Teague To Retire As President of SMC

08/19/08 — College’s Sixth President Will Retire Effective July 1, 2009

SPARTANBURG, SC -- After 11 years as the President of Spartanburg Methodist College, Dr. Charles P. Teague has informed the College's Board of Trustees that he intends to retire on July 1, 2009.

Teague, 63, has announced his retirement at a meeting of faculty and staff, saying that the major goals of his administration have been accomplished.

"In October, the Board of Trustees will refine the Strategic Plan that will guide the College for the next 10 years. To successfully implement this plan, the College needs a President with great energy, a clear vision, and the willingness to stay the course until the plan is successfully achieved. As I prepare for the next stage in my life, it is appropriate that I pass the reigns of leadership to the next President. Daune and I will forever be grateful for the friends we have made in our 12 year tenure at Spartanburg Methodist College," Teague says.

Dr. Teague came to Spartanburg Methodist College on July 1, 1997, from the position of Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty at Brevard College, another United Methodist institution.

"Under the outstanding leadership of Dr. Teague over the past eleven years, Spartanburg Methodist College has accomplished many significant milestones. He and Daune are a great team and their contributions to the college are remarkable. We will miss them, but wish them well in their retirement," says SMC Board of Trustees Chairman Jerry Calvert.

During his tenure as President, Dr. Teague has received two $1 million gifts that enabled the College to construct Bridges Residence Hall and Sparrow Residence Hall. The addition of those two residence halls increased the College's availability of on-campus housing by 210 rooms.

In addition, Dr. Teague has overseen the construction of the Phyllis Buchheit Board Room and the Vassey Information Technology Center; the addition of a lobby to the Buchheit Administration Building; the reconfiguration of inner campus roads; removal of unsightly structures from the campus; completion of the outdoor athletic facilities project; implementation of the beautification of the facilities and grounds; renovation of numerous facilities on campus; improvement of classrooms by adding state-of-the art technology to support instruction; an increase in the number of full-time faculty members; and the development of the Master Plan for facilities and grounds.

Enrollment at SMC during Dr. Teague's tenure has grown from 503 students in the 1999 fall semester to 797 in the 2007 fall semester. The college's endowment has more than doubled its value during Dr. Teague's career at SMC.

"The faculty, staff, and Board of Trustees of Spartanburg Methodist College are poised to take the college to new heights under the leadership of the next president. I am grateful for the dedicated work of my colleagues and for the vision and commitment of our Board of Trustees and their commitment to the college," says Dr. Teague.

"The goal of any President is to leave the institution in better shape than it was when she/he assumed the position. The improvements made during my tenure as President occurred because of the dedication of the faculty, staff, Trustees, and friends of the College. Their tireless devotion to doing what is in the best interest of our students is what has made the institution what it is today and what it will become in the future. Daune and I 'stand on the shoulders of giants' who preceded us. We look forward to following the college as it continues to grow and develop in the years to come," adds Dr. Teague.

The Board of Trustees will appoint a Presidential Search Committee to oversee the search and selection process at its next meeting in October. Calvert and Bill Painter, Vice Chair of the Board, will serve as co-chairs.

Additional trustees, a full-time member of the teaching faculty, and a senior administrator will constitute the membership of this committee. The guidelines for applying for the position of President of Spartanburg Methodist College will be announced as the Search Committee undertakes its work.

Spartanburg Methodist College is in its 98th year of providing quality education to students in a Christian environment. More than 90 percent of SMC graduates continue their education at other institutions of higher learning.

For more information, contact Brian Fulkerson, Director of Public Information, at (864) 587-4254.

####