March 18, 2005 :: No. 157

Emmett T. “Shorty” Long, emeritus professor of speech communication and one of Cal State Fullerton’s founding faculty members, died March 10 at the age of 81.

Long joined the campus in 1959 — the first year classes were offered at what was then Orange County State College — and served in a number of posts. During the university’s early years, he was associate dean of students, director of admissions and records and associate professor of speech. Long continued his administrative duties as executive assistant to founding president William Langsdorf and as coordinator of school relations for the then-California State Colleges from 1972-75.

Even while serving in administrative capacities, Long taught courses in speech communication. From 1979-1986, he became a full-time professor of speech communication and continued to teach each fall for seven years after his retirement in 1986.

A graduate of three universities, Long earned an Ed.D. at USC, a master’s in education and bachelor’s in English-speech from UC Berkeley, plus a bachelor’s degree in speech from Pepperdine, where he later served as director of admissions, taught speech and directed the forensics program. Before helping to launch the Fullerton campus, Long was registrar and admissions officer for Cal Poly Pomona.

Throughout his life, he was involved in a number of political and charitable organizations and was an active member of the CSU Emeritus and Retired Faculty Association. He was named the group’s Volunteer of the Year in 2002.

“Shorty was a trusted friend and adviser,” said Kurt Kitselman, chair and professor of human communication studies. “His background in the liberal arts and the administrative posts he held over the years gave him a depth and wisdom that we may not see again. We will miss him.”

Long is survived by his wife, Colleen, two sons and two grandchildren. Services are scheduled for April 16 at United Church of Christ in the city of Claremont, where he resided.

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