Twenty-two Arkansas Tech University faculty members were promoted and 12 ATU faculty members were granted tenure by the ATU Board of Trustees at its meeting on Thursday, March 16.
Policies and procedures regarding faculty evaluation, promotion, and tenure were approved by the Arkansas Tech Board of Trustees on May 17, 2018, following a review and amendment process. three years faculty-led.
The promotion and tenure actions taken by the directors on March 16 will become effective at the start of the 2023-24 academic year.
Promotion to the post of professor:
Dr. Jeff Aulgur, Department of Emergency Management, Professional Studies and Student Affairs Administration
Dr. Barbara Clements, Department of Music
Dr. Nicolas del Grazia, Department of Music
Dr. Lisa Harless, Department of Nursing
Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, Department of Teaching and Educational Leadership
Dr. Efosa Idemudia, School of Business
Dr. Jerry Wood, Department of Engineering and Computer Science
Promotion to Associate Professor:
Dr Seyed Hosseini, Department of Engineering and Computer Science
Dr. Mehmet Kelestemur, Department of Engineering and Computer Science
William Reeder, Department of Communication and Media Studies
Megan Toland, Department of Communication and Media Studies
Promotion to Associate Professor and tenure:
Dr. Lisa Dubose, Department of Nursing
Dr. Christopher Harris, Department of Music
Dr. Gregory Michna, Department of History and Political Science
Dr Jay Post, Ministry of Agriculture and Tourism
Dr. Bryan Rank, Ministry of Agriculture and Tourism
Dr. Rodney Roosevelt, Department of Behavioral Sciences
Dr. Robert Stevens, Department of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences
Dr. Wan Wei, School of Business
Dr Matthew Wilson, Department of Agriculture and Tourism
Mandate:
Dr Michael Bradley, Department of Agriculture and Tourism
Dr. Theresa Cullen, Department of Teaching and Instructional Leadership
Dr. Sarah Gordon, Department of Teaching and Instructional Leadership
Senior Instructor:
Kasey Ballard, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Gabriele Haulmark, Department of English and World Languages
In other business Thursday, the ATU Board approved:
*extend the amortization period from a 10-year repayment to a maximum 15-year repayment for an internal loan supporting the ongoing renovation of Jones Residence Hall;
*a grandfather clause establishing that eligible individuals in ATU classified positions who involuntarily migrate to unclassified status due to reclassification by the State of Arkansas will retain access to the vacation payout benefit illness on retirement;
*a new ATU background check policy which supersedes the pre-employment screening procedure adopted in August 2021;
*a new ATU internal control policy which amends the ATU financial policies adopted in August 2020;
*on-campus dining plans and rates for fiscal year 2023-24, which represent an 8% increase over 2022-23 for the three block plans for residential students, the two plans for commuter students, and faculty/staff plan;
*residence rates for the 2023-24 financial year, which represent an increase of 4.31% compared to 2022-23;
*Awarding of a contract in the amount of $1,248,000 to Ketcher and Company Inc. to perform a planned replacement of the Tucker Coliseum roof;
*a request to allow the internal transfer, promotion and reassignment of employees from March 17, 2023 to June 30, 2024, in order to maximize budgetary savings related to natural attrition and turnover;
*a policy of financial reserves for ATU;
* an accelerated undergraduate to graduate program that allows the first 12 hours of an approved study plan for a graduate student semester credit hour rate to be equivalent to undergraduate rates, effective for the 2023-24 academic year;
* An application from ATU’s Upward Bound Programs to participate in the Arkansas Department of Social Services’ Summer Restoration Program;
*notification letters to the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Council requesting the removal of ATU’s Bachelor of Arts in Public History, Bachelor of Science in Chemistry Education for a teaching permit, a Bachelor of Science in Physics Education for a teaching permit, and a Bachelor of Science in Life Science Education for a teaching permit;
*a transfer of $250,000 from Residence Life funds to carry out summer renovation projects at the Nutt Residence Hall and University Commons apartments;
*a transfer of $89,576 in unrestricted funds from the Arkansas Tech Career Center to purchase the equipment needed to launch a university heating, ventilation, and air conditioning program in the fall 2023 semester;
* and requests for reinstatement of provisional positions through the ATU Academic Affairs Division and the ATU-Ozark campus for 2023-24.
In terms of personnel, the ATU Board of Directors has approved the hiring of the following full-time employees:
*Kendrick Van Ackeren, Defensive Football Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach, effective January 13, 2023; Aaron Archie, football linebackers coach and academic coordinator, effective February 1, 2023; Dr. Siddharth Bhambhwani, Assistant Professor of Accountancy, for the 2023-24 academic year; Gina Lockwood, Director of Government Relations, effective February 19, 2023; Dom Mirocke, offensive football coordinator and wide receivers coach, effective January 12, 2023; Dr. Amy Porter, Assistant Professor of Music, for the 2023-24 academic year; Tatum Simms, Assistant Professor of Agriculture, effective January 19, 2023; Sierra Smith, Student Success Coordinator at ATU-Ozark, effective January 12, 2023; and Kim Tate, Institutional Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs, effective January 3, 2023;
The Trustees accepted the resignations of the following ATU employees:
*Jami Fisher, associate vice president for finance and administration, effective March 3, 2023; Alida Gutierrez, Admissions Manager, effective February 17, 2023; Dr. Robin Lasey, Professor of Chemistry, Director of the ATU Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning and Principal of Arkansas Governor’s School, effective March 24, 2023; John Nicholson, Area Coordinator for Residence Life, effective March 3, 2023; Justin Qualls, Case Manager and Crisis Support Advisor, effective March 8, 2023; Dr. Daniel Warwick, Assistant Professor of Psychology, effective May 6, 2023; and Jordan Wright, Admissions Officer, effective February 24, 2023.
The ATU Board of Trustees has granted a request for retirement made by Dr. Mary B. Gunter, Chief of Staff in the Office of the ATU President and Distinguished Professor of Educational Leadership, effective June 30, 2023. Gunter has served on faculty and in a variety of administrative roles at ATU since 1998.