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Three Finalists Selected in UAHT Chancellor Search

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LITTLE ROCK (Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025) – The University of Arkansas System today named three finalists in the search for the next chancellor at the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana (UAHT), and each will visit campus to hold public forums later this month.

The finalists in order of (Hope) campus visits include (bios below):

  • Laura Clark, vice chancellor for academics and interim chancellor, UAHT, (Nov. 14)
  • Ricky Tompkins, Ed.D., vice president for technical education and workforce development, North Arkansas College, (Nov. 17)
  • Steve Rook, Ed.D., chancellor, Arkansas State University Three Rivers, (Nov. 18)

An advisory search committee — chaired by Misty Hughes, dean of institutional effectiveness at UAHT, and led by Chris Thomason, vice president for strategic and community college partnerships for the UA System —began the national search process in July.

“I’m grateful for the hard work of the advisory search committee over the last several months and proud of the interest level this position drew on a national scale,” said Jay B. Silveria, president of the UA System. “With these impressive finalists identified, the next step of hosting them on campus for meetings with faculty, staff, students and community constituents is critical to determining the best fit to lead this campus forward.”

Following the visits, Silveria will make a recommendation of a chancellor for approval from the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas. He said he hopes to have a new chancellor in place to begin the spring semester in January. Each of the finalists will spend time on campus and in the community during their individual visits, with community forums — open to faculty, staff, students and the public — to be held at 3:45 p.m. on the Hope campus on their visit dates.

“I want to thank everyone who serves on the advisory search committee for putting in all of their effort and committing so much time to the process,” said Hughes, the advisory search committee chair. “Everyone who served has a genuine passion for this institution and truly put the best interests of its trajectory first. We’re looking forward to seeing these finalists on campus and learning more about their vision for UAHT’s future.”

More information about the search can be found on the UAHT Chancellor Search page.

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