ATU Board Votes to Begin Architect Selection

Trustees at Arkansas Tech University voted on Thursday, Aug. 16, to take a first step toward constructing a proposed new student recreation center and student union on the Russellville campus.

The authorization for the university to begin the architect selection process was granted during a regular meeting of the ATU Board of Trustees at Ross Pendergraft Library and Technology Center.

A combined student recreation center and student union was identified as a priority project in the ATU campus master plan, which was developed through a process that included input from students, faculty, staff, alumni and community supporters. The campus master plan was approved by the ATU Board of Trustees on Oct. 19, 2017.

In other business on Thursday, the ATU Board of Trustees approved:

*a revised tuition waiver policy for faculty and staff that allows for 100 percent tuition waiver for employees with a cap on the number of credit hours (144 undergraduate or 40 graduate master’s level) and financial consequences for dropping or failing a course as well as a 50 percent tuition waiver for dependents with a cap on the number of credit hours (144 undergraduate or 40 graduate master’s level) and financial consequences for dropping or failing a course;

*a provisional position for an administrative specialist III that will be housed in the Division of Advancement and compensated through the ATU Foundation;

*a certificate of indebtedness and resolution authorizing the certificate of indebtedness to receive approved Arkansas Department of Higher Education loan funds;

*establishment of two general method of financing forms for smaller renovation projects;

*a letter of notification deleting the Master of Science in Business Administration degree, which has graduated its final students and been replaced by a Master of Business Administration degree;

*a letter of intent from the College of eTech concerning the establishment of a Master of Arts degree and a Graduate Certificate in Leadership, Learning and Organizational Development;

*revisions to the ATU faculty handbook as previously approved by the faculty senate;

*the 2018-19 ATU student handbook;

*a schedule of proposed activities sponsored by the ATU Department of Diversity and Inclusion during the 2018-19 academic year;

*parking and traffic regulations for ATU-Ozark Campus in 2018-19;

*letters of notification that will allow ATU-Ozark Campus to offer stackable credentials in banking services, to include a Certificate of Proficiency, Technical Certificate and Associate of Applied Science degree;

*the 2018-19 ATU-Ozark Campus student handbook;

*and a schedule of dates for 2018-19 ATU Board of Trustees meetings that includes Oct. 18, 2018, Dec. 13, 2018, Jan. 17, 2019, March 14, 2019, May 16, 2019, and Aug. 15, 2019.

In personnel matters, trustees approved the following full-time faculty appointments on the Russellville campus for the 2018-19 academic year:

*Dr. Steve Bounds, professor of educational leadership; Dr. Jeffrey Bright, department head and professor of music; Dr. James Daughters, instructor of music and assistant band director; Dr. Ahmed Elkassabgi, assistant professor of finance; Dr. Rebecca Goldstein, assistant professor of psychology; Dr. Sarah Gordon, associate professor of educational leadership; Holli Hall, visiting instructor of biology; Dr. Christopher Harris, assistant professor of music and director of choirs; Dr. Tara Hart, visiting assistant professor of college student personnel; Philip Huff, instructor of cybersecurity; Dr. Kelly Jones, assistant professor of history; Dr. Geoff Kelley, visiting assistant professor of anthropology; Stacy McKisick, instructor of rehabilitation science; Lucas Moody, instructor of cybersecurity; Dr. Larry Morell, visiting professor of computer and information science; Dr. Kenneth Ngale, visiting assistant professor of chemistry; Dr. David Pumphrey, assistant professor of business data analytics; John Riggins, visiting instructor of management and marketing/entrepreneur in residence; Dr. Selena Sasser, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction; Dr. Luay Wahsheh, department head and professor of computer and information science; Dr. Wayne Williams, professor of educational leadership; and Dr. Clement Wong, assistant professor of physics.

The board confirmed Dr. Linda Bean’s appointment as dean of the ATU College of Education effective July 1, 2018.

Staff appointments on the Russellville campus approved by trustees on Thursday included:

*Robert Blake, facility manager at Lake Point Conference Center, effective July 5, 2018; Dr. Brett Bruner, dean of student engagement, effective Sept. 4, 2018; Meighan Burke, director of student transition, effective July 11, 2018; Sarah Burnett, director of the ATU STEM Education Collaborative, effective July 1, 2018; Will Cooper, associate dean for student conduct and deputy Title IX coordinator, effective July 1, 2018; Andrea Eubanks, academic services coordinator, effective June 1, 2018; Jennifer Griffin, assistant director of financial aid, effective July 1, 2018; Aubrey Holt, assistant dean for campus life, effective Aug. 1, 2018; William Lacava, assistant dean for residence life, effective July 9, 2018; Bradly Lewellen, admissions officer, effective May 29, 2018; Bryan Luther, programmer/analyst, effective June 18, 2018; Joshua McMillian, associate dean and chief of public safety, effective July 1, 2018; Chris Nook, assistant volleyball coach, effective July 16, 2018; Charity Park, assistant librarian, effective Aug. 1, 2018; Amy Pennington, associate vice president for student affairs and Title IX coordinator, effective June 1, 2018; Carrie Phillips, interim director of marketing and communication, effective July 1, 2018; Alexis Scrimshire, junior associate registrar, effective April 24, 2018; and William Titsworth, assistant dean for student conduct and lead title IX investigator, effective July 20, 2018.

Trustees approved the following full-time faculty appointments on the Ozark campus for the 2018-19 academic year:

*Todd Birkhead, program chair and workforce education faculty, EMT/paramedic; Cristina Blanco, workforce education faculty, biology; Amandalyn Boen, visiting workforce education faculty, practical nursing; Charlotte Coats, visiting workforce education faculty, business; Kenneth Floyd, program chair and workforce education faculty, collision repair technology; Christy McCullough and Emily Morrow, workforce education faculty, adult education; and Holly Newman, clinical coordinator and workforce education faculty, EMT/paramedic.

Rebekah Snyder of ATU-Ozark was approved for a reassignment to workforce education faculty in registered nursing. She previously taught in the practical nursing program.

The board accepted the following resignations:

*Dr. Victor Agubra, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, effective May 31, 2018; Dr. Amir Ghazanfari, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, effective July 26, 2018; Dr. Christopher Giroir, interim associate dean of the Graduate College and associate professor of college student personnel, effective Aug. 10, 2018; Tanner Howell, coordinator of student recruitment at ATU-Ozark Campus, effective Sept. 18, 2018; Dr. Nobuyuki Nezu, professor of computer and information science, effective May 18, 2018; Brandon Smith, assistant director of athletic communications, effective Aug. 31, 2018; Brenda Tyler, visiting assistant professor of curriculum and instruction, effective May 12, 2018; Brandy Wells, career development facilitator at Arkansas Tech Career Center, effective July 1, 2018; and Dr. Rebecca Wiewel, assistant professor of anthropology, effective Aug. 9, 2018.