Lebanon Valley College announced today that President Lewis E. Thayne will retire following the 2019-2020 academic year.
Thayne was appointed president in 2012. In an email letter to the LVC community, Thayne said that he announced his decision to LVC’s Board of Trustees at its May 4 meeting.
“It has been an honor for me to lead this remarkable college at a transformative period in our history and at such a challenging and consequential time for American higher education,” said Thayne in the email letter.
In a press release posted by LVC today, Thayne’s tenure as president was described as including the following achievements:
- Middle States accreditation
- Three successive years of record enrollment
- Construction of the Jeanne and Edward H. Arnold Health Professions Pavilion
- Establishment of 12 academic programs
- Institutional commitment to Inclusive Excellence
“When approached by Dr. Thayne to consider supporting the health professions pavilion, it was our pleasure to do so, as we felt this would bring a significant career option to Lebanon Valley College’s superbly well-rounded curriculum,” said Drs. Edward and Jeanne Arnold in the release. “He will always be regarded as one of the finest presidents we’ve ever had at Lebanon Valley College.”
In Thayne’s letter announcing his retirement to the LVC community, he referenced ongoing challenges for LVC and higher education at large.
This past February, LVC announced that it would be dropping majors for French, German, Philosophy, and Religion, as well as a number of minors. In a letter explaining decision, Thayne said the changes “arose partly from the need to reallocate funds, reduce expenses, and identify new revenue streams for the college” but also served a broader purpose of better meeting student needs.
Prior to joining LVC, Thayne spent 7 years as vice president of college advancement at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster.
A national search for Thayne’s replacement will begin this summer.
