Three Finalists Selected in UAHT Chancellor Search

The University of Arkansas System today named three finalists in the search for the next chancellor at the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana (UAHT), and each will visit campus to hold public forums later this month.

The finalists will visit the Hope campus on the following dates (bios below):

• Laura Clark, vice chancellor for academics and interim chancellor, University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana, (Nov. 14)

• Ricky Tompkins, Ed.D., vice president for technical education and workforce development, North Arkansas College, (Nov. 17)

• Steve Rook, Ed.D., chancellor, Arkansas State University Three Rivers, (Nov. 18)

An advisory search committee — chaired by Misty Hughes, dean of institutional effectiveness at UAHT, and led by Chris Thomason, vice president for strategic and community college partnerships for the UA System —began the national search process in July.

“I’m grateful for the hard work of the advisory search committee over the last several months and proud of the interest level this position drew on a national scale,” said Jay B. Silveria, president of the UA System. “With these impressive finalists identified, the next step of hosting them on campus for meetings with faculty, staff, students and community constituents is critical to determining the best fit to lead this campus forward.”

Following the visits, Silveria will make a recommendation of a chancellor for approval from the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas. He said he hopes to have a new chancellor in place to begin the spring semester in January. Each of the finalists will spend time on campus and in the community during their individual visits, with community forums — open to faculty, staff, students and the public — to be held at 3:45 p.m. on the Hope campus on their visit dates.

"I want to thank everyone who serves on the advisory search committee for putting in all of their effort and committing so much time to the process," said Hughes, the advisory search committee chair. "Everyone who served has a genuine passion for this institution and truly put the best interests of its trajectory first. We're looking forward to seeing these finalists on campus and learning more about their vision for UAHT's future."

Candidate Bios: 

Laura Clark, Interim Chancellor and Vice Chancellor for Academics, University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana

Laura Clark is currently vice chancellor for academics and interim chancellor for the second time while having served at UAHT for more than 30 years, including as dean of health professions before becoming its top academic officer. She also served as practical nursing program director, Arkansas Rural Nursing Education Consortium (ARNEC) program chair, Certified Nurse Assistant program chair, and as a full-time practical nursing instructor. In 2013, Clark was named the Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year. She earned a Master of Nursing Science in Nursing Administration with Education from UAMS and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Henderson State University.

Ricky Tompkins, Ed.D., Vice President for Technical Education and Workforce Development, North Arkansas College

Ricky Tompkins, Ed.D., vice president for technical education and workforce development at North Arkansas College. He earned a doctorate from UA Little Rock, a master’s degree from Henderson State University, and a bachelor’s degree from East Texas Baptist University. He is previously director of the Center for Student Success for Arkansas Community Colleges, vice president for learning and chief academic officer at Northwest Arkansas Community College, and director of the Institute for Corporate and Public Safety. He has taught on the college and university levels, published in academic and professional journals, and keynoted and presented at higher education meetings and conferences nationally.

Steve Rook, Ed.D., Chancellor, Arkansas State University Three Rivers

Steve Rook, Ed.D., is currently chancellor at Arkansas State University Three Rivers. He is a first-generation college student born and raised in southeast Arkansas, and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas at Monticello, a master’s degree from Eastern Illinois University and doctorate at the University of Arkansas Little Rock. He started his professional career at Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma before returning to be the associate dean of students at UA Little Rock. He entered the two-year college environment accepting a position at University of Arkansas Rich Mountain, where he served in various roles for sixteen years.