Dr. Dolphus E. Henry III, who led Tennessee’s oldest institution of higher learning through much growth and change, has resigned as president of Tusculum College.
Dr. Henry, a Virginia native, had extensive experience in higher education when he came to Tusculum in June 2000, and quickly focused the College on strategic planning and outcomes assessment, strengthening and growing the faculty, improving facilities including the main Tusculum College library, and increasing enrollment.
His administration also saw an expansion of academic opportunities available through Tusculum College. During Dr. Henry’s tenure, a political science major was approved in November 2001 and a journalism minor approved that same year, an Honors Program was put in place in April 2004, a revised Commons Curriculum was approved in January 2005 and a civic engagement minor was approved in Fall of 2006.
Under Dr. Henry’s administration, Tusculum College developed a concise college mission statement for both the traditional Residential College and the innovative Graduate and Professional Studies program for working adult students, developed a five-year rolling strategic plan tied to budget allocation, and created a campus master plan tied to that strategic plan.
Dr. Henry’s administration brought both the traditional and working adult facets of the college under the academic oversight of a single provost, bringing unity to what had in practice often operated as mostly separate programs.
Dr. Henry also increased faculty numbers. In the Residential College the number of full-time faculty members increased from 42 when Dr. Henry came to the College to a high of 51 during the 2005-2006 academic year. The number during the 2006-2007 current academic year was 48.
Graduate and Professional Studies operated with solely adjunct faculty in 2000-2001. Dr. Henry established full-time GPS faculty positions.
In 2003, Dr Henry led the college through a successful accreditation reaffirmation process with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Dr. Henry’s presidency also saw physical growth on Tusculum’s campuses. The Knoxville Regional Center was completed in 2002. On the Greeneville campus, the Niswonger Sports Complex was completed in 2003 and the expanded and renovated Library at Tusculum College was officially opened in 2005, bringing that facility from an outdated 1910 structure of 10K square feet up to a state-of-the-art structure of 34K square feet. Full-text on-line journals in the library increased from 7,000 to 24,000 to support undergraduate and graduate programs. Two distance education librarian posts were established, and a satellite library created at Tusculum College’s Knoxville Center.
Residential College student enrollment grew during Dr. Henry’s tenure from 483 to just under 1,000.
During the Henry years, four 48-bed apartment-styled residence halls were constructed. Improvements were also made to Tusculum’s GPS facilities in Morristown.
Dr. Henry had over three decades of college administrative experience before joining Tusculum. His earlier work was focused on strategic planning, marketing, and outcome-based learning.
Before joining Tusculum, which is associated with the Presbyterian Church U.S.A., Dr. Henry was professionally associated with three religiously affiliated institutes of higher education (Roanoke College, Salem Virginia; Capital University, Columbus Ohio; and Mercer University, Macon Georgia) and one public institution (State University of New York, Potsdam).
Dr. Henry received his Ph.D. in Educational Research and Evaluation from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Va., in 1982. He earned a Master’s degree in guidance and psychology from Radford University in Radford, Va., in 1973, and a BA in psychology from Roanoke College in 1972. In 1999, Dr. Henry studied at the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University.
Dr. Henry and his wife, the former Judith Worthy, restored the College tradition of using the presidential residence as a site for receptions, meetings, dinners and other special events. On a more social level, Dr. and Mrs. Henry initiated several events that have become ‘traditions’ at the College, such as new student move-in day, receptions for graduating seniors and the annual faculty/staff Children’s Christmas party. They opened the President’s House to the College and community for many events.
The Henrys were married in 1974 and have one daughter, Jessica.
Judith Henry received her Bachelor’s degree from Radford University in Virginia, and her Masters from Tusculum College. She is the founder and chief executive officer of Worthy Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in helping small companies build stronger business relationships through a strategic process and improved communication techniques.
Judith Henry has been actively involved in community activities and in Greeneville First Presbyterian Church.