After 38 years on the Computer and Information Technology (CIT) faculty including 15 years of service as academic department head, 7 years of administrative leadership to the university's central IT organization, and 5 years as graduate program chair, Jeffrey L Whitten retired from the faculty on June 30, 2017. As a retired faculty member, Jeff retains his graduate faculty certification and is authorized to continue teaching and mentoring students.

Professor Whitten originally joined the CIT (née CPT) department in 1979 with primary responsibility to develop a systems analysis and design curriculum. As an assistant professor, he developed a five-course systems analysis and design course sequence, the most ambitious curriculum of its type at that time. He twice won the James G. Dwyer Award as the best teacher in the School of Technology as selected by the School’s students. After his promotion to associate professor in 1984, Jeff co-authored Systems Analysis and Design Methods. This textbook, now published by Irwin/McGraw-Hill, de-fragmented its market and maintained its #1 market position through seven editions spanning twenty years. More than 700 schools adopted it during that period.

Jeff was named as department head in 1988. In that capacity he provided leadership for curriculum diversification and evolution to reflect emerging technologies and paradigm shifts such as end user computing, client/server computing, telecommunications and networking, and Internet-based applications. During that tenure, the department experienced substantial enrollment growth and curriculum transformation.

In 2002, Jeff was appointed as Associate Vice President for IT Enterprise Applications (ITEA) at Purdue. In that capacity, his organization was responsible for development and maintenance of Purdue's core enterprise applications such as student services, financials, human resources, procurement, and university advancement. During his tenure in ITEA, these core applications were modernized through successful implementation of an ERP.

In 2009, Jeff returned full-time to the faculty where he served as graduate program chair for CIT. He taught graduate courses related to information technology management and leadership, and senior-level undergraduate courses in systems architecture and commercial package implementation. During this time he also served as CIT Thesis Advisor, Chair of the CIT Graduate Education Committee, member of the Purdue Graduate Council, and chair of the Graduate Council's Area Committee A for curriculum and course changes.

In retirement, Jeff plans to write books, teach the occasional course (likely, IT economics, IT organizational change management, and selection and implementation of commercial business software).  He may also do selected consulting.  Mostly, he plans to enjoy a lighter work schedule and his hobbies: stamp collecting (U.S. 1847 - 1950), audio fidelity and music, home theater, and the consumer-level Internet of Things.