Lee University Announces Record Enrollment

Lee University welcomed the largest freshman class in its history to campus this fall. Registration closed earlier this month, officially fixing the number of freshman at 848, compared to 788 in 2007.

This is the fourth consecutive year the freshman class has grown, according to Gary Ray, vice president for administration. Ray also announced an official total enrollment of 4,147 students, also a new record over the previous enrollment record of 4,086 in 2007.

"Naturally we are very pleased with a record freshman class, and I wish to acknowledge the work of the entire admissions team directed by Phil Cook," said Ray. Cook is assistant vice president for enrollment.

"Michael Ellis and the financial aid office staff also played a major role in the conversion of our new students," Ray added. 86% of all Lee students receive some type financial aid through the institution.

The 4,147 total registration figure does not include hundreds of additional students who take online and correspondence courses at various external locations through Lee's Center for Adult and Professional Studies.

Final enrollment statistics reveal that Lee's student body is 57 percent female and 43 percent male with students from all 50 states and 49 countries. In-state enrollment reached 1,577, followed by Georgia with 517 students. North Carolina moved up to third this year with 290 registrants, followed by Ohio with 261 students. Virginia, which brought in 157 students, rounded out the top five.

[Source: Lee University Public Information]

Lee University VP Chairs Commission

The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) has appointed Lee University Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Carolyn Dirksen as chair for its Chief Academic Officers Commission. Dirksen has previously served as the vice chair of the commission.

The commission is made up of eight chief academic officers from the 101 schools in the CCCU. As the chair, Dirksen will help plan the upcoming conference and the Forum which takes place every four years involving teams from all the CCCU schools.

"I believe in the work of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, so I am very pleased to be involved in their work at this level. They are a strong support for Christ-centered higher education and have been an important reference group for Lee," said Dirksen.

Carolyn Dirksen is a veteran of the Lee University faculty. She has been teaching at Lee since 1968, and has long been a well-loved colleague and respected advisor and mentor.

She received the Lee Excellence in Teaching Award in 1972 and the Excellence in Scholarship Award in 1992. She also served for twelve years as chair of the Department of Language Arts and for three years as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Since 1999, she has served as vice president for Academic Affairs.

Dirksen's teaching career has included being a supervisor of Lee's Semester in Europe at Cambridge, a one-year visiting professorship at Henan University in China, and two summers at the Russian-American Christian University in Moscow.

Founded in 1976, the CCCU has spread out across the nation and reached affiliate schools in 24 other countries. Working as a non-profit organization out of Washington, D.C., they've made their goals to focus onn the advancement of Christ-centered higher education and relating scholarship and service to biblical truth. They provide over 100 programs to help serve the association's mission and support the needs of Christian colleges and universities.

[T.J. Wright]

Lee University Announces Major Building Project

Lee University has announced the details of its newest construction project, a laboratory and classroom building for science and math. The building site at the corner of Billy Graham Avenue and Ocoee Street has been undergoing foundation work since earlier this month.

Lee president Dr. Paul Conn said the new facility will provide 73,000 square feet of space for academic programs, with a total project cost of $14 million. The building will include two wings with a central "commons" space connecting the two. The larger of the two wings, which will include all science labs for the university, is being built first. After its completion, the current Beach Building, which now houses Lee's Department of Natural Sciences, will be razed to make room for the second wing of new construction. The Beach Building is a 22,000 sq ft structure built in 1966.

The preliminary schedule calls for the first wing to be occupied in time for the fall 2009 semester. "We are thrilled to be finally beginning this wonderful project," Conn said. "It will triple our academic space for science and math, and give us all-new facilities for this important academic area. It will also provide a beautiful new structure on the northwest boundary of our campus, and I believe our neighbors in the downtown community are going to be thrilled with the way the project upgrades and beautifies our Ocoee Street frontage. "

The general contractor for the project is Tri-Con, Inc., with Cope and Associates, a Knoxville-based design firm, serving as architects. The building was designed in consultation with a faculty committee chaired by Dr. Matthew Melton, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Cole Strong of the university staff is general liaison to the project.

Thirteen classrooms of various sizes, ten laboratories, and two computer labs will create total "seat-space" for 640 students, plus a 150-seat lecture hall. The central "commons" area will feature a massive student lounge of five thousand square feet, plus reading rooms. The building will provide thirty faculty offices. The labs will serve 200 students in chemistry, organic chemistry, molecular cell biology, microbiology, dissection, general biology, and physical science.

The new science/math building is the "capstone project" of the university's "Press Toward the Mark" capital funds campaign, Conn said. The campaign began in 2005 with a goal of raising $25 million for various campus needs. Conn said the fund-raising for the science building itself was launched in late 2006 at the university's "Celebration 2006" festivities. "We are having a wonderful response to this effort to upgrade our science and math programs," Conn said. "Cleveland and Bradley County leaders in business and industry are supporting it very generously, as well as many out-of-town donors."

As construction begins on the science building, a different major "Press Toward the Mark" project is nearing completion on the other end of campus. A $5 million-dollar classroom-and-office building for the Lee University School of Religion is under construction at the corner of Parker and 8th Streets, and is scheduled for occupancy in the fall semester.

Tomlinson Center Expands

The Tomlinson Center (a combined effort between Tomlinson College and Lee University) will now double class offerings by not only offering a Bible track but now a Pastoral Track.

Beginning in the 2009 Spring semester, they will offer the Educational Ministry of the Church, Introduction to Preaching 1, The Christian Family, and The Pastoral Ministry 1.

In the Fall of 2009, the Pastoral Track will continue with The Ministry of Preaching 2, Contemporary World Religions, The Pastoral Ministry 2 and Pastoral Counseling.

TC Director Dr. H. E. Cardin said, "We are excited about this growth and you will see the capable teaching staff consists of seasoned scholars that are also involved in full time ministry (overseers, pastors, and more). We will continue our Bible Track as well."

Another new development is the "Dual Enrollment" program. High school juniors and seniors are now able to take classes from the Tomlinson Center. To qualify, the high school junior or senior must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale). They must have an ACT score of 19 or higher or SAT score of 930 or higher.

They may take in:
- Spring 2009 - Introduction to the New Testament - BIB 102 - Dr. H. E. Cardin
- Fall 2009 - Introduction to the Old Testament - BIB 101 - Bishop Tim Harper

To apply:
1. Seek approval from your high school guidance office to participate.
2. Complete the Admissions Application - See http://www.tomlinsoncenter.com/ web site. You may call the director - (423) 559-5324.
3. Submit high school transcripts and ACT/SAT scores along with your application and application fee.
4. Upon acceptance into the program, you will be sent your Tomlinson Center email account and instructions for enrolling in classes.

What should you expect with an online course?

Online classes blend the best of independent research with the traditional campus model in a virtual classroom environment. Over the course of the semester, you log onto classes for online lessons, assignments, discussions, etc.

Materials are available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week throughout the term. During a course the instructor may schedule times to meet online with you for discussion, lecture, and/or mentoring. The number of study hours necessary to complete a Tomlinson Center online course is similar to that of a traditional resident course.

Online courses offered through the Tomlinson Center utilize the ANGEL online learning platform. To verify that your computer system meets the minimum technical specifications required for online learning, go to http://angel.leeuniversity.edu/ and select HELP in the left column. Select "Resources" from the top menu bar and choose "Recommended Browsers and Computers." This link will list the hardware and software requirements for using the ANGEL online learning platform.

For questions about our new classes or dual enrollment, please contact:
Dr. H. E. Cardin
P. O. Box 2910
3270 Keith St. NW
Cleveland, TN 37320-2970
Office (423) 559-5324
Fax via e-mail (817) 582-5324
Fax (423) 559-5461
E-mail: TCCOGOP@aol.com

For an application, visit the Tomlinson Center web site:http://tomlinsoncenter.com/

Recap of Classes Spring 09 New Pastoral Track!
- Educational Ministry of the Church - CHED-241 - Dr. Fred Lawson
- Introduction to Preaching 1 - PAS 261 - Dr. H. E. Cardin
- The Christian Family - PAS 264 - Pastor Andy Washburn
- The Pastoral Ministry 1 - PAS 461 - Dr. Sylvester Smith

Spring 09 Continuing our Bible Track:
- Introduction to the New Testament - BIB 102 - Dr. H. E. Cardin
- The Gospel of John - BIB 204 - Dr. H. E. Cardin
- Methods of Bible Study - BIB 261 - Bishop Tim Harper
- Wisdom Literature - BIB 303 - Pastor Jack Anderson, Jr.

Fall 09 New Pastoral Track!
- The Ministry of Preaching 2 - PAS 262 - Dr. H. E. Cardin
- Contemporary World Religions - PAS 352 - Pastor Phil Pruitt
- The Pastoral Ministry 2 - PAS 462 - Dr. Sylvester Smith
- Pastoral Counseling - PAS 464 - Bishop Tim Harper

Fall 09 Continuing our Bible Track:
- Introduction to the Old Testament - BIB 101 Fall - Bishop Tim Harper
- Minor Prophets - BIB313 - Pastor Jack Anderson, Jr.
- The Synoptic Gospels - BIB 312 - Dr. H. E. Cardin
- The Pastoral Epistles - BIB 304 - Bishop Tim Harper

Update - Dr. Charles W. Conn

Dr. Charles W. Conn, who served in the highest capacities of leadership in the Church of God, passed away on March 18. He was 88.

Charles Conn’s ministry spanned a wide spectrum of positions throughout his ministerial career. A native of Atlanta, Ga., Conn’s first denominational appointment was in Louisiana where he was the 20 year-old Sunday school and youth director for the state. Two years later he accepted his first church where he served as a pastor for six years at two Missouri churches , St. Joseph (1942-44) and Leadwood (1944-48). By 1948, Charles Conn had earned his ordination and the Church of God had recognized his emerging leadership by appointing him director of Sunday school and youth literature. Four years later, at the age of 32, he would be appointed editor-in-chief of all Church of Godpublications. For the next decade, Charles Conn’s integrity and respect as a church leader, author and historian would rise. In 1955 he released perhaps his most enduring legacy to the Church of God, Like A Mighty Army, the first comprehensive history of the Church of God. The publication would be the first of nearly two dozen titles Conn would pen throughout his career, including Pillars of Pentecost, Where the Saints Have trod, The Bible: Book of Books, A Guide to the Pentateuch, Acts of the Apostles, Why Men Go back, Cradle of Pentecost, the Pointed Pen and Anatomy of Evil.

In 1962 Dr. Conn was elected assistant general overseer on the Church of God Executive Committee, the denomination’s highest governing body. He would serve eight years on the Committee, rising in 1966 to the office of General Overseer, the highest role of leadership within the Church of God. During his tenure from 1966-70 the church of God would grow around the world and a new general offices building would be dedicated at the current site of the international offices in Cleveland, Tennessee. During his years on the Executive Committee he represented the Church of God in several interdenominational capacities such as the executive committee of the Pentecostal Fellowship of North America, the presidium of the Pentecostal World Conference and the board of directors of the National Association of Evangelicals.

In 1970, General Overseer Conn became President Conn when he accepted the presidency of theChurch of God’s flagship educational institution, Lee College. His leadership over the next twelve years would be marked by a time of unprecedented growth and advancement, both in student enrollment and standing in the academic community. New enrollment records were set during his tenure and a new 1,800 seat auditorium – the Conn Center – was constructed.

From 1982-84, Charles Conn would serve for two years as state overseer for the Church of God inVirginia. In years to follow he would devote his time to Church of God history as the official Historian for the Church of God. He would lead the Historical Commission and serve as a valuable resource of knowledge and history of the Church of God.

During his appointed and elected positions throughout his life, Conn received numerous recognitions, honors and awards and served on boards and ministries. Including his service on the Executive Committee and excluding the years off due to tenure limitation, Dr. Conn served for 30 years on theChurch of God Executive Council, from 1952-1990. He was a member of the National Radio and Television Board (1962-64), director of Ministry to the Military (1962-66), member of the national Layman’s Board (1964-66) and the Centennial Commission (1980-86). He is the recipient of the Doctor of Letters degree from Lee University (1962) and a Doctor of Divinity from Berea TheologicalCollege in South Africa (1977).

In addition to an honorary doctorate, Charles Conn’s alma mater Lee University has honored him in various ways over the years. In 1960 he was the first recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award. A Charles W. Conn scholarship was endowed for needy students by the Collegiate Sertoma Club . The annual Charles W. Conn Leadership Award and scholarship was established several years ago and the Lee board of directors bestowed the title President Emeritus in 1999.

First and foremost in the life of Charles W. Conn was his wife Edna, who passed away in 1997, and their twelve children Philip, Sara, Stephen, Paul, Sharon, Raymond, Camilla, Mark, Cathy, Bruce, Jeffrey and Melody.

The family will receive friends on Friday, March 21, 2008 at Ralph Buckner Funeral Home, 4:00-7:00 pm. The funeral will be Saturday, March 22, 10:00 am. (location to be determined).

Please continue to keep the Conn family in your prayers.