Campus Talk: Bowen, Tsutsui Inaugurated At Arkansas Tech University, Hendrix College

Editor’s note: Each Tuesday, Talk Business & Politics provides “Campus Talk,” a recap and deep-dive into education topics in our email newsletter, which you can sign up to receive daily for free here.

BOWEN, TSUTSUI INAUGURATED AT ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY, HENDRIX COLLEGE
It’s now official: Dr. Robin Bowen is the President of Arkansas Tech University in Russellville and Dr. Bill Tsutsui is the President of Hendrix College in Conway.

The two higher education leaders were the focal point of inauguration ceremonies on their respective campuses last week. Bowen’s inauguration was Friday and Tsutsui’s ceremony was Saturday.

Bowen is the 12th president of the Russellville-based four-year school and the first female leader of any public four-year university in Arkansas. She was elected the 12th president of ATU by the board of trustees on April 22, 2014 and took office on July 1, 2014.

Tsutsui is the 11th president of Conway-based Hendrix College, which interestingly had a female president from 1992-2001 when Dr. Ann Dye served in the position. Tsutsui became president of Hendrix on June 1, 2014.

LRSD, DEPARTMENT OF ED SILENT ON SUGGS’ PLAGIARISM ALLEGATIONS
Interim Little Rock School District superintendent Dexter Suggs trouble over alleged plagiarism of his dissertation has resulted in a lot of silence. KATV’s Marine Glisovic has repeatedly asked Suggs, the school district, and the state – which is in charge of the district – for comment on the matter. Suggs denied the allegations last week, but has not spoken since new statements have surfaced. Read the latest here.

UA NOTES: FUNDRAISING, A PROVOST & AN INTERIM DEAN
Outgoing University of Arkansas Chancellor David Gearhart and his wife, Jane, surprised a group of fundraising volunteers on April 10 when they announced they were making a $1 million gift to the University of Arkansas’ upcoming campaign efforts.

The campaign, known as Campaign Arkansas, is still in the organizational phase and will become public at a later date.

Gearhart will retire as chancellor July 31. The gift is being made with cash and a deferred commitment, and its purpose will be determined at a later date.

Ashok Saxena, former UA College of Engineering dean, and current head of the department of biomedical engineering, has been selected to serve as university’s provost upon Provost Sharon Gaber’s departure. He will serve in this role until a new chancellor can appoint the next provost.

Matthew Waller was named interim dean of the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas and will assume the duties of dean Eli Jones who is leaving the UA to return to his alma mater — Texas A&M. Waller is the chair of the college’s Department of Supply Chain Management. He also holds the Garrison Endowed Chair in Supply Chain Management.

JACKSONVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT TAPS TONY WOOD
After serving as Education Commissioner during the transition between the Beebe and Hutchinson administrations, Tony Wood will land in Jacksonville. The veteran school administrator will lead the newly created Jacksonville/North Pulaski School District, which recently spun off from the Pulaski County Special School District. The interim board selected Wood, who will be paid an annual salary of $160,000. He was chosen over Little Rock School District Deputy Superintendent Marvin Burton.

FORWARD ARKANSAS’ JARED HENDERSON: EDUCATION IS KEY TO SUCCESS
Jared Henderson is project manager of ForwARd Arkansas. In this guest commentary for Talk Business & Politics, Henderson discusses the nonprofit group’s efforts and ultimate goals.

“While Arkansas has made some meaningful improvements to our education system, we still have a long way to go. The educational attainment of Arkansans must increase not only for the benefit of individual students, but for the well-being of our state as a whole. Without substantive progress, Arkansas’ economy will not reach its full potential, nor will our overall quality of life improve,” he writes. Read his full commentary here.