KARLA HUGHES: Retiring at UAM

Dr. Karla Hughes will step down as chancellor and retire Dec. 31 from the University of Arkansas at Monticello, a post she’d held since her choice by UA System President Donald Bobbitt in January 2016.

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Hughes was the first woman named to head a four-year campus of the UA System.

From a UA release:

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“I’m proud of the progress we have made in the last four years, especially in demonstrating that UAM is, without question, a student-centered destination for higher education,” Hughes said. “Dr. Bobbitt and I discussed the challenges, both internal and external, that UAM has faced during my tenure, and we both felt the best step forward for the university was that I resign as chancellor.”

 

Bobbitt said he will turn his attention to planning for the future leadership of UAM.

“We appreciate the diligent work ethic and unmatched energy Dr. Hughes consistently brought to the table, along with her genuine passion for student success and being a part of the campus community at UAM,” Bobbitt said.  “There’s no question that there are many challenges ahead facing the campus to help meet its unique regional and economic needs and finding the right leadership for the institution will be a top priority moving forward.”

UAM has suffered sharp enrollment declines in recent years. This fall, it reported the largest drop among public universities, a decline of 8.8 percent. It lost a large number of concurrently enrolled high school students because it discontinued many online courses out of concern for their quality. At the time, Hughes noted a national drop in student population and also the loss of population in rural areas, particularly in the Delta.

Hughes came to Arkansas from the University of Louisiana System.

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