Arkansas Tech University faculty members who were granted promotions and tenure and retired ATU faculty members who received emeritus status in advance of the 2026-27 academic year were recognized during a reception at Chambers Cafeteria West Dining Room on Friday, Aug. 14.
Dr. Adolfo Santos, ATU executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, presided over the event.
The following ATU faculty members were honored for earning promotions and/or tenure:
Promoted to Professor
- Dr. Shaana Escobar, Department of Nursing
- Dr. Debra Murphy, Department of Teaching and Educational Leadership
- Dr. Jamie Stacy, School of Professional and Community Education
Promoted to Associate Professor
- Dr. Christopher Housenick, Department of History and Political Science
Promoted to Associate Professor and Granted Tenure
- Dr. Afsana Ahamed, Department of Engineering and Computing Sciences
- Dr. Dustin Dunnick, Department of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Science
- Dr. Tolga Ensari, Department of Engineering and Computing Sciences
- Dr. Matthew Hankins, Department of Math and Physical Sciences
- Dr. Chih-Hsin Hsu, Department of English and World Languages
- Dr. Nathan Mensink, Department of Music
- Dr. Jacob Siebach, Department of Biological and Earth Sciences
- Dr. Heather Stefanski, Department of Teaching and Educational Leadership
- Dr. Bethany Swindell, School of Professional and Community Education
- Dr. Dana Tribble, School of Professional and Community Education
- Dr. Zahra Zamanipour, Department of Engineering and Computing Sciences
Granted Tenure
- Dr. Lydia Brauer, Department of Teaching and Educational Leadership
- Dr. Brett Stone, College of Education and Health
Promoted to Senior Instructor
- Allie Cox, Department of Math and Physical Sciences
Nita Herrick Colpitts, Karen Futterer and Ken Futterer are the latest additions to Arkansas Tech’s roll of professors emeriti.
Colpitts and the Futterers were all named professor emeritus of music by the ATU Board of Trustees. Colpitts was in attendance at the reception on Aug. 14. The Futterers were represented at the reception by their daughter, current ATU music faculty member Dr. Erin Futterer.
