Fifteen members of the Arkansas Tech University faculty were promoted and eight Tech faculty members were granted tenure by the Arkansas Tech Board of Trustees during its meeting on Thursday at the Arkansas Tech-Ozark Campus Student Services Conference 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 2016-17 academic year.
The following individuals were promoted to professor:
*Dr. Linda Bean, Department of Management and Marketing
*Dr. Roger Fang, Department of Computer and Information Science
*Dr. Nobuyuki Nezu, Department of Computer and Information Science
*Dr. Bruce Tedford, Department of Biological Sciences
*Dr. Thomas Vaughn, Department of Communication and Journalism
*Dr. Lynn Walsh, Department of Curriculum and Instruction
*Dr. Sam Worley, Department of English and World Languages
The following individuals were promoted to associate professor:
*Dr. Erin Clair, Department of English and World Languages
*Dr. M. Melissa Darnell, Department of Nursing
The following individuals were promoted to associate professor and granted tenure:
*Dr. Barbara Clements, Department of Music
*Dr. Emily Hoffman, Department of English and World Languages
*Dr. Joshua Lockyer, Department of Behavioral Sciences
*Dr. Stephanie Pepper, Department of Curriculum and Instruction
*Dr. Alvin Williams, Department of Agriculture
*Dr. Jerry Wood, Department of Computer and Information Science
The following individuals were granted tenure:
*Mr. William Reeder, Department of Communication and Journalism
*Dr. Dawn Ward, Department of Art
Trustees considered the future of Witherspoon Hall, home to the Arkansas Tech College of Arts and Humanities, during Thursday’s meeting. Among the information reviewed was a MAHG Architecture Inc. analysis of the structure. The analysis found that Witherspoon Hall, which was constructed in 1969-70, is “reaching the end of its useful life.”
David Moseley, senior vice president for administration and finance, reported that the viable remaining lifespan for Witherspoon Hall is seven-to-10 years.
Upon a recommendation by Moseley, the board decided that Arkansas Tech will begin preparations for the construction of a replacement building rather than make large-scale renovations to Witherspoon Hall.
It was also determined that the replacement of the roof on the structure will be necessary for Witherspoon Hall to continue to serve students, faculty and staff until a new building can be planned and constructed. Cost for the new roof is estimated at $650,000.
In other business on Thursday, the Arkansas Tech Board of Trustees approved:
*an expenditure of $575,520 to replace the boiler and chiller at Brown Residence Hall;
*issuance of contracts in the amount of $520,649 and $341,146 to low bidder Cornerstone Construction of Russellville to upgrade the fire protection systems in Paine Residence Hall and Turner Residence Hall;
*issuance of a contract in the amount of $298,300 to low bidder EWI Construction of Russellville to upgrade the fire protection systems in Stadium Suites student housing;
*additions, deletions and modifications to the standing committee structure on the Russellville campus following recommendations from a committee of administrators and faculty members;
*a letter of notification from the College of Business and Department of Management and Marketing requesting to offer the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in management and marketing 100 percent online while also continuing to offer the course work through face-to-face courses;
*a letter of notification from the College of Arts and Humanities and Department of History and Political Science requesting to offer the Bachelor of Arts degree in history 100 percent online while also continuing to offer the course work through face-to-face courses;
*a divisional name change from Office of Development to Office of Advancement;
*a letter of notification seeking to rename and restructure the industry control systems program at Arkansas Tech-Ozark Campus to become an automation technology program;
*a letter of notification seeking to delete the supply chain management option under the Associate of Applied Sciences degree in business technology at Arkansas Tech-Ozark Campus as it is now redundant following the introduction of the Associate of Applied Sciences degree in logistics management in fall 2015;
*a faculty promotion in rank policy for workforce education faculty at Arkansas Tech-Ozark Campus;
*and a transfer of $108,861 from unappropriated educational and general funds to the infrastructure reserve accounts at Arkansas Tech-Ozark Campus.
In personnel matters, trustees approved hiring the following full-time faculty members for the 2016-17 academic year:
*Dr. Marilyn Duran, associate professor of nursing; Dr. Justin Moss, assistant professor of psychology; Dr. Jeanine L. Myers, head of the Department of Mathematics and associate professor of mathematics; Dr. Catherine Nichols, associate professor of educational leadership; and Thomas Perry, assistant professor of music.
Lanita Bruce was hired as visiting full-time workforce education faculty in health science at Arkansas Tech Career Center for the spring 2016 semester.
The board approved the employment of the following full-time staff members:
*Dr. David Blackburn, programmer and analyst, effective March 7, 2016; Tosha Bradley, associate director for admissions operations, effective June 1, 2016; Pam Cooper, director of prospect research for the Office of Advancement, effective Feb. 11, 2016; Jesse Dare, admissions officer, effective March 1, 2016; Michael Golden, head of strength and conditioning in the Department of Athletics, effective March 4, 2016; Michael Hutchison, vice president for advancement, effective March 1, 2016; and Kerry Shannon, coordinator of campus recreation, effective June 1, 2016.
The Arkansas Tech Board of Trustees bestowed the professor emeritus of chemistry title upon Dr. Robert W. Allen, who served on the Arkansas Tech faculty from 1981-2012.
Trustees removed the interim tag from Dr. Timothy L. Carter’s appointment as head of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction effective April 1, 2016. He will also continue to hold the faculty rank of professor of curriculum and instruction.
The board accepted the resignations of Dr. Ed Bashaw, dean of the College of Business and professor of marketing, effective May 31, 2016; and Kendall Hopkins, workforce education faculty in collision repair technology at Arkansas Tech-Ozark; effective May 7, 2016.
Trustees accepted the retirement of Jimmy Fulmer, visiting instructor of chemistry, effective Aug. 6, 2016.
