White gets honor from alma mater
FAYETTEVILLE — John White, a former chancellor at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, has been honored as a distinguished alumnus by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
White earned a master’s degree from Virginia Tech in 1966. He received the Marvin H. Agee Distinguished Alumni Award from the school’s industrial and systems engineering department at a banquet in Blacksburg, Va., according to the school’s website.
White remains an industrial engineering professor at UA, where he earned a bachelor’s degree. He served as UA chancellor from 1997-2008.
Steinmetz put on accrediting panel
FAYETTEVILLE — Joe Steinmetz, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville chancellor, will begin a four-year term in September as a trustee for the Higher Learning Commission.
The Chicago-based commission provides accreditation to colleges and universities in several states, including Arkansas.
“The accreditation work performed by the commission is essential for maintaining the quality and integrity of higher education in our region,” Steinmetz said in a statement.
He was elected to the position by leaders of institutions that are members of the organization, according to UA. The commission currently has 18 board members, according to its website.
Service-learning classes draw 900
FAYETTEVILLE — Specially-designated service learning courses at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville enrolled about 900 students in the first fall and spring semesters to clearly label such classes.
The university offered 24 service learning courses last fall, excluding legal clinics and externships open to students in the UA School of Law. With the law students, a total of 354 enrollments were counted.
This spring, UA offered 29 such courses, again excluding law school courses. Including law students, there were 542 enrollments. UA’s January Intersession included 36 service learning enrollments.
UA in 2014 put together a service learning committee to better define courses that provide students academic credit and experience helping others. After settling on criteria for such courses, the university last year created the special designation that’s visible to students choosing their schedules using the UA Connect online service.
Involvement focus of law school role
FAYETTEVILLE — Cynthia Nance, a former dean of the UA School of Law, now serves as the law school’s first director of pro bono and community engagement.
The appointment by current law school dean Stacy Leeds was announced May 20 by UA.
“Public service and community involvement are critical to the legal profession, and we want to encourage students to get involved as early as possible,” Nance said in a statement.
UA’s law school offers clinics that provide free legal services to outside clients. The law school community also takes part in various community service efforts, such as food and clothing drives.
The new position involves bolstering such efforts and encouraging community engagement, according to UA, as well as supporting faculty projects.
Nance was UA’s law dean from 2006-11. She has remained on UA’s faculty and earns a salary of $191,446, which will not change with her new role.
“This is an innovative endeavor for the University of Arkansas and the School of Law, and I’m excited to see where it takes us,” Nance said.