Chancellor Puts Students First at the Heart of His First Day of Classes Greeting

As a new semester begins today, University of Arkansas Chancellor G. David Gearhart has offered a welcome message for the university community, in the form of a short video available at http://chancellor.uark.edu/13315.php.

The theme of the chancellor’s message is putting students first, and what that means for faculty, staff and students alike as the academic year commences.

Approximately 19,000 students are starting classes for the 2008-09 academic year today.

“Starting today, I think we can do even better by our students,” said Gearhart. “I think we can create an even stronger academic climate in which to learn. I think we can move students even closer to the heart of what we do, and be even more mindful of their centrality to our mission.

“Student-centeredness should permeate everything we do, and guide every decision we take,” he said. “It should motivate us to continuously ask ourselves what can be improved, and compel us to share those thoughts with each other.”

The full transcript of the chancellor’s greeting also is available at http://chancellor.uark.edu/13315.php.