Let me begin by saying thank you for all of your warm wishes and expressions of support. I am truly humbled by your faith in me and ever more determined to serve this institution to the best of my ability.

I want to begin also by saying that I am very aware that members of this campus community–faculty, staff and students鈥攁re concerned about our financial challenges and eager to know what we are going to do about it. I don鈥檛 have a complete answer for you today鈥攁t the end of my first week as your chancellor, but I do have a sense of direction and I have concrete plans for the next 60 days. Before I get to that, let me provide a bit of context for the problem-solving tasks we have ahead of us.

Last spring, I delivered a speech to the Assembly that outlined what I believe are the challenges we, along with many other institutions of higher education, face in the current environment. I took as my theme the title of Immanuel Wallerstein鈥檚 1999 publication, The End of the World as We Know It. The idea behind it was that the patterns and assumptions that have served us well in the past are no longer viable in the present, and are certainly not going to serve us well in the future. If you missed that speech or don鈥檛 remember the details, I encourage you to read it online on the Provost鈥檚 web site. But for now, let me recap a few of the most significant environmental shifts.

First and foremost, the financial structures that use to support higher education predictably and comfortably are now unreliable and insufficient. Second, enrollment patterns that used to be predictable and slow to change are now highly complex, quick to change, and much more difficult to predict. Where we use to be able to look at high school graduation rates as our primary predictor, now we must look at dozens of demographic factors and their broader contexts. Those changing demographics also mean that we are under pressure to unbundle and customize our educational offerings to meet the needs of a more diverse market for higher education. Third, the competitive environment is very different than in the past. Instead of having a quasi-monopoly for the region, we now have, much like the communications industry, everyone in every market. We can no longer assume that we have a privileged place in our own regional market. And finally, we are encountering a troubling doubt in the value of higher education itself. In the last few weeks, I have been happy to see the Little Rock Community rally around our university as a true value for the community, but too many prospective students are opting out of higher education because the return on investment is simply not apparent to them.

So what are the outcomes of these environmental shifts at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock?

We have seen the effects in declining enrollment of both new and returning students. This is not only because of declines in college-going populations in general; but because of increased competition (all Arkansas higher education institutions are recruiting in Little Rock and some are offering courses here), and because of concerns about the cost and the value of higher ed.

We are also seeing significant budget pressures due to those declining enrollments primarily, but also stagnant state appropriations, and limits to raising tuition鈥攚e鈥檝e maxed out our price point and cannot go any higher than what the market will bear; in fact, we probably need to start moving in the opposite direction. It is also the case that our physical plant, which was built for a larger population, is not sustainable in its current form. We are quite literally spread too thin.

Because of the changing market, we are seeing less demand for traditional educational programs. Pre-professional programs are on the rise and the liberal arts are struggling. And we are struggling to reinvent our curriculum to both retain the essential elements of a university education and to respond to the needs of our constituents.

What do we do about these changing conditions? As I said last spring, there are five general strategies we must adopt: 1) We need to understand the dynamics of our new landscape and understand the difference between what has true value and what is merely comfortable; 2) We need to get up to speed in understanding our markets and develop compelling products and appeals for these markets; 3) We need to ensure that we have high quality across the board, not just in certain areas. We need to meet the public expectations of accountability through assessment and peer review. And that鈥檚 not just our academic programs, but all operational units; 4) As educators we need to be integrators and pathfinders for our students who, in a world of fragmented information, cannot always see the connections and the way forward. And 5) We must create a collaborative ecosystem where we work together to solve problems, internally and externally, instead of in competition and in silos. Partnerships will be a key theme going forward.

I believe we are making good progress on these broad strategies. I have been very impressed with the collaborative spirit on this campus and the spring of new ideas to enhance our university. I am very confident that we are up to the challenge.

Priorities
So now let me get down to specifics and speak to what I think are the most immediate priorities.

There are dozens of things that need attention at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, but we must be focused on the highest priorities and figure out the correct sequence of problem solving. Today, I will highlight three priority areas that we are working on now and will be our primary focus in the coming days.

Leadership
First is to secure essential leadership appointments. I will be appointing a new provost in the next couple of weeks. It is my intention to offer an appointment similar to my own and for the same reasons, with a two-year term and not as an interim. Other leadership decisions will follow quickly so we can concentrate on the pressing tasks at hand.

Planning and Budget
Clearly the most critical priority we have is to come up with a plan to balance the budget, and that has several components. 

1. We need to produce realistic enrollment and revenue projections for the next two years and update analytic metrics. We will be working on this over the next month or so in preparation for the budget cycle.
2. Put into place a comprehensive planning and budgeting process that operates year-round, and specifically starts no later than November of each year. Along with that, we need to organize the advisory and feedback mechanisms to inform the budget model. Our new Executive Director of Budgeting and Financial Analysis, Linda Teater will be working with the IEC and others to help us draft that process plan in the coming weeks. We intend to start the budgeting process this November rather than in the spring as we have done in the past.
3. Next, and this is the hard part, we need construct a plan to balance the budget over a two-year period. This will be a combination of strategic cuts and revenue enhancement. We will rely on everyone to contribute to this plan, but particularly the IEC, the formal governance bodies, the academic leadership team, and the Cabinet.聽
4. In addition, we must start making budget adjustments now even while we are working on the plan because we know that we already have a revenue shortfall for this year based on lower than expected enrollment levels. Therefore, we will continue the soft hiring freeze (meaning that all vacant positions will be reviewed for critical need) until we have a budget plan in place.

Enrollment Management
Improving our enrollment management system is a co-equal top priority and the flip side of managing the budget. Although we must adjust to the enrollment trends of the day, that does not mean that we give up on enrollment. We have huge opportunities in this area.  Over the last 5-7 years, we have allowed many of our most important relationships to atrophy from neglect. In just the last five months, however, we have begun to turn this around through the efforts of Assistant Vice Chancellor of Enrollment, Edie Stewart and her team, and more recently through the efforts of our new Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Cody Decker who will elaborate on his efforts in his remarks today. Yesterday I met with e-Stem CEO John Bacon to hit the reset button and begin rebuilding that relationship to the benefit of both institutions. It was a very positive meeting, so you鈥檒l be hearing more about that in the days to come. We will also begin regular meetings with our community college partners, starting with PTC later this semester. Recruitment and onboarding are front and center to our enrollment management goals and Vice Chancellor Decker is already implementing important changes that we believe will produce positive outcomes next fall.

1. We are (finally) going to develop a comprehensive enrollment management plan; we have a good template to work from and a plan for development鈥攚e should have this completed before the end of fall semester
2. We are going to optimize the organization of admissions and financial aid鈥攚e are in the process of making key hires in those units and reorganizing responsibilities.
3. As I鈥檝e already mentioned, we are in the process of rebuilding and optimizing relationships with high schools and community colleges in our area
4. We are ramping up Retention Initiatives. We have put in place a new director of student retention initiatives, Heather Reed, and she will be working with the colleges, the support units, and the Retention Committee to move the needle on our retention rates.

Additional Priorities
Other priorities for this fall include preparing for our HLC visit in February, and preparing to launch Workday in June. These are two very big initiatives that have to be integrated into our other priority efforts. We鈥檙e in good shape on HLC preparation thanks to the able leadership of Erin Finzer and Brian Berry. Workday preparation has proved to be more of a challenge, but we working with the System Office to find feasible solutions and we are going to get there.

Another top priority, although I would probably call it a medium-term priority because it takes a little time, is to develop new revenue streams beyond tuition and state appropriations. I believe our Extended Education operation has significant potential to expand as we meet the needs of the 鈥渏ust-in-time鈥� unbundled educational market. We are also thinking very seriously about public-private development projects, particularly with respect to the University Plaza. In addition, we will look at potential energy projects and cost-sharing ideas, among others. 

On the subject of revenue enhancement, I want to give a shout out to our folks in Development. Our Development Office has done a phenomenal job of bringing in gifts at record levels in the last few years and I expect this year to be even better as we ramp up what will now be our centennial campaign. We have taken the advice of our campaign steering committee to fold our current campaign into one that coincides with our centennial in 2027. So stay tuned for more good news on that front.

As we make our way through the budget planning process and adjust to the new normal, it is vitally important that we not lose sight of the need to invest in our strengths. As your Chancellor, I make this commitment to you that I will keep that goal front and center. As a modest token of my commitment, I am pleased to announce that I鈥檝e started an endowment fund for the Academy of Teaching and Learning Excellence in the amount of $25,000. I expect that endowment to be completed by next year. So Michael, Amar, and Laura, you鈥檒l be able to start investing that money in our faculty very soon.

On November 21st and 22nd, the Board of Trustees will hold their next meeting on the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Campus. As the host institution, we will make a presentation highlighting our strengths and recent accomplishments. It will be held in Stella Boyle and is open to the public. I invite you to attend as your schedule allows and show your support for our institution. This will be an important meeting for us as we must demonstrate that we are up to the task of creating a sustainable future.

At the Faculty-Staff Convocation this fall, I said that we are capable of doing amazing things; and I believe that. So, I will end my comments today by saying I am absolutely confident that we will do amazing things together in the days ahead.

And by the way, although battered, and traumatized, and somewhat worse for wear, the butterfly bush is still alive and well on the campus of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

Thank you and I will be happy to take questions.

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Several weeks ago I held a deans council retreat. We had a lot of tough topics to wrestle with, but before we got started on those, I wanted the group first to think about our identity as an institution. Who are we? I asked them to set aside our formal mission statement for the moment; to clear their minds of official statements and try to identify what they believed our essential characteristics really are. What makes us who we are? How do we serve our community, our region, our students?

As we brainstormed on these essential characteristics, the terms that came forth were pretty consistent. There were some familiar terms that you might expect: metropolitan university, R-2 institution, research-engaged faculty, and community-engaged. But there were also these terms: ladder of opportunity, intervention, faculty as mentors, building cultural and social capital, growth-focused, and transformational.

The identity that emerged from that discussion describes an institution that recognizes that as we strive for distinction in our research profile, our public service, and our educational programs, we also understand the life-changing responsibility that we hold for our students and our community. And I believe we take that responsibility very seriously. All of us, faculty and staff, have a role to play in nurturing the transformation of our students. Whether you鈥檙e the administrative assistant that helps a student find her way, or the faculty member that participates in a learning community, or the IT employee that helps maintain a dynamic learning environment鈥攁ll of us recognize that our students are counting on us to help them grow and reach their potential.

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, like all universities, is facing new challenges in the form of changing demographics, changing public expectations, and changing market conditions. But I believe that another essential characteristic of this university is that we have come to recognize that in the face of increasing competition, our best strategy is collaboration. I鈥檝e had the privilege of serving with faculty and staff in some amazing groups. The steering team and committees of our HLC accreditation initiative have been phenomenal in not only preparing materials for the accreditation visit but in making sure that the infrastructure that we were missing gets filled in as much as possible. This group has created a policy review board, a consumer information web site, a student complaint hotline, a comprehensive assessment plan, to name just a few; and the massive effort of our quality initiative group has created the Decision Support System that among other things has made possible the Trojan Fact dashboards that allow you to search for critical information down to the individual program level and by specific student populations.

There are many other examples I could give鈥攖he groups and individuals that collaborate to run the Signature Experience Awards and the Research Expo is a magnificent example of collaboration鈥攍ots of moving parts and a huge number of people come together to pull this off. The Institutional Effectiveness Committee, which has a very challenging set of tasks, has demonstrated a truly impressive capacity to overcome territorial boundaries and work towards a common purpose. We have assembled several committees dedicated to the recruitment and retention of our students. Faculty, staff, and administrators brainstorm together to find ways to remove barriers and facilitate positive change.

And it isn鈥檛 all big things either. Those of you who were following Facfocus this summer saw a touching example of the campus community rallying to save a butterfly bush that was planted 11 years ago by a group of students as a class project to honor sexual assault victims. In case you missed it, the bush was mistakenly removed and thrown into a construction dumpster. The original message inquiring as to the whereabouts of the bush was posted on a Thursday evening. Throughout the next morning, people were on it. First, someone located where it was, then someone else took cuttings to save and regrow the bush, then another person flagged down a maintenance worker to help him dislodge the bush and get it out of the dumpster, then people wrote in with suggestions for caretaking. It was a beautiful thing鈥攖he students鈥� butterfly bush was saved. This is who we are.

So, as we welcome the new members of our campus community, as we celebrate the beginning of a new year, and contemplate our challenges ahead, remember that we have the capacity to do amazing things. And we will.

Dr. Christina Drale | Interim Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

Now it is my pleasure to introduce our new faculty members.

View the New Faculty Presentation

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An academic convocation is a solemn ceremony that invokes centuries of tradition in higher education. It signifies a coming together of the members of the academy for a ceremonial purpose. A student convocation is typically the first formal gathering of an academic class and marks a new beginning.

Today鈥檚 celebration marks the beginning of your academic journey at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The faculty and platform party that you see before you are dressed in their academic regalia. Our robes represent the tradition of recognizing academic accomplishment with the distinguished cap and gown dress passed down from the earliest universities of the 12th century. The colorful hoods that you see that drape behind them represent the highest degree that our faculty have attained from the finest universities around the world. So, as you take in the experience of this convocation today, I invite you to fully embrace your new membership in the academy. It is special and it is worthy of your best efforts.

So now on to what you can expect during your time here. The college experience is about learning, it鈥檚 about opportunity, but most fundamentally it is about transformation. You should expect to be a different person when you leave than when you arrived. Now some of you may feel a bit resistant to that idea. You may be thinking, I like who I am, I don鈥檛 want to change into someone else. But it鈥檚 not about changing your essence–your core, it鈥檚 about understanding yourself better, understanding others in your world better. It鈥檚 about expanding your capabilities by expanding your knowledge base and your toolbox for problem-solving and creative productivity. It鈥檚 about becoming more disciplined, training your brain for agility and strength, the way you would train for athletic competition. In a word, it鈥檚 about empowerment. This college experience will transform you into someone who has the personal and professional resources to write the next chapter of your life as the success story that we know it can be.

And what can you expect from us? First I will tell you that our faculty members are more than their degrees; they are more than the ceremonial robes they wear to convocation and commencement. Our faculty members are talented teachers, accomplished scholars, helpful advisors, and dedicated mentors who stand ready to help you reach your goals. Our staff members are equally dedicated to reaching out and providing a wide variety of services to facilitate your progress and create a first-rate learning environment. You should also expect some challenges. It is our responsibility to engage you in the process of becoming the best you that you can be. We are here to provide you with the tools for success, but we will challenge you to push beyond what you thought you could do and to stick with it. We are here to provide high impact learning experiences, but we will challenge you to take these experiences beyond the classroom and apply them to life and work outside the classroom. We are here to provide opportunity in myriad ways, but we will challenge you to seize it.

Most universities have as part of their mission the unfettered pursuit of truth and knowledge and 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is no different. But the most important change you can strive for is developing the ability to pursue your own truth; by that, I mean truly knowing who you are and what is important in the world. At the beginning of this speech, I used the word 鈥渃hapter鈥� very intentionally because while we expect that your 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock chapter will culminate in your graduation, we don鈥檛 want you to think of that milestone as an ending, but rather as the beginning of the next chapter. It matters what you do in this chapter. And make no mistake, even though life will throw at you everything it鈥檚 got, you are still the author of your life story. Find what is worthy of your life鈥檚 pursuit. Even if you change directions, change majors, change yourself even–discover what is important. That will be the ultimate transformational experience.

Thank you, and I wish you all great adventures in the days ahead.

Dr. Christina Drale | Interim Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

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We鈥檝e been talking a lot about depreciation lately. This morning I鈥檇 like to take a few moments to talk about appreciation. I want to talk about appreciation in two different, but related ways. First, appreciation as an input, as something we invest in each other, and second, as an outcome, appreciation in the sense of the value of an asset that increases over time. I鈥檇 like to suggest that the staff members of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock demonstrate appreciation in both respects.

Yesterday, we saw a beautiful example of appreciation as an input. After Dr. Gail Hughes posted a message inviting us all to take time to celebrate our students, the campus community responded immediately showing their support and enthusiasm for this inspiring suggestion. The appreciation extended outward to our students and to each other. The positive vibe was contagious. But this was not something unusual on this campus; I see it all the time. Our staff members, You, invest your appreciation in a hundred small and large ways every day. From the big things like helping each other with blood drives and food drives and sustainable environment initiatives to little things like sharing a few kind words with a colleague who has helped you or who needs your help. When I first came to Little Rock, I encountered a phrase that was new to me, but that I heard from everyone here鈥斺�淚 appreciate you鈥�. I鈥檇 go into a restaurant and the waiter would tell me he appreciated me. I鈥檇 meet someone in the hallway to chat and they would tell me they appreciated me. It seems like a tiny thing you probably hardly think about, but it impressed me deeply and made me feel welcome. I think that phrase is the perfect reflection of our commitment to investing appreciation in each other and I commend the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock staff for embracing that spirit.

Now, when we think about appreciation as an outcome, we usually think in terms of capital assets like homes and stock portfolios; retirement accounts and whatnot. But people appreciate in value too. Years of experience can translate to higher levels of effectiveness. Specialized training or education can bring new value to the organization. Many of you here today have made those investments in yourself for that very purpose. But it鈥檚 also the case that people appreciate in value when they are part of a community that works together and has a purpose. Everyone learns when we solve problems together, everyone grows when we鈥檙e able to provide real change for the better. I believe that everyone here understands that our purpose is opportunity and transformation. Just listen to the amazing stories of our students who come to us with heavy burdens and sometimes staggering obstacles. We help them create new futures that they wouldn鈥檛 have if we weren鈥檛 here. I want you to know that you are an important part of that transformation, that purpose.

We run a small city here at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock; this is our community. This is where we and our students grow together. Like most communities, we work hard to promote the welfare of our citizens, and in our case, particularly our student citizens. We make sure that our living and workspaces are clean and safe. We make sure that everyone has access to resources they need to be productive and healthy. We make sure that our services are accessible and effective. Every one of you has a role in making this a community in which we all thrive.

So we’re here today to celebrate you and the many ways that you make this a better place to live every day; for all the ways large and small that you appreciate each other鈥攁nd appreciate together. So it is my great honor to say to you, I very, very much, appreciate you.

Thank you.

Dr. Christina Drale | Interim Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

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The first half of the twenty-first century will, I believe, be far more difficult, more unsettling, and yet more open than anything we have known in the twentieth century. I say this on three premises, none of which I have time to argue here. The first is that historical systems, like all systems, have finite lives. They have beginnings, a long development, and finally, as they move far from equilibrium and reach points of bifurcation, a demise. The second premise is that two things are true at these points of bifurcation: small inputs have large outputs (as opposed to times of the normal development of a system, when large inputs have small outputs); and the outcome of such bifurcations is inherently indeterminate.

The third premise is that the modern world-system, as a historical system, has entered into a terminal crisis and is unlikely to exist in fifty years. However, since its outcome is uncertain, we do not know whether the resulting system (or systems) will be better or worse鈥�

Now I realize that this isn鈥檛 a particularly cheery way to start a speech meant to inspire. Wallerstein describes these transition periods as a terrible time of troubles with very high stakes. However, he also suggests that while we should not consider progress inevitable, it is certainly possible. We don鈥檛 know at the outset whether the outcomes will be better or worse, but we can always strive for better. Remember, that he says that while the transition period is difficult it is also more open. I believe that it is that open quality of change that gives us an opportunity to shape the outcomes. And we must seize that opportunity.

Whether or not we buy into Wallerstein鈥檚 claim that our current world system is ending, I don鈥檛 think anyone would disagree that we are experiencing a time of significant instability in the world system of higher education. The financial structures that used to support higher education comfortably have become unreliable and insufficient. Enrollment patterns that used to be slow and predictable are now changing dramatically over shorter periods of time. We can no longer just look at the demographics of high school graduates to predict enrollment. Now we have to understand a much broader socio-economic dynamic that leads people across all demographic groups to opt-in or out of a college education. As the non-traditional student market has grown and become a more significant component of our business model, new competitors have moved in to take advantage of this opportunity. Where there used to be natural semi-permeable boundaries between colleges and universities across the country, those boundaries have vanished and fierce competition has saturated every market.

As we look at other industries in this new landscape of turbulence, we can see that in some cases, such as airlines, newspapers, and computer hardware, the market consolidates into a few large providers with broad consumer bases. In other industries such as entertainment and phone service, the market continuously fragments and realigns with both large and small providers competing for meticulously defined demographics. Which way do we think it will go for higher education? Probably a little of both. We are already seeing the shakeout of small private institutions that could not survive these challenges. However, I don鈥檛 see us consolidating into a handful of higher ed institutions. While we will probably see some more shakeout in the higher ed sector, I think it is also likely that we will see the market continue to fragment and realign with both large and small providers. We won鈥檛 have the luxury of marketing to a broad audience with similar needs. We will have to get a lot more sophisticated in micro-marketing to highly defined student populations.

Just as we try to adapt to these new realities, the value of higher education itself has been called into question by legislators, consumers, and even some scholars within the academy. We can no longer take for granted a public trust in the inherent value of education. We have to find ways to demonstrate that value in directly observable experiences and outcomes. As the cost of education becomes more daunting for individuals, that task will become ever more important and challenging.

So now the million-dollar question: how should we prepare for this time of transition?

First, I think it is essential that we become well versed in the dynamics of the educational landscape currently evolving. Question all assumptions; especially those tied to the way things used to be. That is not to say that we should throw everything out and start over, but it does mean that we need to know the difference between what has true value and what is merely comfortable and familiar. Some things are worth fighting for and some things not; we need to know which is which so that we don鈥檛 waste time on the wrong initiatives.

Second, we need to get up to speed in our understanding of our markets. The i-gen market, what we would otherwise consider our traditional market, is not in any way traditional. They are not sold on the value of higher education and have difficulty committing to long-term goals. We have been surprised by the fact that many high school students who have applied for admission are not choosing other institutions, they鈥檙e choosing no institution. They鈥檙e opting out. We will have to adapt to this reticence and figure out effective ways to engage these students.

Across all of our student populations, we need to understand that more and more, people are demanding an 鈥渦n-bundling鈥� of educational packages and want a wider variety of credentials. Just as in the cable industry, there is too much competition for us to remain unresponsive to this expectation. That doesn鈥檛 mean that we abandon the four-year baccalaureate, but it does mean that we have to be more creative in how we stack and embed credentials that meet the needs of prospective students in the for-credit curriculum. And it will also mean that we need to expand our extended education infrastructure so that we can offer more variety and accessibility in what has been referred to as 鈥渏ust-in-time鈥� education.

Third, we will need to pay careful attention to the quality and value of the educational experiences we provide. I continue to be very proud of the faculty and staff who create high impact learning experiences in and out of the classroom. Whether it is learning communities, interdisciplinary projects, or undergraduate research, I know that none of that could happen without your dedication and commitment to student success. But as important as these experiences are, we need to be able to demonstrate that we are providing quality across the board and not just in highlighted activities. That means assessment and continuous improvement have to be integrated into everything we do. Accountability is not just an expectation of our accreditors, it is an expectation of the public at large and we have to meet that expectation if we are to remain viable.

Fourth, we need to recognize that our roles as educators also have to evolve to meet the needs of the diverse populations we serve. Students today have access to what some have called 鈥渇ree-range, organized information鈥�. They can access educational bits from anywhere and everywhere. But in this unbundled world of educational opportunity, our role will have to include helping students connect the dots and understand deeper contexts. We will have to do a better job of providing the re-integration of knowledge and the connection of knowledge to potential careers and callings. Susan Brennan, who spoke on campus recently about community engagement internships, suggested that we ask ourselves, what are the interventions that we should not leave to chance? She was talking about career readiness, but this is a question we need to ask about all aspects of the student experience, especially for at-risk students.

Finally, I believe that if we are going to 鈥渟trive for better鈥� in this time of unsettling change, we need to be rational and collaborative. We cannot afford to disengage or work in isolation from one another as lone experts in a field of one. We must develop a collaborative ecosystem where we share and make the best use of everyone鈥檚 expertise while searching for the best outcomes. This will be difficult in an environment of competition and threat. And not everyone will buy-in. But while this may be the end of the educational world we have always known, it is not the end of education. Things will look different, and we鈥檒l have to adapt, but let鈥檚 not give up on the quest for better. Because whatever happens, better is the only goal worthy of the outstanding members of this institution that I am proud to call my colleagues. Thank you.

Christina S. Drale | Interim Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost

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Good evening. For the benefit of our guests, I am Christy Drale, Interim Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost here at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 30th Annual Faculty Excellence Awards Ceremony. Since 1989, we have dedicated ourselves to a mission to: 鈥渄evelop the intellect of students; discover and disseminate knowledge; serve and strengthen society by enhancing awareness in scientific, technical, and cultural arenas; and promote humane sensitivities and understanding of interdependence.鈥�

We are here this evening to honor faculty who have dedicated their careers to helping 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock fulfill this mission.

Today we will recognize 17 faculty members who have displayed excellence in teaching, research and creative endeavors, and public service. Their persistence and dedication in their respective disciplines have directly and indirectly impacted our lives.

Our faculty use their teaching, research, and service to address some of the most pressing challenges we face together as a society — from health, to the environment, to social justice, to education, and more.

Our faculty members mentor students of all backgrounds and all ages by providing quality instruction and offering guidance, support, and opportunity. Their contributions cannot be overstated, our faculty continue to improve the quality of life for others, especially our students.

History of the Faculty Excellence Awards

As you are aware, this is the 30th year anniversary of the Faculty Excellence Awards. The Foundation Fund Board inaugurated the Faculty Excellence Awards in 1988 – to recognize particularly outstanding faculty work. The first honorees were awarded in 1989.

Each College or School recognizes a member of its faculty in each of three areas of faculty achievement: Teaching; Research and Creative Endeavors; and Public Service.

The college-level winners are then eligible to receive university-level awards in the same categories.

For the third consecutive year, the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Board of Visitors has played a key role in this process. Members of the Board of Visitors served as the panel to determine the University Award Winners. The application materials of the college and school winners were reviewed by the panel, and they selected the overall winners in each category. The names of each panel member are included in the back of tonight鈥檚 program and we thank them for their time and efforts.

For the second consecutive year, a generous and anonymous donor has made it possible to award each college-level nominee a $1,000 award. The winners in each category will receive a total of $5,000.

The University Awards in Research and Creative Endeavors AND in Public Service are sponsored by The 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Chancellor鈥檚 Circle.

The Bailey Teaching Award, of course, is sponsored by Bailey Foundation. We are honored to have Mrs. Sharon Bailey, the wife of the late Dr. Ted Bailey, Jr. here with us this evening. It is important to note that the Bailey Family was instrumental in establishing the Faculty Excellence awards 30 years ago. Their continued support is greatly appreciated. We are truly grateful for Dr. Bailey鈥檚 legacy, foundation, and family.

Recognition of Past Faculty Excellence Award Recipients

A visual tribute of all past winners was displayed on the screen earlier in the evening. I would like to take a moment to recognize them again. If there are any past winners of college-level and university-level faculty excellence awards here, will you please stand? Let鈥檚 give all our distinguished colleagues a round of applause.

Presentation of College Winners and University Winners

The bios of each of the college and university winners will be posted on the Faculty Excellence website.

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