Beebe, AR – Contributed – The state’s first College of Veterinary Medicine at Arkansas State University remains on track for a fall opening with the accreditation process and construction of facilities proceeding as expected, A-State Chancellor Todd Shields told members of the ASU System Board of Trustees Friday at its regular meeting.
Dr. Shields said a second site visit in January by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education accrediting team went “extremely well,” and follow-up information has been submitted by A-State. An accreditation decision is expected by June.
Shields said 17 faculty members have been hired, and the application process is ready to launch upon approval to ensure a fall 2026 cohort may begin. Construction of the 56,000-square-foot home of the vet school and two educational barns on the Jonesboro campus are on schedule for a summer opening.
Dr. Jennifer Methvin, chancellor of ASU-Beebe, shared with trustees a campus update and upcoming events that will support students with career opportunities. The 70th annual Agriculture Day competition will be Feb. 25 with nearly 2,000 high school students expected to participate on the Beebe campus. On April 1, the ASU-Beebe Business & Industry Showcase will feature workforce training partnerships at the Searcy campus.
Landen Crancer, associate vice president for finance and administration, gave an overview of the system’s financial health. He noted the system had no audit findings in reports submitted for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025.
Henderson continues to strengthen its liquidity and improve its financial stability through a strong rebound in enrollment and continued expense controls, Crancer said.
In other business, the Board:
Approved Henderson to name the Entrepreneurship Institute in the College of Business in honor of alumni Tad and Judy Krug of Little Rock for their lifelong philanthropic support of the university.
Approved a $2 million renovation of the Donald W. Reynolds Center at ASU Mid-South in West Memphis. The project will include modernization of the building’s two largest student-serving spaces: the Dr. Barbara C. Baxter Learning Success Center and the Sandra C. Goldsby Library. It will be the first major update to the Reynolds Center since it was built more than 25 years ago.
Agreed to create a separate system policy regarding the Family Medical Leave Act to replace the policy language currently in the ASU System Staff Handbook. The change will make the policy more visible and readily accessible to ASU System employees, as well as consistent across all institutions.
Approved A-State to rename and reorganize the Center for No-Boundary Thinking, currently housed in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, to become the Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence in the Arkansas Biosciences Institute. The new name is designed to clarify the mission of the center and promote interdisciplinary collaboration.
Approved ASU Mid-South to offer a Technical Certificate in Practical Nursing beginning in spring 2027 to help meet the growing demand for licensed practical nurses. The campus received a $390,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Strengthening Community College program to support development of the program.
Voted to designate Steve Eddington of Benton as Trustee Emeritus. Eddington, an alumnus of Henderson State University, served on the board from 2021 until earlier this year, including the past year as chair.
