University to Realign Global Campus Administrative Units

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Provost Sharon Gaber and Javier Arturo Reyes, who will serve as vice provost for distance education.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Arkansas Provost Sharon L. Gaber on Thursday announced an administrative realignment that will result in a greater campus emphasis on distance, online and continuing education programs and related services.

The actions involve Global Campus, a campus division that provides distance and continuing education along with audio and video production and support services and conference planning. Those latter functions will be reassigned to other existing campus units.

“Given the university’s teaching, research and outreach missions, we must always look for the most effective ways to serve the educational needs of our students and our state,” Gaber explained. “Distance education and continuing education programs are growing rapidly as an attractive option for learners. This is especially true for those individuals whose family, employment or economic circumstances make it difficult to attend classes in Fayetteville.  

“For that reason, we are increasing our emphasis on ways to serve that population of learners and to more fully integrate them into our academic community,” Gaber stated.

Reflecting that emphasis, Gaber said she is appointing Javier Arturo Reyes as vice provost for distance education. Reyes, an associate professor of economics, currently serves as associate dean in the university’s Sam M. Walton College of Business and directs that college’s honors program. Reyes earned a doctoral degree in economics from Texas A&M University and a bachelor’s degree in economics with a finance minor from Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. He has received numerous awards for his teaching, research and mentoring. Reyes joined Walton College in 2003.

“I am extremely excited about this new opportunity,” Reyes stated. “There is a great need for higher education to reach and serve working adults as well as so-called traditional college-age students. I’m looking forward to working with our faculty and staff to address those needs further.”

Under the reorganization plan, Pauline Rankin, currently the interim dean of Global Campus, will assume a senior leadership role within Global Campus, which will continue to be located on East Center Street, adjacent to the Fayetteville Square.

Gaber also announced several administrative changes to the current structure of Global Campus, all of which will take effect on July 1. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute will be aligned with the university’s College of Education and Health Professions. The institute provides continuing education programs for older adults interested in pursuing non-degree learning opportunities.

In addition, Global Campus’ media services unit will be aligned with the university’s office of university relations, which also has audio and video production capabilities. The intent is to consolidate similar function areas in order to maximize the resources and services available to the campus community, Gaber explained.

At the same time, Global Campus’ conference planning and services unit will be realigned with the university’s Donald W. Reynolds Conference Center, a unit of Walton College.

“These changes will maintain and enhance our ability to serve our many constituencies,” Gaber explained. “We have many talented people in these units and we look forward to developing new ways of collaborating that will enhance our influence and service to others educationally, economically, socially and culturally.”