The state Board of Education voted on Thursday to move Arkansas Governor's School to Arkansas Tech University, shifting it from its home of 38 years, Hendrix College in Conway.
The 5-2 vote sets Arkansas Tech's Russellville campus as the location for the state-funded, gifted education summer program for the next three years.
Hendrix was the runner-up to host the program. The board heard from speakers supporting both campuses before it voted.
The Arkansas Department of Education late last year solicited proposals from colleges and universities to host the summer program. Three institutions responded: Arkansas Tech, Hendrix College and the University of Central Arkansas.
Arkansas Education Commissioner Johnny Key appointed a 13-member site selection committee to visit the sites and otherwise evaluate the proposals.
In early May, committee members presented their scoring of the applicants, according to a report that has been submitted to the Education Board.
Education Department staff tabulated the total points. Committee members were told that Hendrix was the first choice. However, the scoring sheets were later reviewed by Education Department staff, at which time "a discrepancy was found between the total number of cumulative points awarded and the first choice ranking designation by a majority of the committee members."
Hendrix had the highest cumulative points but was not ranked as first choice by the majority of committee members. Arkansas Tech was ranked first by nine of the 13 committee members.
The committee reconvened May 14 to vote on a recommendation. Arkansas Tech became the site committee's choice based on that vote. Then the state Board of Education finalized the decision with its vote on Thursday.
Read Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.