Karla Fisher appointed chancellor at Arkansas State University-Beebe

Arkansas State University System President Dr. Charles Welch on Thursday (Dec. 3) announced the selection of Dr. Karla Fisher as the next chancellor of ASU-Beebe.

Fisher, who has served as vice president of academics at Butler Community College in Kansas since 2010, will succeed Dr. Eugene McKay, who announced in May he would retire in January after almost 50 years’ service to ASU-Beebe, including the past 21 years as chancellor.

“We conducted an extensive national search and have chosen a dynamic administrator who will build on Chancellor McKay’s excellent work,” Welch said. “She brings to ASU-Beebe a wealth of experience in curriculum, student engagement and marketing. Butler and ASU-Beebe share many similarities in serving a broad mix of students on multiple campuses. The search committee and campus constituencies were very impressed with her background, and we’re confident she’s the ideal leader to further enhance ASU-Beebe’s standing as a leading two-year college in the region.”

A 14-member Chancellor Search Advisory Committee – with members representing faculty, staff, students and the community – reviewed 60 applications for the position.

“I appreciate the committee’s exceptional counsel and assistance during the process,” Welch said.

Fisher served as interim president at Butler for seven months in 2013. She has also been an associate of the Center for Community college Student Engagement since 2007 and was director of institutional marketing at Salt Lake Community college from 2001-2007.

“I am honored to join the ASU System,” Fisher said. “Everyone involved in the search process was incredibly welcoming. ASU-Beebe has a great history and, working together, I’m confident we’ll build an even greater future.”

The National Association of Instructional Administrators this year honored Fisher as Chief Academic Officer of the Year. She also received the Kansas Board of Regents Annual Award for Data Quality and Planning and the Wichita Business Journal Annual Award for Innovation for creation of Butler Early College Academies.

Fisher was awarded a doctorate in educational administration by the Community College Leadership Program at the University of Texas, a master’s degree in communication by St. Mary’s University in San Antonio and a bachelor’s degree in English by St. Mary’s University.

Fisher will join ASU-Beebe on Jan. 16, Welch said, and her salary will be $183,000.

ASU-Beebe serves more than 4,500 students and is the only two-year institution in Arkansas with residence halls. ASU-Beebe has additional campuses at Heber Springs, Searcy and the Little Rock Air Force Base.

The ASU System serves 23,300 students throughout Arkansas and also includes Arkansas State University, a four-year research institution in Jonesboro with an instruction site in Paragould; ASU-Newport, with additional campuses in Jonesboro and Marked Tree; ASU-Mountain Home; and ASU Mid-South in West Memphis.