UA Little Rock professor reappointed to Civil Rights Advisory Committee

Robert Steinbuch, a law professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law, has been reappointed to the Arkansas Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Steinbuch will serve a second four-year term and will continue as chair, a position to which he was appointed in February of this year.

The commission is an independent bipartisan federal agency dedicated to advancing civil rights through investigation, research, and analysis. Originally established by the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the commission helps develop national civil-rights policy and enhances federal civil-rights law enforcement.

“The faith that the commissioners and my colleagues have put in me to serve another term as the chairman of the Arkansas Advisory Committee is humbling. I eagerly anticipate working with the outstanding returning and new members of the committee to further analyze critical civil-rights issues affecting Arkansans,” Steinbuch said. “My parents, through their actions and words, taught me the primacy of blind justice and fairness. I continue my service in their memories, recognizing that their moral convictions sowed the seeds of my efforts.”

The Civil Rights Commission pursues its mission by studying alleged deprivations of voting rights and alleged discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin, or in the administration of justice.

“The struggle for civil rights has always been an important lesson in our Arkansas history, but now, more than ever, it speaks to us and demands our action. The future of our state and our country is at stake in this struggle and we must answer the call,” Chancellor Christina Drale said. “Professor Steinbuch is well-positioned to help us with this commitment. His service as committee chair is a service to the university, the state, and the nation. He is an example of our faculty members using their unique skills to reinforce the public service mission of UA Little Rock.”

Steinbuch joined Bowen’s faculty in 2005 after serving in various positions in government and private practice. He was a Fulbright Scholar to Poland during the 2015 academic year, and his professional experience includes roles with the U.S. Court of Appeals, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. He also serves on the Arkansas Freedom of Information Task Force, the U.S. Fulbright Commission, Council for Internal Exchange of Scholars, and the Polish-U.S. Fulbright Commission.