Professor in introductory and physical chemistry and modern physics for 17 years before being named academic dean in 1982 at age 39

Taught chemistry, physics and mathematics at liberal arts college in Michigan for 2 years

Taught chemistry and physics 15 years at Huntington College

Director of Institutional Research for College, 1974-1976

Twice directed NCA Institutional Self-Studies for the College, 1972-74 and 1977-79

Obtained HEW equipment grant for chemistry laboratory in 1969 and National Science Foundation equipment grant for nuclear physics laboratory in 1974

Major curriculum and calendar Task Forces:

Vice-Chair, Task Force on Academic Concerns, 1974-76, that reviewed general education and revised curriculum, and produced Statement on Academic Concerns that has been incorporated into Philosophy of Education

Chair, Task Force on Art, 1979-80, that studied the viability of the art program and recommended changes subsequently incorporated into revived program a decade later

Chair, Calendar Study Committee, 1980-81, that studied curriculum and calendar, and recommended changing back from course units to semester hours, moving to a shortened JTerm with reduced credit, and shortening the overall calendar

Consulted for local industry for Air Pollution Compliance, 1973

Chair, NE Indiana Section of American Chemical Society, 1980

Editor, NE Indiana American Chemical Society Retort, 1976-83

Elected to Phi Beta Upsilon chemistry honorary, 1971

Elected to Sigma Xi science research honorary, 1972

Received NE Indiana American Chemical Society Chemist of the Year Award in 1982

Received Huntington College Alumnus of the Year Award in 1983

Selected for listing in Marquis’ Who’s Who in Midwest, Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in the World

Selected for listing in American Men and Women of Science, Marquis’ Who’s Who in Frontier Science and Technology

Member of American Chemical Society, American Association of Physics Teachers, American Institute of Physics, American Association of University Professors; former member of Health Physics Society, International Radiation Protection Association, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Indiana Academy of Science

 

Highlights of Career Since Being Named Dean in 1982

"Foci of my years as dean have been on academic integrity and quality of faculty instruction and scholarship. We have emphasized recruiting and strengthening of faculty, teaching quality, policies that consistently promote educational integrity and academic excellence, and an improved student profile. We raised student admissions standards and probation levels but developed substantially greater academic support services. We more consistently required that students meet minimum admissions requirements, but we provided more academic support for struggling students. Concomitantly, we insisted that students not achieving minimum grade point averages must not be permitted to continue when there is not a realistic expectation that they can succeed at Huntington. We encouraged faculty scholarship and faculty development (including funding for completion of doctorates and greater support for professional activities). We provided for enhanced learning and teaching environment in classrooms, offices, and library facilities. We provided for enhanced computer technology for learning and teaching."

"In the outline that follows, I note a number of changes that have occurred during my tenure as dean, and although I have had some influence over these, many I know are only indirectly related to my personal efforts."

Named Dean of the College in 1982

Professor in chemistry and physics for 17 years before being named academic dean in 1982 at age 39

Will have served 16 years as Vice President and Dean of the College, longer than any previous dean at the College (before Dean Stilson, no one served regularly for more than a few years):

Dr. Gerald D Smith served 16 years from 1982-98

Dr. Gerald G Winkleman served 7 years from 1975-1982

Dr. Watson S Custer served 7 years from 1968-75

Dr. Gerald G Swaim served 2 years from 1966-68

Dr. Herbert W Byrne served 4 years from 1962-66

Dr. MI Burkholder served as interim dean 1 year from 1961-62

Dr. Corinth E Lange served 5 years from 1956-1961

Dr. Wilford P Musgrave served for 9 years from 1946-1955

Dr. Oscar R Stilson served for 11 years from 1935-46

Student and Faculty Profile Changes, 1982-1997

The College has undergone significant change in student and faculty profile in years from 1982-1997, during which I have been Dean:

Student body increased from 435 students to 814

Full-time regular undergraduates increased from 368 to 662

Improved retention substantially during past fifteen years, increasing persistence to graduation from less than 40% to projected 60% for current freshmen and sophomores

Established meaningful admissions standards that improved academic quality of student body (e.g., 53 students admitted with less than C average in year prior to admissions standards but only 12 with less than C+ this fall)

Raised percentage of faculty with doctorates from 45% to 80% this fall

Increased size of faculty from 31 full-time to 43 full-time this fall

Increased percentage of women from 27% to 36% this fall

Improved faculty salaries from (below 20%-tile) to the 50%-tile among all four-year colleges

Increased faculty scholarship and professional involvement outside the College

Academic Program Changes, 1982-1997

The College’s academic programs have undergone a number of changes or developed new directions in years from 1982-1997, during which I have been Dean:

Restructured the curriculum in response to enrollment shifts, suspending majors in art and speech for several years, and gradually eliminating all associate degree programs to focus on primary liberal arts mission of four-year programs

New and restructured programs were developed in computer science, youth ministries, graphic design, fine art, theatre, mass communication, oral communication, exercise science, and recreation management

Nontraditional adult degree completion EXCEL program in organizational management introduced

Link Institute funded as center of excellence in youth ministry that emphasizes research

Graduate programs in educational ministry and youth ministry established, and all masters program nomenclature became master of arts programs

New Buildings and Facilities Changes, 1982-1997

Major academic building planning committees that I chaired, in which I assisted in design elements and was involved in decisions related to construction and equipping:

RichLyn Library, 1986, a beautiful and functional facility in the center of campus that houses 160,000 volumes. We endorsed moving to electronic card catalog as part of the new facility. Influential in design features such as the clerestory on the top floor, the large conference room and afterhours study.

Loew Center, 1988, a functional faculty office and classroom building that houses majority of faculty in cluster office arrangement. Influential in designing computer classroom and laboratory layout, open skylight seating area, and seminar and lecture room.

Merillat Centre for the Arts, 1990, a jewel that speaks to the value of the fine arts on a liberal arts campus. Influential in providing for programming space for art, communications and theatre that were not yet major areas of study. Influential in committing to major display art.

Minor roles in building projects, such as the Merillat Complex for Physical Education and Recreation and preservation of the administration building, and in the development or renovation of athletic fields:

Commitment to Forest Glen baseball field lights, dugouts and bleachers

Reconstruction of stadium soccer field

Construction of new Klopfenstein tennis courts

Development of the softball field

Smith's Colleagues

Prof. Jack Barlow, associate professor of history and political science, 359-4243

Dr. Norris Friesen, vice president for student development, 359-4028

Dr. William Hasker, distinguished professor of philosophy, 468-2795

Dr. David Rahn, associate dean for graduate studies, 359-4228

Dr. Linda Urschel, associate professor of English, 359-4244

Dr. Urschel has said:

"Jerry Smith exemplifies everything about Huntington College that makes it the special place it is. Not only is he a fine scholar, teacher and administrator, but he does everything for the good of the institution and the glory of God. Our Faculty members appreciate Jerry's leadership style, his heart for Faculty issues, his student-centered approach, and his commitment to scholarship. Most of all, though, we enjoy working with him because he appreciates us, and we know it. It's impossible to measure the positive impact he's made on Huntington College. I'll miss him enormously as Dean, but I look forward to working with him again as a Faculty colleague."

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