The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has launched a national search for a leader for the College of Business, Health, and Human Services (CBHHS).

The College of Business, Health, and Human Services is the largest college at UA Little Rock and contains eight departments and schools as well as the Arkansas Economic Development Institute, the state’s lead Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center, and MidSOUTH. The dean will be responsible for working with many business and industry leaders in the area and cultivating students to help build the state’s growing workforce and economic development.

The search committee brings together a wide variety of university, industry, and community leaders to choose the next leader of this distinguished college. Dr. Brian Berry, vice provost for research and dean of the Graduate School, is leading the search committee as chair.

“We are excited to begin the search to fill this critical leadership position on our campus,” Berry said. “The committee that has been assembled includes representation from all of the schools in the college as well as community stakeholders. I am hopeful that we can identify the right candidate to help lead this college and continue to build upon the strength of the faculty and students.”

Other search committee members include Melvin Beavers, the Chancellor’s DEI fellow; Mike Blain, captain with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, Jay Chesshir, president and CEO of the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce; Sloan Davidson, director of the School of Nursing; Mark Funk, chair of the Department of Accounting, Economics, and Finance; David Gilliam, associate professor of marketing; Michael Johnson, director of development and external relations; Kim Jones, professor of social work; Mary Parker, professor of criminal justice; Janae Snyder, associate professor of counseling, human performance, and rehabilitation; Michael Stewart, CEO of Saline Health System; Cathy Tuggle, owner and principal broker of Tuggle Services, Inc.; and Sharon Vogelpohl, president and CEO of MHP/Team SI.

UA Little Rock will continue accepting applications for the position until it is filled, though the priority application review deadline is Oct. 30. Interviews will begin in November, and the new dean is expected to begin during the spring 2023 semester. They will take over for Dr. Deborah Baldwin, associate provost of collections and archives at UA Little Rock, who has been serving as the interim dean of CBHHS since August.