Todd Shields, a University of Arkansas, Fayetteville dean and longtime political science professor, will be the next Arkansas State University chancellor.
Shields, 53, will begin Aug. 15 as the top administrator for the state’s second-largest university, taking over as leader of the Jonesboro campus at a time when most universities in the state have seen declining student enrollment
Chuck Welch, president of the ASU System, in a statement said he believed the hire of Shields — dean of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, the largest college at UA — will “prove to be a truly transformational moment.
“He has an extraordinary track record in fostering student success, securing external funds, and managing large, complex academic units,” Welch said. “These experiences, combined with his strong reputation and connections statewide, are precisely why the Chancellor Search Advisory Committee recommended his hiring to me.”
Shields takes over from Kelly Damphousse, who left the chancellor’s post to become president of Texas State University. Damphousse joined Arkansas State on July 1, 2017 after working for 20 years as a professor and later a dean at the University of Oklahoma, starting his new role in Texas on July 1 of this year.
Shields and three other finalists visited the Jonesboro campus over two days, each giving an open forum presentation.
In his campus talk, Shields spoke about the importance of the university’s role in the surrounding community.
“We must connect with our community. ASU is primed to be able to do that. The community is almost begging you to reach out and to say, ‘Help us all become better’ — much more so than any other place I’ve been in,” Shields said. “The community here is saying let’s work with ASU.”
The three other finalists were: Walter Kimbrough, outgoing president of Dillard University in Louisiana and a former president of Philander Smith College; Karen Petersen, dean of the Henry Kendall College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tulsa; and Lance Tatum, senior vice chancellor for academic affairs and chief academic officer at Troy University in Alabama.
Shields will earn $450,000 yearly as part of an initial three-year agreement, and will be eligible to earn $50,000 annually in incentive-based deferred compensation, according to his offer letter. Each year, a satisfactory evaluation of Shields by the president of the ASU System will result in a one-year contract extension, according to the letter.
In a written statement Monday, Shields called opportunities at Arkansas State “obvious and exciting.”
“My family and I are deeply committed to the mission of Arkansas State, and we couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the A-State family,” Shields said. “After seeing the many opportunities, new relationships, and potential partnerships in Jonesboro, Northeast Arkansas, and across the university, we are eager to help serve the campus, the community, expand collaborations, and help Arkansas State University grow into an even brighter future.
In his cover letter applying for the job, Shields wrote that the university “is in a strategically advantageous position to play a central role in the future success of Northeast Arkansas.”
He also wrote about his experience as a fundraiser.
Shields, dean of UA’s largest college since 2014 following a stint as interim dean, oversaw the creation and establishment of the university’s School of Art after an unprecedented gift of $120 million from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation that expanded the scope of the university’s art department.
In his cover letter, Shields described fundraising as beginning “with building close relationships with individuals, understanding their interests, and persuasively communicating the college’s most pressing priorities.” Shields called fundraising “energizing and rewarding.”
Not counting students at ASU’s campus in Mexico, enrollment dipped for ASU by about 1.9% this past fall, falling to 12,863 from 13,106 the previous year, according to the state Division of Higher Education. Five other public universities in the state saw sharper percentage enrollment declines.
ASU's enrollment has dropped by about 7.7% since fall 2017, when there were 13,390 students, according to the state Division of Higher Education.
Shields earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Miami University in Ohio. He earned a master’s degree and doctorate in political science from the University of Kentucky.
CORRECTION: Todd Shields is a University of Arkansas, Fayetteville dean and longtime political science professor. An earlier version of this story incorrectly described his role at the university.