ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Henderson State University Chancellor Chuck Ambrose announced yesterday an academic reorganization recommendation designed to enhance student success, address community-based workforce needs and produce critical financial savings for the institution’s future.

Both the chancellor’s recommendation and a plan submitted by the Financial Exigency Committee will be presented to the Arkansas State University System Board of Trustees for consideration at a special meeting Thursday at 10 a.m. at the System Office in Little Rock. Details about the recommendations, communication from the chancellor and questions and answers about the plan can be found at hsu.edu/futureofhenderson. 

The Henderson leadership team established an initial financial savings target of $5 million from academic salaries. Elimination or reduction in non-instruction unit salaries and restructuring of administration positions have already resulted in $1.8 million of savings.

The chancellor’s academic restructuring recommendation reduces total instructional positions by 88 – including 21 currently unfilled positions – or 37 percent of the 237 total positions in spring 2022. Of the remaining 67 positions being cut, 44 are tenured faculty members who may remain employed through the 2022-2023 academic year. The changes will result in annual salary savings of $2.55 million in Fiscal Year 2023 and an additional $2.79 million in Fiscal Year 2024.

The committee’s plan would result in salary savings of $3.74 million. It would eliminate all part-time and adjunct positions, all faculty lines for faculty no longer with the university, and 33 additional positions. Its recommendation would discontinue 12 academic programs.

Ambrose said faculty members who would be impacted under his recommendation, if approved by the Board of Trustees, were notified by phone earlier in the day.

“I’m deeply saddened for these faculty members and understand how difficult this process will be,” Ambrose said. “We did not take these decisions lightly, and it is impossible to minimize the impact this has on members of our community. Henderson is a tight-knit family and community, so we understand this is difficult. We will do everything possible to help these individuals during their transitioning.

“We simply cannot grow our way out of Henderson’s financial challenges without implementing significant restructuring,” he added. “Our low degree completion and retention rates have negatively impacted our tuition revenue while our instructional costs have escalated. Student success through degree completion and meeting workforce needs will be our top priority.”

Ambrose said the reimagining of academic degree programs is organized into four meta-majors that align with the competencies, skills, and talents that design community-based workforce needs: Health, Education, and Social Sustainability; Applied Professional Science and Technology; Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship; and Arts and Humanities.

Academic degrees are designated as either “Future Degree Programs,” which will continue to be offered, or as “Teach-Out Degree Programs.” Currently enrolled Henderson students and freshmen in Fall 2022 will be supported to complete Teach-Out Degrees. Academic disciplines included in Teach-Out Degrees will continue to be incorporated through the general education and interdisciplinary studies curriculum to enhance outcomes for all students.