UALR designates new interim dean
A social work professor is the University of Arkansas at Little Rock's new interim dean for its College of Education and Health Professions, the largest of the university's colleges.
Shannon Collier-Tenison, the associate dean, will take on the role after Ann Bain, the previous dean, was appointed university executive vice chancellor and provost recently.
Collier-Tenison has been at UALR since 2006, when she joined as an assistant professor of social work, a university news release states. She coordinated the Bachelor of Social Work program from 2010-14.
Outside of her work at UALR, Collier-Tenison is a board member and treasurer of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. She's previously been a board member of both Women and Children First and Kaleidoscope Grief Center.
Her research and scholarly writing "focus on intimate partner violence, bystander intervention, economic assets, and welfare policy," according to the news release.
3 programs at ASU get reaccredited
Three Arkansas State University engineering programs have received reaccreditation.
The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology approved the university's bachelor's degree programs in civil, electrical and mechanical engineering, the university announced. Those are the university's only programs with board accreditation.
Higher-education institutions seek program accreditation, which is based on standards established by the accrediting agency, to ensure that graduates can more easily enter the workforce or graduate from programs in those fields.
As of October last year, seven other Arkansas universities had programs accredited by the board, which reviews science, engineering, math and technology programs. Those schools are Southern Arkansas University, Arkansas Tech University, Harding University, John Brown University, the University of Central Arkansas, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
Worldwide, the board accredits 4,005 programs at nearly 800 colleges and universities in 32 countries, according to its website.
Health sciences building underway
The University of Central Arkansas hosted a "groundbreaking" ceremony for its new Integrated Health Sciences building Friday.
The building will house several departments and expand the university's health sciences offerings, a university news release states. The university will be able to admit 50 more nursing students and provide simulations for students.
The building will consist of four stories and 80,000 square feet. It's funded by a $37.7 million bond issue and scheduled to open in the fall of 2021.
The university is also fundraising for $5 million to pay for "facility and equipment support," the release states.
Metro on 10/14/2019