KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- Jonathan Long has been on the Kansas City Kansas Community College for less than two weeks, but he has hit the ground running.
Long is KCKCC’s new dean of student services. He was previously an associate professor at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Mo. and was vice president for student services at Johnson County Community College.
“I fell in love with the community college philosophy (when at JCCC),” he said. “I have always had this feeling that community colleges are wonderful environments that directly help students.”
Long received a bachelor’s degree at the University of Kansas and a master’s degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He also earned a doctorate from KU.
Among his responsibilities are overseeing several departments including the Student Health Center, athletics, career planning and placement, the childcare center, community outreach, counseling, and advising and student activities.
The Intercultural Center will also report to Long. Starting in the position Jan. 6, he said his first few days have been “fantastic.”
“It is a position that has been left vacant since Richard Lee left so I have definitely hit the ground running,” he said. “It is the beginning of the spring semester, and a lot of things needed to be addressed because the position has been vacant for so long.”
Long said in the next few weeks, he will be working to fill the gap in services that the position’s long vacancy created. He said he plans to be a dean who is “extremely visible and approachable” to students and be recognized as a person who places a high priority on student success.
“All of the people I work with are extremely talented, and I am very fortunate to have directors who have been very patient in recognizing my need to become acquainted with KCKCC,” he said. “I want to emphasize an open door service philosophy for students.”
Long and his wife Alisa have six children, ranging in ages from 17 to 26. Although they currently live in Overland Park, he said they have plans to relocate to Wyandotte County. Coincidentally, Alisa is the administrative assistant for the dean of student services at Johnson County Community College.
“Students enrolling here are very diverse. I think that enriches the educational and cultural, environment,” he said of KCKCC. “I am impressed by the work of the staff in my division because they give students the individual attention that they need. I feel like this college is moving in a really exciting direction.”
