Jan 30, 2005 - Claremont, Calif. -

Jon Strauss, the fourth president of Harvey Mudd College (HMC), will step down at the end of the 2005/06 academic year, it was announced today.

Strauss began his term in March 1997 and has guided the college to unprecedented levels of success in academic excellence, reputation and financial stability. Ranked 16th in the nation by U.S.News & World Report in 2004 as a liberal arts college and 2nd in engineering, HMC raised $19.9 million in fiscal year 2003/04 and more than $100 million during Strauss' tenure thus far, more than any comparable period in the college's history. Under Strauss' leadership, the college's endowment doubled, to nearly $200 million today.

"With all the enthusiasm we're hearing from our community to get started on the next major fund drive," said Strauss in a message to the HMC community, "[The trustees and I] agreed it will be best to do that under new leadership who can commit for the full term of the fund drive." Strauss will be 66 years old when he steps down on June 30, 2006.

During his tenure, the college added substantially to its ability to serve students through three major construction projects: the Linde Activities Center; the Frederick and Susan Sontag Residence Hall, which was recently designated as the first Claremont Colleges building to be LEEDS-certified as a "green building"; and HMC's newest addition, the Hoch-Shanahan Dining Commons, which is scheduled to open this spring.

As a staunch advocate for the benefits of a diverse and inclusive campus climate, Strauss began a number of initiatives at the college. Under his leadership, the Blueprint for Diversity was created in 1999 that resulted in many improvements, including substantial growth in the presence of women and persons of color on campus among the student body, faculty and staff. Of the college's 73 tenure-track faculty, 23 were recruited to HMC during Strauss' tenure. In addition, six fully funded endowed chairs were established to honor outstanding faculty and contribute to budget equilibrium. Notably, HMC operated with a balanced budget every year during Strauss' tenure.

Strauss came to Harvey Mudd College from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Chevy Chase, Md., where he was vice president and chief financial officer. He previously served as president of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Mass.) and as vice president at the University of Southern California and University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and also served as a professor of computer science at that institution and at Washington University in St. Louis, the Technical University of Norway, and Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

A member of the National Science Board, Strauss also serves on the boards of the National Association of College and University Business Officers, National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and the Bright Prospects Foundation. He is also an accreditation visitor for the New England Association of Schools & Colleges Inc., and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, and serves on MIT's Dean for Undergraduate Education Visiting Committee.

Strauss received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Carnegie Institute of Technology, an M.S. in physics from the University of Pittsburgh, and a B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin.