Retiring Coe president proud tradition lives on

CEDAR RAPIDS -- In the 18-year presidency of James Phifer, Coe College's enrollment increased 30 percent and both the endowment fund and the size of campus more than doubled.

The Phifer presidency were years of growth and change at Coe, but the retiring leader said he's most proud the college remained unchanged in one important way.

The enrollment growth, expansion of the campus footprint, construction of new buildings and a move to a different athletic conference -- those things all were done "without changing the nature of the college," Phifer said.

"We're delivering the same liberal arts education with selected high quality professional programs that we did 20 years ago," he said. "There are places that in order to grow become a different kind of school. That's not what we've done. We've been true to who we are."

It was important to improve the size and the reach of Coe without abandoning the core principles of the college, Phifer said. In fact, the 30 percent enrollment growth came about while the college also managed to increase the academic profile of students and become more selective in admissions.

"To grow and to become more selective and to remain true to yourself, that's what we've done and that's what I'm proud of," he said.

Phifer joined Coe in 1985 and served for 10 years as dean of the faculty and vice president for academic affairs before being selected as the 14th president in 1995. Upon retirement in June, Phifer and his wife Linnie will move to a southern suburb of Denver; both attended the University of Colorado and his wife's family remains in the area.

But Coe will remain a part of his life, Phifer said. The Coe board of trustees has asked him to serve as a life trustee, and Phifer was surprised at spring commencement on May 12, when he was awarded the status of President Emeritus and Professor of History Emeritus.

When he became president, Phifer saw a strong college that nevertheless needed to grow enrollment in order to flourish and remain competitive going forward, he said. The past decade also has brought a greater reliance on fundraising, both for the operation of the college and as a source of financial aid for students, he said. Phifer oversaw two record-setting campaigns for Coe, with more than $150 million raised during his presidency.

It pleases him to know that as he leaves Coe, the college is "positioned to go on delivering the kind of education it has delivered for 150 years," Phifer said.

"Every generation or so, it becomes popular at one point or another ... to talk about the demise of the liberal arts," he said. "We provide a liberal arts education. We believe in training students to do nothing but preparing them to do everything. This school is ready to go on with that tradition proudly."