Wheaton College president will step down in 2010

During Duane Litfin's tenure as president of Wheaton College, the school expanded its academic offerings, improved its faculty and raised tens of millions of dollars for capital improvements.

With those and other accomplishments under his belt, Litfin is planning to retire in mid-2010, the college's board of trustees announced Friday.

"Wheaton College has thrived under Dr. Litfin's leadership," Trustee Thomas C. Pratt said in a statement. "Although we look toward his retirement with regret, we are confident that his Christ-centered commitment to develop a student body to serve the church and society will continue at Wheaton for years to come."

Pratt will serve as co-chairman of a selection committee that will conduct the search and selection process for Wheaton College's eighth president.

Litfin, who wasn't available for comment Friday, became the college's seventh president in 1993.

From the start, his goal was to improve the college while keeping true to its core values, fellow administrators said.

"To his credit, I would say the college has not changed fundamentally," Provost Stan Jones said. "We are on track with our historic mission to be a distinctly Christian liberal arts college with a graduate school and a conservatory of music. Each of the programs has been enriched and deepened, but not fundamentally changed."

College officials say the quality of the school's faculty has been enhanced during Litfin's tenure. There also has been the addition of new academic and sport facilities and an increase in scholarship funding.

To help pay for the upgrades, the college has had two multiyear fundraising drives since 1994, including a current $260 million campaign. So far, more the $180 million in cash and pledges has been raised to bring new buildings, create new scholarships and hire more staff.

The college is in the midst of constructing of a new 128,000-square-foot science and mathematics building. And just recently, renovations were completed at Adams Hall, the school's art instruction building.

Numerous programs also have been improved as a result of Litfin's advocacy.

"His legacy will be that he has made Wheaton (College) stronger, better and kept it on its mission," Trustee Donald Meyer said. "If you ask any board member, they will say that he has performed above what we could imagine. We regret to see him leave."

As for the search for Litfin's replacement, applications are being accepted through November. The President Selection Committee is expected to make recommendations to the board of trustees by spring 2010 with a goal to have the new president start July 1, 2010.

Meyer, who is a co-chair of the selection committee, said the next president will need to be someone who has solid leadership and academic skills, a strong theological position and who can continue Litfin's vision.

And while finding that person will be a challenge, Meyer said, "we are convinced the Lord has somebody out there for us."