Dr. Charles E. Hathaway, Former UA Little Rock Chancellor, Dies at 89

Dr. Charles E. Hathaway III, who served as chancellor for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock from 1993 to 2002, died on Tuesday, Aug. 5. He was 89.

A native of Corpus Christi, Texas, Hathaway spent most of his childhood in Laredo. He was the first in his family to earn a college degree, graduating from Texas A&M with a bachelor’s degree in physics. He began his career as a civilian scientist at the China Lake Naval Weapons Center in California, conducting research on missile optics during the Cold War.

Hathaway earned a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Oklahoma and spent 16 years at Kansas State University, where he became chair of the physics department. He later held leadership roles at the University of Texas at San Antonio and Wright State University, where he launched several new programs and championed efforts to expand access to STEM fields.

In 1993, Hathaway was appointed chancellor of UA Little Rock by University of Arkansas System President B. Alan Sugg. During his tenure, he eliminated more than $7 million in institutional debt and helped elevate the university’s role in the region through partnerships in technology, education, and public service.

Hathaway was a driving force behind the creation of the Donaghey College of Information Science and Systems Engineering, known as the “CyberCollege,” which opened in 1999. Today, the college—now the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics—continues to reflect his vision for preparing students for the future of work.

After stepping down as chancellor, Hathaway returned to the classroom to teach courses in the history of technology and mathematics.

In 2013, Hathaway received the Fribourgh Award for his contributions to science and education in Arkansas.

Read the full obituary here.