H arding was an outstanding school in many respects, including the quality and dedication of its employees. In every department across campus, faculty and staff were the foundations of the school, serving in their respective capacities with joy and purpose. Those men and women worked year in and year out, supporting students, who often overlooke~ the importance of the people who made their Harding experiences possible. Provost Dr. Larry Long merited a place on that list of important faculty for his extensive contribution to the university. With an undergraduate degree in English from Abilene Christian University, and a master's and Ph.D. in English from The Ohio State University, Long naturally searched for teaching positions and, in the spring of 1976, accepted a position in Harding's English Department. Long earned the Distinguished Professor Award three times, an honor only 15 professors in Harding's history had previously accomplished. Long said that he worked hard to be a good teacher and that he examined everything he did to find areas in need of improvement. "I made a lot of comments on papers, and my reputation was of using a green pen instead of a red one because the papers would look pretty bloody if the ink were red," Long said. "The green pen thing showed both sides of me, that I was being concerned about the student's feelings, but I was being as direct and aggressive as I could be in the grading process." In 1988, Long helped establish the Honors College, originally called the Honors Program, working alongside Senior Vice President Dr. Jim Carr and Chancellor Dr. David Burks. The first class had only 19 students, but in 10 years, the Honors College had grown to 500 members. Carr was honored to work with Long on such a project. "I believe Dr. Long is a great academic leader on this campus because of his impeccable integrity, his authenticity when helping students and his impact with the development of his honors courses at the university," Carr said. Elevated first to the position of Vice President of Academic Affairs in 2001 and then to the position of provost in 20111 Long's responsibilities centered on the academic wellbeing of the university. He dealt primarily with faculty and curriculum, working to ensure Harding's academic excellence as well as the success of various academic programs. Burks recognized Long's immense contribution to the university, saying his expertise and integrity were an asset to Harding. "Dr. Long is highly respected in the office of provost, both on campus and within the higher education community," Burks said. "He brings his expertise to the Harding campus and brings all of his knowledge to our academic progress with a great sense of humility." Long's dedication to preserving Harding's mission through academics positively affected each department on campus, and his confidence in Harding's mission inspired his colleagues. "I support the university mission, and I would like to see the university implement that in the very best way," Long said. "I believe every academic program ought to follow the university mission, and I believe that is exactly what we are doing right now." Landis Tindell 197
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