Jonesboro, AR – (Contributed) – Aug. 21, 2025 – Dr. Fen Yu has been promoted to vice chancellor for institutional effectiveness, innovation, and strategy at Arkansas State University.
This cabinet-level appointment, which reports directly to the chancellor and works closely with the provost and executive vice chancellor, represents a significant expansion of Yu’s leadership role and recognizes her contributions to the university’s strategic initiatives and operational excellence.
Having served A-State beginning in 2020, Yu progressed from assistant vice chancellor for institutional research to associate vice chancellor in 2022.
In her new, expanded role, she will lead campus-wide efforts in institutional research and data-informed decision making, strategic process efficiency and operational alignment.
She also will have oversight for the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence, machine learning and predictive models to enhance campus-wide effectiveness and strategies.
“Dr. Yu has the remarkable ability to turn insight into action. She sees the big picture but never loses sight of the details that drive meaningful change. Her leadership will be central as we build a more agile, student-centered and future-ready A-State,” said Chancellor Todd Shields when announcing Yu’s promotion. “This new role is both a recognition of her impact and a call to help lead what’s next.”
A key aspect of her role will be coordinating cross-functional innovation and initiatives that require alignment across multiple university divisions to improve processes and to enhance student and employee experiences.
“Dr. Yu possesses a rare blend of intellectual precision and institutional foresight. She understands that data is not simply about measurement, but about meaning,” added Dr. Calvin White Jr., provost and executive vice chancellor. “Her appointment signals our collective commitment to research, innovation, efficiency, data-driven decision making and pedagogical approaches to improve student success.”
During her tenure at Arkansas State, Yu’s leadership responsibilities have expanded significantly. Initially overseeing the Office of Institutional Research and serving on the Academic Affairs senior leadership team, she now leads major university strategic initiatives.
Her purview has grown to include oversight of the Registrar’s Office and interim leadership of the Admissions Processing Office, where she successfully restructured operations to dramatically reduce processing times through innovative technology solutions.
“I am deeply grateful to Chancellor Shields and Provost White for this incredible opportunity and their confidence in my abilities to serve in this critical role,” Yu said. “This position allows me to advance Chancellor Shields’ vision for A-State to be a more agile, student-centered, employee friendly, and future-ready institution,” Yu said. “A-State is truly an exciting place with unlimited possibilities, and I am extremely proud of our recent accomplishments under the leadership of Chancellor Shields and Provost White, including our record-breaking enrollment growth, record number of degrees awarded, and the establishment of Arkansas’ first public College of Veterinary Medicine.”
Prior to joining Arkansas State, Yu served four years as director of institutional research and data management at Western Michigan University, where she led the Office of Institutional Research for the 21,500-student Carnegie Research 2 university.
She also provided critical data support for WMU’s strategic plan and guided data utilization for academic program reviews and accreditation work with the Higher Learning Commission.
Previously, she spent eight years as assistant director of institutional research at the University of North Florida, where she served as interim director during the 2015-2016 academic year and received two presidential excellence awards for her work.
She began her career as a research analyst for the Louisiana Department of Education after completing her Ph.D. in educational research methodology at Louisiana State University.
