Clifton Begins Tenure as Interim Dean of College of Business, Health, and Human Services
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is welcoming Tom Clifton to his new role as the interim dean of the College of Business, Health, and Human Services.
“I am thankful to Mr. Clifton for serving in this interim leadership role for our esteemed College of Business, Health, and Human Services,” said Dr. Ann Bain, provost and executive vice chancellor. “With a profound dedication to educational excellence, a visionary outlook, and a passion for empowering students, Mr. Clifton is poised to shape a transformative future for our college.”
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.
Clifton is looking forward to his work with business and industry leaders in the area and cultivating students to help build the state’s growing workforce and economic development.
“In the realm of higher education, change stands as a formidable force, simultaneously testing our resilience and presenting us with remarkable opportunities for growth,” Clifton said. “As we begin this transformative period in UA Little Rock’s College of Business, Health, and Human Services, we will move forward with determination, fueled by our commitment to excellence and our belief in the profound impact of education.”
Clifton took over the interim role July 1 for Dr. Deborah Baldwin, associate provost of collections and archives, who had been serving in an interim capacity since summer 2022. UA Little Rock will begin a national search for a permanent dean in the fall 2023 semester.
Clifton received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Minnesota State University and a Master of Fine Arts from Savannah College of Art and Design. He is a Fulbright scholar who studied the art and culture of Egypt at Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt.
At UA Little Rock, Clifton previously served as a professor of art and director of the School of Art and Design where he established the Maners/Pappas Endowed Study Abroad program, instituted the artWING living/learning community and the artWAYS summer residency program for art educators and rising junior and senior high school students, and successfully guided the School of Art and Design through the accreditation process. He served two years as interim dean of the College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences, during which he oversaw the opening of the Windgate Center of Art + Design.
