- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Sandra Robertson Greenwood retires after 40 years at ��Vlog��ýLR

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 17 Aug 2016 13:20:02 +0000

A longtime administrative leader at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Dr. Sandra Robertson Greenwood, will retire after four decades at the university. She will be honored during a 4 p.m. reception Tuesday, Sept. 20, her 70th birthday, at the Legends Room in the ��Vlog��ýLR Jack Stephens Center. As the director of budget and strategic initiatives, Sandra has been responsible for the development of the university’s annual operating budget and for the annual request for state appropriations for 24 years. �� She began her long career at the university as a learning lab coordinator, where she oversaw developmental programs in English, math, and reading. During her eight years in this position, she co-founded the Arkansas Association for Developmental Education and served as the association’s secretary. During her career, Sandra held a variety of leadership positions at ��Vlog��ýLR, including serving as the interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs in 2003 and again from 2011 to 2012. While serving as the executive director of community college relations and extended programs from 1998 to 2003, she worked hard to develop partnerships with the state’s community colleges. �� As part of that role, she led the statewide effort to develop an Associate of Arts in teaching degree for community colleges, which was funded by a grant from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. She also earned a $200,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to fund scholarships for community college transfer students pursuing a technology-related major. During her career at ��Vlog��ýLR, she served as assistant to the provost, director of institutional research, executive assistant to the chancellor, and chief of staff for the chancellor. In addition, she serves as an adjunct faculty member in the ��Vlog��ýLR College of Education and the . Dr. Joel E. Anderson, who retired as chancellor of ��Vlog��ýLR over the summer, worked with Sandra for 21 years. He described Sandra as a talented leader and role model. “Dr. Sandra Robertson is an extraordinary woman, and her many years of service and many leadership contributions defy easy summary,” Anderson said. “She was always willing to take on any job, large or small—whether to clear up a confusing $5 budget question or to serve longer than expected as interim provost. Her career has spanned a time of change in the role of women in American society, and Dr. Robertson has been a notable role model and mentor for women on campus and in the community.” Sandra earned a bachelor’s degree in English and communication from Ouachita Baptist University and a master’s degree in communication from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. In 1994, she earned a doctorate in higher education administration from ��Vlog��ýLR. She also completed a Kellogg postdoctoral fellowship in community college leadership at the University of Texas at Austin and attended the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education at Harvard University in 1997. Sandra served on the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation board of directors, the Arkansas Women’s Leadership Forum, the Committed to Education Foundation board of directors, and the Single Parent Scholarship Board. In addition, she has held several leadership positions as a community volunteer for the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce leadership program.

University District accepting applications for Anderson Scholarship

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 14:24:31 +0000

The Friends of University District organization is accepting applications for a $1,000 scholarship created in May to honor longtime University of Arkansas at Little Rock Chancellor Joel E. Anderson. The Joel E. Anderson University District Scholarship will be awarded to a deserving ��Vlog��ýLR student who resides within the University District for the 2016-17 school year. Applications are due by 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 20. To be eligible, applicants must be a full-time ��Vlog��ýLR student who has resided within the University District boundaries for a minimum of three years. Undergraduate students must have a minimum 2.5 GPA, while graduate students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA. Students who demonstrate financial need will be given preference for the scholarship. Anderson, who retired on June 30 after 45 years at ��Vlog��ýLR and 13 years as chancellor, helped establish the University District Department in 2006, and the was incorporated in 2008. On May 4, the board of directors for the University District Development Corp. voted to create the scholarship in Anderson’s honor, recognizing his “vision and steadfast support of the University District and its programs and initiatives.” The district includes the neighborhoods of Broadmoor, Fair Park, Point O Woods, University Park, South of Asher, and War Memorial. In March, residents voted to add a new neighborhood association — the University West Neighborhood — to the district. Members of the Friends of the University District seek to build community relationships for University District initiatives and programs. The group assists the district in communicating its mission to the community at large and developing both volunteer and funding resources to revitalize the University District area. The scholarship application form can be downloaded from the University District Partnership website at www.ualr.edu/universitydistrict. Completed application forms can be sent to University District Director Ron Copeland by email at rrcopeland@ualr.edu, by fax at 501.683.3967, or by mail to University District, 2801 S. University Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72204.

Institute on Race and Ethnicity to be renamed in honor of Chancellor Anderson

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 27 May 2016 18:52:14 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Institute on Race and Ethnicity will be renamed in honor of retiring Chancellor Joel E. Anderson, who was instrumental in the establishment of the institute in July 2011. “I am truly honored,” Anderson said. “It pleases me that my name will be associated with an ongoing work to understand and eliminate racial and ethnic prejudice and discrimination in Arkansas.” Institute Director John Kirk requested the name change, which was approved by the institute’s advisory council. The University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees approved the request at its May 26 meeting. “Dr. Anderson’s 45 years at ��Vlog��ýLR, with some 39 of those years spent in various leadership positions, has allowed the young man from Swifton to live out his commitment to see ��Vlog��ýLR achieve a pivotal role in pursuing racial and ethnic justice in Arkansas,” Kirk said. “I can think of no more fitting and rightful tribute to this distinguished career than for the Institute to be renamed the Joel E. Anderson Institute on Race and Ethnicity.” Anderson is retiring from ��Vlog��ýLR at the end of June after a 13-year tenure as chancellor. He created the Chancellor’s Committee on Race and Ethnicity in 2006. Out of the committee’s work, the Institute on Race and Ethnicity was created to work with Arkansas communities to end racial and ethnic injustice. The institute has recently been recognized for its work by the Arkansas Historical Association. It received the Diamond Award for the in recognition of its excellence in public history engagement and an award of merit for the Arkansas Civil Rights History Tour App created with the City of Little Rock, which offers residents and visitors a new way to explore the city’s rich civil rights history. In addition, the institute also oversees the annual Racial Attitudes in Pulaski County Conference. In the upper right photo, Chancellor Joel E. Anderson walks to the stage during the 2016 spring commencement at Jack Stephens Center. Photo by Lonnie Timmons III.

��Vlog��ýLR honors Chancellor Anderson at commencement

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 18 May 2016 17:14:36 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock gave a tribute to retiring Chancellor Joel E. Anderson during his final commencement ceremony as chancellor May 14 at the Jack Stephens Center. About 1,000 students participated in one of three ��Vlog��ýLR ceremonies that Saturday. “His patience, his vision, and his compassion for those around him exemplifies the dignified professionalism that those who know him well understand comes from a core set of values that cannot be shaken or compromised,” said Dr. Donald R. Bobbit, president of the University of Arkansas System. Anderson began his 45-year career at ��Vlog��ýLR as an assistant professor of political science in 1971 and will retire on June 30 after 13 years as chancellor. “Chancellor Anderson has made a profound difference in the lives of students he taught, the careers of the faculty and staff he has mentored and supported, and the development of this university into a world-class institution,” Bobbit said. Upon addressing the graduating students, Anderson congratulated them on their hard work and pointed to ��Vlog��ýLR’s student diversity as one of its most remarkable characteristics. “To the graduates, this ceremony is for you, and it’s about you,” he said. “We have people seated on the floor here today who are probably 40 or 45 years away from applying for Social Security. We also have graduates seated on the floor today who have been receiving Social Security for some time. And then we have students all in between. It’s one of the remarkable characteristics of this university.” Anderson also gave new graduates a “chancellor’s charge” to “reach back down and give a hand” to others who are climbing the ladder of success.

In the upper right photo,��Chancellor Joel E. Anderson walks to the stage during the 2016 spring commencement ceremony at Jack Stephens Center. Photo by Lonnie Timmons III.

Community thanks Joel Anderson for his service at ��Vlog��ýLR

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 04 May 2016 19:46:17 +0000

Note: This story has been updated Ed Anson met ��Vlog��ýLR Chancellor Joel E. Anderson 41 years ago when their sons played on the same Little League baseball team in the summer of 1975. “The first time I met him I was sweating like a pig,” said Anson, a ��Vlog��ýLR professor of history. “Joel was in a suit and not sweating at all. He is always cool and collected. I don’t think I have ever seen him stressed about anything.” Anson was among hundreds of people gathered to celebrate Anderson during a May 3 luncheon at ��Vlog��ýLR’s Cooper Fountain featuring the chancellor’s favorite foods: pizza, barbecue sandwiches, and fried chicken. Anderson particularly enjoys Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza. “This event makes real the fact that it is about to happen,” Anderson said in May. “I’m honored to have so many people walk by here, shake my hand, and hug me today.” ��Ի��ǲ��retired June 30 following a 13-year tenure as chancellor and a 45-year career at the university. During his final day on the job, faculty and staff members sent Anderson notes and email messages thanking him for his time at the university.��Numerous others shared��their through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Andrew Rogerson��will be��the new chancellor, starting on Sept. 1. Zulma Toro��will serve as interim chancellor. During the weeks leading up to Anderson’s retirement,��the ��Vlog��ýLR campus community described him as a caring leader who is willing to listen and made great strides in advancing the university.

Chancellor Joel E. Anderson greets well wishers at his May 3 retirement reception at Cooper Fountain.

“He is the best chancellor I have ever worked with,” ��Vlog��ýLR Police Chief Regina Carter said. “He always has an open-door policy, and he will do whatever it takes to get you answers. He is truly dedicated to his employees.” Anderson began his career at ��Vlog��ýLR in 1971 as an assistant professor of political science. Prior to becoming chancellor, he served ��Vlog��ýLR as provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs and as founding dean of the Graduate School. Among the numerous highlights of Anderson’s service as chancellor are the recent partnership with eStem to build a new high school on the university’s campus; 15 fully online degree programs; the expansion of doctoral programs; completion of a $103 million comprehensive fundraising campaign;��the creation of the George W. Donaghey Emerging Analytics Center; and the creation of ��Vlog��ýLR’s Institute on Race and Ethnicity, which has since been renamed in his honor. How do you measure the contributions of a man who has spent the past 45 years devoted to the university?

Chancellor Anderson

For Bob Johns, professor emeritus of history, the measure of a man can be found in the way he treats others. “I show up every once and a while with an ax to grind, but Joel is a very accessible person,” Johns said. “He is willing to have a dialogue with the university. In my view, we will be lucky to get someone like that next time.” Prior to Anderson’s retirement, those with connections to ��Vlog��ýLR lauded the way the campus has grown during the chancellor’s tenure. Julie Shelby came to ��Vlog��ýLR in 1996 as a student. Now a student support services adviser, she points out the numerous new buildings on campus as a sign of the chancellor’s contributions to ��Vlog��ýLR. “I’ve seen a lot of growth in this university,” she said. “There have been huge changes on campus. The chancellor has made all the difference, and I’m glad to be a part of it.” During Anderson’s tenure as chancellor, the campus completed several major building projects, including the Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology, the Donaldson Student Services Center, the Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences, the Coleman Sports Complex, the Jack Stephens Center, the University Plaza shopping center purchase, the Coleman Creek Greenway Project, and three residence halls. Having worked for him for the past 32 years, Sandra Robertson, director of budget and strategic initiatives, knows Anderson quite well. She summed up Anderson’s career by saying “��Vlog��ýLR is his heart.” Perhaps it is his deep devotion to ��Vlog��ýLR that led to Anderson’s decision to not accept a raise in recent years due to the university’s budget issues. Student success is another issue that has always been important to Anderson, whose signature appears on more than 26,000 diplomas for ��Vlog��ýLR students. In fact, Anderson spent more than one week a semester meeting with ��Vlog��ýLR’s deans, department chairs, and coaches and the athletic director to discuss the academic progress of students who have declared majors and of student athletes. Judyth Swingen, professor emerita of accounting, points to Anderson’s honest nature and ethics as his best traits. “One thing I would say about Joel is that he is very honest and ethical,” Swingen said. “When you see scandals at other schools, I know we would never see that at ��Vlog��ýLR, because Joel is such a deeply faithful man.” Chancellor Anderson is also a dedicated family man. He and his wife, Ann, have three sons, three grandsons, and two granddaughters. Upon retirement, Anderson said he and his wife will do all the usual activities for retired couples. “We will visit grandkids, and we will travel some,” he said. “I want to catch up on a stack of books I have been wanting to read, and I am going to linger over my coffee and the newspaper every morning.” Anderson knows what he will most miss in retirement. �� “My favorite thing about ��Vlog��ýLR, it’s the wonderful people that work here. That is what I am going to miss,” he said.

��Vlog��ýLR releases campus visit schedules for chancellor finalists

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Wed, 04 May 2016 14:45:19 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock announced the schedules for the three finalists in the search for the university’s next chancellor. Each candidate will meet with ��Vlog��ýLR employees and University of Arkansas System leaders on the following days:

May 9-10: Mark J. Rudin, Ph.D., vice president for research and economic development at Boise State University
May 11-12: Andrew Rogerson, Ph.D., provost and vice president for academic affairs at Sonoma State
May 12-13: Cheryl D. Lovell, Ph.D., special advisor to the chancellor and to the chief academic officer in the Colorado State University System

For more information about the candidates and to see details of their itineraries, please visit /chancellor-search. The university’s current chancellor, Dr. Joel E. Anderson, plans to retire June 30, after a 45-year career at the university, including the final 13 years as chancellor.

��Vlog��ýLR to host celebration in honor of Chancellor Anderson

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 21:39:46 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will honor Chancellor Joel E. Anderson for 45 years of service from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, at Cooper Fountain.�� Anderson will retire from ��Vlog��ýLR on June 30. The picnic-style event will feature some of his favorite foods, including pizza from U.S. Pizza, barbecue sandwiches from Whole Hog Café, and fried chicken from Sodexo. A photo booth will be on site. Free parking will be available in the parking deck. Shuttles will run between the parking deck and the event site.

Ice bucket challenge highlights research’s impact

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 18:25:03 +0000

Everyone, it seems, is getting doused with buckets of ice water these days to support the nonprofit foundation for the treatment and cure of ALS or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. ��Vlog��ýLR’s own Chancellor Joel E. Anderson good-naturedly took on the ice bucket challenge during the first full week of fall classes and ��Vlog��ýLR Department of Public Safety officers were doused on Monday, Aug. 25. More recently, the Office of Communications is responding to a challenge from Interim Vice Provost for Student Affairs Brad Patterson to support the cause. However,��long after the ice has melted,��it is important to remember what happens to money collected by organizational fundraisers such as the ALS ice bucket challenge.��Grants and fundraisers often support research performed by ��Vlog��ýLR faculty and students that can make a deep and lasting impact in the lives of millions of people.�� From studies that contribute to understanding the causes of childhood obesity to the development of a co-robotic cane for the visually impaired, ��Vlog��ýLR research is��often at the forefront of breakthrough discoveries. Through the years, ��Vlog��ýLR has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and similar government agencies that help support important university research. ��Vlog��ýLR’s research profile has seen critical development in the last decade, generating almost $30 million in 2013 in competitive awards from federal, state, and private sources. The Ice Bucket Challenge has gone viral on social media, a wonderful boon for supporters of ALS research. But for true progress to be made in the area of medical research, sustained funding from government and other sources will always be crucial. Learn more about research at ��Vlog��ýLR.

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��Vlog��ýLR to serve as site of major 2014 races

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 16:05:08 +0000

��Vlog��ýLR’s University Theatre will be the site of an hour-long debate this fall between Republican gubernatorial candidate Asa Hutchinson and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Ross. The debate will air live statewide at 7 p.m. on KATV Channel 7, in conjunction with KHBS/KHOG Channel 40/29 and KAIT Channel 8. It will also be live-streamed on station websites. “��Vlog��ýLR is proud to host the gubernatorial debates on campus this fall,” said Joel E. Anderson, Chancellor of ��Vlog��ýLR. “I can think of no better representation of democracy in action than a political debate on a university campus, with students, faculty, and community members on hand to listen to the two candidates state their positions on matters of state and national importance.” KATV anchor Scott Inman will moderate the debate, while KHBS/KHOG’S Angela Taylor, KAIT’s Diana Davis, and Talk Business & Politics Roby Brock will serve as panelists. The candidates and their representatives will be available for interviews afterwards. ��Vlog��ýLR is also a potential host site for the proposed senatorial debate between incumbent U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor and Republican challenger Tom Cotton, but details have not been finalized.

Former ��Vlog��ýLR dean honored by local nonprofit

��Vlog��ý Little Rock — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 15:28:54 +0000

The Little Rock-based nonprofit recently dedicated a room in memory of Dr. Angela Laird Brenton, who served as former dean of the ��Vlog��ýLR College of Professional Studies. The conference room will be used for collaborative gatherings, which is one of the reasons why they chose to name the space after Dr. Brenton, according to City Connections President Jeff Spry. “In her life, Angi modeled a grace and warmth about her that was endearing,” Spry said. “She especially understood the importance of building collaborative efforts when it came to working on social issues that were going to require a united effort.” On display in the conference room is a commemorative plaque that reads, “In tribute to the life and work of Dr. Angi Brenton, ‘An exemplary educator… A peacemaker.'” Brenton enjoyed a long and prolific career in higher education before her death in May 2013 at age 60. In August 2012, she left ��Vlog��ýLR to accept a position at Western Carolina University as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. Committed to racial and ethnic justice, Dr. Brenton was a founding member of the Chancellor’s Committee on Race and Ethnicity. She played a key leadership role in the Institute of Government Survey Research Center’s annual racial attitudes surveys and conferences. She was central to the launch of the university’s Institute on Race and Ethnicity and also established a graduate certificate in conflict mediation at ��Vlog��ýLR in cooperation with the William H. Bowen School of Law. She was an inaugural faculty member for the , where she taught a class on communication conflict management. Brenton received a doctorate in communication studies from the University of Kansas, a master’s degree in communication from the University of Oklahoma, and bachelor’s degrees in mass communication and speech communication from Oklahoma Christian College.

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

Sandra Robertson Greenwood retires after 40 years at ����Vlog��ýLR

University District accepting applications for Anderson Scholarship

Institute on Race and Ethnicity to be renamed in honor of Chancellor Anderson

����Vlog��ýLR honors Chancellor Anderson at commencement

Community thanks Joel Anderson for his service at ����Vlog��ýLR

����Vlog��ýLR releases campus visit schedules for chancellor finalists

����Vlog��ýLR to host celebration in honor of Chancellor Anderson