FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – About 40 University of Arkansas faculty, Chancellor Joe and Sandy Steinmetz, Provost Jim Coleman, Dan Sui, vice chancellor for research and innovation and Margaret Sova McCabe, dean of the Law School, hit the road this morning for a three-day bus tour of southwest Arkansas.

The New Faculty bus tour tradition began in 2016, when Steinmetz joined the U of A, as a way for him to learn more about the unique places and meet the people of his new home state. After that first year, he expanded it to include faculty who have newly joined the university.

Now in its fourth year, the tour has traveled more than 2,000 miles through more than 50 of Arkansas’ 75 counties. The tour heads to southwest Arkansas this year to meet with industry, visit schools and experience the Natural State first hand.

The bus departs Fayetteville this morning and includes stops:

• May 14: North Little Rock, Little Rock and El Dorado
• May 15: Camden, Murfreesboro and Mena
• May 16: Fort Smith and Alma

Each year the tour covers a different area of the state. Last year’s tour headed southeast to McGehee, Monticello and Pine Bluff. The year before traveled across north central and northeast Arkansas, through Mountain View, Batesville, Jonesboro and Forrest City.

Follow this year’s tour on the U of A’s social media, @UArkansas with #uarktour19