News Taffy

Editor's note: for more on Dr. Charles "Chuck" Welch and the Arkansas State University System, check out the cover story of the March issue of Jonesboro Occasions. 

Arkansas State University System president Dr. Charles Welch recently announced that Dr. Tim Hudson has been selected to be the second chancellor of the Arkansas State University campus in Jonesboro. The ASU Board of Trustees officially ratified Hudson's appointment during a meeting on the Jonesboro campus.

Dr. Hudson has served as the vice chancellor of the Texas Tech University System since 2011. From 2010-2011, Dr. Hudson served as special assistant to the chancellor for International Programs and Initiatives at the University of Houston System, and from 2004-2010 he served as president of the University of Houston - Victoria. From 2002-2004, Dr. Hudson served as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Dr. Hudson received the Bachelor of Arts degree in history and Latin American studies from the University of Southern Mississippi, the Master of Arts degree in geography from the University of Southern Mississippi, and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in geography from Clark University. "It is both humbling and thrilling to be named the next chancellor of Arkansas State University -- humbling because I know the committee and the entire ASU family was engaged in this process and thrilling because I feel like I have been given the opportunity of a lifetime to work at the very sort of institution I love, in such an attractive community," Hudson said. "I look forward to being part of a dynamic leadership team that will move ASU to the next level, one characterized by innovative research conducted by a world class faculty that finds its way into the canons of global knowledge, into the classroom, and into real-world solutions." During his tenure as president of the University of Houston-Victoria, the campus experienced tremendous growth and development. In his application letter, Hudson detailed some of the major accomplishments including:
* Doubling the enrollment and the number of fulltime faculty;
* Exceeding ambitious external fundraising goals for five consecutive years and winning a CASE award for an "All for One" fundraising campaign;
* Founding a new school of nursing and health professions which earned full national accreditation on its initial petition;
* Achieving AACSB International accreditation and several Princeton Review top ten rankings for rapidly growing business programs;
* Ranking first in Texas on the student satisfaction portion of the 2010 National Survey of Student Engagement;
* Launching a three-year bachelor's track ("Degree in Three") for selected fields;
* Negotiating international degree and exchange agreements with institutions in China, Mexico, and Spain that now involve scores of students;
* Increasing faculty and staff salaries above peer norms, doubling the number of Hispanic and African American faculty members and funding additional faculty awards for research and community service;
* Expanding internal cabinet and regional advisory board representation and utilizing the strategic planning process to rebrand and remarket UHV as a "destination;"
* Submitting balanced budgets and replenishing reserves by utilizing an open, transparent budget planning process involving all units and aimed at revenue maximization and reallocating funds away from administration to instruction and program innovation.

"We were very fortunate to attract three extraordinarily well-qualified finalists for this position. Tim Hudson stood out because of his proven track record as the CEO of a university campus, his commitment to excellence in teaching and research, and his ability to effectively communicate the vision and potential of the university to multiple constituencies," Welch said. "Dr. Hudson brings the combination of experience, energy, and enthusiasm that we were seeking, and I am excited about where he will lead this campus in the areas of student learning, research, and community service."

Hudson will officially begin his duties at the university on May 1, 2012, and he promised to "hit the ground listening." "I am a big believer in synergy, the notion that collectively we are smarter and make better decisions than any one of us. This is a bedrock idea of academic management, we call it "shared governance" -- we need input from everyone and to respect a divergence of opinions if we are to take ASU to the next level," Hudson said.

Dr. Dan Howard will remain in the position of interim chancellor until Hudson begins duties at the university. Dr. Howard will then return to his previous position as executive vice chancellor and provost. "I remain extremely grateful for Dr. Howard's steady leadership as our interim chancellor, and I am excited about the prospect of a strong leadership team being formed by Dr. Howard and Dr. Hudson," Welch said.

Hudson is married to Dr. Deidra "Dee Dee" Ransburgh Hudson, who holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in educational leadership from Southern Mississippi University. The Hudsons and their children Gianna Grace, 14, and twins Daisy and Nathaniel, both 10, will live in the ASU chancellor's residence on Nettleton Avenue in Jonesboro.

"Every family has its unique geography -- we have relatives scattered from southern Missouri to southern Mississippi," Hudson said. "Coming to Jonesboro feels like coming home."