LITTLE ROCK (Dec. 16, 2020) – University of Arkansas System President Dr. Donald R. Bobbitt today announced the formation of an advisory committee to assist in the search for the next dean of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.

Longtime Clinton School Dean James L. “Skip” Rutherford announced his retirement in September, which becomes effective June 30, 2021. He has led the institution since 2006.

The search committee will be chaired by Bobbitt and will cultivate a pool of national candidates before Bobbitt ultimately recommends a candidate to the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas for final approval. The committee has conducted one preliminary meeting Dec. 11 to introduce members and define its goals heading into 2021.  Bobbitt said the committee will take the time necessary to find the right person to lead the school.

“The Clinton School is a very unique member of the UA System and certainly has gained international recognition with a mission to serve a diverse range of goals,” Bobbitt said. “Dean Rutherford has been an integral part of developing the Clinton School, and it will be important that we find a person who can build on the school’s reputation in the emerging academic discipline of public service.”

The search committee includes representatives from the Clinton School faculty, staff and alumni, the Clinton Foundation, UA System partner institutions and a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas.

“I want to thank in advance the very strong members of this search committee for their time and effort to ensure a successful search process that will contribute to continued growth and achievement at the Clinton School,” Bobbitt said. “We will get to work in early 2021 and welcome the challenge of finding the right fit to continue building on the Clinton School’s mission as an internationally known leader in public service education.”

The Clinton School was established by the Board of Trustees in 2004 as a new academic institution within the UA System. Since its inception, the school has been a collaborative effort among its three accredited sponsoring institutions – the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (UAF), the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR), and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).

Clinton School of Public Service Dean Search Committee