Campus Planning Phase II Summer Review is Underway

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – This week, meetings of three committees tasked to review documents submitted by the academic departments (as well as many centers) highlighting strengths, challenges, opportunities, and future goals got underway for the summer. The committees will identify and prioritize common threads found in these documents, which will help shape overarching campus priorities and goal-setting for the years ahead.

Simultaneously, the academic deans are undertaking a similar process, reviewing the reports and making recommendations based on their priorities.

The three committees are focused on

1. Teaching and Learning,
2. Research and Discovery
3. Outreach and Engagement.

A team leader has been designated for each committee to facilitate discussions.

A student group will also convene in July to review the same summary material, and provide input into the future priorities of the institution, provided from their unique perspective.

Reports from each committee, the deans and the students will be merged by the chancellor's office and presented to the campus for input in the early fall. By mid-fall, a more comprehensive document will articulate the university’s institutional priorities and goals, from which the colleges and units can then begin to map out their goals.

“Reading the departmental summaries was such an eye-opening experience,” said Michael Hevel, assistant professor of Higher Education in the College of Education and Health Professions. “There are phenomenal teachers and innovative learning activities spread throughout campus. When our committee met, I was so impressed with the members’ abilities to synthesize a vast amount of information and think about ways for the University of Arkansas to build upon our strengths and address our challenges regarding teaching and learning.”

The committees and their members are:

• Teaching and learning  .​
  • Molly Rapert, Sam M. Walton College of Business 
  • Frank Jacobus, Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design 
  • Michael Hevel, team lead, College of Education and Health Professions 
  • Richard Cassady, College of Engineering 
  • Donna L. Graham, Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences 
  • Tim Zou, University Libraries  
  • Tim Tarvin, School of Law  
  • Lori Holyfield, J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences 
  • Valerie Hunt, Fulbright College and Graduate School and International Education  
  • Luis Fernando Restrepo, Fulbright College  
  • Susan Slinkard, Division of  Finance and Administration 
  • Marsha Norvell, Division of Student Affairs
• Research and discovery
  • Scot Burton, Walton College
  • Jennifer Webb, team lead, Fay Jones School 
  • Conra Gist, Education and Health Professions 
  • Paul Millett, Engineering 
  • Dan Rainey, Bumpers College 
  • Melody Herr, Libraries 
  • Sara Gosman, Law  
  • Lynn Jacobs, Fulbright College  
  • Doug Rhoads, Fulbright College and Graduate School and International Education  
  • Julie Stenken, Fulbright College 
  • Chris Frala, Finance and Administration  
  • Amy Schlesing, Advancement Division
• Outreach and engagement
  • Mark Arnold,  Fulbright College and Graduate School and International Education 
  • David Jolliffe, Fulbright College 
  • Patricia Herzog, team lead, Fulbright College  
  • Carl Smith, Fay Jones School  
  • Tom Kippenbrock, Education and Health Professions  
  • Scott Osborne, Engineering 
  • John Kent, Walton College 
  • Kalli Vimr, Libraries  
  • Jeremy Powell, Bumpers College  
  • Cyndi Nance, Law 
  • Terrance Boyd, Honors College staff 
  • Angela Oxford, director, Center for Community Engagement