To help fill the need in Arkansas for the escalating teacher shortage, a new Masters of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education program was approved by the Southern Arkansas University Board of Trustees at its quarterly meeting held at SAU Tech on Thursday, May 26, 2016.
SAU’s new MAT K-6 program will begin admitting students in fall 2016. It will be added to the current MAT tracks – middle, secondary, or K-12 licensure. The program includes a year of coursework, followed by a yearlong paid internship as a fully-employed teacher of record in an Arkansas public school.
“The College of Education surveyed the South Arkansas region and found 62 job openings K-6 teacher positions, 21 in the El Dorado area alone,” said Dr. Ben Johnson, SAU interim provost and vice president for academic affairs. “A job is practically certain for students completing a teacher education degree.”
All of the MAT tracks, including the new K-6 emphasis, are online. The MAT is designed for students with non-education bachelor degrees who wish to gain teacher licensure. Students apply for admission to the MAT programs at several points throughout the year and not just once before the fall semester.
During the meeting, the SAU Board also appointed Dr. Ed Kardas as Distinguished Professor. Kardas is only the seventh person in the University’s more than 100-year history to receive this designation.
Kardas, professor of psychology in the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, has been at SAU since 1980. He was also named director of the SAU Honors College in 2009.
In 2013, he finished a four-year project and authored his fourth textbook, “History of Psychology: The Making of Science,” with Cengage Publishers. In 2008, he co-authored, with Chris Spatz of Hendrix College, a textbook in psychological research methods published by McGraw-Hill.
Kardas teaches research methods, learning, comparative and physiological psychology, cognitive science, freshman seminar, and the history of psychology. In 2002, he was named SAU’s Honor Professor. He is currently a member of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, and is a past-president of the Southwestern Psychological Association.
He received his PhD in comparative/developmental psychology from LSU, and his BA, also in psychology, from the University of Baltimore. Before coming to SAU, he taught at LSU-Eunice and at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He is married to the former Julie A. McCuller of Texarkana, a 1991 SAU graduate. They live in Magnolia and have three children – Christian, Clay, and Cara.
According to the University’s faculty handbook, the credentials guiding an appointment of Distinguished Professor are an earned doctorate or comparable terminal degree or equivalent scholarly achievement, and national recognition as a scholar and teacher based upon research, teaching, and/or scholarly pursuits at this or some other institution.
The SAU Board also approved the 2016-17 budgets for SAU and SAU Tech. SAU’s budget includes a 2.76% tuition increase. Primary expenditure drivers in the upcoming year’s budget include the State of Arkansas minimum wage increase, changes in scholarships, food service contracts, Live Text expenses, improvements in campus security and expenses related to the two new residence halls and the Engineering Armory building. State funding is slated to be just 26.8% of the total budget.
Other items discussed in the Board meeting included:
- SAU President Dr. Trey Berry reported that enrollment at SAU is looking promising for both summer terms and for the upcoming fall semester. SAU’s student orientation, BAM, starts June 1 and runs throughout June and July, and organizers have had to add a BAM date due to high demand.
- Construction on SAU’s two new residence halls, Columbia and Magnolia, is progressing at a quick pace. These halls will definitely be needed with the anticipated growth of students living on campus. Also taking place this summer is remodeling of the current residence halls. Talley, Talbot and Greene halls will have noticeable improvements both inside and outside when students return in August.
- Berry shared several SAU student success stories:The new SAU Engineering facility at the former armory is moving forward quickly and is on track for completion in August.
- Leading off, he recounted the success of the SAU Lady Mulerider Softball team: “SAU Softball is not just a great team and great athletes, but great people. They made SAU proud on and off the field.” They placed fourth in the nation for NCAA Division II after winning the GAC, regional, and super regional tournaments. Coach Jason Anderson was recently named Division II Coach of the Year and Kimmy Beasley earned the nation’s Newcomer of the Year honor.
- Berry told of Kardas’ third trip to Cuba in less than a year, with the most recent voyage including guests and two SAU students. SAU is looking into formal agreements with a Cuban university.
- SAU has six Marine Biology students studying and researching at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory this summer, which is promising for a program that is showing continued growth.
- Taylor McNeel, SAU student and National FFA President, continues to make news for SAU, FFA and Arkansas. She was recently featured in a cover story on Front Porch magazine.
- The new SAU Engineering facility at the former armory is moving forward quickly and is on track for completion in August.
- Plans for the new president’s home were approved by the Board. The home will feature Georgian architecture in a “timeless style” and will provide the opportunity for hosting events and building community at SAU, according to Berry.
- A search for chancellor of SAU Tech is moving forward. Ads will begin running soon and hopes are to fill the position by January 2017.
- SAU Tech Executive Vice Chancellor Robert Gunnels shared successes of students at the recent Arkansas Skills USA competitions. Jessica Young also returned with the Instructor of the Year award. Students will be traveling to the national competition in Lewisville, Kentucky.
- “Fast Track Fridays” is a new Friday-only course offering at SAU Tech beginning in the fall, and is geared toward employees at the business park.
- Gunnels pointed to several indicators of the passion and “above and beyond” mentality of SAU Tech’s faculty and staff, including employees working in flower beds and going out their way to pick up litter or escort visitors to offices across campus.
- SAU Tech has placed a priority on campus safety, and initiatives include active shooter training and putting sound emergency response in place.
- Enrollment at SAU Tech is also looking promising. Gunnels credited the three recruiters, whose enthusiasm has garnished praise by visiting parents and students.
- Two colleagues, friends, are retiring from SAU Tech – Dr. Diane Betts, vice chancellor for planning, accountability and development, and Gerald Manning, director of the SAU Tech physical plant. Gunnels misread of their combined “700 years” of experience, actually 70, got a laugh from the crowd.
- Barbara Hamilton of the Administrative Staff Organization shared two projects the group undertook this past year, including a cleanup day in February for downtown Camden in preparation for the Daffodil Festival and a push to acquire discount opportunities at area restaurants for SAU Tech students.
- Johnny Hall, SAU Tech faculty senate president, shared of the encouraging attitude on campus and the transition to a new learning management system. She reported that faculty initiated a “Writer’s Circle” bi-weekly meeting in which faculty members enjoy working closely with students.
- Gunnels shared a report from Loretha Walker, of the Classified Staff Organization, which enacted a monthly speaker series this past year.
- The Board approved a slight revision to the SAU mission statement. Berry explained that the SAU campus is going through a strategic planning process, and that a committee of faculty and staff senate representatives worked on updating the mission.
- The Board approved three academic program additions presented by Johnson, including the previously mentioned new MAT K-6 track and two new tracks for the Masters of Computer Information Science program.
- The Board approved SAU Tech academic changes, presented by Gunnels, which included adding a Computer Support Specialist program and a new emphasis under the General Technology Degree – Certified Production Technician. The later has been in process for four years, said Gunnels, and they have worked closely with industry on its design.
- The Board approved both SAU and SAU Tech to proceed in applying for 80/20 grants from the Arkansas Department of Transportation. Jasper Lewis, vice president for facilities at SAU, presented the sidewalk grant opportunity for the Magnolia campus, which will include funding of nine solar-powered triangular flashing crosswalk signs. Gunnels presented the SAU Tech grant opportunity, which will help fund completion of the parking lot at the new student center.
- All resolutions were approved that were presented by Roger Giles, SAU vice president for administration and general counsel. These included the annual renewal for the SAU campus and properties to remain handgun-free and all the proposed amendments to the Faculty Handbook.
- Kardas offered a presentation on the SAU Honors College, which was established in 2003 and has shown continued growth to the current enrollment of 184 students. He said a recent focus has been on travel and internships, and he is looking forward to presenting at the National Collegiate Honors Council conference with David Wingfield in the upcoming academic year.
- Shawana Reed, vice president for finance at SAU, and Gaye Manning, vice chancellor for finance and administration at SAU Tech, share the 2016-17 proposed budgets from their respective institutions. They were both happy to report that two-percent cost of living increases were able to be budgeted for the year ahead, to be officially determined once enrollment figures are clear in October.
