LITTLE ROCK (Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026) — Former University of Arkansas System President B. Alan Sugg, Ph.D., passed away peacefully on Saturday surrounded by his family in Houston, Texas.
Sugg served as president of the UA System from 1990 to 2011 – the longest tenure served in university history.
His presidency was defined by growth and expansion, going from roughly 30,000 students on five campuses in 1990 to more than 70,000 students and 18,000 employees among 17 campuses, divisions, and units in 2011. System campuses awarded more than 150,000 degrees and completed $2 billion in facility expansion under his leadership.
“While I wasn’t fortunate enough to meet Alan Sugg, I know of his lasting impact on the UA System,” said UA System President Jay B. Silveria. “We are only able to advance the work of the system today because of his outstanding leadership for those many years. Having served in this role for nearly two years, I can speak to how truly impressive it is that President Sugg did this job so well for so long.”
During his tenure the System added five community colleges, the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, the Criminal Justice Institute, the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, and the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute. Sugg also oversaw the founding of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service on the grounds of the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock in 2004.
“Alan Sugg was one of the hardest working and most conscientious leaders I’ve ever known,” said former UA Trustee Tommy May. “He had a unique combination of friendship, vision, and a caring attitude that made everyone around him better. While he took us through a journey of becoming a much larger system, he always kept an eye on becoming better and more efficient for students and families. I love Dr. Sugg and Jeannie and will miss him greatly.”
Upon Sugg’s retirement in 2011, the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas named him President Emeritus and named the UA System Administration Building at the Cammack Campus in Little Rock for him.
“I have loved every minute serving as system president over the past 20 years,” Sugg said when announcing his retirement. “I’m proud of the work of our faculty, staff and administrators to help improve our state and the lives of its citizens through higher education. I’m thankful for having had the chance to work with many outstanding chancellors, and I’m grateful to our trustees and the citizens of Arkansas for giving me this opportunity.”
Born in Helena in 1938, Sugg attended the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, on a track scholarship. Upon completing his undergraduate studies at the U of A, he was commissioned into the U.S. Army and stationed in Germany.
He later received his master’s degree from the U of A and his doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Oklahoma.
Prior to joining the UA System as president, Sugg served higher education in Texas for 22 years, including 13 years as president of Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Jeannie, his two daughters, Jenifer (Jeff) White and Katie (Cliff) Gunter, two grandchildren and a growing number of great-grandchildren.