Strobel, who will turn 65 in October, became President at Erskine in 1990 and has led the institution to one of its most successful eras in its 159-year history.

At the meeting, Strobel told the trustees of his intentions to retire, then paid tribute to the trustees and thanked them for their personal commitment, institutional awareness, positive interest and Christian commitment.

"Perhaps you can appreciate the mixed feelings we have as we separate from this special group of students in a few months," Strobel said. "You see - while we hold central and dear our deep love of students, faculty and staff colleagues - the special relationship between President and Trustee is also a special privilege of a lifetime."

Board Chairman William B. Patrick of Greenwood praised Strobel and his wife Donna for their dedicated service to Erskine and said there were many accomplishments during the Strobel era at Erskine, including a new $7.4 million science facility, currently under construction.

The Erskine campus has seen major improvements since Strobel's arrival, with the development of a Campus Master Plan and the addition of the Bell Sports Complex and Bowie Arts Center.

Under Strobel's guidance, Erskine has more than doubled its endowment to almost $25 million and removed all debt. Strobel credits the thousands of Erskine supporters, whose generosity has led the college to consecutive Pacesetter Awards from the Independent Colleges and Universities of South Carolina, and who have supported the recently completed Campaign for Erskine, which was the most successful capital campaign in Erskine history, surpassing its $33 million goal.

Erskine's academic excellence and quality have been recognized during Strobel's tenure, with a professor being named the 1995 South Carolina Governor's Professor of the Year, and three Goldwater Scholars studying on campus in one academic year. Erskine students have been named South Carolina Private School Students of the Year two of the past three years.

National publications have ranked Erskine as the 20th best academic religious school in America, listed the college among Best Buys in America, and included the institution in the prestigious Templeton Foundation's Honor Roll of Character Building Colleges.

In 1993, Erskine was labeled a BA-1 Institution, the highest classification nationally for institutions offering primarily bachelor degrees.

Erskine has also introduced more curriculum opportunities at the college and seminary than at any time in its history, and Erskine Theological Seminary's enrollment has grown to a record 365 students this spring. The seminary also has grown outside of Due West, with off-campus programs in Alabama, North Carolina, Georgia and Greenville and Charleston.

Strobel came to Erskine after serving as the founding director of the Mississippi Universities Center in Jackson, Miss., and Board Distinguished Professor at Jackson State University. He served 11 years as president of the Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, Miss.

A native of Ohio, Strobel received his A.B. degree with honors from Ohio University in Athens and his Ph.D. degree in plant pathology from Washington State University in Pullman, Wash. He moved up the academic and administrative ranks at the University of Florida (1959-74) and North Carolina State University (1974-77). His teaching, research and administrative experience is in the fields of botany, horticulture, and plant pathology.

He is married to the former Donna Rogers, and they have two children. The Strobels plan to retire to their home on Lake Greenwood.

The Board authorized Patrick to appoint a search committee to "move with dispatch" to find a new president. Patrick announced that he would convene a search committee, that will begin its process next week, to consist of trustees Doug Peterson, Frank Hunt, Neely Gaston, Jim Ashburn, Charles Carlisle, Bill Patrick and Doug Jones.

Patrick said the committee will attempt to make a recommendation to the Board at its May meeting or perhaps sooner at a called meeting.

Also at the Board Meeting:

• It was reported that the Erskine endowment fund had grown to $24.7 million as of Dec. 31, 1997;
• A motion was approved appointing Randy Ruble as Dean Emeritus at Erskine Theological Seminary;
• A gift of interest income of $26,936.23 and an additional distribution of principal of $570,000 from the Emily Dean Millice Revocable Trust was acknowledged and will serve as enrichment funds for the Modern Languages and English Departments;
• An $80,000 scholarship was received from former trustee Robert Moultrie for the Erskine NCAA Division II tennis program;
• A gift of $2,000 from the estate of Helen L. Bell was acknowledged;
• Final approval was given for two new joint degree programs at the college and seminary, a Christian Education degree and Master of Church Music degree;
• A report was given that construction on the new science facility continues despite inclement weather, although the scheduled completion date had been moved to November;
• The next meeting of the Board of Trustees was scheduled May 21-22, 1998.