Dr. Joe Early Retires33 Years <strong>of</strong> Dedicated ServiceFor Joe Early, spending <strong>the</strong> past 21 years a vice-president <strong>of</strong> academicaffairs at <strong>Cumberland</strong> College hasn’t been a chore. “I cannoteven think about having a better position. I don’t even call it a job.I call it an opportunity. It has never been like work,” Early noted.“When you are around young people all <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> time, everybody is alwaysexcited. They have plans, and you get to see <strong>the</strong>m. As long as you don’t lookin <strong>the</strong> mirror. You think you are <strong>the</strong>ir age. It’s been a wonderful life.”Early, who turned 62 years old in January, is retiring after nearly a third<strong>of</strong> a century at <strong>Cumberland</strong> College. While his retirement <strong>of</strong>ficially takeseffect August 31, 20<strong>02</strong>, Early began a leave<strong>of</strong> absence starting on New Year’s Day. “Iwill have been here 33 years when I amfully retired. I’ve have been very fortunate,”he said.Dr. James Taylor, President <strong>of</strong><strong>Cumberland</strong> College, said Early will certainlybe missed. “Dr. Early has done a remarkablejob in serving as vice-president <strong>of</strong> academicaffairs all <strong>the</strong>se years. He has developeda solid base on which <strong>the</strong> college canmove to <strong>the</strong> next level,” Taylor said. “We arevery deeply indebted to his contributions.He has served as a role model and Christianman. I respect what he has done. We aregrateful.”When asked about what he might miss<strong>the</strong> most during his retirement, Early replied,“I can tell you what I won’t miss. Iwon’t miss <strong>the</strong> paper shuffling,” Early saidhe will miss <strong>the</strong> people, and all <strong>the</strong> littlethings. “The thing about <strong>Cumberland</strong>College is <strong>the</strong> people here are extraordinary,”he said. “I will miss all <strong>the</strong> relationshipswith <strong>the</strong> faculty and staff, and <strong>the</strong>conversations, and all kinds <strong>of</strong> exchangeswe have had over <strong>the</strong> years. When you arein an intellectual community all <strong>the</strong> time,you are always discussing things o<strong>the</strong>r thanwea<strong>the</strong>r. That kind <strong>of</strong> intellectual stimulationis something that I will probably miss <strong>the</strong> most.”Early said that so far, he and his wife, Phyllis, have no set plans for retirement,but he would like to play a little more golf. “We are just going to tryand let it come to us. I am looking forward to ano<strong>the</strong>r phase in my life, that’s<strong>the</strong> way I am looking at it. I am not actually retiring. I am just going to dosomething else,” Early said.Early said that he would like to spend a little more time working with hischurch, and visiting with his son, Joe, and his daughter-in-law, Dana. Heplans on staying in Williamsburg, where his mo<strong>the</strong>r still lives. Early said thatsome travel is also on <strong>the</strong> agenda for he and his wife. “We have not been toMaine and New Hampshire and that area,” he said.Early said that he would like to take about a full year <strong>of</strong>f, and <strong>the</strong>n he willDr. Joe Earlyprobably resume some type <strong>of</strong> work, possibly as a part-time math teacher at <strong>the</strong>college. “If I do anything that has a structure to it in my retirement that I cananticipate right now, I would be very happy teaching calculus or differentialequations or something like that. It’s simply because I like to be with youngpeople, and I like to see <strong>the</strong>m accept a challenge and be successful. It keeps youyoung.” Taylor said he looks forward to Early coming back and teaching <strong>the</strong>occasional math class and whatever else he may do to assist <strong>the</strong> college.Early is originally from Williamsburg and attended WilliamsburgHigh School.His mo<strong>the</strong>r was an elementary schoolsupervisor who came to <strong>Cumberland</strong>College while he was a student <strong>the</strong>re. As amatter <strong>of</strong> fact, Early’s mo<strong>the</strong>r taught hiswife, Phyllis, while she was a student at<strong>Cumberland</strong>. “I went down one day to seemy mo<strong>the</strong>r about something. While I was<strong>the</strong>re, I also asked her about that girl in <strong>the</strong>front row,” Early admits.Early graduated from <strong>Cumberland</strong>College twice, once in 1959 when it was ajunior college, and <strong>the</strong>n again in 1963when it was a senior college. He graduatedwith a BS degree in ma<strong>the</strong>matics andphysics. “I am kind <strong>of</strong> a campus rat, but Inever really thought about coming back,”he admits. Following college, Joe andPhyllis moved to Mt. Sterling, KY wherehe taught everything from sixth grademath to junior high and high school math.“My love is ma<strong>the</strong>matics. I always felt thatI was a fairly effective teacher,” he said.After a few years Early’s desire to keeplearning more got <strong>the</strong> best <strong>of</strong> him, and hehad an opportunity to go to graduateschool at <strong>the</strong> <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> Tennessee.After finishing up his doctorate inma<strong>the</strong>matics and education, Early hadtentatively accepted a position at <strong>the</strong><strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> Georgia, but that changedwith a visit from his mentor, Dr. J.T. Valandingham.Valandingham was a math pr<strong>of</strong>essor at <strong>Cumberland</strong> College, who taughtat <strong>the</strong> school for 61 years. “He wanted me to come back. He told me if I wouldcome back, he would let me become chair <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> department, and he wouldwork for me,” Early said. “I really felt obligated to <strong>the</strong> college because <strong>the</strong> collegehad been so good to me. I was particularly honored to have <strong>the</strong> opportunityto work with Dr. Val.” In 1969, Early and his wife agreed to come backfor four years. About a year and a half later, <strong>the</strong>ir son, Joe, was born. “This wasa great place to raise a child. We were active in <strong>the</strong> church. We never reallymade any serious plans about leaving any time after that,” Early noted.Continued on page 72
Dr. Donald GoodNew Vice President for Academic AffairsDr. Donald Good was named vice president for academic affairson November 27, 2001, as <strong>the</strong> successor to Dr. Joe Early.Good comes to <strong>Cumberland</strong> from having served as associateprovost at Carson-Newman College. “<strong>Cumberland</strong> College issimilar to Carson-Newman in size and in mission,” Good said. “Carson-Newman has given me lots <strong>of</strong> good experience, and I hope to bring somenew and different ideas to <strong>Cumberland</strong>.”Good, 45, was born and raised in Hickory, NC. He earned his Bachelor<strong>of</strong> Science in political scienceand math from WesternCarolina <strong>University</strong>, hisMaster <strong>of</strong> Art in teachingmath from WinthropCollege and his Doctor <strong>of</strong>education in curriculum andinstruction on higher educationfrom <strong>the</strong> <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong>SouthCarolina.Additionally, he earned abiblical studies certificatefrom Columbia BibleCollege.“I first thought aboutbecoming a teacher when Iwas in eighth grade,” Goodsaid. “I remember listeningto my teachers and thinking,‘If I were <strong>the</strong> teacher, this iswhat I would do.’”Having taught at juniorhigh and high school levels,Good also taught math at atwo-year college before joining<strong>the</strong> Carson-Newman facultyin 1989. He was a fulltimepr<strong>of</strong>essor in <strong>the</strong> college’steacher education departmentfor seven years, four <strong>of</strong>which he also served as <strong>the</strong>department chair.For <strong>the</strong> past six years,Good has served in academicadministration, where he hasassisted <strong>the</strong> provost in matters <strong>of</strong> rank and tenure, faculty development,institutional effectiveness and strategic planning. As associate provost, Goodhas worked on curriculum development and revision, has hired new facultyand has served as <strong>the</strong> college’s chief planning <strong>of</strong>ficer.“It really is my love <strong>of</strong> teaching that led me to administration because inadministration, I can have a wider impact,” he explained. “At Carson-Newman, I have been responsible for <strong>the</strong> day-to-day operations <strong>of</strong> severalprograms including academic support, career services, <strong>the</strong> counseling centerDr. Donald Goodand Reserve Officer Training Corps. I also had a hand in reorganizing <strong>the</strong>adult education program.”Good’s six years <strong>of</strong> experience as associate provost for Carson-NewmanCollege-which includes serving as interim provost at one time-led him toapply for <strong>the</strong> opening at <strong>Cumberland</strong> College, he said. As vice president <strong>of</strong>academic affairs, Good is <strong>the</strong> senior academic <strong>of</strong>ficer <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> college, reportingdirectly to <strong>the</strong> president. He advises <strong>the</strong> president on matters <strong>of</strong> educationalpolicy and represents <strong>the</strong> college at regional, state and national levels on academicmatters. Good is alsoresponsible for 38 academicmajors and a graduate programin teacher education. Inaddition, he oversees <strong>the</strong>work <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> registrar’s <strong>of</strong>fice,library services and <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong>fice<strong>of</strong> institutional research.“My first two objectiveshave been 1) to do a lot <strong>of</strong> listeningand learning <strong>the</strong> lay <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> land, and 2) to work ongaining <strong>the</strong> trust <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> facultyand staff,” Good said. “Ialso hope to continue toteach, as I have at Carson-Newman. I don’t ever wantto give up doing some teachingbecause that still is myfavorite thing to do.”After 13 years at Carson-Newman, Good was wellknown not only for hisadministrative duties, but als<strong>of</strong>or <strong>the</strong> “liveliness” he broughtinto <strong>the</strong> classroom. “I can juggleand ride a unicycle, and I<strong>of</strong>ten will perform for my students,”Good explained. “Iam, at heart, a teacher andpr<strong>of</strong>essor, and I will performfor my students to make apoint, such as how <strong>the</strong>y mayhave to juggle all <strong>the</strong> responsibilities<strong>of</strong> being a teacherwhile doing o<strong>the</strong>r difficult things at <strong>the</strong> same time.”Juggling and unicycling aside, Good also integrated himself into <strong>the</strong>Jefferson County (TN) community during <strong>the</strong> past 13 years. “I did a lot <strong>of</strong>work with <strong>the</strong> Chamber <strong>of</strong> Commerce, and I was a member <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> firstJefferson County Leadership class, which was such a good experience,” Goodsaid. “I will look for opportunities for civic involvement in my new role at<strong>Cumberland</strong> as well.” “I think it is important for people to be involved in <strong>the</strong>irlocal communities and I’m looking forward to doing that in Williamsburg.”3