Charla Long, JD

In the role of dean of college of Professional Studies, Dr. Long is responsible for designing three to four new academic graduate and undergraduate programs each year in response to time-sensitive workplace development needs. She is accountable for growing the college by 1,000 students and $10 million in revenue in five years. She also provides leadership for CORE: The Competency-Based Assessment and Development Program, the School of TransformAging®, the Adult Degree Program, The Institute for Law, Justice & Society and a host of other academic offerings.

Dr. Long serves on the university’s academic leadership team, setting the academic vision for the entire university, and builds, develops, and inspires a team of individuals to achieve college objectives. Dr. Long, as creator and founder of The School of TransformAging®, was selected by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam to chair the Governor’s Task Force on Aging. As chair, she authored a strategic plan, drawing on the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, to better meet the needs of older Tennesseans and their families.

Dr. Long was named “Woman of Influence” for Innovation by the Nashville Business Journal in its inaugural class of award recipients. Although the words innovative and entrepreneurial are not synonyms with those in higher education, Dr. Long has reflected this spirit in her academic career. Her recent design of the competency-based program at Lipscomb reflects her innovation in action. This program has been called a future “model for liberal arts institutions” by Inside Higher Ed.