Thirty-four Arkansas Tech University faculty and staff members have notified the institution that they will participate in the voluntary employee retirement incentive approved by the ATU Board of Trustees in August 2020.
Trustees received an update on the program during their regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, Dec. 17. The meeting was conducted virtually due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Walter Branson, ATU interim vice president for administration and finance, notified the board that 12 ATU employees will retire on Dec. 31, 2020, and an additional 22 ATU employees will retire on May 31, 2021, under the terms of the voluntary employee retirement incentive.
ATU employees who will participate in the incentive and retire on Dec. 31, 2020, are:
*Darrell Berry, skilled tradesman
*Nancy Cox, assistant professor of English and developmental reading
*Judie Dyer, stadium maintenance supervisor
*Richard Hibbs, coordinator of housekeeping
*Dr. Shelia Jackson, professor of health and physical education
*Dr. Michael Keisler, professor of mathematics
*Marvin Mashburn, skilled tradesman
*Cheryl Moody, institutional assistant
*Susan Morris, administrative specialist III
*David Mudrinich, professor of art
*Perry Rackley, warehouse manager
*Karen Riddell, project/program administrator
ATU employees who will participate in the incentive and retire on May 31, 2021, are:
*Carol Adkison, associate director of information systems
*Mike Bogue, director of tutoring center
*Susie Branch, institutional services assistant
*Dr. Patricia Buford, associate dean, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and professor of electrical engineering
*Anthony Caton, head, Department of Communication and Journalism, and associate professor of journalism
*Karen Cox, associate professor of nursing
*Kelly Davis, director of alumni relations
*Pam Dixon, administrative specialist II
*Dr. Wayne Helmer, professor of mechanical engineering
*Dr. Jan Jenkins, professor of history
*Charles Lee, workforce education faculty of mathematics (Ozark)
*Ester Leonard, workforce education faculty of licensed practical nursing (Ozark)
*Angela Medlock, workforce education faculty of business technology (Ozark)
*Dr. James Moses, professor of history
*Dr. David Osburn, associate professor of psychology
*Nina Pope, workforce education faculty of physical therapy assistant (Ozark)
*Dr. Susan Poznar, professor of English
*Rhonda Rodgers, administrative specialist II
*Kathy Shipley, shipping and receiving clerk
*Brenda Shoop, assessment coordinator (Ozark)
*Annette Stuckey, assistant professor of professional studies
*Dr. Penny Willmering, professor of rehabilitation science
The ATU voluntary employee retirement incentive was based upon a recommendation by a committee of ATU faculty and staff and was approved by the ATU Board of Trustees during its meeting on Aug. 20.
The incentive was available to employees as of Dec. 31 who are age 60 or older and have at least 10 years of continuous, full-time employment at ATU.
In other business on Thursday, the ATU Board of Trustees approved:
*a transfer of $250,000 in funds originally committed to a renovation of Hughes Hall to cover the costs associated with providing fiber optic cable to the 404 N. El Paso Ave. facility;
*a transfer of $125,000 from the unappropriated educational and general fund balance to demolish the structure at 1008 N. El Paso Ave., the apartment attached to the carport located behind the 901-903 N. El Paso Ave. duplex, the structure at 1122 N. El Paso Ave. and re-pave the parking lot at that address;
*refinancing series 2014A and 2014B student fee revenue bonds as well as series 2014 housing system revenue bonds to achieve an expected savings of $3,847,127 gross and $2,164,368 net present value over the life of the bonds;
*a proposal from the College of Business to offer the Associate of Business Administration degree online;
*an expansion of ATU’s current memorandum of understanding with Black River Technical College to include both off-campus delivery and distance delivery of coursework leading to baccalaureate degrees, with the Bachelor of Science degree in emergency management and the Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice and criminology serving as the first ATU degrees under consideration for delivery to the Black River Technical College campus;
*and a request from Arkansas Tech Career Center to budget $264,870 in unappropriated funds for the procurement and purchase of furniture and equipment.
In other personnel matters, the ATU Board of Trustees approved the following full-time appointments on the Russellville campus:
*Sara Brownlee, advisor for Student Support Services, effective Nov. 3, 2020; Ernest Hendley, graduate student support services coordinator, effective Dec. 1, 2020; Brittany Holt, licensed practical nurse in the Health and Wellness Center, effective Jan. 7, 2021; Amanda Lowe, academic/student support counselor, effective Dec. 10, 2020; and Suzanne Tudor, SafeCare provider, effective Oct. 13, 2020.
Bethany Lucius (academic advisor), Kayla McIntosh (director at ATU-Ozark Student Support Services program), Andrew Powell (academic counselor at Arkansas Tech Career Center) and David Spicer (project/program manager) were approved by the board for appointments through ATU-Ozark Campus.
The board accepted resignations from John McGrew, assistant professor of art, effective Dec. 31, 2020, and Teneshia Nesbitt, student development specialist at Arkansas Tech Career Center, effective Dec. 31, 2020.
