For the seventh straight year, the University of Central Arkansas will host the National Conference for Academic Deans from July 21 to 23 at the Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center on campus.
More than 50 deans from across the nation are expected to attend, with some coming from as far away as Florida, South Dakota and Minnesota.
The conference offers the opportunity for professional development and networking in a relaxed, intimate setting.
“There will be several useful sessions,” said Neil Hattlestad, dean of UCA’s College of Health and Behavioral Sciences. “It is a wonderful opportunity for deans and associate deans at UCA and elsewhere to gain timely information that will allow them to function more effectively.”
The theme for this year’s conference is “Building Bridges, Building Teams: Issues of Change for Academic Leaders.” Plenary sessions and panel discussions will center on the findings of Jim Collins, the internationally-recognized author of the best-selling book, “Good to Great.” A copy of Collins’ most recent publication, “Good to Great and the Social Sectors,” will be distributed to each conference participant.
Established in 1941 by Schiller Scroggs and Henry Bennett of Oklahoma State University, the NCAD is the oldest organization of its kind. The conference was held at OSU until 1996, when it relocated to the University of Memphis. In 1999, the conference moved to Texas Womens’ University before settling at UCA in 2001.
In 2004, the conference planning committee recommended that UCA become the permanent host.
“It is good for UCA to have higher education administrators from around the country visit our campus and become acquainted with all of the good things happening at UCA,” Hattlestad said. We recruit faculty nationally, so it helps to have administrators we can call, when hiring faculty, who have first-hand knowledge of UCA.”
Hattlestad said another highlight of the conference will be an address at the Saturday banquet by Jane Earley, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at Minnesota State University-Mankato.
“Dean Earley is a very articulate speaker and highly regarded nationally as a leader in higher education,” Hattlestad said. “She was the program chair for the 1980 conference, which is indicative of her long history of active involvement in the NACD.”
The program chair for the conference is Dr. Hal Fulmer, Associate Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Studies at Troy University in Alabama. Fulmer has enlisted the help of other experienced administrators, including Dr. Kaylene Gebert, Provost at Middle Tennessee State University and Dr. Ed Roach, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost of Troy University.
The perennially popular session for new deans will be directed by Dr. Robert Houston, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Henderson State University, and Dr. Bette Midgarden, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Minnesota State University-Moorhead.
