Fourteen members of the Arkansas Tech University faculty were promoted and 10 Tech faculty members were granted tenure by the ATU Board of Trustees during its meeting on Thursday at the Ross Pendergraft Library and Technology Center.
Policies and procedures regarding faculty evaluation, promotion and tenure were developed by an independent faculty committee in spring 1995 and approved by the Arkansas Tech Board of Trustees on June 15, 1995.
The promotion and tenure actions taken by trustees on Thursday will become effective at the beginning of the 2017-18 academic year.
The following individuals were promoted to professor:
*Dr. Ernest Enchelmayer, Department of English and World Languages
*Neal Harrington, Department of Art
*Dr. Sean Huss, Department of Behavioral Sciences
*Dr. Stephen Jones, Department of Management and Marketing
*Dr. Eric Lovely, Department of Biological Sciences
The following individual was promoted to professor and granted tenure:
*Dr. Rockie Pederson, Department of Health and Physical Education
The following individuals were promoted to associate professor:
*Dr. Lisa Harless, Department of Nursing
*Dr. Kathryn Pearson, Department of Mathematics
The following individuals were promoted to associate professor and granted tenure:
*Dr. Jeff Aulgur, Department of Professional Studies
*Dr. Joshua Fisher, Department of Art
*Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, Department of Curriculum and Instruction
*Dr. Efosa Idemudia, Department of Management and Marketing
*Dr. Justin Killingsworth, Department of Agriculture
*Dr. Jeffrey Pearson, Department of History and Political Science
The following individuals were granted tenure:
*Dr. Pamela Dixon, Center for Leadership and Learning
*Dr. Sean Reed, Department of Music
*Dr. Jack Tucci, Department of Management and Marketing
The late Dr. Lyman Harris, who served on the Tech faculty from 1974-2014 and led the ATU rehabilitation science program to become the first such accredited program in Arkansas, received a posthumous honor as professor emeritus of rehabilitation science.
In other business on Thursday, the ATU Board of Trustees approved:
*creation of a Bachelor of Applied Science degree that would provide students who have received an Associate of Applied Science degree from other two-year institutions of higher education, including ATU-Ozark Campus, with a seamless transition into a baccalaureate degree program;
*$2.4 million in improvements to existing student housing facilities at Tech during summer 2017;
*an increase in the lodging rates at Lake Point Conference Center as of April 1, 2017, including an increase in the standard nightly rate from $65 to $79;
*awarding separate contracts for bond underwriting to both Crews and Associates/Stephens, Inc. and Raymond James;
*voluntary election to participate in the expanded catastrophic leave program that would allow up to four weeks of paid maternity leave to eligible employees as set forth by Act 182 of 2017 by the Arkansas General Assembly;
*right of way and grant of easement for right of way to the City of Russellville for Arkansas Tech property located at O Street in Russellville as part of a soon to be completed street improvement project;
*a transfer of unappropriated funds for Arkansas Tech Career Center in the amount of $94,200 to fund technology equipment purchases;
*and a transfer of unappropriated funds for ATU-Ozark Campus in the amount of $236,479 to fund the purchase of supplies and equipment supporting instruction in classroom and laboratory facilities, computer infrastructure and facilities improvements.
In personnel matters, trustees approved hiring the following full-time staff members:
*Gabrielle Garrison, admissions officer, effective March 15, 2017; Adrianne G. McNeely, Upward Bound target school liaison, effective Feb. 13, 2017; and Holli Weiss, director of university testing and disability services, effective Feb. 15, 2017.
Robert Matthew Fraser was appointed to serve as interim assistant director of budget and special programs. He will return to his position as coordinator of grants management when the position is filled on a permanent basis.
Resignations by the following employees were accepted:
*Dr. Douglas Neal Barlow, dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, effective July 31, 2017; and Areana Lopez, admissions officer, effective July 14, 2017; Aairon Savage, assistant football coach, effective Feb. 20, 2017; and Stephen Sisa, assistant football coach, effective Feb. 16, 2017.
The board accepted the retirements of the following employees:
*Debra Howard, employee of the ATU Bookstore in Russellville, effective Feb. 28, 2017; Linda Johnson, director of budget and special programs, effective June 30, 2017; Terry Johnson, interim director of the ATU Museum, effective June 30, 2017; Brenda Miner, academic counselor at Arkansas Tech Career Center, effective June 30, 2017; and Dr. Rebecca Shopfner, associate professor of teaching, learning and leadership, effective June 30, 2017.
