UA Little Rock leader Dr. Cody Decker, vice chancellor for student affairs and chief data officer, has been selected for the 17th Class of Leadership Arkansas.

“I’m honored to represent UA Little Rock in Leadership Arkansas Class XVII,” Decker said. “The professional development is invaluable, and networking with business leaders will allow me to bring awareness to the opportunities available at UA Little Rock.”

Decker is one of 54 community and business leaders in the state who has been chosen for the exclusive leadership program, which is operated by the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas. All of the class members are leaders within their respective communities and professions and are interested in expanding that involvement.

Over the course of nine months, these individuals will work together to become better acquainted with the issues facing Arkansas, experience the best that the regions and communities offer, network with some of the best and brightest in the state, and hone their already-demonstrated leadership capacities.

This year’s Leadership Arkansas program begins with an orientation weekend Sept. 18-20 and concludes with a leadership, planning, and graduation May 18-19, 2023. In between, the members will learn about topics involving economic development, agriculture, education, government, manufacturing, tourism, workforce development, and more.

Decker is especially looking forward to learning more about economic development, workforce development, and education topics that will enhance his leadership skills and help him build partnerships and opportunities for UA Little Rock and its partners.

“I look forward to meeting with peers and growing the relationships between the university and our many business partners,” he said. “I look forward to improving my leadership and communication skills and learning from colleagues in and outside higher education. Participation in Leadership Arkansas will also expand my knowledge of industry needs in Arkansas and enable me to apply these fresh perspectives to continuous improvement efforts at UA Little Rock.”

Decker joined UA Little Rock in 2015 as the director of institutional research and analytics. He was named associate provost and chief data officer in 2018 and vice chancellor in 2020. Prior to UA Little Rock, he served as the assistant commissioner and chief information officer for the Arkansas Department of Education. He is a three-time graduate of UA Little Rock with a bachelor’s degree in information science, a master’s degree in information quality, and a Ph.D. in integrated computing.