University of Arkansas Chancellor Gearhart to retire in July

The University of Arkansas will get a new administrator in 2015. Chancellor G. David Gearhart announced his retirement Monday (Jan 12), saying he will step down July 31 so he can return to teaching and to spend more time with family.

“I have four main reasons for making this difficult decision,” the chancellor wrote in a Jan. 9 letter to UA System President Don Bobbitt. “They are our four grandchildren: Ben, age 5; Caroline, age 4; Ellie, almost 2; and soon to be born, Lily Jane. Going forward, I hope to spend more quality time with each of them as well as with our children and their spouses, Katy and Justin and Brock and Lindsey.”

Gearhart, 62, said he plans to return to the classroom as a teacher after taking a brief time off. In addition to being Chancellor, Gearhart is also a faculty member at the university’s college of Health and Education.

Gearhart became the fifth chancellor of the state’s flagship university after serving a decade as vice chancellor for University Advancement. For fiscal 2014, Gearhart was paid a total compensation of $411,236, plus $225,000 in deferred income from the University of Arkansas Foundation, according to school finance records.

UA System President Donald Bobbitt said he was surprised by the resignation letter.

“After talking to him and learning that his reason to opt for retirement was to spend more time with his growing family, I understood and supported his plans. There never is a good time to make these decisions, but the University of Arkansas is in a very strong position with record enrollments, a strong research portfolio and nationally recognized student achievement. The institution is also in the early stages of a campaign and I feel it is better to make a change at this point than at the latter stages of a fundraising effort. I am sure Dr. Gearhart factored this into his decision,” Bobbitt said.

He also thanked Gearhart and his wife Jane for the 17 years of service to the University of Arkansas citing that they viewed this time as a calling and not a job.

“Dr. Gearhart will leave an indelible mark on the institution. … I join the many others who wish him much success and thank him for his many contributions to the University of Arkansas and higher education in the State,” Bobbitt said.

He also said the University System will move deliberately but aggressively with plans to identify the next chancellor for the University of Arkansas through a national search. The first order of business will be to select a search firm.

“I know this will be a much sought-after position. I look forward to working with campus administrative and faculty leaders, the University Of Arkansas System Board Of Trustees and other stakeholders to name the next Chancellor,” Bobbitt said.

Under Gearhart’s watch as chancellor of the University of Arkansas has enjoyed several major accomplishments including:
• An enrollment increase of 37% since 2008;
• A six-year graduation rates of 62.3% in 2014, the highest in the school’s history;
• Added 300 faculty in the past five years to meet student growth needs;
• During Gearhart’s tenure, the endowment grew from $119 million to $920.6 million;
• Research expenditures reached $120.4 million, up from $113.8 million in 2008; 
• Annual fundraising surpasses $100 million for four consecutive years, with $113.3 million raised in fiscal year 2014;
• Oversaw the expansion, renovation, or addition of more than 1.5 million square feet to our campus space, an investment of approximately half a billion dollars; and
• Growing reserves from $2 million in 2008, to $50 million in 2014.

“I have seen a remarkable transformation in the academic reputation and physical facilities of the University of Arkansas during my 10 years of service on the UA Board of Trustees. … Dr. Gearhart has placed the institution on a solid upward trajectory and it is exciting to consider what the future will be given this progress,” said Jim von Gremp, chairman of the UA System Board of Trustees.

While the accomplishments are long, the past couple of years also had its challenges. Gearhart faced scrutiny from legislators last year following a $4.19 million shortfall in the school’s advancement division which was revealed in 2011 and 2012 audits. Former Vice Chancellor Brad Choate, and budget director, Joy Sharp, were reassigned to positions outside the division no longer work for the university. Associate Vice Chancellor John Diamond was fired by Gearhart. Choate and Diamond claimed under oath that they were scapegoats at the hand of Gearhart.

Despite the allegations from Gearhart’s subordinates, the UA Trustees ultimately gave Gearhart a vote of confidence.