Executive for ASU 1 of 8 selected by UCA panel

Committee, semifinalists to talk next week in Dallas

CONWAY -- An Arkansas State University administrator is among eight semifinalists who have applied to be the next president at the University of Central Arkansas.

UCA on Thursday released the names, chosen by a search committee of faculty, staff, alumni and others, in response to an Arkansas Democrat-Gazette request under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.

Len Frey has been vice chancellor for finance and administration at ASU since July 2012. He holds a doctorate in business administration from the University of Memphis. Frey previously was dean of ASU's College of Business.

His previous positions include work at Nicholls State University in Louisiana and business manager at Cardiology Associates of Northeast Arkansas in Jonesboro.

One woman, Doris Tegart, is among the semifinalists. Tegart is interim president at Bellarmine University, a Catholic liberal arts college in Louisville, Ky.

Other semifinalists include:

• Kevin Bailey, vice president for student affairs, University of West Florida.

• Houston Davis, interim president of Kennesaw State University, Georgia.

• Nagi Naganathan, professor and dean of engineering, University of Toledo, Ohio.

• Darrell F. Parker, dean and professor of economics, College of Business, Western Carolina University, North Carolina.

• Charles Patterson, interim president of Georgia Southwestern State University.

• Dennis Shields, chancellor, University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

UCA spokesman Christina Madsen said in an email Thursday that the committee will continue to review applications until the position is filled, "but we're moving forward with interviews next week."

No additional applications have been submitted since the Democrat-Gazette reported Wednesday that 37 people had applied for the position, Madsen said.

Members of the search committee plan to gather in Dallas on Wednesday and Thursday to interview the semifinalists and narrow the total to three or four, Kelley Erstine, UCA's chief of staff and campus liaison to the committee, has said.

Those finalists will visit the UCA campus during the week starting Oct. 24 for separate interviews with the board of trustees, faculty, students and others, including community members.

The final decision is up to the board.

The current president, Tom Courtway, has indicated that he hopes to leave the position in December but that he will honor his contract and stay through June if necessary.

The UCA Foundation, the university's fundraising arm, contracted with Parker Executive Search of Atlanta to help with the selection process. The contract is for $82,500 plus expenses.

UCA's general counsel, Warren Readnour, has said that state law would allow UCA to pay the next president up to $307,330 in the current fiscal year and $343,750 in the next fiscal year. Those figures do not include other benefits the school or the foundation could provide such as housing and automobile allowances.

State Desk on 10/14/2016

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