The Arkansas Tech University Office of Academic Affairs will host a reception from 2-4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15, in Chambers Cafeteria West Dining Room to recognize faculty members who earned a promotion, tenure or emeritus status in advance of the 2025-26 academic year.
Nineteen members of the ATU faculty were promoted and eight ATU faculty members were granted tenure by the ATU Board of Trustees during its meeting on Thursday, June 19.
ATU faculty members who wished to apply for promotion and/or tenure submitted portfolios to their respective department heads in January. Portfolio reviews were conducted by a committee of their faculty peers, department heads, deans and the ATU Office of Academic Affairs.
The successful candidates received positive recommendations for promotion and/or tenure from Dr. Adolfo Santos, ATU executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, and Dr. Russell Jones, ATU president.
The promotion and tenure actions taken by trustees on June 19 are as follows.
Promotion to Professor:
*Dr. Molly Brant, Department of Agriculture and Tourism
*Jasmine Greer, Department of Art
*Dr. Justin Killingsworth, Department of Agriculture and Tourism
*Dr. James Stobaugh, Department of Behavioral Sciences
*Dr. Joseph Swain, Department of History and Political Science
*Dr. Jessica Young, Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Promotion to Professor and Granted Tenure:
*Kasten Searles, Department of Art
Promotion to Associate Professor and Granted Tenure:
*Dr. Chiraz Amrine, Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
*Dr. Lynnette Gilbert, Department of Art
*Dr. Kristin Jaye Henderson, Department of Nursing
*Dr. Syed Meerza, Department of Agriculture and Tourism
*Dr. William Morelan, Department of Teaching and Educational Leadership
*Frances Roberson, Department of Communication and Media Studies
*Dr. Xinli Xiao, Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Promotion to University Instructor:
*Robin Jamie Dalton, Department of Biological and Earth Sciences
*Jamie King, Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
*Tonya Mays, LeMoyne Smith School of Business
*Jennifer Willbanks, Department of Behavioral Sciences
Promotion to Associate Librarian:
*Charity Park, Ross Pendergraft Library and Technology Center
The ATU Board of Trustees bestowed the honorary title of professor emerita of rehabilitation science upon Dr. Penny Willmering during the June 19 meeting.
Willmering joined the ATU faculty in 1999. She retired from ATU as professor of rehabilitation science and program director in 2021, but has remained involved in the program as an adjunct faculty member.
