AR Dean’s Association

Arkansas Dean’s Association
Annual Meeting
September 17-18, 2023

Celebrating 51 Years of ADA

Conference Information

Registration

To register for this year’s conference, complete the Fall 2023 Registration Form

Conference Location

Welcome to Paragould, Arkansas!  

Sunday
Paragould Chamber of Commerce
300 W Court Street
Paragould, AR 72450
Google Map Directions

Monday
The Crossing
101 South Pruett Street
Paragould, AR 72450
Google Map Directions

Conference Host and Contact

Conference Contact
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T W Z

B

Photo of Dr. Brad Baine
Dr. Brad Baine
Vice President of Academic Affairs B.S.E., Williams Baptist University; M.S.E., Arkansas State University; Ph.D., University of Arkansas
Lodging Options Near Downtown Paragould

Hampton Inn
3810 Linwood Drive
Paragould, AR
(870) 565-1010
Google Map Directions

Holiday Inn Express
3502 Linwood Drive
Paragould, AR
(870) 236-9999
Google Map Directions

Quality Inn
2310 West Kingshighway
Paragould, AR
(870) 239-2121
Google Map Directions

Arkansas Dean's Association Officers & Executive Committee Members

Officers

President
Brad Baine
Vice President of Academic Affairs
Black River Technical College

Vice President
Deirdre Slavik
Dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences
NorthWest Arkansas Community College

Treasurer
Marty Spears
Provost
Harding University

Members

Cherisse Jones-Branch
Dean of the Graduate School
Arkansas State University

Jeffrey Cass
Dean of Arts & Humanities
Arkansas Tech University

Kimberly Davis
Dean of the School of Education
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

Marvin Galloway
Dean of Science and Mathematics
NorthWest Arkansas Community College

Talayia Johnson
Dean of the School of Science, Math, and Allied Health
University of Arkansas – Pulaski Technical College

Jeff Root
Dean of Humanities and Education
Ouachita Baptist University

Charlotte Wheeless
Chair of Williams Teacher Education Program
Williams Baptist University

About Arkansas Deans Association

The Arkansas Deans Association brings together academic administrators from two-year and four-year, public and private institutions to consider issues facing higher education in our state and to share ideas about effective administrative practices.

For more information, contact arkansasdeansassociation@gmail.com

Tentative Program
Sunday, September 17
5:45 p.m. Registration and Check-in Opens
Location:  Paragould Chamber of Commerce
300 W Court Street
Paragould, AR 72450
Google Map Directions
6:30-8:30 p.m. Dinner, Networking, and Keynote
Higher Education and the Shaping of Arkansas
6:30 p.m. Introduction of New Deans and Chief Academic Officers

  • Dr. Brad Baine, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Black River Technical College
7:15 p.m. Keynote Introduction

  • Dr. Brad Baine, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Black River Technical College

Keynote Speaker

  • Secretary Jacob Oliva, Commissioner of the Arkansas Department of Education
Monday, September 18
7:30 a.m. Breakfast and Networking
Location: The Crossing
101 South Pruett Street
Paragould, AR 72450
Google Map Directions
8:30 a.m. Welcome

  • Dr. Martin Eggensperger, President of Black River Technical CollegeGreetings
  • Josh Agee, Mayor of Paragould
  • Allison Hestand, Executive Director of Paragould Chamber of Commerce

Introduction of New Deans and New Chief Academic Officers

  • Dr. Brad Baine, Vice President, Arkansas Deans Association
8:45-9:30 a.m. Session I:  Enrollment Challenges in Higher Education

  • Dr. Rick Stripling, Former Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Arkansas State University
  • Dr. Moses Goldmon, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment and Student Success, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
  • Jason Smith, J.D., Vice President of Student Affairs, Black River Technical College
  • Steve Lake, Vice President of Enrollment Services, Harding University
  • Dr. Calvin White, Provost, Arkansas State University

Moderator:

  • Dr. Kimberley Davis, Dean, School of Education, University of Arkansas Pine Bluff
9:45-10:45 a.m. Session II: Legislative Landscape for Higher Education

  • Senator Blake Johnson, District 21
  • Representative Jimmy Gazaway, District 31
  • Representative Trey Steimel, District 2
  • Representative Jeremy Wooldridge, District 1
  • Graycen Bigger, Executive Director, Northeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal Authority
  • Andy Goodman, President, Arkansas’ Independent Colleges & Universities Association
  • Dr. Karen Liebhaber, Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Black River Technical College
  • Melissa Rust, Vice President of University Relations, University of Arkansas System

Moderators:

  • Dr. Brad Baine, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Black River Technical College
  • Dr. Jeff Root, Dean, Huckabee School of Education and School of Humanities, Ouachita Baptist University
10:45-11:00 a.m. Break
11:00-11:45 a.m. Session III: Roundtable on Community Engagement

  • Pat Johnson, Executive Director of the Eddie Mae Herron Center, Pocahontas, Arkansas
  • Dr. Evette Allen Moore, Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, New York Institute of Technology, Arkansas State University
  • Dr. Nina Lyon-Bennett, Assistant Dean for Academics for the School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences, University of Arkansas Pine Bluff
  • Shelby Fiegel, Director of the Center for Community & Economic Development, University of Central Arkansas

Moderator:

  • Dr. Cherisse Jones-Branch, Dean, Graduate School, Arkansas State University
11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Break
12:00 pm-1:00 p.m. Lunch and Business Meeting
Speaker: TBD
1:15-2:00 p.m. Session IV: Roundtable on AI (ChatGPT

Moderator:

  • Jeff Cass, Dean of Arts and Humanities, Arkansas Tech University
  • Rajesh Chokhani, President of BOND AI