Henderson State University Self-Study for The Higher Learning ...

Henderson 

State University 

Self-Study Report to 

The Higher Learning Commission 

2012

Self-Study Report 

In preparation for the February 2012 site visit 

by the Higher Learning Commission 

December 2011

CONTENTS 

Introduction 2 

Criterion One: 

Mission and Integrity 18 

Core Component 1A 21 

Core Component 1B 26 

Core Component 1C 34 

Core Component 1D 41 

Core Component 1E 45 

Criterion One Summary 56 

Criterion Two: 

Preparing for the Future 58 





Criterion Two Summary 112 

Criterion Three: 

Student Learning and Effective Teaching 114 





Criterion Three Summary 175 

Criterion Four: 

Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge 178 





Criterion Four Summary 239 

Criterion Five: 

Engagement in Service 242 





Criterion Five Summary 278 

Summary 280 

Appendix 

(See separate document.)

Henderson State University, 

“The School with a Heart,” 

offers quality undergraduate 

and graduate education to a 

diverse student body. As 

Arkansas’s public liberal arts 

university, we empower each 

student to excel in a complex 

and changing world.

INTRODUCTION 

Introduction 

This is the report of the self-study of Henderson State University 

prepared in advance of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)/ 

North Central Association’s accreditation visit in February 2012. 

The report is the culmination of two years of work by multiple 

committees and individuals, written primarily for the HLC Visiting 

Team. However, as Henderson is undergoing major transitions in 

administration, the report also serves as the most comprehensive 

study of the university for those who are new to the university or 

are transitioning to new positions in the university. The report 

hopefully will serve as point of reference for those inside and 

outside the institution who would like to know Henderson better 

and would like to help the university achieve its goals, strengthen its 

greatest attributes, and overcome its challenges. 

This introduction will provide a history and profile of the university, 

accreditation history, a discussion of the university’s response to 

concerns raised by the last HLC Visiting Team, and finally a 

description and evaluation of the self-study process. The remainder 

of the report is organized by Criteria, with appendices including 

the section on Federal Compliance in a separate document. 

History and Profile 

Henderson is the only Arkansas university that has been controlled 

by both church and state, and it is the only public university named 

for an individual. Of the Arkansas public universities, Henderson is 

one of only two originally established as a four-year, degree-conferring 

institution and is the second oldest university under state 

control. 

The university was founded on March 24, 1890, and was incorporated 

as Arkadelphia Methodist College. It was chartered as a 

four-year, coeducational baccalaureate liberal arts college and as a 

private university operated under three names: Arkadelphia Methodist 

College (1890-1904), Henderson College (1904-1911), Henderson-Brown 

College (1911-1929). In 1929 the Board of Trustees 

offered the university to the state, and the Arkansas General Assembly 

enacted legislation (Act 46) to “establish a standard Teachers 

College in Arkadelphia.” Henderson State Teachers College (1929- 

1967) became Henderson State College in 1967 (1967-1975) and 

then Henderson State University in 1975. 

In 1987, the Board of Trustees approved a new mission statement 

that identified Henderson as “Arkansas’s Public Liberal Arts University,” 

and in 1998 the university joined the Council of Public 

Liberal Arts Colleges. While the university focuses on its mission as 

a liberal arts university, it has continued to honor and incorporate 

4

into its mission the strong tradition of teacher education from its 

years as a teachers college, expand other professional programs 

such as business, nursing, and aviation, and strengthen the graduate 

program that began in 1955. 

Today, Henderson enrolls approximately 3,700 students and offers 

both graduate and undergraduate programs of study that serve the 

diverse higher education needs of Arkansas and the nation. Degree 

programs are offered through the Matt Locke Ellis College of Arts 

and Sciences (Ellis College), the School of Business, Teachers 

College, Henderson (Teachers College), and the Graduate School. 

Henderson has been described as “The School with a Heart” since 

the early 1900s, the colors are red and gray, and the students and 

athletic teams are known as “Reddies.” 

Accreditation History 

Henderson is accredited by the North Central Association of 

Colleges and Schools as a bachelor’s and master’s degree-granting 

institution. Initially accredited as a baccalaureate institution in 

1934, master’s level accreditation was granted to Henderson in 

1960. The last comprehensive evaluations and visits from the 

Higher Learning Commission were conducted in 1992 and 2001. A 

commission-mandated focused visit on the subject of assessment 

occurred in 2007. On April 20, 2011, HLC performed a Location 

Confirmation visit for the distance learning programs at Sheridan 

and DeQueen, Arkansas. 

Institutional Accreditations 

The Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools 

National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education 

Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education 

National Association of Schools of Music 

AACSB International/The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business 

Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education 

Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education 

Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs 

Federal Aviation Administration (recognition only, not accreditation) 

5

INTRODUCTION 

Changes at Henderson 

Since the last comprehensive visit, the most significant change at 

Henderson came when Charles Dunn, who had served the university 

for twenty-two years, stepped down as president. The Board of 

Trustees began the search for a replacement by holding open 

forums on campus with the multiple constituent groups including 

faculty, staff, students, and the community to determine the attributes 

to be searched for in a new president. An advisory board 

made up of faculty, staff, students, community members, and 

alumni performed an extensive search and interviews of multiple 

candidates before recommending three candidates to bring to 

campus. After the three candidates visited campus and met with the 

constituent groups, the Board of Trustees offered the position to 

Charles “Chuck” Welch. President Welch infused the university 

with excitement, new ideas, and momentum for future progress but 

left in April 2011 after only three years. The Board of Trustees has 

appointed Vice President for Finance and Administration Bobby 

Jones to serve as the interim president until a new search process is 

completed and a new president is named. The search process is 

taking longer than expected. Two potential candidates were 

brought to campus by the Board of Trustees late in spring 2011, 

but both candidates withdrew their names after the campus expressed 

misgivings about their candidacies. The search will continue 

into the 2011-2012 academic year. 

One result of the present executive search is that some key administrators 

who retired or left are being replaced with interim appointments 

in order to allow the new president the opportunity to shape 

the new cabinet. As a result, there are currently interims in the key 

positions of president, vice president for student services, vice 

president for finance and administration, graduate dean, and 

controller. Fortunately, however, Henderson has strong underlying 

structures and processes that will enable the university to continue 

its forward momentum and administrative talent within the university 

capable of stepping in and performing well in these positions. 

Henderson also made another significant change within the last 

decade that strengthens the university in this time of transition. In 

2008 the Board of Trustees approved adding a provost position. 

Vernon G. Miles was hired shortly thereafter and still serves as the 

provost and vice president for academic affairs. 

Within the last decade, Henderson’s graduate programs have 

expanded and grown, and the number of partially and fully online 

courses has grown. Teachers College introduced Henderson’s first 

degree beyond the master’s level: the Education Specialist degree. 

New buildings and renovations have greatly improved and changed 

the face of campus. The construction of three new residence halls 

6

has made it possible to house a greater number of students on 

campus, creating more of a campus community. Henderson also 

faced significant financial difficulties caused by stagnant and decreasing 

enrollment, the national economic recession, and especially 

the decrease in funding from the state. The enrollment trend, 

however, seems to have reversed itself, and Henderson welcomed its 

largest freshman classes ever in fall semesters 2010 and 2011. 

Response to the Last Visitation Team 

The Higher Learning Commission Visiting Team in 2001 identified 

five challenges that the university should address. There will be 

discussion of these issues within the context of the criteria in the 

main text of the report, but the following will highlight some of the 

actions the university has taken to meet those challenges: 

Challenge 1: The current strategic plan for the implementation 

of the Bold Strokes focus study is incomplete 

without established priorities, time lines, and 

performance indicators. 

Following the 2001 Self-study and HLC Team visit, the university 

examined the Bold Strokes strategic plan and was advised to begin 

a new planning process. The 2005 “Designing Our Destiny” strategic 

plan is discussed in Criterion 2. One aspect of that plan was a 

much more careful delineation of who should be responsible for 

each of the actions and a greater emphasis on 

priorities and indicators. Due to several years 

of economic distress, the university was 

unable to fulfill all the goals of the plan. In 

2009 the new university president, Dr. Welch, 

recognized that Henderson needed a new 

planning document that more specifically 

addressed just those issues raised by the Visit 

Team. The 2010 Strategic Plan that came 

from the planning process is a living plan that 

is meant to be updated regularly and that has 

clear goals, but also addresses all those requirements 

from the HLC Visit Team and 

more. Each goal has clearly stated objectives, 

strategies, activities, necessary resources, 

responsible parties, and evaluation procedures. 

After all the goals were considered, “dates” or timelines for completion 

were also established. This will make it possible to gauge how 

well Henderson is accomplishing its strategic goals and where the 

university needs to concentrate more attention. The Strategic 

Planning Council has just recently held its first annual evaluation 

and update, and is in the process of reviewing the results. 

7

INTRODUCTION 

Challenge 2: The liberal arts mission needs to be 

reflected in the curriculum beyond the general 

education requirements. 

The HLC Visit Team suggested particularly that “both the 

General Education Committee and the Ellis College Curriculum 

Committee could assume more pro-active roles in revising 

documents that would better reflect the liberal arts missions 

and help students make necessary connections between the 

specific courses, the core and a total liberal arts education.” By 

2002 a symbolic yet significant action was taken in renaming 

the “General Education Requirements” for all students the 

“Liberal Arts Core.” 

The most significant accomplishment in this area has come 

alongside the revision of this liberal arts core of required courses. 

In response to a directive to examine the general education 

requirements, the liberal arts core was reduced in size, but more 

importantly, the document was revised to make clearer the 

connections between the specific courses and the liberal arts 

education. The courses are now divided into sections with descriptions 

of how the student will become a more educated 

person as a result of those courses. For the “Essential Skills” 

courses, “Students who successfully complete the essential skills 

component of the Liberal Arts Core will understand and appreciate 

the central role writing and critical thinking play in becoming 

an active student of the liberal arts. By fulfilling the essential 

skills requirements, students will be able to think coherently, write 

clearly and effectively, read with understanding and appreciation, 

speak effectively, demonstrate fundamental mathematical skills, 

and practice lifetime fitness skills. Throughout the Liberal Arts 

Core curriculum, students will develop skills for the appropriate 

use of various forms of technology.” Academic Enrichment 

includes explanations of the skills and attitudes that students will 

develop as a result of completing courses in fine arts and humanities, 

social sciences, and natural sciences. The new liberal arts 

core also includes an elective core class to give the students 

opportunities to add variety to their studies. 

In addition to the liberal arts core requirements for first- and 

second-year students, Henderson requires upper-level courses 

that will refresh those aptitudes and abilities begun in the earlier 

years and keep advanced students connected to the liberal arts 

mission. Because “in a rapidly changing world, understanding 

cultural differences is important in fostering a perspective of 

global concern and acceptance of a range of cultural responses,” 

students are required to complete an upper-level nonwestern 

culture course. Students will learn to “appreciate the complexity 

8

and diversity of world cultures. They will develop an understanding 

of how culture influences behavior, and in turn, how cultural differences 

impact intercultural interactions.” 

More than any other program, Henderson’s “Writing across the Curriculum” 

program emphasizes how the skills, habits, and attitudes of 

a liberal arts student “blend together to produce the ability to write 

well and to think critically.” Upper-level Henderson students are 

required to pass a junior-level writing course, usually University 

Writing. To reinforce the importance of writing to thinking critically 

in all areas of study, each student must also take a course designated 

as Writing Intensive within his/her major. Every academic department 

on campus has thus developed Writing Intensive courses to 

teach to its students the importance of written communication 

within that discipline. 

The Common Book program (discussed in Criterion 4) is another 

example of how the liberal arts mission permeates the curriculum 

and co-curriculum beyond the liberal arts core requirements. All 

Henderson Seminar courses assign a common book chosen each 

year by a committee of faculty with student and staff representation, 

giving the entire freshman class a common learning experience. 

Other courses throughout the university also adopt and use the 

common book from year to year. Co-curricular activities are scheduled, 

including a guest lecture by the book’s author, creating a 

conversation across the university. 

Academic programs across the campus are incorporating the basic 

tenets of Henderson’s liberal arts mission into learning goals for 

students in their programs beyond the liberal arts core. This will be 

discussed in more depth in Criterion 3, but over three-quarters of 

the programs have set the goal that students will think logically and 

critically. Over half of the programs have set goals that students in 

their programs will mature intellectually, emotionally, and physically; 

speak and write effectively; discern appropriate uses of technology; 

participate as concerned, intelligent citizens; and/or appreciate the 

complexity of world cultures. 

Challenge 3: The institution has made little 

or no progress developing a comprehensive 

assessment plan. 

The HLC Visit Team found virtually no comprehensive assessment 

plan at Henderson in 2001 and therefore requested a focused visit on 

the subject. What the Focused Visit Team found in 2007, however, 

was a university that had traveled light years down the path toward 

the development of a culture of assessment: “Since the last visit, 

Henderson State University appointed a full-time Assessment Direc- 

9

INTRODUCTION 

tor (in 2003), revitalized its Assessment Team, and purchased 

TracDat Software to support record-keeping and reporting of 

assessment activities. Professional development activities designed to 

expand faculty and staff knowledge of basic principles of assessment 

and the mechanics of the TracDat system were held. Campus 

workshops provided by national experts in assessment and attendance 

at off-campus workshops, including one sponsored by the 

Higher Learning Commission, were attended by members of the 

Assessment Team and other faculty and staff members.” The 

Focused Visit Team could see that “the beginnings of a commitment 

to a culture of assessment is evident in the commitment made 

through these and other efforts.” 

The Focused Visit Team found several remaining weaknesses in the 

nascent assessment program but found the commitment to assessment 

sufficient to warrant no follow-up by the commission. Since 

the 2007 visit, Henderson has continued that commitment to assessment 

and, in particular, addressed some of those weaknesses, 

including moving all academic departments toward establishing 

baseline data, closing the loop, and using data for improvement. 

Henderson has not been completely successful in all departments, 

but the commitment and the progress has been tremendous. The 

university assessment plan developed in 2003 is periodically revised 

and updated, most recently in fall 2011. Criterion 3A explains in 

significant detail the progress Henderson continues to make in its 

assessment program and how effectively the university and academic 

units have responded to the weaknesses pointed out by the 

Focused Visit Team. 

Challenge 4: Faculty and staff need to embrace and 

take an active role in supporting the efforts of the 

Student Success and Retention Office. 

While faculty and staff still need to do more to support the efforts in 

student success and retention, they have taken a much more active 

role this past decade. In October 2007 after the Academics Committee 

of the Faculty Senate made preliminary suggestions on the 

topic, the Faculty Senate took up the issue of retention by appointing 

an Ad Hoc Committee on Retention. After researching national 

trends and solutions, as well as the particular circumstances at 

Henderson, the Ad Hoc Committee on Retention presented its 

report to the Faculty Senate for approval at the April 2008 Faculty 

Senate meeting. One key recommendation from that report was the 

creation of an Advising Center. In 2010 the Student Success and 

Retention Office was reorganized as an Academic Advising Center 

and placed within the area of the provost and vice president for 

academic affairs. The Academic Advising Center has a director and 

two staff who advise students who have not declared majors, stu- 

10

dents under thirty hours of earned credit who have not completed 

required remedial classes, students on academic probation, and 

provisionally admitted students. 

Other avenues for faculty and staff to actively participate in the 

efforts of Student Success and Retention have been increased in 

the last decade. The (then) Center for Student Success and Transition 

coordinated an event called “Tutoring with the Stars” for a 

few years beginning in 2008. Shortly after six-weeks grades were 

posted, tutors, faculty, staff, and other students met for one evening 

to assist students who were struggling in courses, especially the 

liberal arts core classes. Faculty responded very positively to the 

call for participation. 

Faculty have participated in or conducted workshops for the office 

on topics that help with success and retention. For instance, faculty 

members from many different academic areas have spoken at 

“What Can I Do with this Major?” presentations for students 

during the lunch hour. School of Business faculty member Anita 

Williams has presented workshops on test taking skills. 

Faculty expressed interest in being involved earlier in the advising 

process, and as a result Heart Start, the orientation for first-year 

students held in the summers, was redesigned. One afternoon of 

the two-day Heart Start is now devoted to academic orientation, 

advising, and registration by faculty members of the departments 

in which students have declared their majors. Students who have 

not yet declared are also advised by faculty members who can 

advise them on the liberal arts core. In addition to Heart Start, 

faculty members respond to email requests from the Advising 

Center for assistance in advising at peak registration times, such as 

the first day of registration each semester. 

The Academic Advising Center also coordinates an Early Alert 

retention program, developed as a retention tool to improve 

students’ persistence and to promote survival skills. Faculty members 

are asked to use the system to report students who are doing 

poorly in class, are chronically absent from class, or are experiencing 

other kinds of problems that affect academic performance. 

This enables early detection of problems and possible intervention 

with students who might be at risk for failure. The Early Alert 

system has provided some assistance in retaining some students 

who might not otherwise have stayed in school. However, faculty 

participation is low. In fall 2011 Henderson will implement a new 

program, “MAPworks,” which will track students campus-wide 

and enable faculty and staff throughout the university to report 

potential problems so that appropriate persons may intercede and 

help students through particular difficulties. 

Heart Start, the orientation for 

first-year students, is held each 

summer 

11

INTRODUCTION 

Challenge 5: The existence of graduate level courses 

that are dual listed with junior level courses weakens 

the graduate program. 

After the HLC Visit Team’s report in 2001, the graduate program 

recognized that cross-listing courses between graduate level and 

undergraduate level that were more than one level apart weakened 

the program and moved immediately to insure that no 

6000-level graduate courses were cross-listed with undergraduate 

courses. At that point, some programs removed graduate courses 

dual listed with junior-level undergraduate courses while progress 

stalled in other areas. In preparation for this self-study, the issue 

was examined again and it was discovered that several graduate 

level courses cross listed with junior level courses remained. The 

provost and vice president for academic affairs along with the 

interim graduate dean asked every department to immediately 

move to correct this situation. In August and September 2011 the 

faculty in those departments who still had such courses re-examined 

their curricula. They found that some junior-level undergraduate 

courses were being taught as senior-level courses because 

of the cross-listing with graduate courses. For those courses, the 

departments petitioned the University Academic Council to 

change the course numbers to senior-level to reflect that reality. 

The departments also found, as indicated by the HLC Visit Team 

in 2001, that there were a few junior-level courses that were, 

indeed, being cross-listed with graduate level courses. The faculty 

in those departments petitioned the Graduate Council to remove 

those courses from the Graduate Catalog and the graduate department. 

The Graduate Council met on September 12, 2011, 

and the University Academic Council met on September 21, 

2011, and approved those requests. Henderson no longer offers 

graduate-level courses that are taught within junior-level undergraduate 

courses, and this will only continue to strengthen the 

graduate program. 

Preparation of the Report 

In 2009 the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs 

Vernon G. Miles appointed one staff member, Jennifer Holbrook, 

and one faculty member, Angela Boswell, to co-chair the Higher 

Learning Commission Self-Study Committee. He, along with the 

two co-chairs and the director of assessment, Wrenette Tedder, 

attended the PEAQ Workshop at the Higher Learning Commission 

Conference in 2009. These four individuals would form the 

executive committee of the self-study process. In spring 2009 

Miles appointed the rest of the HLC Steering Committee, including 

the co-chairs for each Criterion subcommittee. In 2010 half 

of the steering committee attended the PEAQ Workshop and 

12

HLC Conference, and in 2011 six steering committee members 

attended, including three who had not attended the previous years. 

Each criterion subcommittee’s co-chairs met and appointed their 

own subcommittees representing the diversity of the university most 

appropriate to assisting in the gathering of information for their 

reports. Sixty-seven faculty and staff served on these five subcommittees 

and the steering committee. Another ten faculty, staff, and 

students served on the Publicity and Spirit Subcommittee (much 

better known as the “Rah Rah” team). 

At the Fall Faculty Conference in 2009, Bege Bowers and Sharon 

Stringer from Youngstown State University kicked off the self-study 

process by introducing the faculty and selected staff members to the 

self-study process and detailing their success in coordinating the 

effort at Youngstown. The five criterion subcommittees began their 

work in fall 2009. Each subcommittee approached its tasks differently, 

but most of the subcommittees met frequently and brainstormed 

as groups as well as broke down into smaller divisions to 

seek evidence and write reports. For instance, the Criterion Four 

subcommittee began its work with an orientation meeting, followed 

by a lively brainstorming session which left every member feeling 

overwhelmed but also invigorated by the depth and 

variety of Henderson activity in all Criterion Four 

core components (see picture of Brainstorming White- 

Board). Using this information as a base, the co-chairs 

developed and distributed an organizational chart to 

help subcommittee members work on assigned core 

components. Through several additional meetings, 

committee members submitted evidence and reported 

results of work on their components. Due to lingering 

confusion over the process, the co-chairs added additional 

committee members to help with writing the 

rough draft and distributed a set of instructions for 

writing the narrative; some subcommittees were 

re-organized. 

Subcommittee members then wrote rough draft narratives. Each 

co-chair edited two core components, sending questions back to 

sub-committee members for clarification as needed. Following the 

Criterion Four open forum, the co-chairs made corrections and 

added additional suggested evidence, sent the revision to committee 

members for final comments, and forwarded the completed draft to 

the HLC steering committee co-chairs. 

Photograph of whiteboard with 

suggestions stemming from 

Criterion 4 committee brainstorming 

meeting. 

However they broke down the responsibilities, the members of the 

subcommittees solicited information from all over campus, giving 

maximum opportunity for campus input as they prepared their 

13

INTRODUCTION 

reports. At the Fall Faculty Conference in 2010, after a brief presentation 

on the commission’s criteria, all the members of all five 

subcommittees and the steering committee set up tables around the 

banquet room and invited faculty members and others to come visit 

with the subcommittees and give them feedback and ideas for what 

should be included in the report. 

At the beginning of the fall 2010 semester, the members of all five 

of the subcommittees met for lunch, and the co-chairs set out the 

goals for the year, including the instructions for writing the first 

drafts. After an intensely busy fall 2010 semester, the subcommittees 

presented drafts of their reports to the campus via email and the 

website. Open forums were held in late January and early February 

where the entire campus was invited to attend and give feedback on 

the reports. From these forums, the subcommittees got ideas for 

revisions to their reports. Most of the subcommittees revised their 

reports and submitted them by April 2010, while a couple of the 

subcommittees took just a little longer. 

Through the two years of preparing the report, the HLC steering 

committee met regularly to discuss the progress of the self study. At 

the beginning of the process, the steering committee devised a 

“Campus Climate Survey” to gauge the attitudes and ideas on 

campus about the university. Eighteen administrators, 148 faculty, 

114 staff, and 274 students participated in the survey. This “Campus 

Climate Survey” indicated widespread satisfaction with how 

Henderson was fulfilling its mission and served as a starting point 

for several of the subcommittees. That survey remained a valuable 

source of insight to the self-study process and other initiatives such 

as strategic planning. All other surveys by subcommittees had to be 

approved by the steering committee, and in the end, only one 

further survey was approved – the Mission Survey. Throughout the 

self-study process, the steering committee co-chairs regularly updated 

the Student Government Association, the Faculty Senate, and 

the Staff Senate about the progress. 

A large number of people actually served on the committees to 

prepare the reports, and through forums, solicitation of information, 

and published rough drafts and updates, the self-study process 

sought after and included the input of the campus community. 

After a summer of revising the individual subcommittee reports, the 

co-chairs presented this report to the campus again, asking every 

member of the community to read it and for every major committee 

and administrator to endorse it. The endorsements are included 

in the appendices 

14

Steering Committee 

Angela Boswell, Co-Chair Steering Committee 

Jennifer Holbrook, Co-Chair Steering Committee 

Vikita Hardwrick, Co-Chair, (1) Mission and Integrity 

Michael Taylor, Co-Chair, (1) Mission and Integrity 

Cathy Bell, Co-Chair, (2) Preparing for the Future 

Sharon Gardner, Co-Chair, (3) Learning and Teaching 

Kenneth Taylor, Co-Chair, (3) Learning and Teaching 

Lea Ann Alexander, Co-Chair, (4) Knowledge 

Vickie Faust, Co-Chair, (4) Knowledge 

David Thomson, Co-Chair, (5) Engagement/Service 

Lonnie Jackson, Co-Chair, (5) Engagement/Service 

Vernon G. Miles, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs 

Wrenette Tedder, Director of Assessment 

Ginger Otwell, Research Associate 

Pam Ligon, Associate Dean of Academic Services 

Chad Fielding, Interim Vice President for Student Services 

Catherine Leach, Co-Chair, Strategic Planning Council 

David Stoddard, Faculty, At-Large 

Criterion One Subcommittee 

Michael Ray Taylor, Professor, Communication and Theatre Arts, Co-Chair 

Vikita Hardwrick, Director, University Relations and Admissions, Co-Chair 

Brett Serviss, Professor, Biology 

Celya Taylor, Interim Associate Dean, Teachers College, and Chair, Curriculum and Instruction 

Beverly Quillin, Education Specialist, Disability Resource Center 

Julia Hall, Professor and Chair, English, Foreign Languages and Philosophy [May 2008-May 2011] 

Criterion Two Subcommittee 

Cathy Bell, Interim Controller, Co-Chair 

Frank Smith, Assistant Professor, Finance, Co-Chair [May 2008-April 2011] 

Pam Bax, Director, TRIO Programs, 

John Corley, Director, Physical Plant 

Sandy Denning, Administrative Assistant, Finance and Administration 

Duane Jackson, Associate Professor, Mathematics and Computer Science 

Jonathan Moss, Instructor, Aviation 

Gary Smithey, Professor and Chair, Advanced Instructional Studies 

Maralyn Sommer, Dean, Ellis College, and Professor, Music 

Kathy Taylor, Director, Human Resources 

Criterion Three Subcommittee 

Ken Taylor, Interim Graduate Dean, Co-Chair 

Sharon Gardner, Administrative Assistant, Academic Affairs, Co-Chair 

Cecilia Addington, Assistant Director, Student Support Services 

Margaret Hoskins, Professor, Accounting 

Randy McCauley, Information Systems Analyst, Instructional Technology 

Basil Miller, Associate Professor, Physics 

Holly Morado, Instructor, Mathematics and Computer Science 

Betty Ramsey, Director, South Arkansas Math and Science Center 

Phillip Schroeder, Professor, Music, and Chair, University Assessment Team 

Bob Yehl, Director, Huie Library 

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INTRODUCTION 

Criterion Four Subcommittee 

Lea Ann Alexander, Associate Librarian, Huie Library, and Director, Henderson 

Seminar, Co-Chair 

Vickie Faust, Assistant Director, Disability Resource Center, Co-Chair 

Lenette Bailey-Jones, Coordinator, Athletic Academic Success 

Stephanie Barron, Associate Professor, English, Foreign Languages, and 

Philosophy 

Mitzi Bass, Assistant Professor, English, Foreign Languages, and Philosophy 

Debbie Buck, Administrative Assistant, Health, Physical Education, Recreation, 

and Athletic Training 

Kathie Buckman, Associate Librarian Huie Library 

Aaron Calvert, Associate Professor, Art 

Martin Campbell, Professor, Chemistry 

Nathan Campbell, Assistant Professor, School of Business 

Dee Cox, Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership 

Jim Duke, Planetarium Manager and Instructor, Physics 

Rhonda Harrington, Assistant Professor, Curriculum and Instruction 

[9/29/2009-8/17/2010] 

Erin Poe, Education Specialist, Disability Resource Center 

David Thigpen, Associate Athletic Director [7/8/2009-10/15/2009] 

Fred Worth, Professor, Mathematics and Computer Science 

Criterion Five Subcommittee 

Lonnie Jackson, Instructor, School of Business, Co-Chair 

David Thomson, Director, Honors College, Co-Chair 

Jill Batson, Instructor, English, Foreign Languages, and Philosophy 

Johnny Campbell, Chief, University Police 

Victor Claar, Professor, School of Business 

Greg Gibson, English, Foreign Languages, and Philosophy 

John Hardee, Chemistry and Associate Dean, Ellis College 

Calvin Johnson, Interim Coordinator of Student Organization and 

Multicultural Services 

Patti Miley, Chair, Family and Consumer Sciences 

Joyce Shepherd, Associate Professor, Sociology 

Drew Smith, Director, Center for International Programs 

Lynn Stanley, Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Athletic Training 

Katherine Strause, Chair, Art 

Sheryl Strother, Assistant Director, Community Education Center 

Anita Williams, Professor, School of Business 

Beth Wyatt, Assistant Professor, Advanced Instructional Studies 

Rah, Rah Team 

David Stoddard, Professor, Art, Co-Chair 

Chad Fielding, Interim Vice President for Student Services, Co-Chair 

Tammy Wardlaw, Office Supervisor, Physical Plant 

Megan Hickerson, Assistant Professor, Social Sciences 

Paul Glover, Assistant Professor, Communication and Theatre Arts 

Jacquelyn Inouye, Marketing Coordinator, Public Relations 

Allan Ford, Counselor, Admissions 

Nick Langley, Student 

Mark Head, Student 

Arsala Khan, Graduate Student 

16

Editorial Team 

Angela Boswell, Professor, History, and Co-Chair Steering Committee 

Peggy Dunn Bailey, Professor and Chair, English, Foreign Languages, and 

Philosophy 

Stephanie Barron, Associate Professor, English, Foreign Languages, and 

Philosophy 

Vernon G. Miles, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs 

Publication Committee 

Jennifer Holbrook, Director, Instructional Technology, and Co-Chair Steering 

Committee 

David Stoddard, Professor, Art 

Amy Porter, Student Extra Help 

Matthew Ragan, Student Extra Help 

Graduate Student Assistant 

Arsala Khan 

17

The organization operates 

with integrity to ensure the 

fulfillment of its mission 

through structures and 

processes that involve the 

board, administration, 

faculty, staff, and students. 

19

Criterion One: 

Mission and 

Integrity 

CORE COMPONENT 1A 

Subcommittee members: 

Michael Ray Taylor, 

Professor, Communication and 

Theatre Arts, Co-Chair 

Vikita Hardwrick 

Director, University Relations and 

Admissions, Co-Chair 

Brett Serviss 

Professor, Biology 

Celya Taylor 

Interim Associate Dean, Teachers 

College, and Chair, 

Curriculum and Instruction 

Introduction 

First-year students start their college careers at Henderson by 

forming the shape of a heart on the campus lawn. First-generation 

students stand shoulder-to-shoulder with students whose parents 

and grandparents went to Henderson. While the photographer 

repositions students to get the heart shape just right, a student from 

rural Arkansas who has rarely been more than thirty miles from 

home meets an international student from overseas. People of 

different races and ethnicities stand together to make one heart 

– the heart of Henderson. From there these students journey forward 

over the next few weeks to learn, with the transfer students 

and graduate students they meet along the way, about the traditions 

of Henderson, especially the “Reddie Spirit” that will come to 

dwell in each of them. 

As a mascot the “Reddie Spirit” has been difficult to describe 

concretely or to represent visually. And as a slogan the “School with 

a Heart” has been interpreted in many different ways. Like the 

heart and spirit of Henderson, the mission of the university has 

also sometimes been difficult to describe or capture succinctly and 

concretely. Yet faculty, staff, students, and the community alike 

instinctively know the meaning of that heart: diverse learners 

coming together as one university to imbibe that spirit which will 

prepare each of them for a lifetime of learning. Or, in summary, 

the lived mission of the institution: Henderson State University, 

“The School with a Heart,” offers quality undergraduate and 

graduate education to a diverse student body. As Arkansas’s public 

liberal arts university, we empower each student to excel in a 

complex and changing world. 

To that end, Henderson clearly communicates its mission to provide 

Arkansas a public liberal arts university, open to a wide diversity of 

learners. The mission is carried out through effective leadership 

and collaborative processes that insure integrity. Through heart and 

spirit, dedication to the mission pervades the university. 

Beverly Quillin 

Education Specialist, Disability 

Resource Center 

Julia Hall 

Professor and Chair, English, 

Foreign Languages and Philosophy 

[May 2008-May 2011] 

20

CORE COMPONENT 1A: The organization’s mission 

documents are clear and articulate publicly the organization’s 

commitments. 

Clear Commitments 

From its founding in 1890 as Arkadelphia Methodist College to becoming 

Henderson State Teachers College in 1929, through the creation of 

its graduate school in 1955 and its declaration as Arkansas’s public 

liberal arts university in 1987, Henderson has displayed a deep commitment 

to the liberal arts as it provides a quality education to a diverse 

student body. This focus is reflected in the institution’s membership in 

the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges and in its mission statement, 

adopted in 1988. 

University Mission Statement 

Henderson State University is Arkansas’s public liberal arts university. 

True to the century-long tradition that has distinguished Henderson 

since its founding, the university remains dedicated to providing 

excellent undergraduate curricula and graduate programs. Henderson, 

a Southern regional institution with a diverse student body, 

advocates a program based on the liberal arts, regardless of specific 

educational interests. Through a common core of courses in arts and 

sciences, as well as through the more specialized curricula, the university 

fosters the maximum growth and development of each student. 

More specifically, Henderson endeavors to provide an education that 

will nurture in each student the capacity: 

•To think logically and critically; 

•To speak and write effectively; 

•To appreciate the complexity and diversity of world cultures; 

•To understand the physical universe; 

•To participate as a concerned, intelligent citizen; 

•To acquire mastery of a particular field of study; 

•To mature intellectually, emotionally, and physically; and 

•To discern appropriate uses of technology. 

Henderson’s primary mission 

is to excel in undergraduate 

education. The board, 

administration, faculty and 

staff together strive to enrich 

the quality of learning and 

teaching. In pursuit of this 

goal, the university seeks a 

culturally rich and diverse 

student community, actively 

recruiting, challenging, 

supporting, and motivating 

21


students to achieve academic success. Quality in education is 

fostered not only by a positively motivated student body, but also 

by a faculty and staff distinguished for their continuing commitment 

to excellence. University care and concern, positive student 

response, small class sizes, and a personal, friendly atmosphere— 

these characteristics are the heart of Henderson. 

The university encourages excellence in teaching and supports 

scholarly and creative endeavors on the part of both its faculty 

and students. These endeavors form the foundation upon which 

Henderson builds appropriate programs in response to the needs 

of various communities that it serves. In close concert with these 

communities, Henderson applies its expertise to develop programs 

that will promote the preservation and improvement of 

the quality of life in Arkansas. 

A Lived Mission 

In 2008 Dr. Charles “Chuck” Welch became the first new president 

of Henderson in twenty-two years, succeeding Dr. Charles Dunn, 

who remains on the faculty as Distinguished Professor of Political 

Science. As part of an extensive year-long presidential search 

process, a series of public discussions were held to invite various 

stakeholders—faculty, staff, students, alumni, and members of the 

community—to articulate their thoughts and concerns for the 

future of Henderson. Once the new president was invested, President 

Welch continued this open discussion process through the 

formation of a broad-based Strategic Planning Council. In November 

2010 President Welch announced his intention to leave Henderson 

to assume the presidency of the Arkansas State University 

system. After this announcement, the Board of Trustees expressed 

a commitment to continue to follow the broad goals and objectives 

outlined during the search process that resulted in the hiring of 

President Welch, which were also strongly pursued during President 

Welch’s three-year tenure. 

Arising from the strategic thinking that began with the 2007 presidential 

search and continued through initiation of the self-study 

process came the recognition that when the university Mission 

Statement was adopted in 1988, it was common for university 

missions to include elements of history as well as statements of 

general goals, vision, and specific objectives. However, in the 

decades since the current mission statement was adopted, there has 

been a national trend to simplify and clarify college mission statements 

to a concise core. While it is likely that the Strategic Planning 

Council will begin to take such a step with the university mission 

statement in the near future, during spring 2010 a series of campuswide 

surveys and focus group meetings led to the development of a 

university mission summary, a simple statement that is intended to 

summarize the core mission of the university as lived and practiced 

by current stakeholders. 

22

Mission Summary 

Henderson State University, “The School with a Heart,” offers 

quality undergraduate and graduate education to a diverse 

student body. As Arkansas’s public liberal arts university, we 

empower each student to excel in a complex and changing world. 

The summary above is not a change from the more lengthy mission 

statement; Henderson is still committed to all the tenets of its 

mission. The summary, however, is intended to help express the 

heart of the mission statement when conciseness is desired. 

Articulating Quality 

Incoming freshmen at Henderson are generally required to take a 

one-hour, nine-week course entitled “Henderson Seminar,” which 

seeks to prepare them for success in college and introduces them to 

the traditions, available support systems and services, and mission 

of the university. Specifically, most sections of the course spend 

time discussing the value of a liberal arts education and the Henderson 

mission statement; beginning in 2010, seminar students in 

some sections were encouraged to memorize the mission summary 

and to find creative ways to put it into practice. Thus from the 

beginning, the importance of mission is communicated to students. 

In some cases, students have been exposed to the university’s 

mission long before enrolling at Henderson, because many specific 

departments and programs incorporate the mission into their 

recruiting materials and visits. 

For example, Dr. James Engman, chair of the Biology Department, 

visits high school biology classes and clubs with a slide show that 

begins with Henderson’s mission and then shows images of Henderson 

students in the field, exploring the natural world along a 

coral reef and appreciating diverse cultures in a Mayan ruin and a 

Panamanian fishing village. Similar mission-specific messages are 

communicated in recruiting trips by theatre and mathematics 

faculty. Many university documents, such as brochures, course 

syllabi, and departmental websites, include the university mission as 

well as specific departmental mission statements. Advertising for 

new faculty and administrative positions also references the liberal 

arts element of the university’s mission. 

Each summer the Ellis College publishes FORGE, an award-winning 

magazine celebrating accomplishments within the liberal arts 

by the college’s faculty, students, alumni, and departments. The 

magazine is distributed to alumni, current faculty, and prospective 

students. The 2010 issue, for example, included a profile of a 

current graduate student who had won a national essay contest; a 

profile of an alumnus and current adjunct professor who is an 

Emmy-winning newscaster; a profile of a music graduate who 

Biology students in the field 

23


found success on Broadway and is now supporting programs for 

at-risk youth in Arkansas; an article on community archeology 

classes offered by Henderson; articles on recent accomplishments in 

the biology and mass media programs; and an essay in which a 

current freshman reflected on how her mother, a nationally known 

novelist and inspiration of a popular HBO television series, influenced 

her to become a dedicated student athlete. Another annual 

publication, Academic Forum, allows professors, graduate students, 

and, occasionally, talented graduating seniors from all three 

colleges to share research, essays, and reviews with colleagues 

across disciplinary lines. The 2010 issue included research in psychology 

and mathematics, a business undergraduate’s capstone 

research on the bankruptcy of Kmart, personal essays on childhood 

archetypes and on visiting the graves of Major League Baseball 

players, and interviews with a nationally-known historian and a 

popular humorist. 

The university’s mission is more subtly communicated to the surrounding 

community throughout the year in the form of plays, musical 

concerts, dance recitals, art shows, lectures, and debates that are 

open to the public and publicized through local and regional media. 

Several grant-funding bodies on campus, such as the Ellis College 

Margin of Excellence Fund, bring in nationally known speakers, 

artists, and performers who celebrate the liberal arts in public settings. 

In similar outreach efforts, professors from all three colleges routinely 

give public presentations locally and throughout the state, sharing 

their research and creativity as fostered by the mission. More detail 

can be found in discussions in Criterion 4, but sample off-campus 

public presentations given in the community in 2010 include a lecture 

on the history of the American labor movement, a documentary film 

on alternative medical treatments, a slide show on the exploration of 

lava tubes in Hawaii, and an art show dealing with recovery from 

breast cancer. 

Evolving Empowerment 

The university and subunit mission documents continue to evolve as 

reflections of Henderson’s lived mission as Arkansas’s public liberal arts 

university. The Strategic Planning Council, the Assessment Team, and 

individual colleges and departments engage in periodically revising— 

and simplifying—mission statements and supporting documents. These 

decisions are informed by surveys of students, faculty, staff, and alumni, 

as well as public meetings and focus groups. As an example of one of 

the many feedback opportunities related to mission evolution, a survey 

specifically on the university mission was conducted in 2010. Slightly 

different surveys were administered to students and faculty/staff but 

generated similar results, indicating general support of the mission, but 

some confusion over the current mission statement. 

24

Open response comments from both faculty/staff and students 

indicated that some with career-specific disciplines, such as nursing 

and aviation, are dissatisfied with a mission that prioritizes the 

liberal arts, and some faculty and students felt that the current 

mission statement emphasizes undergraduate education to the 

detriment of graduate programs. The challenges presented by 

these responses will require all constituents to better communicate 

the role of the liberal arts in successful training in all disciplines, 

including career-specific studies; i.e., to foster the notion, supported 

by research, that a pilot with a liberal arts education will be 

better prepared for her profession, as well as equipped to live a 

better life, than a pilot trained without the liberal arts. In other 

words, faculty, staff, and administration must continually 

communicate that Henderson graduates are successful pilots, 

accountants, and medical researchers who know history, write 

well, and appreciate the arts. Likewise, some of the negative 

survey responses challenge all constituents to better reflect the 

importance of the Graduate School and the strong role its students 

play in the life of the university in future mission development 

and university communications. 

Despite the small number of negative responses, however, the 

bulk of survey comments supports the current lived mission, 

while recognizing the need to simplify and clarify the current 

mission statement, and it is likely that such a task will be taken 

up by the Strategic Planning Council in the wake of the current 

accreditation process. The self-reflection process conducted at 

the university level via surveys, suggestions, and focus groups, is 

similarly duplicated at the department and administrative unit 

level through annual assessment reports, and these units will 

likewise continue to empower their constituencies to refine and 

revise their mission documents. 

25

CORE COMPONENT 1B 

CORE COMPONENT 1B: In its mission 

documents, the organization recognizes the diversity 

of its learners, other constituencies, and the greater 

society it serves. 

In its mission statement and lived mission, Henderson both 

recognizes the diversity of learners it seeks to educate and 

values knowledge of diversity for empowering students to excel in 

a complex world. The Office of External Affairs-Diversity heads 

a proactive effort to facilitate the university’s ongoing commitment 

to and awareness of the importance of diversity to students, 

staff, faculty, and administrators. As a result, people and departments 

throughout the university make a conscious effort to build 

healthy and diverse learning environments in accordance with 

the mission statement. 

Diversity Plan 

Henderson strives to offer an environment where diversity honors 

differences without creating superior or inferior relationships, and 

where, as Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen once said, 

“the talents of many create the strength of one.” In order to fulfill 

this mission, in 2003 Henderson appointed a Diversity Council 

which developed a plan for the university that was reviewed in 

2006. The goals of this plan are to 

• Recruit and retain a diverse faculty, staff, and student body. 

• Revise employment practices and procedures throughout 

the university to reflect university policies and procedures. 

• Incorporate issues of diversity and inclusiveness in 

the curriculum. 

• Improve Henderson’s involvement within the community. 

Henderson issues an update on this plan annually. In 2009 with 

the reorganization of duties of the president’s cabinet and the 

appointment of Lewis Shepherd as vice president for external 

programs, Shepherd was also chosen to focus the university’s 

diversity planning. He appointed a Diversity Taskforce to review 

the diversity plan, and that taskforce, under the direction of Pedro 

Lopes, has made progress at a thorough review, which is ongoing. 

As can be expected with a constantly evolving plan, not all of the 

goals have been met, although some have seen significant progress, 

especially recruiting a diverse campus community and incorporating 

diversity and inclusiveness in the curriculum (see below). 

26

Recruiting a Diverse Campus Community 

As identified in Henderson’s diversity plan, “The growth in 

minority populations within the Henderson service area, as well 

as the nation, creates an opportunity for the recruitment of new 

students, staff, and faculty if the campus community is perceived 

as welcoming of diverse populations. Mounting research continues 

to indicate that students benefit from a diverse campus 

environment that prepares them for life and work in a global 

society.” To educate all those in the community of which the 

university is a part and to benefit all of its students, Henderson 

actively recruits for racial diversity. 

As vice president for external programs, Lewis 

Shepherd is responsible for the operation of the 

Community Education Center, external program 

offerings, and diversity. The institution, employees, 

and students become more accessible to a diverse 

population when campus community members 

interact with external community members through 

programs such as Reddie to Serve and the Minority 

Health Forum. Such interactions are educational 

and increase opportunities for the institution to 

attract and recruit minority employees and students. 

Hiring Practices 

Henderson promotes the belief that diversity in the faculty, staff, 

and administration is important to creating a diverse community 

and fulfilling its primary mission of providing a quality education. 

The search and selection process for faculty has been 

developed over the years from a sincere desire to provide a fair 

and impartial method of hiring, assuring a balanced, diverse, and 

highly qualified faculty and staff. The Non-classified Employees 

Recruitment Handbook begins with the premise, “If we do not 

take the time to fully search for and select the best qualified 

candidates, then we defeat the mission’s purpose.” The General 

Counsel serves as the Affirmative Action Officer and places all 

advertising for faculty positions, thus insuring that statements 

affirming the university’s commitment to equal opportunity in 

employment practices appear on all advertisements and publications. 

That office also sends all professional job postings to a 

selection of universities with a diverse candidate population, for 

example: Arkansas Baptist College, Little Rock, Arkansas; Philander 

Smith College, Little Rock, Arkansas; Florida A&M, Tallahassee, 

Florida; and Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee. 

The Staff Handbook and the Faculty Handbook both 

prominently announce Henderson’s non-discrimination policy. 

Dr. Lewis Shepherd thanks 

Henderson volunteers 

before they receive their 

Reddie to Serve assignments 

27


Between 2002 and 2010, the percentage of all employees who are 

minorities (or list one or more races) increased from 14.4 to 18.8. 

(See Table 1B-1.) Full-time faculty members who are minorities rose 

from 8.1 percent in 2002 to nearly 14.8 percent in 2010. 

Student Recruitment 

Henderson recruits eligible minority students in a variety of ways. 

Henderson recruits and disperses diversity scholarships to minority 

students. Additionally, each summer, Henderson hosts a Summer 

Institute for prospective Students which encourages minority students to 

pursue post-secondary education. This institute also provides academic 

and social skills training needed for a successful transition to collegiate 

life. Henderson also makes it clear that its campus is welcoming. It 

proudly hosts seven historically black fraternities and sororities. The 

Black Student Association (BSA) promotes cultural awareness and 

diversity among African-American students and the campus and local 

community. The primary goal of the BSA is to assist all students in 

receiving the best academic, social, and cultural education possible. 

The BSA is a liaison for its members to the Student Government 

Association and administration of the university. In 2005 a joint effort 

between the BSA, university departments, Henderson Foundation, and 

the (then) Office of Diversity allowed Henderson students and community 

to hear Maya Angelou deliver a lecture in Arkansas Hall regarding 

poetry, literature, and the need to learn and cherish African-American 

culture. Every year, the Office of External Affairs-Diversity creates 

programming open to the campus and community celebrating and 

welcoming diversity. 

As a result of these and other activities, Henderson’s student enrollment 

became slightly more racially diverse between 2005 and 2009, with a 

7.3 percentage point increase in minorities. Since 2005 enrollment as a 

percentage of total students for African American students has increased 

by 2.5 percentage points with ninety additional students, by 0.5 

percentage points with fifteen additional Asian students, by 0.9 percentage 

points with thirty-two additional Hispanic students, and by 0.1 

percentage points with the addition of three Hawaiian students. The 

category for reporting two or more races was added in 2009, with 143 

respondents, or 4 percent of students, indicating being of more than 

one race. Other racial categories have changed minutely over the five 

year span. In comparison to other Arkansas universities, in fall 2009 

Henderson had about 14.2 percent less diversity reported than the most 

diverse campus, and 6.1 percent more diversity than the least diverse 

campus. (See Table 1B-2.) Henderson has also seen an increase of 

first-time freshmen enrolling, from 577 in 2005 up to 813 in 2010. Male 

students have increased from 1,437 to 1,627, and females have decreased 

from 2,147 to 2,086 since 2005. 

28

TABLE 1B-1 

Henderson State University Breakdown of Employees by Race 

TABLE 1B-2 

Racial Composition of Students at Several Arkansas Universities 

29


International Students 

Recruitment of international students, who are integrated with 

American students in the classroom and their social interactions, 

plays a pivotal role in shaping students’ global experiences. A 

global education cannot be realized without a strong curricular 

base. The globally educated student is prepared to think critically, 

communicate, and formulate conclusions about global affairs and 

understand their roles in the ever expanding global marketplace. 

Between fall 2004 and fall 2010, the number of international 

students has ranged from 60 to 121 per year, with most years 

seeing between 80 and 100 students with F1 visas representing 

between 25 and 30 countries. To obtain an F1 visa, a student 

must carry a full-time load in an academic program or English 

Language Program at a U.S. college or university. Since 1986 the 

Henderson International Student Association (HISA) has served 

as an organization to welcome international students as well as to 

reach out to the broader Henderson community to educate it 

about other cultures. Every spring, the organization participates 

in International Focus Week which brings international speakers 

to campus. The week culminates in a cherished Henderson 

tradition with the International Food Festival where members of 

HISA and their friends and associates cook foods traditionally 

eaten by students from various countries and serve them to the 

campus community. Other programming throughout the year, 

including a dessert tasting and monthly coffeehouses, invites 

others to share and learn about other cultures from international 

students who host the events. (See Table 1B-3.) 

Curriculum and Programs 

In addition to promoting a diverse campus, Henderson takes 

seriously its mission tenet of providing an education that 

will nurture in each student the capacity to appreciate the 

complexity and diversity of world cultures through its 

curricula and programs. 

All students are required to take a junior- or senior-level nonwestern 

culture course. For example, the studies of lands, peoples, 

resources, and contemporary problems in non-European countries 

and cultures, such as Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific 

culture areas of Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia, are 

explored in “Geography of the Pacific.” In order to assist educators 

in working with a growing student population from multicultural 

backgrounds, the knowledge, sensitivity, awareness, and 

strategies necessary to address a culturally diverse population are 

provided in “Teaching People of Other Cultures,” another one 

of the twenty-two electives for this requirement. (See Table 1B-4.) 

30

In addition to the nonwestern culture requirements, 

courses in the Social Sciences, Psychology, and Human 

Services and Sociology departments emphasize social 

issues and the challenges of a diverse world within their 

curricula. For instance, students in Geography of Latin 

America pay special attention to the problems in 

economic development of Latin America, while Racial 

and Cultural Minorities students study the interactions 

of ethnic and cultural groups in America and the 

processes leading to group prejudices, conflicts, and 

accommodations. 

TABLE 1B-3 

Regular International Events on Campus 

Within the curriculum of Henderson Seminar, all freshmen 

receive the opportunity to discuss cultural differences 

and to appreciate and understand the diversity 

Henderson has to offer, both academically and socially. 

During the all-important first semester, the messages of 

Henderson Seminar are reinforced through speakers 

and student activity programming that give students 

the opportunity to learn from others who do not share 

the same cultural mindset or background. 

Interdisciplinary minors especially focus on the diversity of 

academic approaches and peoples. The Human Diversity minor 

fosters “respect for the diversity of people and cultures within the 

bond of humankind” and “examines differences and similarities 

in individual human behavior as related to issues such as race, 

ethnicity, gender, gender roles, creed, religion, culture, age, body 

type, physical conditions, sexual orientation, learning differences, 

social skills differences, intelligence level, regional differences, 

language, dialect, socioeconomic status, and other areas of individual 

and group differences.” The Women’s and Gender Studies 

minor’s mission is to challenge students to think critically about 

sexuality, gender, race, class, and nationality. The International 

Studies minor especially encourages the students to study the 

diversity of cultures in the world through the disciplines of history, 

sociology, political science, geography, and business. 

TABLE 1B-4 

Nonwestern Culture Courses 

31


Samuel Larrain, 

exchange student from 

Universidad del Pacifico 

Outside-the-classroom experiences, such as Women’s History 

Month, International Focus Week, Black History Month, and 

other programming through the Office of External Affairs-Diversity 

provide students opportunities to personally experience and 

explore diversity. 

Although Henderson has lagged in developing study abroad opportunities, 

particularly semester and year abroad programs, Henderson 

sponsors annual summer study abroad opportunities in China and 

research experiences in Belize and Panama. The Center for International 

Programs is working with overseas institutions in an effort to 

create international education exchange relationships. The center 

currently has an agreement with the Universidad del Pacifico in 

Santiago, Chile, and has already begun exchanging students. It has 

a relationship with Okinawa International University in Okinawa 

(OIU), Japan, and hosted a group of its students. The center is 

working with OIU to procure opportunities for American students. 

The center is also exploring an exchange agreement with Al Akhawayn 

University in Ifrane, Morocco. 

Diversity of Learners 

In addition to racial and ethnic diversity, Henderson celebrates 

and supports many kinds of diversity among its learners. For 

instance, in 2010, 52 percent of Henderson undergraduates were 

first generation students. Thus, Henderson supports a First Year 

Experience program open to any entering student but aimed 

especially at supporting students who need assistance learning 

about the culture of university learning. The Academic Advising 

Center is designed to provide academic enrichment and support 

to assist students with defining and successfully achieving their 

educational goals. The Center for Language Proficiency provides 

outreach opportunities for language assessment, multilingual 

services, and lifelong learning, while additionally teaching skills 

and providing opportunities to enhance the quality of life for 

Henderson students by enhancing cultural integration and awareness, 

increasing English communication skills, and offering Teaching 

of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Internet-based 

(IBT) preparation classes. 

Henderson is also fortunate to host six federally-funded TRIO 

programs that serve up to 2,053 individuals. Two of the TRIO 

programs particularly recognize the diverse needs of Henderson’s 

current and potential students: Student Support Services, which 

assists low income and/or first generation students, and the 

Student Support Services, Disabled, known on campus as the 

Disability Resource Center (DRC), which assists students with 

disabilities, offer programming such as study skill development, 

32

tutorial services, academic, financial and career guidance, mentoring, 

and technological assistance. DRC also partners with faculty 

and staff in creating an accessible and supportive environment for 

students with disabilities. In addition, three other TRIO programs 

are outreach programs designed to encourage adults and youth to 

attend or return to college; the Educational Opportunity Center 

and the Talent Search program both provide information and 

assistance on college admission and financial aid, while Veterans 

Upward Bound prepares veterans academically for postsecondary 

education. The Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement 

Program, provides first-generation, low-income and/or underrepresented 

college students with effective preparation for doctoral 

studies. (See also Criterion 5.) 

Nontraditional students composed 20 percent of Henderson students 

in 2010, and Henderson works to meet their special needs. 

The Academic Advising Center for several years has collected 

donated, refurbished computers and redistributed them to students, 

giving first priority to nontraditional students who often commute 

and find it difficult to balance computer lab time on campus with 

the demands of work and family. Student Support Services also 

sponsors nontraditional support groups for students to share coping 

strategies with each other. In an effort to retain and give nontraditional 

students a voice and support, the Non-Traditional Student 

Organization (NTSO) attempts to 

• serve as a liaison between nontraditional students and the Student 

Government Association; 

• serve as a student organization that provides leadership opportunities, 

information, and encourages involvement in campus life 

activities and university services; 

• provide educational enhancement through program and entertainment 

opportunities for nontraditional students and their 

families; 

• enhance retention of nontraditional students through programmed 

events, educational reinforcement and assistance, and 

social unity and acceptance. 

The NTSO fluctuates in its level of activity from year to year, as 

can be expected. It remains an available resource for students, and 

it helped establish a local chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda, the 

national nontraditional student honor society. 

Summary 

Henderson is engaged in recruiting and serving faculty, staff, and 

students who reflect the diversity of the university’s constituencies 

and the greater society it serves. This effort not only endeavors to 

fairly serve the population of Arkansas, but it also enriches the 

learning of all the students. 

33

CORE COMPONENT 1C 

CORE COMPONENT 1C: Understanding of and 

support for the mission pervade the organization. 

Support for the Mission 

The board, administration, faculty, staff, and students understand 

and support the university’s mission. As described in Core Component 

1A, the mission documents are widely publicized and clearly 

stated. Although no assessment or survey tool addresses whether the 

Henderson Board of Trustees understand and/or support the 

organization’s mission, it is clear that the Board understands and 

supports the mission through the allocation of resources, policies, 

and consistent dedication to the university. 

A recent campus climate survey of faculty, staff, administrators, and 

students was administered in 2009, and the results showed positively 

that the different constituencies believe in, understand, and 

support the mission of Henderson. They may not be able to quote 

the mission statement word for word, but they appear to have a 

clear understanding of the university’s mission. Academic and 

administrative units understand that Henderson is Arkansas’s public 

liberal arts university, dedicated to excellence in teaching. A minority 

of responders, however, questioned the university’s liberal arts 

designation, stating a belief that more emphasis should be given in 

the mission to career preparation rather than to the liberal arts. 

Specifically, Question 9 on the 2009 Campus Climate Survey asked 

faculty, staff, administrators, and students to respond to the following 

statement: “I received adequate orientation to the University’s 

mission and culture as a new member of the campus.” Question 34 

asked them to respond to the question, “I understand the mission 

of the university.” Question 35 asked them to respond to “I support 

the mission of the university.” Question 37 asked them to respond 

to the statement, “Henderson’s mission statement reflects the needs 

and aspirations of prospective students in our region.” In every 

group, the majority of respondents answered “Agree” or “Strongly 

Agree.” 

Faculty was asked to respond to the statement in Question 5 of the 

Campus Climate Survey: “Faculty Senate is promoted and accepted 

as a valued organization in line with the University’s mission.” 

Question 6 asked staff to respond to the statement: “Staff Senate is 

promoted and accepted as a valued organization in line with the 

University’s mission.” Question 7 asked students to respond to the 

statement: “The Student Government Association is promoted and 

accepted as a valid and valuable organization in line with the 

University’s mission.” These questions asked of the three groups 

received positive responses. Comments from the survey reflect 

34

strong support and a clear understanding of the mission. Additional 

comments indicate that Henderson has an intellectually engaged 

faculty dedicated to teaching strong academic programs. A number 

of respondents commented about the welcoming, friendly, and 

caring environment of Henderson, that it is community-oriented, 

and that the campus strives to help improve and/or support various 

aspects of the surrounding communities. 

Connecting Mission and Action 

Henderson’s strategic planning is discussed extensively in Criterion 

2. However, the three strategic plans that have shaped the ten years 

since the last self-study have all been intricately connected to the 

university’s mission. The 1998 Bold Strokes strategic plan listed as 

its #1 Initiative: “Henderson State University will implement its 

liberal arts mission…” Each subsequent initiative was then linked to 

this first and most important initiative. In 2005 each taskforce of 

the Designing Our Destiny strategic plan tied its recommendations 

to the university mission. For instance, the Academics taskforce 

summary began its recommendations, “As Arkansas’s Public Liberal 

Arts University, Henderson has the obligation to present any and all 

opportunities for its students to better comprehend culture and 

ideas beyond what can be found in Arkansas.” In 2010, upon the 

appointment of the first new president in twenty-two years, President 

Welch instituted a new strategic planning process that would 

be fluid and ongoing. Subcommittees were formed to look at 

Henderson’s plans/goals for the future. The specific goals are 

supported by objectives, strategies, and activities. In order to support 

the seventeen goals, the subcommittees looked at what resources 

would be needed, which university personnel or department 

would undertake the accomplishment of each objective, the projected 

dates at which objectives should be achieved, and the type of 

evaluation that should be used to measure success. After President 

Welch departed in April 2011, Bobby Jones, interim president, has 

continued to support this initiative; campus constituents fully 

expect that the plan’s goals will be further pursued by the new 

president. Although the goals were not numbered according 

to priority, Goal #1 is that “A culture of commitment to 

the mission will permeate the university.” 

Sharing the Mission 

Throughout the university, the mission is continually explored 

and passed on to new students. For instance, Henderson Seminar 

and other programs for first-time freshmen are designed to familiarize 

students with the mission and to welcome them into a community 

of lifelong learning. The Honors College incorporates and 

celebrates the mission in all of its classes and activities, through 

syllabi and assignments that directly quote the Mission Statement 

35


and relate its tenets to specific class activities, ensuring that the most 

accomplished students carry the mission throughout the campus 

and beyond. 

One Mission, Many Statements 

The mission, as described in both the summary and the longer 

Mission Statement, is carried out by the three colleges that compose 

the university, and by their many departments and subunits, as 

reflected in the separate mission statements guiding each unit. Both 

mission summary and statement identify the principal constituencies 

served by the university with the two somewhat different 

phrases, “diverse student body” and “Arkansas’s public liberal arts 

university.” The first recognizes the primary internal constituency— 

the student body—and celebrates its diversity in race, gender, 

culture, age, income level, nationality, and many other variables; 

the second statement underscores that the university serves the 

people of Arkansas (not just the immediately surrounding community), 

as their only state-supported institution dedicated to the 

liberal arts. These principal internal and external constituencies are 

also recognized within the mission statements of the colleges and 

various academic and administrative subunits. 

The largest academic unit of the university is the Matt Locke Ellis 

College of Arts and Sciences, which carries the mission statement: 

The mission of the Ellis College is to offer a superior academic 

program based on a comprehensive core of courses in the arts 

and sciences. The full integration of this liberal education 

component into the four-year undergraduate curriculum is 

designed to enable all Henderson students to do the following: 

think logically and critically; communicate effectively; appreciate 

the diversity of all cultures; understand the physical universe; 

participate in society as concerned, intelligent citizens; and 

appreciate appropriate uses of technology. This core of courses 

provides the foundation for all majors within the Ellis College of 

Arts and Sciences as well as the School of Business and Teachers 

College, Henderson. 

In that the university existed as Henderson State Teachers College 

from 1929 to 1967, teacher education has long been a key component 

of the overall mission, and the mission statement of Teachers 

College makes clear the college’s integral connection to mission: 

Teachers College, Henderson State University, through quality 

instruction, service, and research, prepares reflective teachers, 

school leaders, counselors and other professionals who demonstrate 

high expectations for individual self-realization. Moreover, 

the College is committed to preparing these professionals with 

the 21st century knowledge and skills required to become successful 

citizens in a highly technological and diverse world. 

36

As Dr. Jeffrey L. Hamm, dean of the School of Business describes 

his program, “Our aim is to provide a first-class business education 

that is nestled in a liberal arts environment.” As a result of the 

ongoing process of mission focus and evolution, in early 2011 the 

School of Business established a new mission statement and core 

values: 

The School of Business at Henderson State University provides 

an educational environment in which excellent faculty, enthusiastic 

students, and engaged partners collaborate in experiential 

learning activities. 

Core Values 

Integrity: We exhibit and expect high ethical standards and 

morality in all we do 

Intellectual Curiosity: We promote education as a journey of 

intellectual curiosity 

Collaboration: We actively promote faculty, student, and community 

collaboration in the educational process 

Excellence: We strive for excellence in teaching, research, and 

service 

The separate mission statements of the three colleges are carried 

forward within the mission statements of individual departments 

and administrative units, as illustrated in Table 1C-1, “Sample 

Departmental Missions.” In addition to the mission statements of 

the administrative divisions of the three colleges, two organizations 

that serve all students, regardless of college, also carry clear mission 

statements that support the overall lived mission. The Honors 

College mission statement reads in part, 

The overarching purpose of the Honors College is summed up 

in the single ancient Greek word, areté (highest excellence), which 

the students and faculty of the College have taken as their motto. 

In working to achieve this purpose, the Honors College shares 

the university’s goal “to excel in undergraduate education,” 

always striving “to enrich the quality of learning and teaching.” 

The program is directly involved in actively recruiting, challenging, 

and supporting those students who are among the most 

highly motivated toward achieving academic success. 

The Graduate School mission states its particular goals and objectives 

and concludes by linking those specifically to the university 

mission statement: 

The mission of the Henderson State University Graduate School 

is to provide advanced and specialized education beyond the 

baccalaureate program. Henderson State University offers 

graduate study that is intended to 

• Strengthen the academic and professional competence of the 

student; 

37


• Develop the capacity for independent study; 

• Acquaint the student with major literature, theories, concepts, 

and practices in his/her field; 

• Broaden the student’s knowledge of the subject matter content 

of his/her discipline; 

• Assure seminar methods, requiring student participation; 

• Significantly advance the student’s ability to write and communicate 

verbally. 

The purpose of graduate study presupposes a broad background 

of knowledge with an adequate preparation at the 

baccalaureate level in a major field of study. The graduate 

student is expected to 

• Assume responsibility and to exercise individual initiative; 

• Utilize extensive and intensive research and reading; 

• Demonstrate qualities of leadership; 

• Engage in free thought and discourse. 

Furthermore, in keeping with Henderson’s mission-at-large, 

the Graduate School endeavors to provide an education which 

will nurture in each student the capability to 

• Think logically, creatively, and critically; 

• Appreciate the complexity and diversity of world cultures; 

• Participate as a concerned, intelligent citizen; 

• Mature intellectually and emotionally; and 

• Discern appropriate uses of technology relevant to 

the field of study. 

Examples of ways in which the university’s liberal arts mission is 

supported not just within academic units but across administrative 

lines include the availability of interdisciplinary studies, such as the 

Master of Liberal Arts degree, the General Studies undergraduate 

degree, and several available interdisciplinary minors, such as Women’s 

and Gender Studies, Writing Specialization, and International 

Studies. Additionally, many individual interdisciplinary and extradisciplinary 

courses and programs have been created in recent years. 

In 2010 the Interdisciplinary Course Committee was formed to 

facilitate creative thinking among all faculty in creating new interdisciplinary 

courses and learning experiences, and to create an administrative 

system that supports collaborative learning across department 

and college lines. Examples of such classes already offered include 

“The Big Idea,” a collaboration between a graphic design and a 

communication professor in which students designed new products, 

websites, and services; and “Co\Mix,” a collaboration between 

professors in digital art and design, communication, and mass media 

in which students created nonfiction narrative comics for publication. 

38

Every department and administrative unit publishes a mission 

statement that is periodically reviewed as part of the overall university 

assessment plan. These statements flow from the overall university 

mission as well as from the mission statements of the appropriate 

college or overall administrative unit. A few typical examples of 

these are posted in Table 1C-1. To summarize, the university’s 

liberal arts mission governs each of its many divisions, large and 

small, and informs their separate mission statements and interdisciplinary 

cooperation. For a university mission to succeed, it must be 

carried forth from each of these units to their diverse internal and 

external constituents in order to “articulate publicly the organization’s 

commitments.” 

Consistent Articulation 

While commitment to the mission is pervasive and informs the 

actions of the members of the university, the articulation of the 

mission is not always consistent. The missions of subunits are 

reviewed regularly, but this sometimes leads to different expressions 

of the missions even of the same subunits appearing in different 

places (for instance, TracDat, the catalog, and the website). 

More importantly, because of the length of the current mission 

statement, different units emphasize different aspects of it in ways 

that sometimes make their individual articulations seem incongruent. 

While “a tagline or slogan cannot by itself define an organization’s 

multifaceted mission,” such briefer statements help other 

universities focus on a clear articulation throughout the university. 

Finally, while Henderson does articulate the mission in some crucial 

places, it does not in others. For instance, the mission is not mentioned 

in any of the recruitment material in the package typically 

given to a prospective student. 

Two examples of reportage comics 

by student Amy Porter from the CoMix Course 

39

CORE COMPONENT 1D 

Table 1C-1 

Sample Academic Unit Mission Statements 

In fulfillment of the University and Ellis College mission statements, the Department of 

Communication and Theatre Arts seeks to promote and foster written, oral, and visual 

communication skills, critical and creative thinking skills, media literacy, and an understanding 

and appreciation of diverse ways of knowing and communicating in the students of its programs 

in communication, media, theatre, and dance. To accomplish this, we encourage: Research-based 

activities that require synthesizing past research, formulating appropriate research questions, and 

developing and applying appropriate methodologies. Creative, application-based activities that 

exhibit creativity and critical thinking in practice. A depth of content-based activities that exhibit 

creativity and critical thinking in practice. A depth of content-based knowledge as a foundation 

for research and creative application. These twin activities of research and creativity, reinforced 

by a strong foundation in principles and concepts, will support the following core values: a 

passion for lifelong learning, encouragement of engaged and concerned citizenship, and the 

development of strong professionals who will contribute to the advancement of their respective 

professions and disciplines. 

An integrated liberal arts undergraduate education in Family and Consumer Sciences 

empowers students to become professionals who will enable individuals and families to manage 

the challenges of living and working in a diverse global society. In congruence with Henderson’s 

liberal arts mission, we seek to prepare individuals for family and community life and careers by 

providing opportunities to develop requisite knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors. This is 

accomplished in a nurturing educational environment that is rich in academic exposure and solid 

practical application of theories related to the disciplines encompassed within the field of FCS. 

Central to our focus as a department is innovative and technologically sound instruction and 

service through scientifically based programs. 

The Henderson State University Department of Art’s BFA, Studio Art program fosters the 

maximum growth and development of each student by providing them with a stimulating 

nurturing and well-equipped environment that will enable them: 

• To develop a capacity for honest self-assessment and to view art with critical integrity; 

• To speak and write effectively and to become visually literate; 

• To approach art making, art history and art education with an appreciation of the complexity 

and diversity of world cultures; 

• To understand the technology, tools, materials and processes involved in the production of art; 

• To be ethical citizens who are advocates for art in society and who recognize art as a vehicle for 

social and personal awareness; 

• To acquire mastery in their chosen area of Studio Art; 

• To promote growth and adventurous exploration of media and concept; 

• To mature intellectually, emotional, and physically as individuals and as artists; 

The challenge accepted by the Art faculty is to help students build a bridge to the future based 

firmly on a knowledge and appreciation of the arts, sciences, languages, literature, philosophy, 

history and world cultures. We involve them in artistic problem solving and critical independent 

thinking skills thus enabling them to participate as partners in the learning process. The Art 

faculty is dedicated to excellence in the teaching and success through positive student outcomes. 

40

CORE COMPONENT 1D: The organization’s governance 

and administrative structures promote effective 

leadership and support collaborative processes 

that enable the organization to fulfill its mission. 

Board of Trustees 

The Board of Trustees of Henderson is the governing authority of 

the institution. Its seven members are appointed by the Governor of 

the state of Arkansas, with the approval of the Arkansas State 

Senate. Its meetings are open to the public, with the exception of 

executive sessions to consider personnel decisions and similar matters, 

as required by Arkansas law. 

President 

The president is the chief administrator of the university. During the 

recent tenure of President Welch, his style of open, shared governance 

was a model of inclusive communication and decision-making. 

He sought to keep all constituents apprised of major decisions 

and often held open forums to discuss upcoming decisions. The 

emails sent to all faculty and staff over the course of an eighteenmonth 

fiscal crisis at the state level, may be read as a narrative 

illustrating this open style of governance. As can be seen in those 

emails, he held open forums to discuss the financial situation, and he 

kept the campus informed of the news affecting the financial situation 

as well as his reasoning for making the decisions he made for 

the good of the university. 

While those emails illustrate the president’s communication and 

handling of a long-term financial crisis, he was similarly open in 

communications and the decision-making process with such issues as 

revising the core curriculum, planning new construction, and 

developing a strategic plan for the university. It is the expectation of 

the majority of the campus community that the new president, not 

chosen as of this writing, will continue in a similarly open style of 

governance. 

President’s Cabinet 

The president’s cabinet is made up of all vice presidents and directors 

who report directly to the president. The term casually used across 

campus, “president’s cabinet,” is not explicitly listed on the organizational 

chart provided on the university website; however, it is not 

uncommon for the president to schedule “cabinet” meetings or for 

faculty and staff to bring issues to the “cabinet.” The cabinet meetings 

include the executive assistant to the president; general counsel 

and affirmative action officer; provost and vice president for academic 

affairs; vice president for student services; vice president for finance 

and administration; vice president for external affairs; the four academic 

deans; and the directors of public relations, institutional 

advancement, computer and communication services, and athletics. 

Revised November 14, 2011 

Office of the President 

Henderson State University 

2011-2012 Organizational Structure 

Board of Trustees 

Johnny K. Hudson (Chair), William G. Wright (Vice Chair), Ross M. Whipple (Secretary), 

Anita B. Cabe, Bruce T. Moore, Carol Jo Atkinson, and Charles "Mike" Myers 

Provost and Vice President 

for Academic Affairs 

Dr. Vernon G. Miles 

(Interim) Vice President for 

Finance and Administration 

Lecia Franklin 

General Counsel 

Elaine Kneebone 

Director of Institutional 

Advancement 

Carrie Roberson 

Chief of University Police 

Johnny Campbell 

Interim President 

Bobby G. Jones 

Assistant to the President & 

Sec. to the Board of Trustees 

Flora Weeks 

(Interim) Vice President for 

Student Services 

Chad Fielding 

Vice President for External 

Affairs 

Dr. Lewis Shepherd 

Director of Athletics 

Kale Gober 

Director of Public 

Relations 

Penny Murphy 

The Henderson State University 

Organizational Chart 

revised November 14, 2011 

41


Faculty 

The Henderson Faculty Senate provides a basis for official faculty 

consideration of policies, procedures, issues, and problems affecting 

the well-being and operations of the university. The Faculty Senate 

transmits the recommendations of the faculty to the president of 

the university and communicates his or her responses to the faculty. 

According to its constitution, the Faculty Senate engages in collaborative 

processes as it considers legislative commitments proposed 

by the president of the university and by the Board of Trustees, 

provides a framework for faculty-initiated action, and provides a 

basis of dialogue among elected representatives of the faculty, the 

administration, the staff, and the student body through their representatives 

to the Senate. The Faculty Senate may extend privilege 

of dialogue to non-members of the Faculty Senate at their request 

during meetings of committees or the entire body. 

The Faculty Senate is comprised of representatives from departments 

as well as at-large representatives from each faculty rank: 

instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, and professor. 

Additionally, non-voting representatives of the Staff Senate and 

Student Government Association are invited to attend Faculty 

Senate meetings. Elected faculty representatives serve two-year 

terms. An elected representative of the Faculty Senate sits on the 

Staff Senate, and a member of the Faculty Senate Executive 

Committee serves as Faculty Senate representative at meetings of 

the Board of Trustees. 

Staff 

The Staff Senate provides for the orderly representation of nonfaculty 

personnel in communication between staff and administrators. 

It provides a medium for the exchange and coordination of 

information among members of the staff, administration, faculty, 

and students. It directs its activities in a positive, constructive manner 

and is committed to the betterment of the university. The 

president of the Staff Senate serves as a staff representative at 

meetings of the Board of Trustees. 

Students 

Student Government Association (SGA) 

The Student Government Association (SGA) is composed of 

Henderson students who are elected by the student body to be their 

representative voice. During the course of the year, the SGA conducts 

two elections for senators—one for freshmen senators in 

September, and one for other senators in March. Resolutions of the 

SGA concern all aspects of student life and are often passed along 

to the president or the Faculty Senate for further action. 

42

Student Activities Board (SAB) 

Membership in SAB is open to all students at Henderson. The SAB 

is a student-run board that brings concerts, comedians, dances, 

movies, lectures, and other special events to campus. 

COUNCILS 

All Greek Council 

The purpose of the All Greek Council is to provide advice, services, 

and programs that ensure all members of fraternities and sororities 

have a high-quality and safe undergraduate fraternal experience 

that reinforces the founding principles: 1) scholarship; 2) community 

service; 3) campus involvement; and 4) sisterhood/brotherhood. 

The goal of the Greek Council is to be the best fraternity and 

sorority community. To fulfill this, the Greek Council strives for 

continuous improvement in all aspects of programs, services, and 

operations. 

Interfraternity Council (IFC) 

The Interfraternity Council at Henderson is comprised of three 

fraternities: Phi Lambda Chi, Sigma Phi Epsilon and Kappa Sigma. 

Two representatives from each fraternity comprise the IFC. The 

group acts as a link between the university and the male Greek 

system. It also organizes Greek sponsored events such as Greek 

Week and fraternity rush and serves as a disciplinary board for the 

fraternities. 

National Pan-Hellenic Council 

The National Pan-Hellenic Council was established in 1930 at 

Howard University as a national coordinating body for the nine 

historically African-American Fraternities and Sororities, which had 

evolved on American college and university campuses by that time. 

The Pan-Hellenic Council continues to build upon that solid 

foundation to make sure that posterity can enjoy the benefits of 

membership by providing opportunities to understand how to 

conduct business and appreciate the benefits of collaboration; 

providing a deeper understanding of cultural differences and 

developing constructive programs to celebrate those differences; 

providing constructive and creative ideas to make local/campus 

chapters more viable in their recruitment of quality members; 

encouraging improved academic performance by undergraduate 

members and assumption of positions of leadership outside individual 

Greek affiliation; and engaging in volunteer activities that 

improve the community through encouraging voter registration, 

improving health awareness, eradicating tobacco use, and helping 

create venues that will provide a positive portrayal of African- 

Americans in all forms of the media. 

Greeks for Gurdon 

43

CORE COMPONENT 1E 

Panhellenic Council 

The purpose of Panhellenic Council is to maintain sorority life and 

sorority relations, to further intellectual accomplishments and 

sound scholarship, to cooperate with the university administration 

in the maintenance of high social standards, and to act in accordance 

with National Panhellenic Conference Unanimous Agreements 

and Policies. It also acts so as not to violate the university 

regulations and the sovereignty, rights, and privileges of member 

fraternities/sororities. The council also compiles and enforces 

rules governing membership recruitment, pledging, and initiation 

on this campus. 

University Committees 

In addition to the representative bodies by constituency, Henderson 

has a long-standing committee structure that is responsible for 

oversight and formulation of practices in major areas of the 

university. Each committee has written guidelines for membership, 

and the membership of each committee is chosen by elections or by 

the Committee on Committees (as stipulated in the Committee 

Handbook). Most committees include faculty, staff, administrators, 

and students. Henderson periodically reviews the committee 

structure to revise, update, and eliminate, if necessary, appropriate 

committees. For instance, between 2001 and 2011, three committees 

have been added (Bachelor of General Studies, Catastrophic 

Leave, Student Academic Travel), while eleven have been eliminated 

or merged with existing committees (Bookstore, Campus 

Planning, Credentials, Faculty Research, Faculty Salary, Human 

Relations, Learning Resources, Print and Broadcast Journalism, 

Student Concerns, Teacher Education Programs Curriculum, 

University Planning Council) to better serve the changing needs 

of the university. 

Each college also has its own system of committees so that faculty 

and staff may collaborate and contribute to the policies and decisions 

of the college. For instance, Ellis College has the Planning and 

Advisory Committee (which provides advice to the dean and reviews 

applications for research and travel money), the Margin of 

Excellence Committee (which reviews applications for Margin of 

Excellence monies), the Awards Committee (which coordinates the 

student awards ceremony), and the Curriculum Committee (which 

reviews proposals for new courses and course changes before the 

proposals are sent to the University Academic Council). Each 

committee consists of representatives from the three divisions 

within the college. The School of Business has an Executive Committee, 

the Curriculum Committee, the AACSB Accreditation 

Maintenance Committee, the MBA Council, the Technology Task 

Force, and the Faculty Development and Research Committee. 

44

CORE COMPONENT 1E: The organization upholds 

and protects its integrity. 

Henderson has instituted numerous programs, policies, and guidelines 

to uphold and protect the integrity of its academic programs 

and to insure a safe, enjoyable, intellectually stimulating, and fair 

campus while complying with all federal, state, and local regulations. 

Henderson provides rigorous academic programs with good 

reputations, as will be discussed in greater detail in Criterion 3 and 

Criterion 4. The university also supports extracurricular and 

co-curricular activities that strengthen the liberal arts mission of the 

university and promote the intellectual pursuits of its members. 

Quality and Effectiveness of Academic Programs 

Henderson’s academic programs exhibit exceptional quality campus–wide. 

Students, while pursuing their undergraduate and 

graduate degrees, continually exhibit exceptional levels of knowledge, 

skill, and competence to excel in their respective disciplines. 

This not only demonstrates a strong commitment on the part of the 

student, but also provides strong evidence that the university has 

acquired and continues to maintain a highly qualified and dedicated 

faculty that actively mentors these students. 

Correspondingly, the university has worked diligently to acquire a 

committed and highly capable student body. A specific example of 

evidence can be shown from the Biology Department: selected 

senior biology majors are allowed to enter the Undergraduate 

Teaching Assistant Program, where each admitted student is given 

the opportunity to teach a section of the Introduction to Biology 

laboratory course for non-majors. This program has been highly 

successful, as evidenced by the desire for participation by biology 

students and the many positive comments offered by students 

who take these lab courses. The students teaching these laboratory 

courses must display a sound knowledge of general biology 

and indicate a sincere interest in teaching. Another one of the 

many outstanding examples that can be cited as evidence of 

excellence in academic achievement is the Aviation Program in 

the School of Business, which maintains a high and rigorous set 

of standards for all aviation students. Even with the strict, federally 

mandated standards and guidelines to which the Aviation 

program must adhere, it consistently attracts a large number of 

students. Aviation graduates are successfully employed by a wide 

range of employers and agencies, ranging from all four branches of 

the United States Military to state agencies and regional and 

commercial airline companies. A final example is from Teachers 

College. In 2009 and in 2010, all of the Arkadelphia teachers of 

the year were Henderson graduates. Moreover, Vickie Beene, a 

2010 Arkadelphia Teachers 

of the Year 

Linda Syler (second from left) is the 

District Teacher of the Year. Others 

pictured are Etta Robinson, Jacque 

Hill, and Tasha Boozer. Not pictured 

is the High School Teacher 

of the Year, Ellen Wilcher. 

45


graduate who teaches English at Nashville High School, was 

selected as a finalist for the 2010 Arkansas Teacher of the Year 

Award. She and other finalists were honored at a ceremony at the 

Governor’s mansion. 

Several academic departments exhibit strong undergraduate 

research programs, where undergraduate students are intimately 

involved with faculty mentors in conducting research. Consequently, 

many of these students are invited to present their research at 

various scientific and professional meetings with their efforts culminating 

in publications in peer-reviewed journals; for example, from 

2003-2011 one faculty member in the Biology Department coauthored 

with six students three papers in peer-reviewed journals, 

and mentored/co-authored with eleven different students seventeen 

paper presentations at scientific meetings. Additionally, many 

students in fine arts regularly present art exhibitions or music and 

theatre performances at Henderson and also engage in off-campus 

solo exhibitions and concerts or perform with other students and 

faculty members. (See also Criterion 4A.) 

Graduates of Henderson are widely accepted into and, in many 

cases, sought after for various graduate programs and are highly 

competitive for a variety of employment opportunities post-graduation. 

Available data for such information varies (from minimal and 

inadequate to exceptional) among academic departments, and no 

university–wide system or mandate is currently present to encourage 

and require departments to maintain such a database. However, 

data that could be collected from various academic departments in 

all three principal academic divisions at Henderson – Ellis College, 

School of Business, and Teachers College – demonstrate that 

graduates of virtually all academic departments are employable in 

a wide variety of fields within their respective disciplines. Graduates 

consistently acquire successful employment with a wide variety of 

professional and technical agencies and positions in a variety of 

graduate programs. This high level of post-graduation success of 

Henderson graduates provides further evidence of the overall high 

level of quality, effectiveness, and success of academic programs at 

the university and the intellectual flexibility of the student products 

of these programs. Additionally, it demonstrates that the university 

is fulfilling its mission to prepare students as highly educated, competent, 

contributing, and productive 

members of society. 

Extracurricular and Co-curricular Programs 

Henderson offers numerous supplementary programs designed to 

support and enhance the academic experience and success of 

students. These programs further the successful education, quality 

46

of learning, and service opportunities of Henderson students and 

members of the local community. They also increase the likelihood 

that students engaged in them will successfully graduate with the 

knowledge, skill, and competency level necessary for continued 

educational advancement and successful employment post-graduation. 

The following lists some of these programs. 

The Academic Advising Center provides students with advising and 

academic counseling services, registration assistance, and overall 

support in achieving their academic goals. The Center for Career 

Development assists students in planning for graduate school and 

future careers, provides exposure to important skills for successful 

interviewing and achieving employment, and assists with job 

placement. The Center for International Programs assists international 

students in transitioning into college life in the United States 

and provides numerous levels of assistance to international students 

during pursuit of their degrees. The Counseling Center provides 

students with opportunities for counseling services that are completely 

confidential and free of charge for any emotional, interpersonal, 

or developmental difficulties that arise during the education 

process. The Center for Language Proficiency provides outreach 

opportunities for language assessment and multilingual services. It 

also provides skills and opportunities to enhance cultural integration 

and awareness, increase English communication skills, and 

address English as a Second Language (ESL) needs. The Honors 

College provides highly motivated, undergraduate students with 

additional educational opportunities above the standard curriculum 

in order to further enhance their academic experience. 

Student Support Services provides first-generation, underrepresented, 

or economically disadvantaged students with important resources and 

instruction that increase the likelihood of their academic success, while 

the McNair Program assists that same demographic to prepare for 

graduate school. The Disability Resource Center provides a comprehensive 

program with multiple services designed to promote access, 

retention, and academic success for students with disabilities. Residence 

Life provides a variety of services and resources for students 

living on campus. Residence Life also sponsors the First Year Experience 

Program which is designed and implemented to increase the 

likelihood that incoming freshmen students will be successful in college, 

both academically and socially, ultimately culminating in graduation 

from the university. One aspect of that program is to provide free 

tutoring services for students in all academic areas. 

The Student Health Center provides primary medical care, disease 

prevention, health education, wellness promotion, and various other 

services to all currently enrolled students. The Testing Center 

47


Henderson Theatre production of 

Much Ado about Nothing 

provides students a central location for testing needs as well as a 

comfortable testing environment. Additionally, the Testing Center 

coordinates the administration of many tests that are given on 

campus: ACT Residual Test, ASSET, Business Area Test (BAT), 

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), independent study 

tests, Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and Miller Analogies 

Test (MAT). The Testing Center also provides support to those in 

charge of the paper-pencil PRAXIS SERIES (teacher exams), and 

testing personnel can assist students in acquiring information on tests 

not given at Henderson. The Writing Center provides computer 

access to teachers and students working on writing assignments and 

assistance to students with questions or concerns about writing 

assignments or specific writing skills. A math tutoring lab is available 

through the Mathematics Department. The Veterans Upward 

Bound Program assists veterans in their pursuit of post-secondary 

education. Henderson is also a host site for one of nine education 

renewal zone initiatives in the state of Arkansas. Through the Southwest 

A-Education Renewal Zone (ERZ) program Henderson works 

with teachers in local public schools to improve public school performance 

and academic achievement. 

Athletics 

Henderson maintains a vibrant athletic program. True to the mission 

of the university, the top priority of the athletic program is always 

the student-athletes, but it also serves to augment the greater goals of 

the university by offering “every member of the student body the 

opportunity to be a part of the athletic program… as athletes, trainers, 

managers, cheerleaders, Pom-Pom members, band members, or 

booster club members” or to participate as spectators. Athletic teams 

include Men’s Baseball, Basketball, Golf, and Football, and Women’s 

Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Softball, Tennis, and Volleyball, and 

Men’s and Women’s Swimming. The director of athletics reports 

directly to the president. 

The Henderson Student 

Health Center 

One recent development intended to benefit the student-athletes was 

the formation of a new athletic conference with the University of 

Arkansas at Monticello, Arkansas Tech University, East Central 

University, Harding University, Henderson State University, Ouachita 

Baptist University, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Southern 

Arkansas University and Southwestern Oklahoma State University. 

“The intent of the conference is to group together similar institutions 

in terms of budgets and goals,” said the presidents, chancellors, and 

directors of athletics from the nine institutions in a joint statement in 

July 2010. “Furthermore, the conference is intended to be made up of 

universities that field an intercollegiate football program. Our most 

important goals in this new endeavor are to limit time away from class 

and limit our travel costs.” 

48

The Athletics Department takes compliance seriously: “We will 

observe the letter and spirit of the rules and regulation of the 

NCAA, the Great American Conference and Henderson State 

University, while also adhering to the philosophy of the Division II 

member institutions. We have a responsibility to report any school 

that violates these same rules and regulations.” To facilitate the 

observance of rules and regulations, Athletics maintains a compliance 

website, issues a Compliance Manual for all involved in the 

programs, and maintains an Athletic Handbook especially for 

student-athletes. 

Compliance with Laws and Regulations 

Henderson has many documents that demonstrate its compliance 

with local, state, and federal guidelines, regulations, and laws (see 

expanded discussion in the Compliance Chapter). Under the 

Resources (Employee) tab on MyHenderson can be found many 

basic guidelines, expectations, policies, and procedures that facilitate 

appropriate behavior, activities, and direction of campus 

personnel and students, such as the Concurrent Employment 

Definition and Policies and State of Arkansas Travel Regulations 

and reimbursement forms. 

The Student Health Center publicizes its privacy practices that 

adhere to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 

(FERPA), and the Faculty Handbook provides direct instructions for 

FERPA compliance and any exemptions that are legally noted for 

dealing with students. General university practices that adhere to 

the FERPA guidelines are also available on the web. 

The Undergraduate Catalog outlines ways in which Henderson 

complies with state and federal regulations regarding higher education, 

including policies on the guaranteed eight-semester degree 

plan, the State Minimum Core, state legislative requirements for 

articulation of courses, and requirements for graduation. The 

Undergraduate Catalog also contains policies on Sexual Harassment, 

Disability Services, and a listing of Federal Legislation 

potentially affecting students. Additionally, the campus complies 

with the Arkansas Clean Air on Campus Act of 2009 and has 

banned all smoking on campus, including buildings and grounds 

that are owned or operated by Henderson. The Student Guide 

outlines additional Henderson policies in accordance with state 

and federal regulations. 

The Office of Human Resources keeps track of and disseminates 

information about various regulations and procedures pertaining to 

personnel, including legislative rules and regulations from the 

Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the Arkansas Department 

of Higher Education (ADHE), the United States Department 

of Labor, and the Arkansas State Legislature. 

49


The Faculty Handbook and Staff Handbook provide detailed 

documentation of compliance with applicable laws and regulations 

regarding personnel and provide detailed instruction pertaining to 

employee conduct, tenure and promotion, and position responsibilities 

and requirements. The Non-Classified Recruitment Handbook 

and the Classified Recruitment Handbook also provide guidance on 

appropriate regulations and guidelines pertaining to hiring procedures, 

both internal and external. In particular, the Staff Handbook 

outlines the nondiscrimination policy regarding current and potential 

employees. The Staff Handbook also outlines processes in 

accordance with state and federal law, including Arkansas Act 169 

of 1991 (catastrophic leave), Family and Medical Leave Act of 

1993, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Section 504 of the 

Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 

Henderson employs a full-time legal counsel, the General Counsel. 

The General Counsel is an attorney licensed under the laws of the 

state of Arkansas. The General Counsel is charged with ensuring 

legal compliance with local, state, and federal laws and regulations. 

Safety 

The safety of its faculty, staff, and students is important to Henderson, 

and therefore it supports a University Police Department 

which is committed to maintaining a safe and secure campus 

environment. That department has implemented numerous measures 

to ensure the safety of the Henderson community and to 

provide timely warnings in case of an emergency. The University 

Police Safety Handbook lists the safety programs that Henderson 

offers, including Citizen and Emergency Response Training, Suicide/Depression, 

Alcohol, and Rape Awareness programs, and a 

video of what to do in case of a campus shooter. “Information 

concerning safety and security is regularly provided to students, 

faculty, and staff by crime alert bulletins, posters, news releases, and 

presentations. Campus safety and security programs are presented 

to incoming freshmen at orientation, to the on-campus residents as 

part of their regular programming during the year, and to faculty 

and staff at back to school meetings and various other meetings 

throughout the year.” The Henderson Police Department annually 

distributes a Security and Fire Safety Report in compliance with 

the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime 

Statistics Act. 

A cross-disciplinary panel of qualified campus professionals make 

up the Behavioral Intervention Team which is ready to assist when 

a student’s behavior becomes disruptive or threatening. Any campus 

member may email the team to report a student’s behavior, and 

the team will confidentially assess the threat and recommend the 

appropriate action. 

50

Henderson has also instituted a comprehensive Emergency Preparedness 

Program. An important aspect of this program is that it 

uses Rave Wireless, Inc., to provide broadcast alerts by text and 

voice message to students, faculty, and staff in case of an emergency. 

Instructions on how to respond to each type of emergency are 

available on My Henderson and the Henderson website. 

Internal Policies 

The Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs, the Faculty Handbook, 

the Staff Handbook, and the Student Guide are the primary 

collections of policies regarding each of the constituency groups at 

Henderson. Approximately five years ago, Henderson recognized 

the need for and began creating an Administrative Guide on the 

website which collected many internal documents and policies that 

were not part of the above handbooks. While the Administrative 

Guide was never complete, it served as a starting point for collecting 

guidelines for actions at the university ranging from policies on 

travel reimbursements to hiring adjunct faculty to children on 

campus. With the revision of the university website, many, but not 

all, of those documents have been relocated on a password-protected 

website, called “My Henderson.” As a result, there are many 

potential “policies” that may not be well-known or easily accessible. 

In addition, there was confusion about what was meant by a “university 

policy” and who could develop one. As a result, in 2010 the 

President’s Office issued a Policy on University Policy Development. 

According to the Policy, “a university policy is a written directive, 

approved by the president of the university, that specifies appropriate 

actions and behavior, and that generally has university-wide 

applicability.” While the Policy on University Policy Development is 

new, the goal and procedures are codifications of current practice 

where “university policies are developed with the goal of a transparent 

system of shared governance in mind.” 

Academic Integrity 

Henderson’s policies and procedures regarding academic integrity 

provide a system of evaluation which allows an accused faculty 

member or student the opportunity to be heard. The Undergraduate 

Catalog provides detailed information regarding procedures for 

maintaining and upholding academic integrity, including instructor 

options for handling students who, in the classroom, are disruptive, 

violate university policy, or demonstrate plagiarism and/or academic 

dishonesty. The Undergraduate Catalog and the Student Guide 

also identify and define specific unacceptable behaviors which 

violate academic integrity and university policy regarding classroom 

conduct and provide guidelines by which instructors and the university 

will deal with such offenses. The Undergraduate Catalog 

51


and the Faculty Handbook also provide detailed guidelines and an 

explanation of the grading policy used by the university. 

Research and Professional Misconduct 

The Faculty and Staff Handbooks offer general guidelines outlining 

the activities of professional conduct, along with the disciplinary 

actions to be implemented if such conduct is not met. However, 

one area in which Henderson has not yet adopted clear guidelines 

pertains to research misconduct. There are no set standards of 

ethical behavior and integrity in conducting research and other 

related professional activities. The new institutional review board 

should be making some policies soon on the issues of research on 

humans. A committee and policies on animal research are also in 

the beginning stages of development. (See also Criterion 2.) 

Management of Complaints and Grievances 

Faculty Grievances 

The Faculty Handbook details procedures regarding tenure, promotion, 

termination of employment of tenured and non-tenured 

faculty members, and other sanctions of faculty. After making “a 

wholehearted effort to follow normal channels,” a faculty member 

has a right to appeal the decision in any of these cases to a Faculty 

Hearing Committee, which consists of fifteen full-time, tenured 

faculty from the major academic disciplines of the university. The 

members of the committee are elected from their respective academic 

areas by colleagues. The committee shall, as a matter of 

philosophy and practice, serve as a redress review organ for all 

personnel matters not otherwise specified in the handbook and shall 

serve as a liaison between the faculty and administration. 

Any decision “affecting promotion, tenure, or dismissal must be 

documented in writing and based upon publicized criteria. The 

faculty member must be notified in writing by his/her supervisor of 

any deficiencies and given adequate time to remedy them before 

he/she is penalized in a personnel decision affecting promotion, 

tenure, or dismissal.” The faculty member has, subsequent to 

official written notification from the administration, thirty days to 

submit a written request to the president of the university for a 

hearing to appeal a decision of termination, dismissal, re-assignment 

or non-appointment, and fourteen days to submit a written 

request to the chair of the Faculty Hearing Committee to appeal a 

negative recommendation for tenure and/or promotion. The bases 

for appeal are spelled out in the Faculty Handbook. 

The Faculty Hearing Committee will examine all pertinent materials 

and documentation regarding the appeal, including meeting 

with the faculty member, and make a recommendation to the 

52

president, who will, if requested by the committee, forward the 

recommendation to the Board of Trustees. “The President and the 

Board of Trustees shall communicate decisions to the committee 

bearing on the committee’s previous consideration of the case. The 

committee shall in turn inform the faculty member of the administration’s 

decision.” 

Staff Grievances 

Staff members who have a grievance should initially contact their 

immediate supervisor in order to attempt a resolution. If a resolution 

cannot be achieved, the staff member must, within three 

working days, submit a formal written complaint to the head of the 

department, who must subsequently collect data, attempt to make 

an objective decision, and communicate his or her findings in 

written form to the staff member and supervisor. If the staff member 

is still not satisfied that the issue has been resolved, the staff 

member has the option of appealing to the Non-Academic Grievance 

Committee. 

The Non-Academic Grievance Committee is appointed by the 

president each year and consists of five active members and three 

alternates selected from each of the six areas represented by the 

Henderson Staff Senate. The chairman of the Non-Academic 

Grievance Committee must receive the written grievance within 

two working days after the staff member receives the department 

head’s response. The committee will then meet to review evidence 

presented and has the authority to gather additional data. After 

reviewing the evidence, the committee “will submit its findings to 

the Vice President over the area in which the aggrieved employee 

works. If not satisfied with the VP’s decision, the aggrieved employee 

may, within three (3) working days, appeal the decision, based on 

the record, to the President who will review the findings and render 

the final decision.” 

Sexual Harassment 

The university’s policy regarding sexual harassment can be found 

in the Faculty Handbook. The complaint is to be made to the 

immediate supervisor, next higher level supervisor, the general 

counsel, or any vice president. Subsequently, all complaints will be 

given a full, impartial, and timely investigation by the supervisor 

and/or the general counsel. During such investigations, efforts to 

maintain confidentiality will be made. Appeal of the findings and 

recommendations of the immediate supervisor or the General 

Counsel may be made to the Non-Academic Grievance Committee 

or the Faculty Hearing Committee, and the findings and recommendations 

of these panels shall be forwarded to the president for 

final decision. 

53


Student Grievances 

The Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct, contained 

within the Student Guide, outlines the procedures for appealing 

grades awarded by faculty members. First, the student who 

desires to appeal a grade will contact the faculty member who 

awarded the grade in question and will explain the reasons for the 

appeal; the faculty member will explain the reason(s) and bases for 

awarding the grade. Second, if the student and faculty member 

cannot reach an acceptable agreement, the student may continue 

the appeal by contacting the chair of the appropriate department. 

Third, if an acceptable decision cannot be reached, the student 

may contact the appropriate dean. The department chair’s and/or 

the dean’s discussion with the faculty member may include such 

topics as adherence to course requirements, grading procedures, 

and an understanding and consideration of the basis of the appeal 

by the student. The chair and/or the dean may provide guidance 

or suggestions to the faculty member and will inform the student 

of the outcome of the discussion and the decision of the 

faculty member. 

Students also have options pertaining to any situation, other than 

academic, when a grievance is incurred. The Student Guide states 

that students who have grievances that are not related to academic 

issues or who wish to appeal a university decision that is not covered 

by an established procedure should contact the Dean of 

Students regarding the specific grievance. At that point, the grievance 

will be evaluated by the Dean of Students and a decision will 

be made according to the specific university policies and procedures 

currently in place. 

The Code of Conduct and the Judicial Process 

Henderson guarantees the right to a fair and impartial hearing to 

any student charged with a violation of the Code of Conduct. The 

Code of Conduct informs the Henderson community of the 

behavior expected of students, describes prohibited conduct, and 

details the disciplinary procedures and sanctions applicable for 

violations of this code. No student shall be subjected arbitrarily to 

any disciplinary action for any offense without being given a fair 

hearing. Students will be given written notice of the charges against 

them prior to a hearing, adequate time to prepare a defense, and 

the opportunity to present evidence and witnesses on their behalf. 

The only exception to this practice may occur in the case of an 

Interim Suspension. Any student being charged with a violation has 

the rights delineated under judicial process. Overall disciplinary 

authority is vested in the vice president for student services. The 

dean of students has been designated by the vice president to 

administer the Code of Conduct. The dean of students functions 

54

as the campus judicial officer and has overall responsibility for the 

student judicial process. This process includes the University Judicial 

System and the Residence Hall Judicial System. A student 

charged by the university with violating the Code of Conduct must 

schedule a hearing with the dean of students by the date specified 

in their letter of charges. A student charged with a violation specific 

to the residence hall must schedule a hearing with the residence life 

judicial officer. A student has several options in scheduling hearings. 

Legal counsel may be present at hearings only if the student is also 

facing criminal or civil charges. Any person accompanying the 

student, including the legal counsel, may not address the hearing 

body, question witnesses, or participate in any way other than to 

support/advise the student charged. Appeals must be filed, in 

writing, with the appropriate office within two working days upon 

receipt of the sanction/disposition of the case. An appeal of a disciplinary 

decision must be based upon one of four criteria. The dean 

of students will hear appeals from the residence life judicial officer 

(designee appointed by vice president for student services) and the 

Residence Life Judicial Council. All other appeals will be heard by 

the vice president for student services. 

55

CRITERION 1 SUMMARY 

CRITERION 1 SUMMARY: 

Henderson operates with integrity to ensure the fulfillment of its 

mission through structures and processes that involve the board, 

administration, faculty, staff, students, and community. Henderson’s 

mission documents are clear and recognize the diversity of 

its learners and other constituencies. The university has in place 

governance and administrative structures that promote effective 

and transparent leadership, while giving constituent groups the 

most possible input. Through its policies and procedures, Henderson 

upholds and protects its integrity. 

Strengths: 

Henderson has long-cherished traditions that inform the lived 

mission of the university. 

There is strong support for the mission. 

The mission recognizes diversity as a positive in itself and as an 

agent of transformation. 

The governance structures lead to a collaborative form of governance 

in which constituents increasingly believe their contributions 

matter. 

The current leadership is dedicated to transparency in governance. 

Challenges: 

Support for the mission is generally strong, but Henderson continues 

to have difficulty articulating that mission clearly and consistently 

across campus and to constituent groups. Particularly, the 

connection between the liberal arts focus and the fine professional 

and graduate programs needs to be more consistently articulated. 

Interdisciplinary courses and programs are important to the 

liberal arts experience but have proven difficult to support. New 

procedures are needed to address course load credit and other 

issues. An interdisciplinary committee has been formed to study 

the matter and make recommendations. 

Policies and procedures are difficult to find and track. While most 

offices on campus strive to be transparent and use email to effectively 

communicate, there is not an accessible central location to 

find policies and procedures either electronically or physically. 

Even the main guides—Faculty, Staff, and Student Handbooks— 

are often contradictory and cannot contain every policy. 

56

Policies or guidelines for proper research ethics and professional integrity, 

including a well-defined policy outlining the characteristics of and 

penalties for research and professional misconduct, are absent or difficult 

to find, making them less likely to be followed. 

With the reorganization of cabinet positions, the “Office of Diversity” 

has become a part of the Office of External Affairs. Without the separate 

office of diversity, it is unclear whether there will be enough emphasis 

placed upon continuing efforts to promote diversity. 

57

The organization’s allocation of 

resources and its processes for 

evaluation and planning demonstrate 

its capacity to fulfill its mission, 

improve the quality of its education, 

and respond to future challenges and 

opportunities.

Criterion Two: 

Preparing for the 

Future 


Subcommittee Members: 

Cathy Bell, 

Interim Controller, Co-Chair 

Frank Smith, 

Assistant Professor, School of 

Business, Co-Chair [May 

2008-April 2011] 

Pam Bax, 

Director, TRIO Programs 

John Corley, 

Director, Physical Plant 

Sandy Denning, 

Administrative Assistant, 

Finance and Administration 

Duane Jackson, 

Associate Professor, Mathematics 

and Computer Science 

Jonathan Moss, 

Instructor, Aviation 

Gary Smithey, 

Professor and Chair, 

Advanced Instructional Studies 

Introduction 

The first week of classes at Henderson begins, and a student turns 

on his computer with high speed internet access in his residence 

hall. He checks his course schedule on “My Henderson” to find that 

his first class is in the new Nursing Building. He rushes to class 

where his instructor uses one of the ninety-five multimedia stations 

in classrooms on campus to introduce the class to the course objectives 

which are tied to the assessment criteria of her department. In 

his next class, he discusses with another first-year student the common 

book that each of them began reading after receiving a copy 

when they attended the two-day orientation retreat called Heart 

Start over the summer. 

Meanwhile, a returning commuter student finds a parking place in 

the new parking lot on 12th street and heads to the advising center 

to discuss a concern she has with her schedule. There, she is assured 

that the spring course and summer trip to China sponsored by the 

Ellis College will count for her nonwestern culture requirement. 

After adjusting her schedule, she stops by the newly renovated 

administration building, Womack Hall, where she checks to see if 

the change will affect her Henderson scholarship that she received 

as a result of reallocation of scholarship funds to increase the 

number of students receiving money. 

While these activities seem mundane and usual on the Henderson 

campus, each one is important to the individual student. And all 

of these activities were brought about as a result of strategic planning 

processes that envision growth, change, and ways to manage 

that progress. 

Henderson has been involved in planning, evaluating, and allocating 

resources to fulfill its mission since it was established as a 

church-related institution in 1890. Since becoming a state institution, 

Henderson has received a significant portion of its resources 

from the state of Arkansas. However, over the past decade, the 

percentage of university operating funds needed contributed by the 

state has decreased considerably. This challenge, as well as keeping 

up with a rapidly changing environment, has led Henderson to 

adapt its budgeting and planning processes accordingly to fulfill its 

mission, to improve the quality of its education, and to respond to 

future challenges and opportunities. 

Maralyn Sommer, 

Dean, Ellis College, and Professor, 

Music 

Kathy Taylor, 

Director, Human Resources 

60

CORE COMPONENT 2A: The organization realistically 

prepares for a future shaped by multiple societal and 

economic trends. 

Shaped by multiple societal and economic trends, Henderson is ready 

and poised to respond to the global educational needs of a growing and 

diverse student population. As the university plans for its future, strategic 

planning efforts are shaped by commitment to the mission by 

faculty, staff, and students. Henderson responds to the changing needs 

of the university population and the communities it serves, develops 

comprehensive and varied funding approaches, fosters innovative 

teaching strategies, programs, and methodologies, promotes evolving 

professional development, and follows a master plan for facility improvement 

and expansion. 

Determining and Implempenting Organizational Goals 

Henderson’s seven-member Board of Trustees is ultimately responsible 

for setting the broad goals of the university and empowers the 

president of the university to set more specific goals and long-term 

strategies to reach those goals. Henderson’s presidents have utilized 

the culture of collective governance at the university to involve its 

multiple constituencies in the strategic and other planning processes. 

Three strategic plans have guided Henderson within the last ten years: 

1998 Bold Strokes, 2005 Designing Our Destiny, and the current 2010 

Strategic Plan. All of these strategic plans drew significant input from 

the university community. 

The 1998 Bold Strokes strategic plan was the culmination of the third 

phase of strategic planning that had actually begun in 1988. In 1997 

the President’s Council (a committee designed to assist with the planning 

efforts) examined four areas: “significant higher education trends, 

external environmental analysis, enrollment analysis, and the current 

circumstances faced by Henderson.” From that examination seven 

initiatives were identified, and university teams were assembled consisting 

of administrators, faculty, staff, and students. The final recommendations 

of each strategic team were compiled in the 1998 Bold Strokes 

strategic plan which guided the university through the 2001 Higher 

Learning Commission Self-Study. The university implemented a 

significant portion of the 1998 Bold Strokes strategic plan before 

consultants recommended that Henderson update its strategic plan 

and documents. 

The Board of Trustees met at a planning retreat in September 2004 

and identified six broad issues facing the university. In November a 

group of more than forty administrators, faculty, staff, students, and 

board members met for two days at Queen Wilhelmina State Park near 

Mena, Arkansas, to discuss the six issues and to develop more specific 

61


plans for Henderson’s future. After the retreat six strategic planning 

taskforces were established. They met regularly throughout the 

spring 2005 semester to discuss specific issues and to provide recommendations 

for the university. The Designing Our Destiny strategic 

plan that resulted from this process listed a series of action items, in 

many cases designating the administrator or committee responsible 

for implementing the goals. 

In 2008 the resignation of President Charles Dunn, who had served 

as president of the university for twenty-two years, led to campuswide 

discussions about the future of the university with open 

forums for faculty, staff, students, and the community to express 

what they wanted from the new university leader. From that process 

came not only an advertisement for a new university president but a 

recommitment to the mission and a vision for the future. Dr. 

Charles “Chuck” Welch was selected as the president and led the 

university toward a new concept of strategic planning whereby it 

would be a continually ongoing process. To start this process, in 

spring 2009 President Welch named faculty, staff, and student 

representatives to the Strategic Planning Council charged with 

developing an ongoing, strategic plan for the university based upon 

the five criteria for accreditation set by the Higher Learning 

Commission. After a July retreat subcommittees met during the 

fall semester to develop specific goals supported by objectives, 

strategies, and activities. “In their deliberations, each group also 

offered suggestions as to what resources would be needed, which 

university personnel or department would undertake the accomplishment 

of each objective, the projected dates at which objectives 

should be achieved, and the type of evaluation that should be used 

to measure success.” 

Although President Welch left in April 2011, Interim President 

Bobby Jones is committed to the 2010 Strategic Plan and asked the 

Strategic Planning Council to meet again June 2011 to update and 

assess the plan. According to the summary evaluation of the retreat, 

“Most of the objectives, strategies, and activities within each goal 

are ongoing. A few of the objectives have been met. The Strategic 

Planning Council believes they are still relevant and should remain 

a part of the strategic plan. Some of the objectives either have not 

been addressed by the university or if so, the committee was not 

aware of it.” While it is not surprising that only a few objectives had 

been met within the first year, the report does indicate that there has 

been action of some kind on many of the objectives and strategies. 

Current Capacity 

Each planning process at Henderson has begun with a discussion of 

the current circumstances of the university. The 1998 Bold Strokes 

strategic plan charged the participants to “envision the future and 

describe the current reality of Henderson” which led to the seven 

62

key initiatives that made up that plan. The taskforce reports for the 

2005 Designing Our Destiny strategic plan show that each taskforce 

began with an exploration of the current state of the issue it 

was challenged to address. For instance, the Enrollment 

Taskforce “focused on studying the general recruitment and 

retention processes.” When a taskforce needed more information, 

follow-up surveys and reports (the appendices) were 

generated. For instance, the Campus Community conducted 

a “Faculty Morale” survey. 

The 2010 Strategic Plan began with a basic understanding of 

current capacity, but throughout it also recognizes the need to 

research the current capacity before undertaking actions. 

Goals 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 14 all list objectives, strategies, 

and/or activities that require research of the current 

conditions at Henderson. 

Apart from the strategic plans, other planning documents and 

processes begin with an understanding of the university’s current 

position and capacity. For instance, the 2000 and 2010 Technology 

Plans devote significant portions of the plan to the “Current 

Environment.” The Campus Master Plan begins with maps of 

current campus districts and current buildings and functions. 

Former president, Dr. Chuck Welch, 

holds the ribbon for former president, 

Dr. Charles Dunn, at the opening 

of the Dunn Recreation Center 

Emerging Factors 

Technology 

Prior to 1997 technology at 

Henderson was primarily 

business-focused. However, with 

the advancement of technology, 

the university evolved to assure 

technology supported the 

mission of the university. Since 

2000 the Information Technology 

Plan has emphasized the 

goals and objectives that emerging 

and improving technology 

should support: 

Information Accessibility 

Technological resources 

should be provided routinely 

to all users in a broad and 

consistent fashion. Access to 

technology resources should 

be independent of location: 

classroom, office, lab, 

or home. 

Master Plan 2010 Current Campus 

63


Technological Literacy 

The university should develop innovative methods to instruct all 

members of the university community in the effective use of 

technology resources. 

Technology Enhanced Education 

The university should support curricular activities by providing 

technology resources that can be used to enrich the teaching and 

research components of the instructional programs. 

Business Process Effectiveness 

Cycle times for basic business processes should be improved for 

all members of the university community. 

Henderson’s most recently updated 2010 Information Technology 

Plan confirms these goals and objectives while demonstrating the 

changes in technology and infrastructure by listing plans for specific 

additions to technological capabilities. 

Henderson’s strategic plans have also recognized the necessity of 

awareness of emerging factors in technology. The second initiative 

of the 1998 Bold Strokes strategic plan called for Henderson to 

achieve its mission “by supporting the implementation of technology 

necessary for a premier liberal arts university and encouraging 

all stakeholders to explore and implement innovative strategies and 

techniques.” The 2005 Designing Our Destiny recognized that 

“Henderson has made great strides in the area of technology” but 

even more progress is needed. Both strategic plans called for specific 

technology initiatives that indicated the changing needs of a university 

in a rapidly changing world of technology. 

By 2010 technology had become such an integral element in 

achieving the university’s mission that the strategic plan did not 

need to make a specific call for resources for technology. The 

strategic plan implicitly recognizes the ongoing commitment in 

discussion of budget allocation processes that will be transparent. 

But it also explicitly recognizes the impact of emerging technology; 

one of the activities in support of Goal 2, “Internal/external 

conditions and trends which may impact the mission will be identified, 

analyzed and reported regularly,” is a SWOT analysis of the 

local, state, regional, and international technology environment. 

Goal 14 envisions “Distance learning course offerings through 

Compressed Instructional Video (CIV) and/or other technologies” 

as a way to achieve the goal of building “a more active relationship 

between HSU and the surrounding public school districts, the 

Dawson Co-op and the Community Colleges.” Goal 12 cites 

technological training on software, hardware, and other equipment 

as necessary for developing “a program for training new employees 

at all faculty and staff levels.” 

64

Demographic Shifts 

Demographic shifts have had a significant effect on Henderson. 

According to Henderson’s 2001 Self-Study Report, the university 

served eighteen counties in southwest Arkansas, with expansion in 

eastern Texas, eastern Oklahoma, and northern Louisiana. Over 

the past decade, Henderson’s target areas have grown as a result of 

its commitment to the mission to serve all of Arkansas as the state’s 

public liberal arts institution. The University Relations and Admissions 

Office employs five admission counselors who manage different 

territories including southern Arkansas, eastern Arkansas, 

northwest Arkansas, central Arkansas and Texas. In addition, the 

northwest Arkansas counselor along with the director of admissions 

recruits in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, Memphis, Tennessee, and 

Shreveport, Louisiana. The admissions office continues to aggressively 

recruit students in the state; over 85 percent of first-time 

freshmen enrolling at Henderson are from Arkansas. 

The five fall semesters 2006 through 2010 have shown an increase 

as a percentage of total enrollment for counties in the metropolitan 

areas of central Arkansas. These counties include Pulaski, 

Lonoke, Saline, Garland, Grant, and Jefferson. There have also 

been significant increases for the southern Arkansas counties of 

Nevada, Ouachita, and Union. (See Figure 2A-1.) A decrease of 

1.5 percent of enrollment (33 students) occurred from Henderson’s 

home of Clark county in one year from fall 2009 to fall 2010. 

Other counties with significant decreased enrollment were mostly 

in southwestern Arkansas. Those counties include Polk, Howard, 

Pike, Dallas, Miller, and Sevier. Miller county is on the Arkansas/ 

Texas border where Texarkana is located. Adjacent to Miller 

county is the Texas county of Bowie, which also saw a decrease 

in enrollment at Henderson. Although 

enrollment was down for students from 

Bowie county, the number of students 

from other Texas counties have increased, 

most notably those counties in the Dallas, 

Fort Worth, Plano, and Houston areas. 

Emerging trends and economic characteristics 

for the Clark county area indicate 

that this area is experiencing severe economic 

hardships as evidenced by the 

unemployment rate for the region. According 

to 2010 data from the Arkansas 

Department of Workforce Services, while 

Arkansas’s unemployment rate held steady 

at 7.6 percent, remaining well below the U. S. average of 9.6 

percent, the percentage of residents in Clark county who are 

Figure 2A-1 

Enrollment Trends by County 

65


unemployed is 8.1 percent. Moreover, since July 1, 2008, the Clark 

county area has lost 888 jobs in manufacturing, trade, and agriculture 

which have affected a substantial number of Clark county 

residents. 

The importance of understanding and responding to these demographic 

shifts is prominent in the 2010 Strategic Plan. Two goals, 

three objectives, and four activities are dedicated to understanding 

and acting on the shifts. (See Table 2A-1.) 

Despite the economic and demographic changes, Clark county is 

still recognized throughout Arkansas and surrounding states as a 

dynamic center of higher education, technology manufacturing, 

and retirement living. According to the Clark County Strategic Plan 

2007-2017 Vision Statement, Clark county has become a viable 

“national center for research, development and commercialization 

of ethanol from cellulose and other renewable energy technologies.” 

Henderson recognizes its important roles in the community to 

produce graduates with degrees that reflect the twenty-first century 

workforce and to assist in attracting more economic and employment 

opportunities. Henderson and its members participated in the 

development of the Clark County Strategic Plan and continue to 

partner with local and extended communities by encouraging 

students, faculty, and staff to become involved in community service 

and civic engagement (See also Criterion 5.) 

Henderson has already identified and responded to another demographic 

shift in the area. Many veterans who are returning to 

Arkansas from active duty face employment and occupational barriers. 

There was a grave need for Henderson to help these veterans 

with retraining and education. Thus, Henderson applied for and 

received a TRIO grant to establish a Veterans Upward Bound 

Program in order to provide opportunities for postsecondary 

education and retraining for area veterans. According to David 

Fletcher, Director of the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs, 

there are 257,625 veterans residing in Arkansas. Of this total, 

60,352 veterans reside in Henderson’s targeted counties. The 

registrar’s office serves as the university’s liaison to Veterans 

Affairs to help veterans utilize their educational benefits. Since 

2008 the Office of the Registrar has served 555 veterans by 

processing applications for VA benefits and certifying enrollment 

in order for veterans to receive VA housing allowances and/or 

educational stipends. 

Globalization 

Henderson’s planning documents have long recognized the importance 

of globalization and advanced goals to prepare graduates for 

66

the world they inhabit. In 1998 the Bold Strokes strategic plan 

called for the “commitment to international collaboration [to] be 

strengthened by increasing the number of international students to 

150, enhancing the experience of the international student on 

campus, developing a minor in international studies and establishing 

a true ‘study abroad’ program.” 

The 2005 Designing Our Destiny 

strategic plan recommended expanding 

“programs and opportunities for 

students to study abroad with full 

funding and administrative support.” 

The current 2010 Strategic Plan also 

addresses emerging factors in globalization 

through Goal 13, Objective 2, 

which states, “Expand student knowledge 

that the world contains diverse 

cultures and preferences that may be 

different from our own.” (See also Criterion 1 and Criterion 3.) 

Function in a Multicultural Society 

Henderson has had a long-term commitment to deliberately recruiting 

a diverse student body both as a moral obligation to equally 

serve the diverse community of which it is a part and as the most 

effective way of enhancing the ability of all students on campus to 

learn to appreciate a multicultural environment. From the adoption 

of the liberal arts mission in 1988, one of the goals was to recruit a 

diverse, superior student body. Henderson adopted “admission 

standards which permitted and encouraged admission of a better 

prepared freshman class,” while mounting “an aggressive effort to 

maintain African-American enrollment at approximately fifteen 

percent of the enrollment and by increasing the presence of international 

students at Henderson.” 

Table 2A-1 

2010 Strategic Plan and 

Demographic Shifts 

Recognizing the importance of diversity, Henderson has engaged in 

planning processes specifically dedicated to “recruiting and maintaining 

a diverse faculty and staff who value and respect all members 

in our learning community” and thus are able to prepare 

“students to effectively compete and function in a multicultural and 

global society in the twenty-first century.” 

The Office of External Affairs-Diversity has initiated a proactive 

effort to facilitate the university’s ongoing commitment to awareness 

of the importance of diversity for students, staff, faculty, and administrators. 

As a result, the university has made a conscious effort 

to build healthy and diverse learning environments in accordance 

with Henderson’s mission statement. The third bullet item of 

Henderson’s mission statement reads: “To appreciate the complexity 

and diversity of world cultures.” Henderson believes that diver- 

67


sity in the student body, faculty, staff, and administration is important 

to fulfill its primary mission of providing a quality education. 

Although Henderson has separate planning processes for diversity 

specifically, the overall university 2010 Strategic Plan still shows 

careful attention to issues of multiculturalism and diversity. Goal 13 

of the current strategic plan is that “an educational environment to 

enhance and support the classroom experience will be provided by 

the university.” One of the objectives of this goal is to “Expand 

student knowledge that the world contains diverse cultures and 

preferences that may be different from our own.” Strategies listed to 

support this objective include 

• Support and encourage study of other cultures both locally and 

abroad; 

• Encourage student leadership to reflect the diversity of the 

Henderson student population; 

• Encourage learning about disabilities and accessible technology; 

• Collaborate with OBU to publicize cultural and educational 

events on both campuses. 

Innovation and Change 

Henderson’s planning, its organizational structures, and its 

environment indicate that the university treasures its heritage and 

traditions but is open to and facilitates innovation and change. Each 

strategic plan has issued calls for change and innovative thinking. 

For a few examples among many, the 1998 Bold Strokes strategic 

plan called for designating one hour during the day for noninstructional 

activities. This innovative initiative forced faculty, staff, 

and students to re-think the long-standing traditional schedule; 

however, the hour from 12:30-1:30 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays 

has been set aside and used to great advantage. The 2005 

Designing Our Destiny strategic plan called for the initiation of a 

Common Book Program as part of the First-Year Experience and 

for the benefit of the entire campus. The 2010 Strategic Plan listed 

a new academic advising center as one of the strategies for 

enhancing advising. Discussed below are some of the many 

examples of innovation and change at Henderson. Some of these 

came about as a result of strategic planning, but others demonstrate 

Henderson’s ability to react to opportunities and changes in the 

environment. 

The bachelor of general studies (B.G.S.) degree is one of the 

newest degree offerings at Henderson. In the truest tradition 

of the liberal arts, this degree allows a student an opportunity 

to determine his or her own course of study by choosing specific 

courses in selected areas of emphasis. Students design 

their own programs with the help of advisors. For students who 

68

wish to combine areas of interest into a rewarding and innovative 

career or for those who are preparing for a pre-professional 

program that requires only certain courses but no specific degree, 

the B.G.S. degree is one of the most flexible degrees. 

The Southwest Arkansas College Preparatory Academy is a university/public 

school collaboration that is data driven and focused on 

the achievement of high school students. The academy’s intervention 

is a way to eliminate the need for remediation once students 

enroll in college. The goal of the academy is to strengthen college 

preparedness through the utilization of the study materials, practice 

tests, and test data from ACT’s Explore and Plan tests. In fall 2009 

the pilot academy served forty students from Arkadelphia High 

School. The program has been expanded to serve students from 

three school districts in southwest Arkansas. (See Criterion 5D for 

more information.) 

Henderson’s aviation program is a program designed to allow a 

student to qualify for Federal Aviation Administration certificates 

and to complete requirements for a bachelor of science degree. 

Henderson is currently the only four-year university in the state of 

Arkansas that offers a degree program in aviation. Through a 

collaborative partnership with Dawson Education Cooperative 

and its Center for Distance Learning, Henderson’s aviation 

program expanded its current provisionary program of study in 

an effort to prepare high school students for careers as professional 

pilots. A combination of distance learning courses and 

hands-on engagement provides opportunities for high school 

students grades 10 through 12 to gain knowledge on piloting 

and related skills using a flight training device to fly an aircraft. 

The university’s website was redesigned in 2010 by Stamats 

Higher Education Marketing (Stamats). Stamats was chosen in 

part because of Henderson’s commitment to keeping up with 

changing technology and innovation. The new site has a 

consistent appearance throughout while allowing for a 

degree of distinction between the various department 

pages. The architecture is sufficiently flexible and 

scalable to accommodate future changes and additions. 

Moreover, the templates are more user friendly 

than Henderson’s previous design so that updates will 

be easier to make. However, with change comes 

growing pains. Because the website is still new and the 

updating of pages is decentralized, new procedures 

and more training are needed. The Faculty Senate 

and other groups and individuals on campus are in the 

process of offering feedback on a number of issues 

related to the web redesign. 

Flight Simulators 

69


1919 Star Yearbook 

Henderson’s scholarships were restructured and reallocated for the 

2010-11 fiscal year to provide a broader range of scholarships for 

more students. The scholarships now award a specific amount that 

can be used for any institutional expenses instead of paying specifically 

for tuition and/or room and board. The restructuring has 

enabled Henderson to award more scholarships with the same 

amount of money. With over nine types of scholarships, the university 

potentially awards over two million dollars in scholarships to 

eligible students each academic year. (See Table 2A-2.) 

The Visiting Professor–Visiting Classroom program was introduced 

to Henderson faculty during April 2008. The program allows a 

university faculty member to adopt a public school classroom and 

mentor its students and teachers throughout the school year. The 

teacher of a high school classroom adopted by a visiting faculty 

member may audit that member’s classes on the university campus. 

Elementary classes adopted by visiting professors participate in tours 

of the Henderson campus, thus heightening college awareness and 

interest. The program stimulates discussion between higher education, 

public schools, and students while promoting productive collaboration 

among universities and public schools. This initiative has 

stimulated ongoing collaboration between university faculty and 

public school teachers and has heightened pre-service teacher and 

public school student interaction. It also provides opportunities for 

teaching between groups. University professors and public school 

teachers are beginning to examine curriculum and assessment 

implications as they continue their partnerships. Professional development 

opportunities for public school and university faculty, along 

with the ongoing evaluation of curriculum and assessment, are the 

goals of the program. The program has increased from eleven 

professors in 2008 to twenty-six professors, representing all colleges 

and departments, in 2009-2010. Two professors are assisting school 

districts in aligning math and science curriculum documents K-13. 

The South Arkansas Mathematics and Science Center has assisted 

with aligning K-13 science curriculum and assessment documents. 

History and Heritage 

As “the smoke still curled up from the ruins of the main building” 

the morning after a fire destroyed all but one building at Henderson- 

Brown College on February 3, 1914, the Board of Trustees and the 

president began strategically planning to save from the ashes the 

university that would eventually become Henderson. 

2010 Freshman Class 

The next day students, faculty, and administrators gathered under 

the stalwart pine trees for chapel, singing songs, and vowing to stay 

together to rebuild their university. Legend claims that at this moment, 

the Reddie Spirit was born and it became clear that Hender- 

70

son was a “School with a Heart.” Today the 

holly still bleeds red, the oaks still shade the 

south lawn with their sweeping branches, 

and the pines remain erect, stalwart and 

reaching for the sky. This is the history of 

how the Reddie Spirit rose as the phoenix 

from the ashes and continues to be live in the 

hearts of its students, old and new. 

”The School with a Heart” is a fitting nickname 

for a university with a definite interest 

and love for its students, faculty, staff, alumni, 

and friends. Each year freshmen students gather on the lawn in the 

shape of a heart for the traditional photograph. The entire student body 

posed in The Star (yearbook) photo in 1919. The 2010 heart photo 

included only the freshman class. 

Table 2A-2 

Henderson Scholarship Categories 

The annual Pine Tree Assembly is held and sponsored by the Heart & 

Key Student Organization every year during the first week of the fall 

semester. Of all the events held on campus each year, the Pine Tree 

Assembly is the most important in terms of traditions at Henderson. 

It is the summation of the spirit, history, and traditions of Henderson. 

From the freshman heart and pine tree speech to the band playing the 

Reddie Spirit fanfare from the hill overlooking the football stadium, 

the “School with a Heart” is a special place for both alumni and 

current students. 

Henderson strives to maintain its treasured connection to the past as 

it plans for the future. In addition to planning to keep the rituals and 

mottos mentioned above, Henderson prides itself on preserving 

many of its historic buildings even as new buildings and renovations 

of old buildings change the face of the campus. Below are some of 

the ways in which historic buildings have been preserved, expanded, 

and/or renovated. 

Captain Henderson House Bed and Breakfast – Built in 1876 and renovated 

in 2001, the bed and breakfast features seven guest rooms with 

private baths, a sitting room, parlor, sunroom, dining room, and 

conference room. Captain Henderson House is on the National 

Register of Historic Places and is a Victorian-era home with detailed 

fretwork, pocket doors, and elaborate paneling. 

Foster Hall – Built in 1936 the former dormitory underwent extensive 

renovations in 1989. Using federal stimulus funds, the building has just 

been renovated to house the Disability Resource Center and a new 

technology center. (See also Criterion 3D.) 

Mary Jo Mann delivers The 

Pine Tree Speech each year. 

(Digital report includes video 

of the speech.) 

71


The Newberry House – A 4,736 square foot home has been the official 

residence for Henderson’s university presidents since 1969 when 

Farrar Newberry gave the home to the university. This historic home 

is a one-and-one-half story residence built in 1896 and renovated 

during 1952-1954 into a two-story residence. A 2008 renovation 

project included the addition of a deck to provide handicapped 

access to the home, a porte-cochere with three parking spaces, and 

balustrades on all outside stairways, decks, and the upstairs veranda 

balcony. These renovations included improvements to the interior of 

the home, including the establishment of private living quarters for 

the presidential family, through conversion of the upstairs sunroom 

to a private kitchen and eating area, and the renovation of the 

bedrooms and bathrooms. 

Barkman House – Following extensive renovations that were completed 

in 1993, the Barkman House, a Greek Revival building, now houses 

the Institutional Advancement offices. This historic home is included 

in the National Register of Historic Places. According to the Arkadelphia 

Area Chamber of Commerce, the Barkman House was 

originally owned by J.E.M. Barkman, son of early Clark county 

settler Jacob Barkman. This house was constructed by Madison 

Griffin, who also built Magnolia Manor, another historic home in the 

county. Its ornamentation is known as ’Steamboat’ or ’Carpenter’s 

Gothic.’ The house was not completely finished when the Civil War 

began, and local legend reports that piles of lumber were taken from 

the front yard to build Confederate fortifications. 

The 2010 Campus Master Plan also recognizes some of 

Henderson’s historic buildings. (See Figure 2A-2.) 

Barkman House 

The pines on campus in 1918. 

In addition to treasuring buildings which preserves Henderson’s 

heritage and history, Henderson takes measures to preserve other historical 

artifacts as well. The archivists in Henderson’s Archives have 

taken proactive steps during the last ten years to stabilize the physical 

environment and reorganize the historic documents of Henderson. 

This is evidenced by the creation of the Henderson Archives website, 

the relocation of the university archives to a larger room with improved 

humidity and lighting, and the implementation of electronic 

monitoring of the archives for daily temperature and relative humidity 

levels. In 2008 an ongoing digitization project was implemented 

to increase the usability of the archives while helping to preserve 

fragile documents. This project makes documents from the university 

archives available on the web for the first time through Content DM, 

a digital collection management software program. Digitization is 

only one process used in the archives to preserve historic documents. 

Each document is read, noted, and assigned to a record group and 

a subject group. The archivist then stores the document in archival 

buffered boxes and interleafs fragile documents with acid free paper. 

72

CORE COMPONENT 2B: The organization’s 

resource base supports its 

educational programs and its plans for 

maintaining and strengthening their 

quality in the future. 

The development of the current strategic plan, 

prompted by the hiring of a new university 

president and in conjunction with the many 

conversations stimulated by the HLC self-study, 

has afforded the campus community a timely 

occasion to consider where the university has 

been, where the university wants to go, and what 

choices need to be made. Henderson’s current 

strategic plan seeks to keep the university 

grounded in its historical identity as it responds 

imaginatively and innovatively to the challenges 

and opportunities created by population 

trends in Arkansas and the nation’s continuallyevolving 

educational needs and expectations. 

Careful analysis of the financial, human, and 

facility resources is key to planning for the future. 

Figure 2A-2 

Master Plan 2010 Historic Buildings 

Adequate resources 

Operating Budget 

Henderson maintains adequate financial resources to support 

educational quality through comprehensive planning and allocation 

of resources. The majority of the following information is 

based on the fiscal year 2010-2011 (FY2010-2011) budget that is 

in effect at the date of this research. Updated data will be available 

in the resource room. 

The operating budget of Henderson is constructed annually and 

is a working document that is modified as needed. The initial 

FY2010-2011 operating budget of $43,598,228 is an increase of 

4.2 percent in the educational and general budget and a 5.3 

percent increase in the auxiliary entities budgeted revenue over 

the previous year. Henderson has seen a substantial decline in 

state funding over the past several years. The initial state appropriation 

forecast for FY2009-2010 was $20,892,971. Due to state 

reductions, the actual revenue was $20,109,853, which is a 

$783,118 or 3.9 percent decrease. 

The current FY2010-2011 budget for tuition and fees was based 

on the actual student semester credit hours (SSCH) produced 

from the previous end of year numbers. Henderson’s tuition and 

fee percentage increase from FY2009-10 to FY2010-11 was the 

73


second lowest increase in Arkansas’s public four-year institutions at 

3.9 percent. (See Table 2B-1.) 

Utility budgets were based on a predicted increase of 6.0 percent. 

Another unknown at that time was the cost of Henderson’s health 

insurance premiums. Since then the premiums were adjusted in 

January 2011 with an increase of 7.4 percent; however, the university 

has chosen to pay for those increases with no additional cost 

passed on to the employees. (See Table 2B-9.) 

At the beginning of the 2010-2011 academic year, Henderson had 

an enrollment increase of 3.5 percent, resulting in unbudgeted 

tuition and fee revenue. This additional revenue will be disseminated 

based on a review of university needs and existing priorities. 

Fund Balances 

Colleges and universities organize their accounting systems on a 

fund basis. Separate funds are used for accountability purposes 

to show that financial resources are being used only for the 

purposes permitted. 

A fund balance is established or increased when fund revenues 

exceed fund expenditures. When fund expenditures exceed fund 

revenues a fund balance is decreased and becomes a deficit fund 

balance. A fund balance represents a financial resource that may be 

available to finance expenditures in the next fiscal year. A deficit 

fund balance can be recovered in the next fiscal year only if fund 

revenues exceed fund expenditures. 

It is common to assume that a fund balance corresponds to 

the university’s cash in the bank. However, a fund balance 

is total assets minus its liabilities. Cash is part of a fund balance, 

but so are accounts receivable, inventories, investments, 

and capital assets. Fund balances also are made up of liabilities 

that may require an outflow of cash if they are paid. 

One question commonly asked is “how large should the university’s 

fund balance be?” The Arkansas Higher Education 2010 Comprehensive 

Annual Report (AHECAR) recommends that colleges and 

universities maintain a minimum fund balance of 5 percent of the 

educational and general operating budget with an ideal level of 14 

percent. Henderson’s fund balance is near 8 percent as of June 30, 

2010. However, in the recent past, Henderson’s percentage has 

fallen below the recommended 5 percent. One significant reason 

the balances fell was the way the university accounted for student 

fees. Carryover funds available at the end of each year were transferred 

to the restricted fund to carry forward into the next year. 

74

Beginning July 1, 2009, 

the university ceased 

making the transfers to 

the restricted fund; 

therefore any funds 

remaining are now 

reflected in the educational 

and general and 

auxiliary fund balances. 

From June 2008 to June 

2010, Henderson’s fund 

balance was increased by 

over $3.4 million. (See Figure 2B-1.) 

Bobby Jones, then vice president for finance and administration, 

stated in the February 2, 2011, budget meeting, “there is 

an increased focus being placed on fund balances” in the state 

of Arkansas. “Over the past few years we have some increases in 

our fund balances and we hope to continue to build these to get 

to a level that doesn’t warrant concern from the state.” Although 

too low a fund balance can be a sign of a problem, according to 

an article from “The State, South Carolina’s Homepage,” South 

Carolina’s legislators are looking at cutting state funding to the 

public four-year colleges and universities that 

have large fund balances. According to former 

President Welch fund balances are like a “juggling 

act.” Fund balances do not need to be too 

high or too low. In light of these economic times, 

it is preferred to have sufficient fund balances so 

that cash flow remains fluid but large enough to 

meet Henderson’s long range planning goals. 

Tuition/Fees and State Appropriations 

Henderson’s most significant financial resources 

are its state appropriations and its tuition and fee 

income. Some revenue is generated through 

auxiliary entities, endowment support, an annual 

fund drive, and grants. Unanticipated shortfalls in any one of these 

revenue sources can negatively affect the university. Through 

careful planning, Henderson has been able to respond quickly and 

effectively to flat or decreased enrollment and reduced state funding 

over the past few years. 

Table 2B-1 

ADHE Comprehensive Annual Financial 

Condition Report 2010 

Figure 2B-1 

ADHE Comprehensive Annual 

Financial Condition Report 2010 

The graphs in Figure 2B-2 show that in 2002 state appropriations 

made up 50 percent of Henderson’s total revenue or $17,421,107. 

In 2009 state appropriations dropped to 41 percent of total revenue 

75


or $20,790,347. This represents a 9 percent decrease in state 

appropriations towards total revenue over eight years. Decreased 

state funding has forced the university to increase tuition and fees 

and expend some of its fund balances to make up the differences. 

The structure of support for funding has changed significantly over 

the last ten years. This is particularly true from a state funding 

standpoint. Table 2B-2 of the states of the Southern Regional 

Education Board (SREB) shows that Arkansas has followed the 

national trend in decreasing state appropriations as a percentage of 

state taxes for higher education. 

The Henderson FY2010-2011 state appropriation budget was 

$20,628,126, a decrease of $264,845 from the previous year. The 

FY2011-2012 budget is forecasted to increase by only $202,063. 

This will still not put Henderson back to the funding level of what 

was actually received in FY2009-2010. (See Figure 2B-3.) 

As mentioned in the Arkansas Higher Education 2010 Comprehensive 

Annual Report (AHECAR), “state-supported colleges and 

universities experience three things during economic downturns”: 

1. Enrollment increases 

2. Decreased state funding 

3. Increases in tuition and fees. 

The following statistics are evidence that Henderson is following the 

same trend: 

1. A 3.6 percent increase in enrollment from the 2005 level to the 

2010 level; 2010 recorded the largest fall freshman class in the 

history of Henderson 

2. State funding has decreased by 9 percent as a percentage of 

total revenue over eight years 

3. Tuition and fee revenue has increased 8 percent as a percentage 

of total revenue over eight years. 

Henderson also receives revenue from federal grants and 

endowment support, but these sources of revenue are restrictive 

in nature and are usually not available for the general operations 

of the university. 

In November 2008 the voters of the state of Arkansas approved 

the creation of a state lottery and in fall 2010 awarded 30,575 

scholarships to Arkansas students. These scholarship awards for 

FY2010-2011 were $5,000 per year to attend a four-year school 

and $2,500 per year to attend a two-year school. In the 2010-2011 

academic year, Henderson had 1,113 students receiving funds from 

76

Figure 2B-2 

Revenue Sources in 

2002 and 2009 

Figure 2B-3 

Table 2B-2 

State Appropriations Related to Higher Education 

as Percentages of State Taxes 1 

this source (also called the Arkansas Challenge Scholarship). In 

fall 2009 Henderson had only 264 students who qualified for the 

Arkansas Challenge Scholarship before the lottery was established. 

While these 849 additional scholarship recipients had some impact 

on enrollment, they were not the sole cause for Henderson’s increased 

enrollment. Instead, the qualifications for the scholarship 

changed and made these funds available to more students, almost 

half of whom were already attending Henderson. Of the 1,113 

Arkansas Challenge Scholarship students in fall 2010, 538 students 

were already enrolled at Henderson and paying tuition and fees 

from other sources, 526 of the students were first-year and 49 were 

77


transfer students. The creation of the lottery has provided funds 

for parents and students to pay for college but has not yet created 

many extra students for Henderson and other universities. If the 

lottery scholarship funds provide the financial means to keep the 

526 freshmen and 49 transfer students in school, then Henderson 

may see an increase in retention and, thus, overall enrollment 

rates. Even then, according to the AHECAR, additional students 

will cause a decrease in state funding. The chart and paragraph 

from the AHECAR explain the problem (in Figure 2B-4). 

Another source of funding for students, other than state and federal 

grants and scholarships, is institutionally-funded academic and 

performance scholarships. Until 1997 the state had a cap on the 

amount an institution could expend on academic and performance 

scholarships. From 1997 through 2009 there was no cap, and 

institutions increased scholarship funding to attract students. In the 

1997-1998 academic year Henderson expended $1,681,830 on 

institutional scholarships or 23 percent of tuition and fees. In 

2007-2008 institutional scholarship expenditures totaled $6,080,027 

or 32 percent of tuition and fees. In 2009 legislation was passed to 

once again place a cap on institutional scholarship expenditures, 

limiting these to 20 percent of unrestricted tuition and mandatory 

fees by 2013-2014. As a result of this legislation, Henderson restructured 

its academic scholarships so they are not tuition driven 

and are now a flat dollar amount (See Table 2A-2.) and cut its 

educational and general and auxiliary budgets by 11 percent in 

2009-2010. With these initial measures taken, Henderson’s scholarship 

to tuition and fee revenue percentage went from 22.0 percent 

to 18.1 percent in just two years. (The formula for calculating this 

percentage is different than the calculation for the percentages used 

above for years 1997-1998 and 2007-2008, so comparison of these 

percentages cannot be made.) (See Table 2B-3.) 

Simonson Biological 

Field Station 

Foundation Support 

The focus of the Henderson Foundation continues to be support for 

the mission and goals of Henderson. The foundation is a legally 

separate, tax-exempt component of Henderson. The foundation 

was formed as a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation and 

acts primarily as a fund-raising organization to supplement the 

resources that are available to Henderson in support of its programs. 

Although the university does not control the timing or 

amount of receipts from the foundation, the resources – or income 

that the foundation holds and invests – are restricted to the activities 

of the university by the donors. Table 2B-4 outlines the major funds 

held by the foundation and the value of these funds over the past 

five years. 

78

As of June 30, 2010, the total value of the foundation was 

$12,313,852 which includes $9,190,209 in permanently 

restricted endowment accounts. 

The foundation has provided funding for the construction 

or renovation of many campus buildings. Over the 

past ten years, three of the new buildings that have been 

constructed with help from private gifts to the foundation 

are the Sturgis Hall: The Honors College (2001), 

the Formby Athletic Center (2003), and the Simonson 

Biological Field Station (2011). The Reynolds Science 

Center benefited from foundation support not 

only for help with the original construction/renovation 

but also for mold removal and equipment repairs. 

The foundation also has worked to develop a strong supportive 

role in the area of scholarships and instructional/ 

program support. As stated earlier, students at Henderson bear 

a large percentage of the financial burden for their education. 

Henderson is cognizant of the fact that the cost of higher education 

might prohibit otherwise potentially successful students from 

Figure 2B-4 

ADHE Comprehensive Annual 

Financial Condition Report 2010 

Table 2B-3 

ADHE Comprehensive Annual Financial 

Condition Report 2010 

Table 2B-4 

Henderson Foundation 

79


attending. Every effort is made to reach those students academically 

prepared for college. Through the foundation, it has been 

possible to provide additional scholarships for needy students 

and to purchase equipment specific to individual programs. 

In 2009-2010 the foundation provided the institution with over 

one million dollars which included over $400,000 in scholarships; 

the remainder was used for equipment, construction, lighting, and 

renovations. For example, in the attempt to develop a strings 

program, the foundation has funded the purchase of cellos and 

violins and, until recently, funded an adjunct strings teacher. The 

foundation also provides support for the dance troupe as it travels 

to national dance competitions and provides stipends for adjudicators 

for the annual President’s Concert auditions. 

The Office of Institutional Advancement 

The Office of Institutional Advancement serves as a liaison between 

Henderson and its alumni, the business community, foundations, 

and various constituencies. The office works to assist donors 

in achieving their charitable goals while fulfilling the educational 

mission of the university. The Office of Institutional Advancement 

works to develop understanding and support through a variety 

of functions. 

Ringin’ Reddies 

Phon-A-Thon 

Alumni 

The Alumni Office works to foster a committed spirit and 

affiliation among students, graduates, and former students. The 

office achieves this through constituent relations, communications, 

programs, and special events. 

Annual Fund 

The purpose of the Annual Fund is to raise consistent financial 

support from alumni and friends. Proceeds from the Annual 

Fund are used for scholarships and general university operations. 

Additionally, the Phone-A-Thon coincides with the 

Annual Fund as an effort to reach out and talk to alumni and 

encourage financial support. While the past five years show 

strong support of the annual fund drive, it is notable that in 

2004-2005 this fund only generated $63,945. The institution 

has enjoyed a varied but significant increase in fund giving each 

year since 2005. (See Table 2B-4) Approximately 15 percent of 

the Henderson alumni continue to support the institution with 

the average annual alumni gift being approximately $324.00. 

Alumni Database and Records 

The Office of Institutional Advancement maintains a database 

containing the records of Henderson alumni. This information 

is used by the development team to solicit funds for scholarships 

and special projects. The alumni office uses the information to 

keep a working relationship with the alumni and keep them 

informed and involved in campus events. 

80

Collecting and keeping current information is an ongoing process. 

In November 2004 the database contained 27,336 records 

of which 24.8 percent were known to contain bad addresses. As 

of 2011 the database has grown to 31,024 records, and the lost 

percentage has been reduced to 7.2 percent. Henderson has 

contracted with Blackbaud and will be converting the database 

from the POISE (Jenzabar PX, still known as POISE on campus) 

system to Raiser’s Edge. Raiser’s Edge should be a more userfriendly 

system. It will enable the staff to obtain wealth index 

information that will help target alumni with the ability to 

support the university. It will also provide an online system for 

alumni to update their personal information and to make contributions 

online. Communication with alumni should improve 

with the use of Net Solutions. Email will be used to communicate 

with alumni routinely and in a cost-effective manner. 

Development 

The Office of Institutional Advancement is responsible for all 

activities which relate to the identification, cultivation, and solicitation 

of gifts from internal and external constituencies. The 

fund-raising objectives of the university are generally focused 

on the priorities contained in the strategic plan of the university. 

The Office of Institutional Advancement assists departments 

with programs and projects in need of external funding. 

Resource Development and Allocation 

The Composite Financial Index 

(CFI) is a measurement tool 

introduced in 1999 by KPMG 

Peat Marwick LLP and Prager, 

McCarthy & Sealy, LLC, that is 

used to help determine the 

financial health of a public 

institution based on four core 

ratios. (See Table 2B-5.) 

According to the Strategic 

Financial Analysis for Higher 

Education, “The CFI has been 

adapted by many leading 

institutions...and is a very 

valuable tool for senior managers and boards of trustees to help 

understand not only the state of an institution’s financial situation 

at a point in time but also serve as a valuable tool, unavailable from 

other sources, that can provide insight into the trends of an institution’s 

key financial indicators.” The following three reasons are 

given for its value: “By blending the four key measures of financial 

health into a single number, a more balanced view of the state of 

the institution’s finances is possible because a weakness in one 

measure may be offset by the strength of another measure. 

Table 2B-5 

Composite Financial Index 

81


By using the same criteria to determine the CFI over a period of 

time, the board and management are given the opportunity to 

measure the overall financial progress that the institution is making. 

The measure is easily understood and remembered, so it can 

become part of institutional communications on where the institution 

is as well as how far the institution has come.” 

In 2006 Henderson’s CFI was the lowest in a period of years from 

2005 through 2010. This was anticipated as two 176-bed residence 

halls were built. The expense of the construction and related costs 

were paid through the issuance of bonds prior to the revenue being 

received from increased housing. In a letter dated February 13, 

2008, to the HLC, then President Charles Dunn states, “By making 

the capital expenditures, we knew that the Viability Ratio would 

likely decrease. The increased interest expense on debt service and 

other costs resulted in a net operating loss and a decrease in net 

assets which affected the Net Operating Revenue Ratio and the 

Return on Net Assets Ratio.” 

The construction of the new halls was a partial implementation of 

the 2005 Designing Our Destiny Strategic Plan with the purpose of 

attracting more students to campus. As a result, the number of 

students living on campus increased over 40 percent in the two 

years following the completion of the two halls. Increasing enrollment 

was critical as state appropriations for the operating budget 

had continued to decrease. In the same letter to the HLC referenced 

above, President Dunn explains how the construction of the 

two residence halls, a planned student recreation center, and a 

department of nursing building will help boost enrollment and lead 

to financial recovery: “Henderson State University has a clearly 

articulated mission. That mission has guided the strategic plan for 

increased enrollment. We feel that implementation of this plan will 

permit Henderson to become healthier financially through systematic 

growth of its enrollment.” 

In 2007 and 2008 the Composite Financial Indices increased. In 

2009 the CFI decreased due to an Arkansas Legislative Audit 

requirement that dictated that the full $700,000 early retirement 

pay plan be expensed at year-end rather than over a three-year 

period as had been planned. Another cause of the reduction was a 

substantial decrease in the market value of the foundation’s invested 

assets due to the economic recession. 

However, Henderson has reversed this downward trend. In March 

2010 the Higher Learning Commission Financial Panel Review 

concluded “that the institution has substantially met its commitment 

in its Report on Finances (i.e., Financial Recovery Plan). 

82

The ratios and other issues are addressed at a satisfactory level and 

do not require interim monitoring.” In April 2011 the 2010 CFI 

reported an increase of 150 percent over the previous year. This is 

the highest CFI Henderson has reported to the HLC since 2005 

and perhaps since this measure began. 

There are many variables that can affect the ratios used to determine 

the CFI. It is most important to consider the trend line over a 

period of time. In the final sentence of his letter dated January 28, 

2010, to the HLC, then President Welch states “The Composite 

Financial Index will continue to be used as a component of our 

financial goals and will support our institution’s strategic plan and 

overall mission.” 

One of the key underlying concepts of Henderson’s most recent 

strategic planning process is the linkage of strategic plan priorities 

with resources. Principles guiding the strategic planning process 

also set the foundation for resource development and allocation 

dedicated to strengthening the quality of education. The process 

focuses attention on short- and long-term issues and balances the 

two. It also considers how priorities for new initiatives match 

mission commitments. 

Henderson has done a great job of stretching limited resources to 

support all programs. However, for the past two or three years 

there has been only enough fiscal support to maintain programs 

currently in place and little additional funding for any significant 

future planning. 

Through the strategic planning process and the Higher Learning 

Commission Self-Study, the institution is identifying areas where 

growth may be possible in terms of curriculum/programs, where 

additional resources must be invested, where cuts might need 

to be made, and how the university can better position itself 

for the future. 

Use and Development of Human Resources 

Planning and Allocation 

Planning and implementation of programs and processes which 

affect human resources are accomplished through the collaboration 

of administration with offices, such as human resources, business, 

academic affairs, and the general counsel. The vice president for 

finance and administration and his staff develop resource allocation 

recommendations for the president and Board of Trustees 

with information from federal and state laws and regulations, 

professional peers, and campus groups. These include, but are not 

83


limited to, the President’s Cabinet, the Budget Committee, Staff 

Senate, Faculty Senate, and the Fringe Benefits Committee. 

As a state institution Henderson’s ability to meet existing staffing 

needs and plan for future needs is directly affected by the state 

legislature. The number and specific types of job positions 

available for utilization, pay scales for classified positions, and pay 

maximums for non-classified and faculty positions are regulated 

by the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration’s 

Office of Personnel Management and the Arkansas Department 

of Higher Education with oversight from the legislature’s 

Personnel Committee. 

However, the institution has flexibility in making decisions 

regarding the use of appropriated job positions and other worklife 

factors, such as employee access to insurance and retirement 

benefits and training and professional development. To use 

human resources effectively Henderson strives to employ, motivate, 

and retain faculty and staff qualified to provide a quality 

education while balancing the needs of the students with the 

mandates of the legislature. 

Local, national, and international job-seeking candidates may 

apply for faculty and non-classified staff positions through the 

General Counsel’s Office and classified positions through the 

Office of Human Resources. These offices provide administrative 

guidance to the heads of the departments which have open 

positions. The actual search for the most qualified candidates is 

decentralized and is organized by a search committee chair for 

faculty and non-classified positions and by the hiring supervisor 

for classified positions. The recruitment guidelines encourage the 

search for diverse, qualified candidates, and the percentage of 

minorities employed has increased steadily. (See Criterion 1B.) 

Classified positions are usually sought by candidates within a 

fifty-mile commuting radius from campus due to the entry-level 

hourly rates which range between $7.84 and $17.95. The Office 

of Human Resources sends all classified job postings to the 

Arkansas Department of Workforce Services for free publication 

statewide. Postings for all university positions are published on 

the Henderson website, and specialized positions are advertised 

in publications, such as The Chronicle of Higher Education, the Arkansas 

Democrat-Gazette, and higheredjobs.com. 

Due to limited state funds and the desire to keep tuition and fees 

at a minimum, Henderson has effectively used private donations, 

grants, and special fees to temporarily fund salaries for select 

positions. These agreements include specified time commitments 

to roll expenses into the university operating budget. For instance, 

84

the Academic Programs Subcommittee of the 2005 Designing Our 

Destiny strategic plan recommended a specific position based upon 

emerging technology needs: 

“Sixty-six percent of the responders [to an email soliciting input 

on technology] indicated the need for either more rooms with 

permanent MultiMedia stations, portable MultiMedia stations 

and/or better maintenance of the current MultiMedia stations. 

Several indicated a need for more than one. We currently have 

42 MultiMedia stations on campus. Some of these are portable. 

A new permanent station would range from $16,000 to $35,000 

depending on the configuration. The portable stations on a 

lockable cart are about $5000. The Academic Programs 

committee agreed in the March 8th meeting to recommend that 

the computer technician position be unfrozen and someone hired 

with the primary responsibility of supporting the MultiMedia 

stations. They also recommend an increase in the Multimedia 

station maintenance budget.” 

In July 2005 a portion of the technology fee was used to hire a 

multimedia computer technician to build and maintain multimedia 

stations, saving the university money and time compared to outsourcing. 

In 2007 the Student Government Association proposed a 

library fee increase from $2.00 to $2.50 per credit hour to the 

Budget Committee. A portion of the fee income funded two parttime 

Library Academic Technicians, enabling Huie Library to 

extend night-time hours from 10 p.m. to 

midnight, Sunday through Thursday. A 

donor contributed $30,000 toward an 

assistant director of bands position from 

August 2008 through May 2011. The 

operating budget funded the remaining 

salary and benefits and will fund the 

entire expense starting with FY2011- 

2012. 

Salaries 

Salaries and fringe benefits are a substantial 

cost to the institution. In FY2010– 

2011 the proposed educational and 

general and auxiliary salaries plus fringe 

benefits represented 48 percent of the proposed total budget. 

Although the state provides funds for the operating budget, the 

proposed state funds were only 37.4 percent of the proposed total 

FY2010–2011 budget. The entire $20,628,126 state appropriation 

for FY2010–2011 would have funded 77.6 percent of the 

$26,559,953 budget for just salaries and fringe benefits, requiring 

tuition, fees, and private funds to cover the remaining $28,568,772 

budgeted to provide a quality learning environment. The graph in 

Figure 2B-5 shows the decline of budgeted state appropriations 

Figure 2B-5 

Budgeted State Appropriations 

Relative to Salaries and Fringes 

85


relative to the increasing budgeted salaries and fringes within 

budgeted total expenses since 2001-2002. 

Although the percentage of state revenues relative to total compensation 

expenses has declined, appropriated positions filled with 

full-time and part-time employees have increased as Henderson 

has grown. (See Table 2B-6.) 

In addition to legislating budget and position appropriations, the 

state’s Office of Personnel Management mandates the pay scale 

and cost of living adjustments (COLA) for classified employees. 

Salary increases for non-classified staff and faculty are determined 

by the institution based on available funds. The salary offered 

upon date of hire for non-classified personnel and faculty is also 

determined by the institution. Each non-classified and faculty 

position has a maximum salary, regulated by the state, listed on the 

position appropriation act for each state institution. These “line 

item maximums” are assigned to institutions based in part on their 

size, so similar institutions have competitive salary maximums. 

Competitive and compressed salaries are a concern when recruiting 

and retaining employees. A salary study was conducted in 

2005 by a committee of faculty and staff who analyzed data from 

twenty-two peer institutions and recommended a plan to raise 

average salaries to be more competitive. The committee identified 

44 of 63 professors, 19 of 33 associate professors, 27 of 37 assistant 

professors, 10 of 17 instructors, and 39 of 90 non-classified 

staff positions which were not competitive with peer institutions. 

They recommended the adjustments be made over four years 

contingent upon available funds. Furthermore, they recommended 

a shorter implementation period should sufficient funds 

become available. Starting July 2005 salary plan adjustments were 

implemented for the specified positions, in addition to COLA 

increases, for three of the planned four years. State budget cuts 

in 2008 reduced the availability of funds necessary to complete 

the recommendations from the 2005 salary study. The Budget 

Committee and Faculty Senate recommended a new study be 

conducted for implementation after the state economy improves. 

In spring 2010 the president established a Compensation Committee 

to thoroughly review all aspects of faculty and staff benefits to 

include salary, health benefits, retirement, job expectations, teaching/work 

load, and other related issues. Twenty-five institutions 

identified as similar to Henderson are being used for comparison 

in this study. The committee will work throughout the 2011-2012 

academic year and make recommendations to the president once 

its work is complete. 

86

The 2006-2007 salaries listed in Table 

2B-7 include the first and second 

installments of the 2005 salary study 

adjustments for specific positions. 

Changes evidenced in the 2010-2011 

average salaries were affected by the 

third salary study adjustment, acrossthe-board 

cost of living increases when 

available, and increases due to the state 

pay plan study for classified positions. 

Average salary changes and increases in 

instructors and assistant professors’ 

salaries were affected by attrition from 

the 2007 early retirement offer and 

regular turnover. 

July 2008 and 2009 included no cost 

of living (COLA) salary increases for 

non-classified staff and faculty. Classified 

positions, which typically have 

lower average salaries, received a 2 

percent COLA in 2008. As a result 

of a legislatively-mandated review of 

the state classification and compensation 

structure, in 2009 classified positions 

also received 50 percent of salary 

adjustments that were required by 

the new state pay plan. Although the 

times were lean and employees were 

not pleased with little to no pay raises, 

the university was able to avoid layoffs, 

benefit reductions, hiring freezes, and 

program cuts. For this, in March 2010 

the Staff Senate passed a resolution 

extending its “appreciation to President 

Charles Welch, Mr. Bobby Jones, and 

the administration for their diligence 

and foresight looking out for the campus 

community and its best interests 

through these dire economic times.” 

Table 2B-6 

Breakdown of Henderson Employees by Category 

In 2010 Henderson was able to provide 

a 2 percent across-the-board increase in December. Active classified 

staff employed since at least July 1, 2010, received the remaining 

fifty percent of the state pay plan increase that December. These 

staff and faculty increases were retroactive to July 1, 2010, because 

Table 2B-7 

Salaries of Full-Time Benefit Eligible 

Employees, 2006-2007 Compared 

to 2010-2011 

87


they had been approved by the Board of Trustees in the proposed 

FY2010-2011 budget. The budgeted increases were postponed 

before the proposed budget could be implemented, and the funds 

were put into reserve until the state budget improved. Following a 

mandate from the Office of Personnel Management, no classified 

across-the-board cost of living increase had originally been budgeted 

for FY2010-2011, but a 2 percent increase was later recommended 

for all state classified employees. A proposal to give classified employees 

a 2 percent across-the-board increase was approved by the Board 

of Trustees effective January 23, 2011. (See Table 2B-8.) 

Turnover 

The voluntary early retirement plan offered to 107 eligible employees 

in 2007 presented challenges for those departments whose 

employees retired. Because the plan was announced August 23, 

2007, and was effective December 31, 2007, there was a limited 

amount of time to find qualified replacements for faculty members 

retiring just before the spring semester. Therefore, willing retirees 

continued to teach as adjuncts for the remainder of the academic 

year or until their replacements could be hired. The intent of the 

plan was to raise funds for the incoming administration by hiring at 

lower salaries than had previously been budgeted. There were no 

cost savings, but there were plenty of challenges. Eight of the 

thirty-four employees retired from Teachers College, making it 

difficult to advise students, leaving two of their departments without 

department chairs, and resulting in a loss of valuable institutional 

memory. Teachers College met the challenges through reorganization, 

converting nine-month department chair positions to twelvemonth 

positions, and hiring adjuncts. To maintain their accreditation, 

Teachers College must hire faculty with P-12 or other career 

experience. Because the salaries of candidates in the labor market 

were higher than the salaries of the retirees, finding qualified 

replacements was facilitated by hiring faculty without terminal 

degrees with agreements to complete their terminal degrees within 

specified time limits. As Dr. Judy Harrison, Dean of Teachers 

College and Professor of Curriculum and Instruction, stated about 

the loss of institutional memory, “In some cases, faculty who had 

not had an opportunity to demonstrate their leadership skills before 

were appointed as department chairs. Fortunately, they had some 

institutional memory and were willing to learn the intricate details 

of SPA and NCATE assessment and lead the new faculty in building 

new assessments aligned with SPA, NCATE, state and institutional 

standards.” 

Service award ceremonies 

for faculty and staff 

Apart from the early retirement programs, however, Henderson 

employees exhibit low turnover. According to an article in 

Employee Benefit News, February 23, 2011, the Employee Benefit 

88

Research Institute (EBRI) 

recently released a study with 

the following findings: 

• Over the past thirty-five 

years, the percentage of 

Americans who remained 

in the workforce after age 

fifty-five was 34.6 percent 

in 1975, dropped to 

29.4 percent in 1993 and 

rose to the high level 

of 40.2 percent in 2010. 

• For employees age sixtyfive 

and older, the participation 

rates for both 

women and men increased. 

Table 2B-8 

Contributing factors were the expectation of longer life Salary Increase History for Across-the-Board/ 

spans, age-based delays to the availability of full social Cost of Living Adjustments 

security benefits, increased costs and changes to Medicare, 

and supplemental medical insurance in an uncertain economy. 

Employees at Henderson have a history of staying at the institution 

past the age of fifty-five, and a few have stayed past age 

seventy-five. As of February 25, 2011, the oldest employee is 

an eighty-one-year-old maintenance assistant, who has twentyeight 

years of service at Henderson. Service award ceremonies 

are held annually to recognize staff and faculty who have five or 

more years of consecutive service. In 2007, 47 percent of fulltime 

employees had between five and twenty years of service. 

A review of length of service among faculty in 2011, revealed 

Faculty Rank Average Years of Consecutive HSU Service 

Instructor 

9.4 years 

Assistant Professor 

4.5 years 

Associate Professor 

11.3 years 

Professor 

20.5 years 

Turnover rates by year for full-time employees from 2002 through 2010 

2002-2003 11% 

2003-2004 13% 

2004-2005 15% 

2005-2006 9% 

2006-2007 9% 

2007-2008 18% (includes special early retirement population) 

2008-2009 9% 

2009-2010 11% 

(Data from Turnover Rate by Year report from Office of Assessment and Research) 

Henderson employees’ retirement decisions are affected by the rising 

cost of health care and changes in social security and Medicare, but 

89


some have also shared stories explaining that they came to the institution 

intending to gain a few years of experience but stayed longer 

than expected because of the friendly atmosphere. 

Fringe Benefits 

The cost of health insurance is a concern not just for retirees, but 

also for potential employees and active employees. Henderson pays a 

larger percentage of the employees’ premiums for employee-only 

coverage (100 percent) than competing institutions, such as Arkansas 

State University (88 percent) and the University of Central Arkansas 

(85 percent). 

Beginning in January 2011, in an effort to help employees during 

a period when they had not received salary increases, Henderson 

continued covering employees’ premiums at 100 percent (See Table 

2B-9.) and increased its share of the family premium from 49.5 percent 

to 53 percent, an additional increase of $24.91 per month for 

120 families. The institution was able to absorb the additional cost 

with revenues from increased student enrollment. Also, the potential 

9.56 percent health insurance premium increase, due in part to costs 

associated with federal health care reform, was decreased to 7.64 

percent by changing the dental insurance provider to the same parent 

company, Arkansas BlueCross/BlueShield. Employee approval 

of purchasing health, dental, and/or vision insurance through the 

same vendor if it would result in an overall savings was confirmed 

by a “yes” response from 92.4 percent of the 157 employees who 

answered that question on the 2010 Employee Benefits Survey. 

Health insurance premiums are affected by the age and health of the 

participating members (employees or retirees plus dependents) and 

their utilization of the insurance. Henderson reviews age demographics, 

types of illnesses, and claims costs of active employees and 

retirees in efforts to provide the best coverage at an affordable cost for 

health insurance participants. Eligibility for insurance for early 

retirees in the future may change in response to the federal Patient 

Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and the Health Care 

and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. 

Reddie for Wellness 

flu shot clinic 

Between December 2009 and November 2010, 50.2 percent of 

the total dollars in claims were for members fifty-five years of age 

and older. 

Percent of total claims 

December 2009 - November 2010 by age group. 

Newborns 2.9% 

1-14 years 5.6% 

15-34 years 19.2% 

35-44 years 6.3% 

45-54 years 15.8% 

55-64 years 16.3% 

65+ years 33.9% 

90

Table 2B-9 

History of Henderson Insurance 

Premium Changes between Calendar 

Year 2006 and 2011 

Although the older member base influences premium rates, employees 

of all ages have used their insurance wisely and lowered 

Henderson’s utilization costs by using in-network medical providers, 

attending wellness visits, using generic-brand drugs, and improving 

their overall health. The Student Health and Counseling Center 

and the Office of Human Resources work together to provide various 

health-conscious programs to Henderson students, employees, 

and local community members. Since 2006 the Student Health and 

Counseling Center has sponsored the Health Improvement Program 

now renamed “Reddie for Wellness.” Students already pay a 

health fee, so they may participate at no additional cost. Employees 

may participate for the cost of materials, which has been less than 

the $25 co-pay for a doctor’s visit. The program has the added 

convenience of being provided on campus, reducing employees’ 

time away from work. Through the Reddie for Wellness program, 

the Student Health and Counseling Center nurses measure health 

indicators, such as a participant’s blood pressure, cholesterol level, 

blood sugar level, and body mass index during the fall semester and 

follow up with comparison measures in the spring semester. During 

the four-month program, participants may receive nutritional 

counseling from a dietician in the family and consumer sciences 

department and participate in diet programs, exercise groups, and 

support groups on campus. The Office of Human Resources has 

hosted the Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue and You Fitness Challenge, 

health fairs, flu shots, and heart screenings on campus and provided 

informative “Lunch N Learn” sessions on how to prevent health 

problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and stress. Various 

aquatic classes are available through the athletics department, and 

exercise classes are offered to students and employees with memberships 

at the Student Recreation Center. Henderson provides 

a workout room in the Garrison Center with exercise machines 

that employees may use at no cost. By encouraging collaboration 

between departments, encouraging use of its facilities, and allowing 

time for employees to attend wellness events, Henderson is 

improving the well-being of employees while lowering insurance 

utilization costs and the percentage of any premium increases. 

91


Financial resource development and investment 

Even through difficult financial times, Henderson has constantly 

invested in its future through faculty development, by growing and 

enhancing learning support services, through investing in technology, 

and by an aggressive updating of buildings and facilities. 

Faculty Development 

Henderson is fortunate to experience rather low turnover rates in 

its faculty and staff. Therefore, the university’s investment in 

faculty development is a clear investment in the future. Henderson 

regularly assists in faculty development and research opportunities 

by funding travel to state, regional, national, and international 

conferences. In addition, money is budgeted annually for the 

purchase of needed equipment and supplies relative to specific 

research projects. Over the past three years approximately 

$378,000 has been allocated directly for this purpose. As a result 

of a recommendation in the 2005 Designing Our Destiny strategic 

plan, the majority of these funds are allocated to individual 

colleges/schools to be disseminated, usually through an application/committee 

process. For examples of funded projects, see 

Table 2B-10. 

While research funds may be used for travel, they may also be 

expended on supplies, such as in the sciences where money is used 

to purchase liquid nitrogen, geometric batteries and sensor cables, 

cylinders of helium and oxygen gas for purging combustion tubes, 

blacklight tubes for night collections of biology specimens, paper, 

the binding of materials, and other research-based supplies. 

Learning Support Services 

Many disciplines collect course fees from students that are dedicated 

funds for supporting learning in those academic areas. 

In the 2008-2009 academic year, $447,884 in fees were collected 

for academic programs. The dean of the college and/ 

or chairs of departments control the spending of those funds. 

Some of these funds are for immediate needs including studentintern 

supervisor travel expenses, nursing-student supervisor 

travel to clinical sites, thermal cylinders, film and print development 

supplies for photography, clay and kiln supplies, and 

maintenance/tuning of pianos; others serve as immediate 

and long-term investments for student learning, such as digital 

shows for the planetarium, refurbishing of telescopes and 

glassware, and specimens for biology dissection and study. 

Common Book visiting 

speaker Ishmael Beah 

Henderson also made an ongoing commitment to learning support 

services with the investment in the Henderson Seminar. 

Implemented in 1998 this nine-week course taken during the 

92

student’s first semester is 

designed to increase the 

likelihood that the student’s 

“first and future years at 

Henderson will be successful, 

both academically and 

socially.” (See also Criterion 

3D.) In recognition of the 

importance of the efforts 

made by seminar instructors 

to help students make the 

transition from high school 

to college, the stipend for 

teaching a Henderson 

Seminar class was raised 

from $600 to $1000 in 2004 

and to $1250 in 2011. The 

number of Henderson 

Seminar instructors has 

steadily increased with a current 

average of thirty-three 

instructors per fall semester. 

As a result of a 2005 strategic 

plan initiative, Henderson 

inaugurated a Common 

Book Program in fall 2006. 

The goal of the program is 

to offer everyone on campus 

– faculty, students, and staff 

– the opportunity to read 

and discuss the same book over the course of the semester. Freshmen 

discuss the book in Henderson Seminar, and events related to 

themes in the selected book are also scheduled. Funded with an 

allocation from the student orientation fee, the program budget is 

used to purchase books for incoming freshmen and other interested 

members of the university community and to bring the author or 

related speaker to campus. 

Table 2B-10 

Examples of Funding for Faculty 

Development and Research in 

2009-2010 

In fall 2010 the university developed the Academic Advising Center, 

another initiative from both the 2005 and 2010 strategic plans. 

This center helps students in designing successful class schedules 

and determining career choices. The staff will provide assistance to 

students who have not declared a major, to students under thirty 

hours of earned credit who have not completed their remedial 

classes, and to students on academic probation. It is anticipated that 

this program will need additional resources in the future. 

93


Due to enrollment increases in fall 2010, additional tutors were 

hired to help meet the demands of the Writing Center. From 2003 

to 2007 additional full-time instructors were hired in English, 

Mathematics, and Oral Communications in order to offer enough 

sections to meet demand. In 2007-2008, the institution put these 

three positions into the budget as regular instructor salaries. It is anticipated 

that these will be necessary for many years into the future. 

Technology 

Technology plays a very important role in the success of Henderson 

students and faculty. Through the implementation of wireless access 

in all residence halls and academic buildings, multimedia in ninetyfive 

classrooms, expansion of eLearning, computer access for all, 

broadband telephone (Voice over Internet Protocol-VOIP), upgrades 

in network infrastructure, and more, technology at Henderson 

continues to be one of the most advanced areas. (See also 

Criterion 3B.) 

Facilities 

Renovation and Construction 

Many of the buildings on the Henderson campus have either been 

renovated or constructed over the past ten to fifteen years. Most 

recently, Henderson saw the construction of a new nursing education 

building, two new residence halls, the student recreation center 

(funded by students), and the aviation maintenance and flight 

training hangar. With property acquisitions through 2010, Henderson’s 

main campus includes 152.41 acres, 61 buildings, and 

1,137,972.24 square feet. With over $46 million spent in new 

construction and renovation since 2001, Henderson continues to 

invest in facilities. (See Table 2B-11.) 

The new Charles Dunn 

Student Recreation Center 

Of the nineteen building projects completed since 2001, 63 percent 

were new buildings. Of the twelve new buildings, one third of those 

were replacements of older facilities. According to the Arkansas 

Higher Education Comprehensive Annual Report- Financial 

Condition Report 2010 (AHECAR) by the Arkansas Department 

of Higher Education (ADHE), the average Facilities Condition 

Index (FCI) for 2010 for all of Arkansas’s educational and general 

facilities is 54 percent, meaning that 54 percent of the life expectancy 

of the average facility has passed. Any FCI exceeding 15 

percent according to national literature signals that the maintenance 

of facilities needs improvement and a dedicated source of 

funding. The FCI for Henderson in 2010 was 54.7 percent. This 

is very high, yet comparable to other Arkansas public universities. 

(See Table 2B-12.) Although public universities in Arkansas reduced 

their critical maintenance need by $57.7 million from 2008 to 2010, 

the facilities square footage increased only by 179,000 in that same 

94

Table 2B-11 

Investment in Facilities 

Table 2B-12 

ADHECAR 2010 

Facilities Audit 

95


time period, indicating the replacement of facilities that cost too 

much to renovate because renovation costs can often exceed the 

cost of a new facility. 

Maintenance 

Deferred maintenance is a lack of normal upkeep. It is an appraisal 

term used to note items like broken windows, missing shingles, 

peeling paint, broken guttering, and other property defects that 

have not been addressed by the owner.” Henderson conducted a 

campus-wide deferred maintenance audit for 2011-2013. Its purpose 

was to identify the value of deferred maintenance of the 

buildings and mechanical equipment. The current estimate for 

deferred maintenance for 2011-2013 is $25,850,834. State appropriations 

to meet this need have been minimal over the last ten 

years. In its “Recommendations for 2010-2011,” the AHECAR 

notes that “it was recommended at the October 29, 2010 Board 

meeting that the Board members work with the Legislators for 

funding to support the maintenance of state facilities,” but no 

money has yet been allocated for this purpose. 

On October 29, 2010, the Arkansas Department of Higher 

Education Coordinating Board enacted a Policy for Maintenance 

of New Facilities. This policy requires that any “newly 

constructed or purchased facilities will have a source of funding 

for maintenance of the new facility. Institutions seeking approval 

of a loan or a bond issue for the construction or purchase of a 

new facility must provide for the maintenance of that facility by 

transferring annually to plant funds an amount as recommended 

by the Association of Physical Plant Administrators of Universities 

and Colleges (APPA). This is currently $2.50 per gross square 

foot for an educational and general facility or $1.25 per gross 

square foot for an auxiliary facility. A lower rate per gross 

square foot for a specific building/facility can be approved with 

appropriate justification.” The deferred maintenance amount 

will be a budgeted item for the life of the building. Funds set 

aside can be used for critical maintenance on any building. 

Renovations in the 

Womack building 

Henderson is currently investigating energy-saving solutions 

through an energy service company, (ESCO). The ESCO will 

perform an in-depth analysis of the properties and design an 

energy-efficient recommendation. The savings in energy costs may 

be used to pay back the capital investment of the project over time. 

Through a rebate program from Entergy of Arkansas, an audit has 

been performed on every building on campus for replacement of 

T12 light bulbs with T8 bulbs. There are 5,904 fixtures that need 

replacement. This will take place building by building as funds 

become available; funds will be reimbursed through Entergy of 

Arkansas. All new buildings include an automatic light system that 

will turn on upon entering and off upon exiting. 

96

In fall 2008 an internal committee which included President Charles 

Welch, Vice President for Finance and Administration Bobby Jones, 

faculty, and staff was formed to make recommendations for a new 

Campus Master Plan. The proposed goal was “to produce a Master 

Plan document concisely documenting the goals, objectives, improvements 

and design information generated as a result of study of the 

campus, and comments and decisions reached during meetings of the 

HSU Master Plan Committee.” The keynotes for the proposed improvements 

are below. 

Proposed Improvements - KEYNOTES 

1.0 Construct new Dining Hall and Coffee Cafe 

2.0 Architecturally enhance/ renovate Amy Jean Greene Bridge - 

extend bridge to new Dining Hall, add lighting 

2.1 Architecturally camouflage Boiler Building 

3.0 New Residence Hall 

3.1 Acquire property; expand parking for residence halls - refer to 

“Proposed Parking Improvements” plan 

3.2 Enhance west sidewalk at Garrison Center - widen, add lighting, 

add traffic devices 

4.0 Expand existing parking lot for faculty and commuter students 

- refer to “Proposed Parking Improvements” plan 

5.0 New entry / landscape to Womack Hall with parking and 

fountain and Womack / Caddo Plaza 

6.0 Adaptive re-use / renovation of Caddo 

6.1 Add parking at Caddo 

7.0 New monumental campus entry sign 

7.1 Camouflage blind wall for Physical Plant along 10th Street 

7.2 Sidewalk / trail / greenway to recreation fields along 10th 

Street 

7.3 Campus collegiate architectural fence (Decorative metal fence 

with brick masonry posts at +/- 40’ integrals) 

8.0 Building addition / renovations to Womack Hall 

9.0 Enhancements/ improvements to Henderson Street (landscape, 

enhanced crosswalks, lighting, streetscape, etc.) (Near Term improvements 

Pg. 19) 

9.1 Enhancements/ improvements to 12th Street (landscape, 

enhanced crosswalks, lighting, streetscape, etc.) 

Plans for proposed improvements 1.0, 2.0, and 2.1 are being developed 

during the writing of this report, while improvement 8.0 is in 

progress. The building addition and renovations to Womack Hall will 

not only bring the building into compliance with the American with 

Disabilities Act, but will also allow the admissions personnel to relocate 

there. This will bring most services for admissions and registration 

for students into one building. 

Parking has long been a complaint of students and employees alike. 

At the time of the development of the 2010 Campus Master Plan 

there were 1,427 parking spaces available for approximately 4,000 

students and employees. The proposed parking improvements 

97


shown on page 14 of the Campus Master Plan below add over 

1,650 new spaces to campus. (See Figure 2B-6.) A new parking 

lot that was not part of the Campus Master Plan was built in 

summer 2010 at the corner of Wilson and 12th Streets. That new 

lot created an additional sixty-one spaces. 

Prioritization of projects in the Campus Master Plan, both nearterm 

and long-term, are listed in Figure 2B-7. 

The three bulleted items below were listed as “Major Recommendations” 

in the Facilities and Grounds section of the 2005 Designing 

Our Destiny strategic plan. Each of these is being addressed 

with the 2010 Campus Master Plan. 

• Define and develop a physical area that will be dedicated to 

student residential life. Construct new residence halls as well as 

a new dining facility in this area. 

• Improve the aesthetics of the entire campus by accelerating 

general maintenance and repairs, improving outdoor lighting, 

better landscaping, paved parking. 

• Develop a “Master Plan” for future physical plant improvements 

and changes. Form permanent committees to review and 

monitor future physical plant needs (or extend the life of the 

Master Plan Committee). 

Flexibility 

Henderson’s budget planning and processes have adequately 

maintained programs over the years but are currently being reviewed 

and revised to better allow for growth and innovation. 

For the past eight to ten years it has been nearly impossible to 

significantly increase support for rapidly growing departments 

as state funding has decreased or remained static, as has institutional 

size. Some of the vice presidents and deans have made 

small reallocations within their units and limited budgets, but 

the resources are not significant enough to generate substantial 

change. Over the past three years the president, vice presidents, 

and deans have begun to look at areas in critical need with the 

intent of developing plans for addressing these concerns. Only 

recently (fall 2010) has the institution seen a significant enrollment 

increase, generating unanticipated funds that might be 

allocated for this purpose. Without increased state support, the 

institution relies mainly on student tuition for additional revenue. 

A desire for maximum flexibility to respond to changing demands 

inspired President Welch to establish the new strategic planning 

process in 2009. He charged the Strategic Planning Council to look 

at all aspects of the university and to develop plans for the future, 

but he also insisted that this be seen as an ongoing plan and provided 

for assessment and updates to be made annually. A primary 

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objective in this plan is to undertake a cost analysis of all units 

on campus. This will be critical in determining future funding 

and resource allocation. 

History of Achievement 

Planning processes have been an important way in which Henderson 

has focused its attention on important initiatives that 

would move the university into the future. With each strategic 

plan, Henderson has achieved significant portions of its planning 

goals while remaining flexible enough to revisit and revise some 

goals and realizing that some, such as technology, are moving 

targets. 

The 1998 Bold Strokes strategic plan identified seven initiatives 

to implement the liberal arts mission of the university. A total of 

twenty-two recommendations were made to accomplish those 

initiatives. As of the writing of this report, 23 percent of the 

recommendations have been met, 73 percent have been partially 

met, and 4 percent have not been met. 

Figure 2B-6 

The 2005 Designing Our Destiny strategic plan began with six 

broad issues identified by the Board of Trustees. Twenty-three 

major recommendations were made. As of the writing of this 

report, 26 percent of the recommendations have been met, 61 

percent have been partially met, and 13 percent have not been 

met. 

The 2010 Strategic Plan is the current strategic plan in effect as 

of the writing of this report. It was developed by five subcommittees, 

with each subcommittee addressing one of the five 

Higher Learning Commission criteria. It is comprised of seventeen 

goals. These goals are formatted into a table that includes 

an evaluation. (See Figure 2B-8.) 

Evaluation of the progress and updating of the document are 

built into the process. The preface of the plan states that the 

“document should be viewed as a working document and the 

process of strategic planning as an ongoing process.” In an 

email dated September 14, 2010, Drew Smith and Catherine 

Leach, co-chairs of the Strategic Planning Council, wrote the following 

to the chairs of the subcommittees, “The next step for the 

Strategic Planning Council will be for each subcommittee to go 

through this current version of the plan and determine which of 

the goals, objectives, etc. are currently being addressed, and assessing 

what current 

activities 

are being 

done and to 

Figure 2B-7 

Figure 2B-8 

99


what extent these activities are effective in accomplishing particular 

goals.” In June 2011 the committee met again in retreat 

to identify the goals and objectives that had been met, those 

that were in progress, and those that had not been addressed. 

Summary: 

Ultimately, the use of internal resources to maintain a balanced budget 

is not without its faults. The transition to greater self funding had the 

impact of decreasing the institution’s total net assets. Recognition of 

this fact by the administration has circumvented any financial crises 

and has led to recent increases in internal financial resources. 

Henderson has been able to sustain educational quality through 

sound fiscal and budgetary management. The university has endeavored 

to offset the decreases in state funding as well as rising expenses 

through conservative budgeting and restrained spending. The university 

recently moved to budgeting for a flat or decreased enrollment 

rather than for an anticipated increase in enrollment, as had been the 

practice for many years. In addition spending has been cut off early 

in the spring semester during poor economic years, with purchases 

approved only when a critical need existed. Not replacing, or delaying 

the hiring for, vacated positions, has also generated enough funds to 

help ensure that the institution ended each year in the black. As always, 

Henderson continues to look at reprogramming efforts that will 

address critical funding issues required to support academic initiatives. 

Through conservative planning and management of resources, the 

university will be able to restore reserves for unanticipated needs and 

short-term strategic investments and invest in top priorities – even 

without additional state appropriations for these purposes. Prudent 

budget planning and possible reallocation of existing resources will 

enable the institution to realize its goals. 

CORE COMPONENT 2C: The organization’s ongoing 

evaluation and assessment processes provide reliable 

evidence of institutional effectiveness that clearly 

informs strategies for continuous improvement. 

Henderson has been significantly better at collecting data than at 

analyzing or using the data for continuous improvement. However, 

after the 2001 Self-Study, the Higher Learning Commission team 

recommended a focused visit for the university on the issue of assessment. 

In preparation for that focused visit, the university engaged in 

an intense and concerted effort to create a culture of assessment 

where data is collected, analyzed, and utilized to make improvements 

in programs and practices. The momentum in evaluation and assessment 

processes has continued, and the academic and administrative 

100

units alike have begun to systematically collect and use evidence to 

make changes. (Academic assessment will be covered much more 

in-depth in Criterion 3A.) 

Assessment Process and Support 

Henderson is committed to the evaluation and assessment program. 

During the 2002-2003 academic year, the president charged the 

deans and vice presidents with developing assessment programs in 

their respective areas. However, it was determined later that year 

that this strategy was unlikely to produce a quality evaluation and 

assessment process. The administration brought in an assessment 

speaker, Dr. Denise Watts, to present an assessment workshop in fall 

2002. As a significant show of support for creating a university-wide 

assessment program, Henderson hired a director of assessment in 

March 2003. The Office of Assessment and Research was created 

at that time with supply/service and travel budgets. The university 

also provided the resources to purchase the TracDat system and 

training for both the TracDat and iWebfolio products. A survey 

software package was purchased to assist programs/units in the 

development of surveys for evaluation and assessment. The university 

funded the cost of eight members of the Assessment Team to 

attend the AAHE/HLC Assessment Workshop in June 2005, and a 

national assessment expert was brought in prior to the start of the 

fall 2006 semester. 

The director of assessment provides training sessions to assist 

programs/units in the use of TracDat, development of assessment 

plans, and analysis of data, as well as in other support activities. 

Additionally the Assessment Team was created in 2003 to assist the 

director of assessment. The Assessment Team consists of both 

academic and non-academic representatives, along with undergraduate 

and graduate student members. 

With the help of the director of assessment and the Assessment 

Team, each academic program and administrative unit is required 

to develop an assessment plan and use TracDat to record the plan, 

collect the data, and track the results. Each assessment plan includes 

• At least three student learning outcome statements/objectives; 

• Two measurements for each student learning outcome statement/objective, 

which include the criteria for assessing, a 

schedule, and how the data will be used to make changes; 

• Measurement tools (survey, rubric, etc.) attached; 

• Linkage to higher-level goals. 

The Assessment Team reviews each plan and reports the findings to 

the program/unit. The team has developed rubrics for evaluating the 

assessment plans and end-of-the-year, “Closing the Loop,” reports. 

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Data is to be collected during the year, with specific deadlines for 

entry into TracDat, and reported annually. Subsequent to data 

collection, storage, and analysis, any changes in the program/unit 

are recorded in TracDat. Each ”Closing the Loop” report includes 

• Data collected for each measurement; 

• At least one observation for each measurement used in the 

assessment plan; 

• Action(s) to be taken if changes need to be made; 

• Follow-up on changes made in the assessment plan. 

The director of assessment also assists departments in the development 

and administration of surveys and in analyzing the data 

collected. The director has created both paper and web-based 

surveys for many academic and administrative units. The surveys 

gather indirect data from students, faculty, staff, administrators, and 

external constituencies. The administrative units administer satisfaction 

surveys. The academic programs survey students on experiences, 

quality of programs, and preparedness. They also gather data 

from employers to see how prepared students are and what changes 

they recommend to programs. 

Reviews 

In addition to the formal assessment process, the university and units 

across the campus regularly engage in other reviews of effectiveness. 

For example, the current strategic plan will be assessed at different 

points throughout the process and reported upon annually. The 

groundwork for the strategic plan was laid during spring 2009, and 

each of the subcommittees met during fall 2009 to finalize their part 

of the strategic plan. The Strategic Planning Council met again during 

summer 2010 for a two-day retreat to review the plan and make 

any necessary revisions, based upon the current conditions and 

the results of the Campus Climate Survey. Members of the council 

determined if any of the goals had been met or were currently 

being addressed. Again in summer 2011, the Strategic Planning 

Council met to evaluate each goal, objective, strategy, and activity. 

Academic programs also conduct periodic reviews as required by 

the Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE). In June 

1997 Arkansas Code 6-61-214 charged the ADHE with the responsibility 

for reviewing existing academic programs of public 

colleges and universities. All institutions are required to develop 

an academic review plan for all programs every seven to ten years. 

The Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board (AHECB) 

requested in October 2008 that the ADHE revise the existing 

program review process to ensure academic quality and to remove 

nonviable programs. Now each institution has to schedule an ex- 

102

ternal review for all existing programs every seven to ten years by 

employing out-of-state reviewers/consultants and writing a comprehensive 

self-study. The reviewer/consultant must conduct a site 

visit to meet with program faculty, students, and administrators. A 

comprehensive self-study will include curriculum, faculty, resources, 

course delivery methods, student outcomes, recent/planned program 

improvements, and any other additional information needed. 

Data Collection 

To assist in the process of assessment and review, the university 

collects and maintains a wide variety of data including faculty, 

staff, student, and community member surveys; nationally-normed 

tests and assessments; peer reviews; and internal research. 

Data is stored in various databases depending on the type of data. 

The main data warehouse is Jenzabar PX POISE which stores 

enrollment, student, financial aid, fiscal, and personnel data. The 

research associate in the Office of Assessment and Research is 

responsible for most of the state and federal reporting. The office 

is tasked to ensure the integrity and reliability of data for effective 

university planning and decision-making. The Office of Assessment 

and Research coordinates the data analysis and the reporting 

of university data to administrators, faculty, staff, students, 

and other internal and external constituencies. Examples of the 

types of data that could be requested are student enrollment, retention, 

courses, grades, and remediation. Student data reports 

for state and federal reporting are collected from this database. 

Teachers College has utilized this system to develop their Undergraduate 

Teachers College Assessment System (TCAS) and the 

Graduate Teachers College Assessment System (GTCAS). Teachers 

College uses the data collected in both of these systems for National 

Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education accreditation, 

Specialized Professional Association reports, program reviews, and 

in the university assessment process. Beginning fall 2011 Teachers 

College will begin using the TK20 assessment system, purchased by 

the college to even better facilitate the collection and use of data. 

As discussed above, the university’s assessment data tool 

is Nuventive’s TracDat software. TracDat is an assessment 

management tool designed to meet the assessment 

and planning needs of both the academic programs 

and administrative units. TracDat allows for institutionwide 

viewing of assessment plans and uniform reporting 

across departments. It provides a user-friendly tool 

for managing assessment processes, such as planning, 

data storage, data analysis, change implementation, 

and follow-up. Data can be organized into reports for 

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faculty, staff, and administrators to support formative and summative 

evaluations of program or unit progress each year. 

Henderson uses TracDat to store all academic program and administrative 

unit assessment plans. Each program/unit is responsible 

for summarizing the results collected and attaching the data as well 

as creating action plans to improve the program/unit. Once the 

action plans are implemented, follow-ups are recorded to monitor 

the success of the action plans. The program/unit is asked to share 

all results and action plans with its entire area. This is to ensure 

continuous improvement is happening across the entire area. 

Results 

Since the institution of the Assessment Office in 2003, many administrative 

units have made changes to their units based upon 

collected data. Some examples follow. 

Heart Start 

One of the changes has been to Heart Start, Henderson’s orientation 

program for new students. In fall 2006, the orientation shifted 

from a morning-only session to a two-day orientation. Surveys were 

developed and data has been collected since that time. Based on the 

2007 survey results the following changes were made: 

1. The Heart Start printed materials were changed. Instead of a 

one page letter, a twenty-page booklet was developed to include 

a campus map, department telephone numbers, and information 

about programs and the forms students might need to 

prepare before attending the session. 

2. The data showed that in 2007 the breakout sessions were 

confusing and many students did not attend those sessions. In 

2008 sessions were reduced and all students attended the same 

sessions at the same time. 

3. Six Heart Start faculty members had done all the academic 

advising in 2007. Students were not actually being advised, just 

put into classes. Beginning in 2008 students were advised by 

someone from each academic department, and the time spent 

advising students was increased to provide more time for 

academic issues. 

4. There were only three sessions of Heart Start during 2007. It 

was decided based on the data that another session needed to 

be added in 2008. 

The overall data showed there was a significant increase in satisfaction 

from 2007 to 2008. 

Parents and future students 

attending Heart Start 

Residence Life 

During the 2006-2007 assessment cycle, Residence Life collected 

data on attendance of hall programs. The data showed 

only 35 percent of the students responded that they regu- 

104

larly attended the programs. It was decided that changes 

needed to be made to the days and times the programming 

was offered; however, the data did not show any improvement 

in attendance after these changes were made. 

Residence life employees held discussion groups on living cooperatively 

with roommates. Ninety-six percent of the students 

attending these groups reported they got along with their current 

roommate. Several students questioned how they had been 

assigned to their original roommate as they reported to have 

nothing in common and had to change roommates because 

the living situation was uncomfortable. Based on the data collected, 

a roommate interest survey has been created to collect 

information on personalities, likes, dislikes, and other desirable 

attributes for a roommate. Residence Life will complete 

a follow-up in early fall 2011 to determine the effectiveness of 

this tool before students are allowed to change roommates. 

Scholarships 

The University Relations and Admissions Office was concerned 

with the low percentage of first-time admitted students that enrolled 

at Henderson. The university evaluated the 2009 scholarship 

program and decided to make the necessary changes to remain 

within the parameters of Act 323, yet yield more students. By 

making these changes to scholarships, the number of students 

enrolling has increased. (See Criteria 2B.) 

Academic Advising Center 

The Academic Advising Center has been in the planning stages for 

many years. In 2008 the final report of the Faculty Senate Ad Hoc 

Committee on Retention made a recommendation to develop an 

advising center. This committee researched several topics before 

making any recommendations. One piece of the research included 

the results from the Sixth National Survey on Academic Advising 

conducted by ACT. The 2010 Strategic Plan also listed the advising 

center as one of its objectives. National data shows that students 

need holistic advising. The advising center was created in fall 2010. 

The center develops an individual plan for each student. Advisors 

in the center currently advise undeclared and high risk students. 

This spring the University Academic Council (UAC) adopted two 

new standards. If a student requires at least two remedial courses 

and has lower than a 21 ACT score, that student cannot declare a 

major and must be advised by the advising center. Also, if a student 

is on academic probation (under 2.00 GPA) the student is restricted 

to taking 15 or fewer credit hours and must be advised by the 

advising center. If the student receives any type of financial assistance, 

the center works with the Office of Financial Aid to ensure 

the student is enrolled in the required number of hours. The 

105


advising center collected data during the fall 2010 and the spring 

2011 semester on the retention of the students who were advised, 

and is developing an assessment plan and measurement tools to 

collect evidence to gauge the success of this endeavor. 

Greek Life 

Henderson partnered with the North-American Interfraternity 

Conference in fall 2010 to provide a third-party assessment of the 

Greek Life system at Henderson. This assessment process is the 

most significant step taken in the past ten years to improve Greek 

Life at Henderson. The assessment process included data collection 

from Henderson and a site visit from the Coalition Assessment 

Team in November 2010. Based on the findings from the 

visit, major changes are being made to the Greek Life system. The 

dean of students developed a plan to incorporate the recommendations 

of the Coalition team. The first change was to socially 

suspend all fraternities indefinitely and suspend all spring rush 

activities. The university is requiring each fraternity to develop a 

plan for the process of self-governance. This plan will make each 

fraternity responsible for its own standards and the standards of 

other fraternities on campus. Each fraternity is required to work 

with its national organization. The dean of students hosted a 

summer retreat for members of the Greek councils to discuss the 

action plan for the 2011-2012 academic year. 

Other 

Additional examples of how data collection helps contribute to 

the improvement of the university: 

• The Non-Returner Survey was developed in fall 2006 to 

gather evidence as to why students did not return to Henderson. 

The results were discussed during a President’s Cabinet 

meeting. Each vice president was charged with taking the data 

pertaining to his or her area and implementing changes based 

on the data. There are current discussions on the need to 

gather this evidence again because it has been five years. 

• The Non-Matriculated Survey was developed during the fall 

2006 semester. The data gathered assisted in understanding 

why students applied and were accepted but chose not to 

attend Henderson. The data showed students were applying 

and being admitted to numerous institutions. The vice president 

for student services and other student services staff 

reviewed the scholarship program and suggested changes. 

This survey has not been administered again since 2006; 

however, the Office of University Relations and Admissions 

106

still collects the reasons why students did not enroll at Henderson. 

This data is collected by phone calls to students that are 

not enrolled in courses. 

• The Survey of Graduates was locally developed over ten years 

ago. The surveys were filed until 2010. The assessment office 

spent the fall 2010 and spring 2011 semesters manually entering 

the data into the survey software. The data will be aggregated 

and distributed to the necessary departments for action to 

be taken to improve student learning and experiences. 

• The Graduate School Exit Survey was locally developed in 

2004 and is administered online. The instrument was built by 

the director of assessment and the Graduate School Council. 

It is administered each semester. The counseling department 

added some questions during the fall 2006 semester specifically 

for those majors completing the survey. The data is distributed 

to the graduate council for action to be taken. 

• The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) has 

been administered on Henderson’s campus every other year 

since 2002. The data collected has been used in various ways 

to improve the campus. 

Summary: 

The university has supported evaluation and assessment through 

hiring a director of assessment, supporting a funded office of 

assessment and research, purchasing campus-wide assessment 

management system and survey software, and revitalizing the 

Assessment Team. As a result, all units of the university have 

engaged in a culture of assessment by making plans to collect 

data, reviewing the data, and using the data to make decisions 

leading to continuous improvement. 

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CORE COMPONENT 2D: All levels of planning 

align with the organization’s mission, thereby enhancing 

its capacity to fulfill that mission. 

Planning and the Mission 

The university mission was adopted by the Board of Trustees in 

1988. As a result, in 1988 the university made a commitment to 

fully implement the mission with three major goals: 1) recruit a 

diverse, superior student body, 2) fully integrate the liberal arts into 

every undergraduate academic program, and 3) identify several 

programs of distinction that would be known for their quality 

throughout the South. This was the university’s first effort to 

develop a strategic plan. 

Planning efforts continued in 1998, with the university’s Bold 

Strokes strategic plan. It identified seven initiatives which supported 

the first initiative, which was “Henderson State University will 

implement its liberal arts mission by a) developing a common 

definition and understanding of the liberal arts at Henderson State 

University; b) achieving state and national recognition as a public 

liberal arts university by developing a comprehensive plan; and c) 

developing benchmarks to monitor university progress in implementing 

its mission.” 

As a result of the 2001 Higher Learning Commission visit, it was 

recommended that the university develop a campus-wide assessment 

plan. With the development of the university’s assessment 

plan, each department’s assessment goals are linked to its departmental 

mission which in turn is linked to the university mission. 

This helps ensure that departmental planning and assessment is 

mission driven. 

In September 2004 the Board of Trustees identified six broad 

issues facing Henderson and charged Dr. Dunn, faculty, and others 

with developing a strategic plan to deal with these six issues. Six 

strategic planning taskforces were established and met regularly 

throughout the spring 2005 semester, and out of these efforts, the 

2005 Designing Our Destiny Strategic Plan was developed. While 

the six issues are issues that face many campuses, the taskforces and 

the narrative that resulted centered on solutions consistent with the 

mission. For instance, the Academics section of the report began 

“As Arkansas’s Public Liberal Arts University, Henderson has the 

obligation to present any and all opportunities for its students to 

better comprehend culture and ideas beyond what can be found in 

Arkansas.” The Campus Community taskforce envisioned a true 

liberal arts university culture where the campus is “populated with 

focused and engaged constituents, where participation in academic 

and social activities is the norm for everyone on the campus; where 

morale is high across all segments of the HSU community, encom- 

108

passing students, staff, faculty, and the surrounding community; and 

where active listening and open dialogue ensure a climate where 

even a negative is communicated with respect.” The Telling Our 

Story taskforce identified the need for more discussion to reach an 

agreement about a common image, and even the Facilities taskforce 

recommended changes in residence halls and other buildings to 

create an on-campus residential section where students could commune 

and learn from each other. 

After the university’s new president arrived in July 2008, efforts 

began to formulate a Strategic Planning Council. In spring 2009, the 

president charged this council with developing an ongoing strategic 

plan. This plan was formulated around the five criteria for 

accreditation set by the Higher Learning Commission. This strategic 

plan is designed to be a work in progress, to have set priorities, 

timelines, and performance indicators (dashboard indicators). This 

planning document contains five goals that involve the university’s 

mission: Goal 1: A culture of commitment to the mission will 

permeate the university; Goal 2: The mission will be examined to 

determine its vitality and responsiveness to the changing needs of the 

university and the constituents it serves; Goal 3: Henderson and its 

mission will be known throughout the region and state; Goal 4: The 

university will operate with integrity; and Goal 5: University 

committees will be strengthened and mission oriented. 

Planning, Budget, and Implementation 

Within the past decade, Henderson has faced decreased state funding 

and (until last year) static enrollment. As a result, there has been little 

new money to budget for planning initiatives. Nevertheless, 

Henderson’s budgeting process has taken seriously the need to tie the 

budget to the planning process, and as a result, accomplished many 

of the initiatives. 

Within the past few years, the budget process has become much more 

transparent. As vice president for finance and administration, Bobby 

Jones, had an open-door policy and was very willing to explain the 

budget and all expenditures to anyone desiring this information. He 

initiated monthly meetings with the presidents of the Faculty and 

Staff Senates. The interim vice president Lecia Franklin has continued 

these policies. Budget Committee meetings are open to all faculty and 

staff, and minutes of the meetings are now kept. 

An important aspect of the current 2010 Strategic Plan is an annual 

review of the plan to note the accomplishment of initiatives for the 

purpose of informing the budget process. One of the first 

accomplishments of the current plan was the implementation of the 

recommendation of two previous strategic plans: the establishment 

of an advising center. In fall 2010 an advising center was created, 

and staff and resources were dedicated to this objective. 

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Below are a few examples of how budgeting priorities have 

followed the strategic planning process and led to the 

implementation of planning recommendations. For a full record 

of Henderson’s success at implementing planning goals, see the 

1998 Bold Strokes Table of Accomplishments, the 2005 Designing 

Our Destiny Table of Accomplishments, and the 2010 Strategic 

Plan Table of Accomplishments. 

Study Abroad Program 

1998 Bold Strokes strategic plan – Initiative #6C – Create a meaningful 

study abroad program involving students and staff. 

2005 Designing Our Destiny strategic plan – Expand the programs 

and opportunities for students to study abroad with full funding and 

administrative support. 

2010 Strategic Plan – Goal 13 activity – Develop an international 

exchange program. 

The planning for a study abroad program has resulted in increasing 

the budget for this purpose from $2,500 in FY1999-2000 to $39,636 

in FY2010-2011. The university started committing more funding 

towards this goal in FY2006-2007 with a budget of $41,722. The 

budget was reduced to its current amount due to a 5 percent across 

the board budget cut in FY2009-2010. This item still remains in the 

2010 Strategic Plan as a priority and demonstrates the desire to create 

an international student exchange program. 

Randy 

McCauley 

and 

Shannon 

Duncan 

updating 

Multi-Media 

Equipment 

Technology 

1998 Bold Strokes strategic plan – Initiative #2 – Support the 

implementation of technology necessary for a premier liberal arts 

university and encourage all stakeholders to explore and implement 

innovative strategies and techniques. 

2005 Designing Our Destiny strategic plan –Increase the support 

for technology in the classroom and for online learning: multimedia 

stations, access to laptops, increased budgets for departmental 

equipment, maintenance, and training for software and online 

learning environment. 

2010 Strategic Plan – Goal 1 – Support TracDat; Goal 3 – Obtain 

and support new website; Goal 12 – Develop training programs for 

faculty and staff. 

In 1999 Henderson started leasing computers on a three-year replacement 

cycle. This process was made possible by the Board of Trustees’ 

approval of a technology fee that is charged to the students and 

generates enough income to support lease renewal and provide for 

other technology and staff. In 2000 a webmaster was hired to fulfill 

the need for better communication internally and externally. A computer 

technician was hired in 2005 in response to the need for support 

of multimedia stations across campus. The university has continued to 

plan for better communication by hiring Stamats in 2010 to develop a 

new website. 

110

Assessment 

Although campus-wide assessment was not specifically addressed 

in the 1998 Bold Strokes strategic plan or the 2005 Designing Our 

Destiny strategic plan, as a result of the 2001 Self Study the university 

set as one of its priorities in planning the hiring of a director 

of assessment and including budget funds necessary to purchase assessment 

software. This was accomplished by the hiring of the director 

of assessment in 2003, the purchase of TracDat Software, and 

continued support of professional development in assessment. As 

a result the university has revitalized its Assessment Team and has 

improved its assessment record keeping and reporting activities. Although 

assessment was not a planning priority for the university, the 

university was able to modify its plans to adjust for emerging needs. 

Planning and the Future 

Planning for the future is happening at Henderson as evidenced in the 

1998 Bold Strokes strategic plan, the 2005 Designing Our Destiny 

strategic planning, and the 2010 Strategic Planning Council Report. It 

is also evident—and a goal of the 2010 Strategic Planning Council— 

that frequent planning efforts occur and that the “plan become a 

working document and the process of strategic planning become an 

ongoing process.” It is also a goal/vision of the 2010 Strategic Planning 

Council that the strategic plan does not merely sit on a shelf. The 

council’s desire is to work with all campus constituents to accomplish 

what is set forth in this plan. 

As part of President Welch’s reorganization, a new position, vice 

president for external affairs, was established in April 2009. This 

position was created to “make the institution more communitycentered 

and responsive to needs of our entire region and state.” 

This position will also be responsible for the operations of the 

Southwest Arkansas Training and Learning Center, now known as 

Henderson Community Education Center. This position will be 

responsible for strengthening Henderson’s relationships with area 

school districts, community colleges, community organizations, and 

business/industry partners. This new commitment to partnerships 

and community involvement (see Criterion 5) will assist Henderson in 

including even more external constituents in its planning processes. 

As part of the 2010 Strategic Plan there are three specific goals that 

were established to help the university prepare for the future. These 

goals are 1) the university will establish a regular and thorough plan for 

preparing the university budget, 2) the university will undertake steps to 

increase grant funding, and 3) a master plan of major facilities and 

physical plant updates and improvements will be kept current and 

accessible. The 2010 Strategic Plan was approved by the Board of 

Trustees at its November 2010 board meeting, and by spring 2011 

several steps had already been taken towards meeting the above goals. 

For instance, minutes are being taken at each budget committee 

111


meeting and distributed to members of the committee to keep those 

who cannot attend the meetings abreast of the information discussed. 


Henderson has faced many years of financially straitened circumstances. 

As a result, funding for important projects, salaries, and 

professional development is not as high as the university would like. 

However, Henderson has constantly engaged in planning processes 

while remaining flexible to meet financial challenges. With the record 

freshmen enrollments in 2010 and 2011, Henderson should see 

greater financial revenue, but a different set of challenges will arise. 

Overall, Henderson has carefully allocated its resources to fulfill its 

mission, improve the quality of its education, and prepare for future 

challenges as well as opportunities. 

Strengths 

Henderson has been successful in developing and allocating its resources 

even during difficult financial times. Planning processes at 

multiple levels have helped the university fulfill its mission while 

responding to new challenges and opportunities. An improved culture 

of evaluation and assessment at all levels has improved the quality of 

education and services. 

Henderson has been successful in maintaining a balanced budget in 

tough economic times. With the fall 2010 increase in enrollment and 

the changes in budget development (based on flat or decreased enrollment), 

Henderson is financially more stable now than it has been in 

several years. The 2010 Strategic Plan has provided a clear picture of 

where the institution is and where it needs to go. The budget process 

itself is more open and transparent, including innovative ideas from a 

broad spectrum of the campus. Proactive planning and conservative 

budgeting based on current student enrollment and cost predictions 

for large expenses, such as utilities and mandated state programs like 

the Classified Pay Plan gave administration the ability not only to 

survive recent state budget cuts but also to implement strategies to 

increase student enrollment. The institution has a number of grants 

which support students and programs. The Office of Institutional 

Advancement and Henderson Foundation provide program support 

in the areas of scholarships, travel, services, and equipment. 

Planning efforts have evolved to the current, broad, and comprehensive 

strategic plan that addresses long-range priorities and includes an 

understanding of enrollment trends, technology needs, and quality 

academic programming. This 2010 Strategic Plan is a working document 

designed to have set timelines. This type of document will 

enable those using it to evaluate the goals, see what is being accomplished, 

and make adjustments where needed, one of many indicators 

of Henderson embracing a culture of assessment and evaluation. 

112

Dramatic improvements have been made in the assessment and evaluation 

processes overall. The university has invested in human and technological 

resources that have allowed fundamental changes in how information 

is evaluated, tracked, and utilized. An active university Assessment 

Team reviews each plan and meets with each area to discuss successes or 

improvement needs. A culture of assessing, using data, and implementing 

changes based on the data collected has taken root and begun to grow. 

Other strengths include technology planning and implementation that 

has provided many opportunities for classroom enhancements with the 

use of multimedia stations, internet connections, and SmartBoards. The 

institution enjoys having modern facilities, the majority being new or 

renovated within the past fifteen years. 

Challenges 

State appropriations continue to be of concern to the university. If the 

downward trend in state revenue continues, Henderson will find it 

increasingly difficult to support existing programs without considerable 

tuition increases or other outside sources of funding. Increasing foundation 

support through the institutional advancement office will be critical 

over the next several years. The institution must also increase retention 

and recruitment in order to generate additional funds through SSCH. 

These will be necessary to offset state funding shortages and rising costs 

in utilities and health coverage. These things will be even more difficult 

as Henderson is located in an economically depressed part of the state, 

with population and employment decreasing. 

Delayed funding of long-term investment in real and human assets has 

put Henderson in a position where continued delay may have an adverse 

impact on the faculty, staff, or students. For instance, salary compression 

within and between the categories of classified, non-classified, and 

faculty positions is a significant concern. The ability to support new, 

innovative programs is hampered by the decrease in funding and insufficient 

collection and analysis of data to determine the best use of the 

limited resources. 

While the investment in a software system to improve tracking alumni 

and asking for their help has already occurred, additional resources must 

be employed to insure the new system begins paying dividends soon. 

More time and energy needs to be focused on effective grant writing. 

Grant opportunities should be sought and application made whenever 

feasible. 

Henderson will need to follow through with a cost analysis of existing 

programs. Because the institution has a recent strategic plan in place, 

funding will need to be tied directly to those initiatives determined most 

critical for maintaining academic integrity and for institutional growth 

and stability. 

113

The organization provides evidence 

of student learning and teaching 

effectiveness that demonstrates it is 

fulfilling its educational mission.

Criterion Three: 

Student Learning 

and Effective 

Teaching 



Ken Taylor 

Interim Graduate Dean, Co-Chair 

Sharon Gardner 

Administrative Assistant, 

Academic Affairs, Co-Chair 

Cecilia Addington 

Assistant Director, 

Student Support Services 

Margaret Hoskins 

Professor, Accounting 

Randy McCauley 

Information Systems Analyst, 

Instructional Technology 

Basil Miller 

Associate Professor, Physics 

Holly Morado 

Instructor, Mathematics and 

Computer Science 

Betty Ramsey 

Director, South Arkansas Math 

and Science Center 

Phillip Schroeder 

Professor, Music, and Chair, University 

Assessment Team 

Bob Yehl 

Director, Huie Library 

Introduction 

At mid-semester a student studies for her exam in Cell Biology, a course 

recently made a requirement for all biology majors after the department 

examined the results of its assessment program and determined the 

course was necessary to better prepare her and all of its students for 

graduate work. A student in a business course works on his writing skills 

after studying the rubric by which his written assignment will be graded. 

The rubric and emphasis on written communication was instituted by 

the School of Business after examining past assessment results. 

Students in Modern Grammar finish their assignments from a new 

textbook that a professor required after student feedback on evaluations 

of the course indicated the previous textbook was too technical and 

difficult to understand. Another student goes to the library to use one of 

the newest databases, Early English Books Online, to research a paper 

for a special topics history course. Meanwhile the professor of the 

course logs onto the same database from her office to complete research 

on a paper she is giving later in the semester at a conference she is 

attending thanks to the travel award given by the Ellis College Planning 

and Advisory Committee. 

Two students chat in the Reynolds Science Center Planetarium while 

waiting for one of the shows required for their coursework to begin. One 

of these students really enjoys the flexibility of taking the Introduction to 

Astronomy course online, while the other student prefers the course that 

meets twice a week in the classroom because she learns better interacting 

with an instructor. A psychology professor sits at his desk recording a 

lecture using Camtasia for an online course, while another professor 

records a lecture as she gives it to the class so that students may go back 

and review the lecture in the Angel-enhanced course. 

Students and professors like these take advantage on a daily basis of the 

many different learning environments, resources, and opportunities to 

constantly improve student learning and teaching effectiveness. True to 

the century-long tradition that has distinguished Henderson since its 

beginning, the university remains committed to providing excellent 

undergraduate curricula and graduate programs. Through a common 

core of courses in arts and sciences, as well as through the more specialized 

curricula, the university cultivates the maximum growth and 

development of each student. The university encourages excellence in 

teaching and supports scholarly and creative endeavors by both its 

faculty and students. The culture of assessment is becoming second 

nature across the campus of Henderson. Academic advising systems for 

all students are in place to monitor academic progress. A variety of 

resources that support student learning and effective teaching are used 

by all stakeholders. These endeavors form the foundation upon which 

Henderson builds appropriate programs in response to the needs of 

various communities that it serves. 

116

CORE COMPONENT 3A: The organization’s goals 

for student learning outcomes are clearly stated 

for each educational program and make effective 

assessment possible. 

Over the past decade Henderson has placed assessment 

of student learning at the top of its list of 

goals. Because of the concentrated efforts of administration 

and faculty, much progress has been 

made in this area. Henderson has transformed its 

assessment efforts from what could be described as 

scanty and piecemeal at best to a well-structured 

and evaluative system for measuring student learning. 

A persistent effort has been made to create a 

culture of assessment across campus. Indeed, faculty, 

staff, and administrators have come to the realization 

that assessment is not a fad. As a result of this 

realization (accomplished in some areas more readily 

than in others), faculty and staff have pulled 

together to coordinate assessment efforts. This section describes 

the impetus for the concentrated focus on assessment at Henderson, 

the steps that were taken to design and implement a 

coordinated system for measuring student learning, changes 

that have occurred as a result of the assessment process, and 

areas where continued work is needed and will be pursued. 

Henderson’s last regular accreditation visit from the HLC occurred 

in 2001. At that time Henderson had no comprehensive 

assessment plan. As a result the HLC Visit Team recommended 

a commission-mandated focused visit that would center on the 

area of assessment, and the administration began concentrated 

efforts to remedy the deficiency. In December 2001 President 

Charles Dunn recommended to the Board of Trustees that an assessment 

coordinator be hired to oversee and coordinate campuswide 

assessment efforts. This strategic move provided the impetus 

that was needed to begin to create a culture of assessment on the 

Henderson campus. The Office of Assessment and Research was 

established, and a director was hired in 2003. The first steps taken 

by the director was to draft a university assessment plan and 

form an Assessment Team. The Assessment Team is composed 

of the director of assessment, the institutional research associate, 

a faculty member each from the Teachers College and the 

School of Business, three faculty members from Ellis College, a 

representative each from academic affairs, finance and administration, 

student services, external affairs, and the president’s 

office, a graduate student, and an undergraduate student. 

Wrenette Tedder, Director of 

Assessment, addresses the 

Arkansas Association of 

Collegiate Learning Fall 2010 

Conference as President 

A persistent effort has been 

made to create a culture of 

assessment across campus. 

117


Over the next several years the director of assessment and the 

Assessment Team led efforts to create a culture of assessment by 

bringing several assessment speakers to campus, hosting roundtable 

discussions, and publishing an Assessment Newsletter. The 

goal was to begin to educate faculty and staff about how to develop 

assessment plans for their programs. The first newsletter 

explained that the first step of the assessment process begins with 

each unit’s mission from which learning goals are identified. 

Learning goals would be the basis for developing measurable 

learning outcomes. Measures would be designed to determine if 

the learning outcomes were being achieved. The director also met 

with various department faculty members to help them develop 

their assessment plans. TracDat, an assessment management 

system to record assessment plans, data, and evidence of closing 

the loop was purchased in summer 2005, and iWebFolio was 

introduced as a measurement tool for student learning. The 

director of assessment provided training for both software systems 

to faculty and staff. 

By the time the focused visit occurred in 2007, the focused visit 

review team concluded that sufficient progress had been made 

toward establishing an assessment program. Evidence supporting 

the team’s conclusion included the following: 

• Each academic and support unit had identified and made 

available through the TracDat system several student learning 

or mission-specific outcome statements. 

• Faculty and staff involvement in assessment and development 

of student learning outcomes was widespread throughout all 

units of the university. 

• TracDat included entries for learning outcomes and methods 

of assessment for all academic programs for the 2005-2006 

academic year. 

• Faculty and staff demonstrated a common terminology and 

better understanding of assessment expectations, including the 

need to close the loop on objectives. 

• Students expressed awareness that capstone courses provided 

assessment of concept integration from courses taken 

throughout programs. 

• Administration provided budgetary support for the 

implementation and administration of a structured 

assessment program. 

• The Assessment Team was fully engaged with assessment 

planning and oversight. 

• Several administrative, faculty, and staff members had 

attended assessment seminars, workshops, and meetings geared 

toward implementing and improving assessment efforts. 

118

Even though no follow-up visit to the 2007 visit was recommended, 

the focused visit review team cited several areas where further 

improvement was needed: 

• A basic understanding of how to write a student learning outcome 

was not universally understood by all academic departments. 

• Greater evidence of course mapping in program areas to the 

general education outcomes identified in the mission statement 

was needed. 

• The outcomes and measures necessary to report baseline data 

had not been developed by many departments. 

• Evidence of closing the loop was insufficient due to inadequate 

data, mixed or unclear results, or insufficient attention to analysis. 

Since the HLC Commission Mandated Focused Visit, Henderson 

administration, faculty, and staff, under the leadership of the Office 

of Assessment, have continued efforts toward achieving a campuswide 

culture of assessment, a formalized assessment plan that provides 

data necessary to identify unmet learning goals, and a system to 

capture and evaluate changes in curricula and teaching methods 

made to address those unmet learning goals. 

Identifying Learning Outcomes 

Henderson’s primary mission is to excel in undergraduate education, 

and the university offers eight baccalaureate degrees (bachelor of arts, 

bachelor of fine arts, bachelor of general studies, bachelor of music, 

bachelor of science, bachelor of science in education, bachelor of 

science in nursing, and bachelor of business administration). Although 

Henderson’s primary mission is to excel in undergraduate 

education, the university also offers five master’s degrees (master of 

arts in teaching, master of science in education, master of science, 

master of business administration, and master of liberal arts) and 

one specialist’s degree (education specialist). 

Henderson’s current assessment plan includes eighty-three units. Of 

that total, thirty-eight are administrative units, 

and forty-six are academic programs. Of the 

forty-six academic programs, thirty-one pertain to 

bachelor’s degrees, twelve pertain to master’s 

degrees, one pertains to the Honors Program, and 

one pertains to the Liberal Arts Core. Table 3A-1 

shows the results of a subjective analysis performed 

on each academic program’s assessment 

plan in TracDat. 

As shown, thirty-two of the forty-six plans (69 percent) are substantially 

complete or need only minor changes. One example of the 

Table 3A-1 

Assessment Plan Analysis 

For Academic Year 2010-2011 

119


need for a minor change is that one area uses scores on assignments 

as a measure of how effectively students use written and oral 

communication skills. A rubric would more clearly identify how 

a student’s work met or failed to meet the various components of 

the writing or presentation expectations. Providing a copy of the 

rubric to the students would help them to prepare the assignment 

and achieve expectations. Another example of a needed minor improvement 

is that one area fails to list the criterion that is expected. 

And even in most of these cases, the analysis shows that the criterion 

has been met even when it fails to specifically list the criterion. 

Seven cases were classified as needing moderate improvements. An 

example is one program that uses grade point averages and course 

grades as measures for outcomes. The program was classified as 

needing moderate improvements, however, because it has six other 

measures that do not rely on grade point averages or course 

grades. Some plans classified as needing moderate improvements 

have outcomes and measures listed but fail to disclose the measurement 

instrument. 

Four programs (9 percent) have assessment plans that need major 

work. One of these plans has an outcome listed that does not 

seem to match the assessment methods and has some methods 

for which criteria and measurement instruments are not indicated. 

Another plan included in this category lists six outcomes 

that rely on indirect measures with another subset of eighteen 

learning outcomes, all of which rely on course grades. Another 

leans too heavily on course grades with an insufficient number 

of other measures, while the fourth has goals that are not 

proper learning goals (the goals presented are more correctly 

classified as department goals rather than learning goals). 

Finally, there were three programs that had not completed 

the initial step of formulating an assessment plan before the 

end of spring 2011. During the summer 2011, the Masters 

of Liberal Arts program finalized its plan and entered it 

into TracDat with the goal of beginning data collection during 

the academic year 2011-12. An assessment program has 

not been completed for the Liberal Arts Core. Minutes from 

the November 18, 2010, and April 14, 2011, General Education 

Committee meeting show that progress is being made and 

preliminary goals and objectives have been established. In fall 

2011 the committee will continue discussing methods for measuring 

those learning outcomes. The final area without an assessment 

plan is the Bachelor of General Studies program. 

The Assessment Team evaluates assessment plans and results 

annually. This team, under the leadership of the director of 

120

assessment and with the support of the provost, will work with all 

programs to accomplish changes and address shortcomings. 

Multiple Levels of Student Learning 

At the heart of Henderson’s mission statement are the goals that 

Henderson endeavors to provide an education that will nurture in 

each student the capacity to think logically and critically; to speak 

and write effectively; to appreciate the complexity and diversity of 

world cultures; to understand the physical universe; to participate as 

a concerned, intelligent citizen; to acquire mastery of a particular 

field of study; to mature intellectually, emotionally, and physically; 

and to discern appropriate uses of technology. 

Henderson uses the TracDat assessment management system to 

manage the assessment process. Each academic and administrative 

unit inputs its mission, learning goals, learning outcomes/objectives, 

measurement methods, data, and steps to close the loop into the 

TracDat system. As learning outcomes are entered for each academic 

program, they are linked to the course(s) associated with the 

learning outcome, the program goals they are 

designed to measure, and the goals stated in the 

Henderson mission statement above. Table 3A-2 

shows a summary of these linkages. 

As shown in Table 3A-2 a total of 176 

learning outcomes have been identified by 

academic programs. Of these, 138 (78 percent) 

are linked to the Henderson mission statement, 126 (72 

percent) are linked to program goals, and 103 (59 percent) are 

linked to specific courses. Table 3A-3 provides detail about 

the outcomes linked to the Henderson mission statement. 

As would be expected, the most common link to 

the Henderson mission statement is “acquire 

mastery of field of study.” Of the 138 learning 

outcomes linked to the Henderson mission statement, 

116 (84 percent) link to this Mission component. 

This is a logical outcome because a common 

theme of academic program assessment plans is 

that students will learn the concepts, theories, and 

skills of the particular discipline. To “think logically 

and critically” has 108 (78 percent) of the programs 

linked to it. The next most common links 

are to “mature intellectually, emotionally, and physically” (65 

percent) followed by “speak and write effectively” and “discern 

appropriate uses of technology” (both at 64 percent), “participate 

as a concerned, intelligent citizen” (62 percent), and “appreciate the 

complexity of world cultures” (53 percent). Many programs are 

The Assessment Team 

evaluates assessment plans 

and results annually. 

Table 3A-2 

Linkage of Learning Outcomes to 

Henderson Mission, Program 

Goals, and Courses 


Table 3A-3 

Linkage of Learning Outcomes to 

Specific Henderson Mission Goals 


121


concerned that students become aware of their ethical responsibility 

in the execution of their skills, that they are able to communicate 

with stakeholders of all cultures effectively, and that they 

know how to use the technology particular to their area of study. 

Only 29 percent of the 138 learning outcomes are linked to 

“understand the physical universe.” This is logical because only the 

natural sciences would be expected to be linked to this goal. 

As the data were being analyzed, it became apparent that some 

outcomes linked to more Henderson mission goals than were 

being measured, while others did not link to Henderson mission 

goals at all. Also, some outcomes were not linked to program goals. 

Finally, some outcomes were linked to more courses than where 

the measures were occurring, and other objectives did not link to 

courses at all. One issue that needs to be addressed is that each 

area should review the links to the Henderson mission statement, 

to program goals, and to courses to make any corrections needed. 

Multiple Direct and Indirect Measures of 


Training sessions conducted by the director of assessment have 

emphasized the need for direct measures in addition to indirect 

ones. As faculty input their assessment plans into TracDat, the 

method of assessment is classified as direct or indirect. Direct 

measures are further classified as to type. Table 3A-4 shows the 

results of an analysis of assessment methods. 

As shown a total of 339 learning measures are identified. Of that 

total, 276 (81 percent) are direct measures. Of the 276 direct 

measures, over half (153) are course-embedded. Internships total 

27 (8 percent of total measures), portfolios total 54 (16 percent of 

total measures), and standardized tests comprise 42 (12 percent of 

total measures). It seems that the faculty have, indeed, increased 

reliance on direct measures. Indirect measures (surveys and internal 

data analysis) comprise only 17 percent of total measures. 

Table 3A-4 shows that standardized tests provide measurement of 

learning for forty-two learning outcomes. These standardized tests 

include the Praxis I and Praxis II; FAA Private Pilot, FAA Commercial 

Pilot, and FAA Instrument; ETS Major Field Tests in 

Biology, Business, Computer Science, Math, and Physics; National 

Athletic Trainers’ Association Board of Certification Examination; 

Graduate Record Exam; American Chemical Society Exam; the 

Clinical Mental Health Exam and the Council for Accreditation 

of Counseling and Related Educational Programs Exam; the 

School Superintendents’ Assessment; and the School Leaders 

Licensure Assessment. 

122

It is important to use direct measures to assess 

accomplishment of student learning outcomes. It is 

also important, however, which methods are used to 

evaluate student performance on those direct 

measures. For this reason, direct measures were 

further analyzed to determine the measurement 

instruments being used to assess student performance. 

Table 3A-5 shows the results of this analysis. 

Of the 276 total direct measures, 42 are 

standardized tests. The remaining 234 are based on 

course-embedded measures, field placements and 

internships, and portfolios. Of the 234, well over 

half (153) are course-embedded. Of the 153 courseembedded 

direct measures, 61 percent base evaluation on rubrics. 

In addition, 24 of the 27 internship measures and 49 of the 54 

portfolio measures are scored using rubrics (see examples of 

rubrics that are used to evaluate various learning 

outcomes). Of course-embedded measures, 27 base 

evaluation on course grades and 25 that do not 

specify the measurement instrument. This reveals 

the problem that 52 of the 150 course-embedded 

measures need work on the measurement 

instrument. Only three internship measures and 

eight portfolio measures still need to present a 

measurement instrument to demonstrate how 

students achieve learning outcomes. 

Availability of Results 

Faculty in each academic area develops an 

assessment plan for each program. The director of 

assessment and members of the Assessment Team 

are available to provide input. The director of 

Assessment has evaluated the plans, and beginning 

in the 2009-2010 academic year the Assessment 

Team reviewed each academic and administrative assessment plan. 

The team members and the Provost met with faculty of each 

academic program with the exception of the Masters of Liberal 

Arts and the Bachelor of General Studies. The purpose of the 

meetings was to discuss each area’s assessment plan and provide 

input and guidance for improvements. These meetings were 

well-received, and faculty members seemed to appreciate the 

willingness of Assessment Team members to provide assistance. 

Table 3A-4 

Direct and Indirect Measures of 



Table 3A-5 

Detail of Direct Measures of 



Faculty members of many areas meet to discuss the results of data 

analysis. Table 3A-6 shows a summary of the execution of assessment 

plans by academic programs. 

123


As shown 29 percent of academic programs fully executed their 

assessment plans. Faculty in these programs collected data, 

analyzed the data, and met to discuss the findings. Another 29 

percent of academic programs partially executed their assessment 

plans and met to discuss the findings. A total of 28 of 45 academic 

programs collected at least some data, analyzed results, and met to 

discuss findings. Seventeen academic programs (38 percent), 

however, have neither collected data nor entered the data and 

analysis into TracDat. 

Data recorded in TracDat indicate that several programs have 

assessment committees within their areas, including business and 

mathematics. One academic department, Advanced Instructional 

Studies: Reading, discusses findings with both department faculty 

and an advisory committee. Only one area, biology, indicates any 

discussion with students. 

External Evidence of Learning Outcome 

Effectiveness 

Several areas include licensing exams in their learning outcomes. 

These areas include English, social sciences, Spanish, aviation, 

dietetics, athletic training, art education, curriculum and instruction 

(early childhood and middle-level), physical education, mathematics, 

reading, counselor education (community and school), and educational 

leadership (M.S.E. and Education Specialist). Nursing monitors 

the results of the National Licensure Exam but does not include 

the results in its learning outcomes. 

Many areas wish to confirm that employers of graduates are satisfied 

with the learning that occurred during the student’s matriculation. 

These areas include surveys of employers in their learning 

outcome measures and use rubrics to evaluate the performance of 

interns. Areas inculcating these measures in their learning outcomes 

include mass media, theatre arts, history, political science, 

public administration, social sciences, sociology, biology, computer 

science, family and consumer sciences, athletic training, recreation, 

curriculum and instruction, nursing, advanced instructional studies 

(M.S.), counselor education (community and school), and educational 

leadership (M.S.E.). 

Areas that include monitoring student admission to graduate 

programs include English, psychology, Spanish, sociology, 

and biology. One program, computer science, indicates 

retention review as a learning outcome measure. 

124

Assessment of Noncredit 

Educational Offerings 

Discussion to this point has focused on academic 

programs, however, noncredit programs conduct 

assessment as well. Henderson has a total of 

thirty-eight assessment units classified as administrative 

(non-academic) in TracDat. Of this total, 

eleven will be discussed in this section. These 

include athletics, career development, the center 

for language proficiency, instructional technology, Huie Library, 

residence life, student activities and organizations, student health and 

counseling, student success and transition, the testing center, and the 

center for international programs. Four additional programs do assess 

but have not entered their data into TracDat. Those will be discussed 

here as well and include the Writing Center, the TRIO Student 

Support Services-Disabled/Disability Resource Center, the TRIO 

Student Support Services, and the TRIO Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate 

Achievement Program. (Henderson’s TRIO programs, as 

non-credit grant-funded programs, participate in assessment through 

identified objectives as approved by the U.S. Department of Education. 

An annual performance report is submitted that provides the 

department with mandatory data that 

addresses demographics and each program’s 

objective.) The focus of the goals 

for each of these programs is shown in 

Table 3A-7. 

Table 3A-6 

Academic Assessment Plan 

Execution Summary 

Results from Academic Year 

2009-2010 

Of the fifteen programs listed in Table 

3A-7, ten monitored data and closed the 

loop in 2009-2010. Since that time at least 

two more, the Writing Center and 

Instructional Technology, have also closed 

the loop. Some examples of achievements 

discussed by the programs include 

• Athletics reported that 95 percent of 

student athletes maintained NCAA 

eligibility as a result of its Academic Success Program. 

• Learning Resources reported that 92.7 percent of overall total 

student responses in user surveys indicated a high level of satisfaction 

with services and materials offered by the Huie Library. 

• Student Health and Counseling reported that 96 percent of the 

students who had visited the Counseling Center for assistance 

were still enrolled at the end of the semester. 

• Student Success and Transition met tutoring goals but found that 

more faculty involvement was needed in the Early Alert Program. 

Table 3A-7 

Non-Credit Programs to Assist 


Results from Academic Year 

2009-2010 

125


(The Early Alert Program attempts to identify students who are 

having difficulty early enough in a semester so that resources 

may be provided to them to help them succeed.) 

• The Testing Center reported the administration of 1,906 

exams with a 96 percent satisfaction rate. 

• The TRIO-Disability Resource Center reported 83 percent of 

participants served in 2009 persisted from one program year to 

the next, 96 percent remained in good academic standing, and 

36 percent graduated within six years of being admitted. 

• The TRIO-Student Support Services Center reported 81 

percent of participants served in 2009 persisted from one 

program year to the next, 95 percent remained in good academic 

standing, and 52 percent graduated within six years of 

being admitted. 

• The TRIO-McNair Program reported that, in 2010, 100 

percent of the twenty-five McNair Scholars completed the 

required scholarly activities, 100 percent graduated within the 

requisite three years of participating in the program, and 66 

percent enrolled in master’s programs upon completing their 

baccalaureate degrees. In addition, six McNair scholars are 

currently enrolled in doctoral programs. 

Faculty Involvement in Assessment 

As discussed earlier in this section, faculty members of each 

academic program define the learning outcome for their areas, 

participate in gathering data, and meet to discuss the results of 

findings. As a result of their discussions, the faculty of the academic 

program determine changes needed to close the loop. Changes 

developed and implemented by faculty over the last several years 

include the following: 

• Faculty in computer science added technical courses, added 

written and oral communications learning outcomes and 

measures, increased math hours from 11 to 19 and computer 

science hours from 34 to 49 hours, and added two additional 

communications courses to the degree program. 

• Because assessment data revealed a lack of sensitivity for 

cultural differences, faculty in the School of Business added a 

requirement that all students (except accounting majors) take 

an International Business Course. (An international component 

was added to the Advanced Accounting Course for 

accounting majors.) Course content focused on cultivating this 

sensitivity, and the problem has been corrected. 

• School of Business faculty also found that students were not 

performing to expectations in the areas of oral and written 

communication. To improve oral communication skills, 

students are required to evaluate their team members’ oral 

presentation skills prior to making the presentation to the class. 

To address written communication skills, faculty voted to 

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include discussion of the importance of effective written 

communication skills in the standardized syllabus for each 

business core course. Students exceeding a maximum number 

of grammatical errors in assignments are referred to the 

Writing Center for assistance. Finally, the simple solution of 

giving students copies of the rubrics used to evaluate their 

assignments has helped them perform as well. 

• Music faculty discovered that students were having problems 

with rhythmic skills. They concluded that it was necessary to 

spend more time working with students on these skills. 

• Mathematics faculty found that student collaboration on an 

out-of-class assignment used to measure their ability to 

model and solve practical problems skewed results in a 

positive direction. After discussion, faculty decided to 

emphasize the importance of independent work so that valid 

results can be achieved. 

Review and Recognition 

Faculty members of each area design the assessment plan for that 

area and meet to discuss results. Additionally, assessment plans and 

the collection and analysis of data are evaluated by the Assessment 

Team. In fall 2009 team members reviewed every assessment plan, 

both administrative and academic. A rubric was 

used to evaluate each area’s mission statement and 

learning goals to determine whether learning 

outcomes were properly stated, to identify criteria, 

and to check whether measurement instruments 

were attached. This process took many, many 

hours. Weaknesses identified were collated by the 

director of assessment, and meetings were 

scheduled with each assessment unit. These 

meetings were attended by members of Henderson 

administration, including the Provost, the director 

of assessment, and various members of the 

Assessment Team. During the meetings, attendees 

collaborated about how to address and correct 

weaknesses. During summer 2010, Assessment Team members 

evaluated data input into TracDat to determine whether 

assessment units had executed their assessment plans, analyzed the 

data collected, and implemented any changes. Again, a rubric was 

used to accomplish this evaluation. Results were collated by the 

director of assessment and will be used to meet with assessment 

units to determine how improvements can be made. 

In the 2009-2010 academic year, the Assessment Team expressed 

the desire to recognize academic and administrative units that have 

made significant progress in assessment. The team hoped that this 

would encourage other areas to excel and would recognize and 

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reward the hard work of units that had made substantial improvements 

in their assessment processes. In fall 2010 a luncheon was held 

to honor the two areas receiving the first Assessment Excellence 

Awards. Those units were computer science and athletics. Both of 

these areas incorporated significant improvements in their assessment 

plans in 2010 and exhibit a true appreciation for what a strong 

assessment program can do to help a unit achieve its goals. 

Summary 

Much progress has been made since the commission-mandated 

focus visit in 2007. Faculty, staff, and students on the Henderson 

campus are much more aware of assessment and its purposes. The 

greatest strengths of Henderson’s assessment efforts are the support 

(both financial and moral) of upper administration, the director of 

assessment, and the Assessment Team. It is the director of assessment 

and the Assessment Team that will ensure that Henderson 

continues to improve assessment efforts. Even so, there are areas 

that need to be addressed and the director of assessment and the 

Assessment Team are committed to following through on making 

sure that is accomplished. 

CORE COMPONENT 3B: The organization values 

and supports effective teaching. 

Henderson values, emphasizes, and supports effective teaching. 

Great care is given to the hiring of excellent full-time and adjunct 

faculty members. New faculty members are provided with training 

and are mentored in most departments. A general orientation 

session for new and adjunct faculty members is scheduled before 

the fall semester begins. A New Employee Manual is available on 

Henderson’s website, and technology training is available throughout 

the academic year. 

Our process of yearly faculty evaluations during the past ten years, 

although acceptable, is being given increased attention. Three and 

six-year reviews have served the university well in the evaluation of 

all faculty members. The administration and faculty recognize that 

the evaluation and tenure approval process needs to be assessed 

and revised. 

As for many other institutions of higher education, funding is an 

increasingly challenging problem. Although Henderson is able to 

provide nominal funding for faculty travel, research, and sabbatical 

leaves, the current system nonetheless results in excellent professional 

productivity among the faculty. Faculty and administrators understand 

the need for greater support, especially recognizing that faculty 

development will translate into a greater quality of student learning. 

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With the appointment of a new provost and vice 

president for academic affairs in 2008, all components 

of the academic curriculum – course 

offerings, scheduling, technology, training, evaluation, 

professional support, and innovation – can 

be thoroughly identified, assessed, and modified 

during the coming years. Even the addition of the 

Provost position is a recent development that 

demonstrates the growing support for faculty. 

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs 

Vernon G. Miles believes that the position itself 

was created for several reasons. First, it was 

believed that the president of the university might 

not always have the level of academic preparation 

or the academic credentials traditionally expected 

of a faculty member. Therefore, the Board of 

Trustees and the university needed some person 

in an academic operational position, a person 

whom it could depend upon to hold the academic 

preparation and credentials required for such a 

position. Second, the university needed someone 

to be responsible for the academic affairs of the 

university because the president would be off 

campus building relationships and commitments 

to Henderson in Little Rock and beyond. Third, 

the university needed a person who would in 

effect be able to step in as a temporary operational 

officer in an emergency should anything happen 

to the president. The position of the Provost’s 

duties will include trying to secure funding for various academic 

projects and initiatives, facilitating improvements to academic 

policies, supporting curricular revisions, assisting in enhancements 

to the Faculty Handbook, and creating collaborations across 

campus (the Higher Learning Commission Self-Study and the 

Compensation Study Committee being just two of the more 

important activities). 

Qualified faculty members and curricular content 

and strategies 

The guidelines for hiring qualified faculty at Henderson are stated 

in the Non-classified Employees Recruitment Handbook. The 

Handbook states that all candidates invited for interviews must 

meet the minimum advertised requirements and hold degrees from 

accredited institutions. The position may be re-advertised if the 

search committee decides that no candidates merit an interview. 

In fall 2010, 62 percent of full-time faculty members hold terminal 

degrees. Budget constraints have limited the ability to attract 

Assessment Awards 

George Finkle III assisting 

Ellen Stiffer CTA adjunt faculty 

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candidates with terminal degrees for some positions. For example, 

faculty members who teach computer science hold master’s degrees 

rather than doctorates because candidates with doctorates in that 

field are very scarce and command a much higher salary. The faculty 

in that department, however, have extensive experience along 

with master’s degrees and are very competent to teach those courses. 

According to the Non-classified Employees Recruitment Handbook, 

a search committee which includes at least one female, one male, 

and one ethnic minority faculty or administrator is responsible for 

choosing the most qualified candidates. A national search is ordinarily 

conducted for tenure-track positions, while a local or regional 

search is done for non-tenure track positions. The committee 

reviews and investigates each applicant as necessary and narrows 

the field to a minimum of three applicants who will be invited to 

the campus for interviews. While on campus, each applicant will be 

interviewed by the search committee. The president, provost, dean, 

department chair, and any supervisors will also be offered the 

opportunity to interview each candidate. In order to demonstrate 

teaching and communication skills, the applicant will usually make 

a presentation as determined by the search committee. The committee 

makes a recommendation, but the Dean, Provost, and 

President must approve that decision before an official offer of 

employment is made to the applicant. 

Faculty who teach in the Graduate School and who are involved 

with curricular decisions about graduate programs must apply for 

graduate faculty status. The application includes a curriculum vita, 

showing evidence of professional research and scholarship, graduate 

teaching experience, other contributions to the graduate program, 

professional activities, and relevant non-academic experiences. 

All applicants must provide official transcripts and must be 

supported by the department and the college dean. Graduate 

faculty members are approved for specific levels of membership: 

full, associate plus, or associate. After each application is considered 

and approved by the Graduate Council, it is sent to the Provost for 

final approval. 

Henderson’s faculty members are involved in all aspects of curricular 

development and instructional matters, and they are qualified to do 

so. As indicated on their vitae, faculty members at Henderson 

conduct research, publish in peer-reviewed journals, make presentations 

at conferences, advise students, and mentor students in directed 

research and study. In addition to the contributions they make in 

their own fields, many collaborate with others in teaching and 

learning beyond their own disciplines. Faculty members have primary 

responsibility for the proposal and review of new or existing 

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courses and programs, but the department must approve such 

proposals before submitting them to college and university committees. 

Although the standards and requirements are similar, each college 

(Ellis College, School of Business, and Teachers College) uses a 

different procedure of approval for courses. On the departmental 

level, course proposals are crafted by individual faculty members or 

committees. These proposals are presented to the full departmental 

faculty for advice and consent. The department chair or faculty 

member then presents the course proposal to the appropriate 

college committee. The college committee thoroughly examines the 

recommendation to assure that the addition or change supports the 

mission of the university and the needs of all programs. After 

approval by the college committee, the course addition, deletion, or 

change is presented to the University Academic Council (UAC) 

using a standardized form. 

…the addition of the 

Provost position is a 

recent development that 

demonstrates the growing 

support for faculty 

The UAC is comprised of the provost and vice president for 

academic affairs (who serves as chair), the registrar, academic 

deans, chair of the Faculty Senate Academic Affairs Committee, 

five faculty members (one from each school or division who are 

elected for two-year terms), and two student members (one of 

whom must be a minority) nominated by the Student Government 

Association. One of the primary functions of the UAC is to 

act as the higher body of the total faculty for final recommendations 

and proposals to the president and, through that office, to 

the Board of Trustees. Each course proposal is submitted to the 

UAC for evaluation (first reading) and final approval (second 

reading). As the course addition or change goes through each of 

these steps, public notice is provided at each step of the process 

via the electronic distribution of minutes. Input from departments 

that might be affected by curricular changes is encouraged. 

New majors and new degree programs require approval by 

Henderson’s Board of Trustees, the Arkansas Higher Education 

Coordinating Board, and the Higher Learning Commission. 

The General Education Committee is composed of the associate 

dean of Ellis College, ten faculty members representing every 

division or college, and two students. The committee monitors and 

evaluates the liberal arts core curriculum, the Writing across the 

Curriculum program, and the nonwestern culture program. This 

committee makes recommendations to the University Academic 

Council pertaining to any changes or revisions of the liberal arts 

core or associated regulations. During the 2008-2010 academic 

years, the committee was charged by the president to add more flexibility 

to the liberal arts core in order to assist students in transfer- 

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ring to Henderson, to improve retention and graduation rates, and 

to aid in developing future partnerships. The committee met 

regularly through this period and discussed possible ways to 

accomplish these goals. Included in the process were 1) discussions 

about the university mission and the liberal arts as more than a list 

of courses, 2) a meeting with the review composition faculty to 

address current problems and possible changes in the writing 

requirements, and 3) the dissemination of two surveys asking for 

input from faculty members. The results of the surveys were sent 

to the faculty near the end of the academic year, along with a 

liberal arts core proposal based on the results of the survey. During 

fall 2009 several faculty forums were held to obtain feedback 

and opinions. The final revised document was then submitted to 

the UAC and was approved in February 2010 as shown in #250 

University Academic Council Minutes. 

Faculty Professional Development 

Over the past three years approximately $378,000 has been 

allocated for faculty development. Each of the three undergraduate 

colleges uses different processes for considering 

and approving individual applications for these resources. 

Ellis College accepts travel and research applications twice per 

academic year (fall and spring). Faculty members submit travel 

and research forms to the Ellis College Planning and Advisory 

Committee (ECPAC) which consists of a representative from each 

department in the college. The committee considers requests 

and awards money based upon the applications which require a 

statement as to how the faculty member’s travel directly relates 

to current research and/or teaching assignments, a description 

of the conference sessions, anticipated professional experiences, 

and especially how the travel will enhance research and/or classroom 

goals. Priority is given to applications where the travel 

and/or research contributes to knowledge in teaching areas. 

In the School of Business, faculty members must submit 

requests for travel, primarily for professional presentations, 

early in the academic year. Based upon these requests, 

funds are allocated. If there are more requests than funding 

available, decisions are based upon past travel opportunities 

and faculty rank. Tenure-track faculty members trying 

to build their portfolios are given special consideration. 

Portions of total research and development funds in Teachers 

College are awarded for the fall, spring, and first summer term 

semesters, but faculty members may receive funding only once per 

fiscal year. Faculty members may qualify for funds as available in 

the following categories: 

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• Attendance at NCATE, SPA, or other accreditation sessions or 

training. 

• Presentation of papers, research, or Teachers College activities 

regarding best teaching practices at national, regional, or state 

meetings. 

• Research activities designed for publication. 

• Academic program development, course revision, and grant 

writing to provide support and innovation for projected Teachers 

College needs. 

• Technology to enhance teaching and learning through participation 

in workshops, conferences, and training sessions as well as 

the development of technology-rich curricula. 

Although more financial support for research and travel is necessary, 

the current funding coupled with the commitment of faculty to stay 

current in their fields and disciplines has led to significant participation 

of faculty members in professional organizations. According to 

self-reported data on the Faculty180 database, 159 faculty members 

are members of 527 professional organizations. 

Because scholarly and creative endeavors are essential complements to 

excellence in teaching, Henderson encourages and supports such 

efforts on the part of its faculty. Henderson provides the faculty with 

the opportunity of revitalization, including the acquisition of new 

knowledge and ideas, by awarding sabbatical leaves to six faculty 

members each academic year. The institution will provide faculty 

members on sabbatical leave with full contractual salary and benefits 

for a one-semester leave or one-half contractual salary and full benefits 

during a full academic year of leave. 

All tenured faculty members who hold the rank of professor, associate 

professor, or associate librarian, and who have completed at least 

seven continuous academic years of service as teaching faculty for 

the institution are eligible to apply for sabbatical leave. Applicants 

must submit a proposal to the Sabbatical Leave Review Committee 

explaining the program of professional activities planned during the 

leave. The Sabbatical Leave Review Committee, composed of faculty 

eligible for sabbatical leave, evaluates the proposals and recommends 

faculty to be awarded leaves. Upon their return to campus, faculty 

members are asked to submit a report of the sabbatical to the Provost 

and to present the results/outcomes of the sabbatical during the 

following academic year. While the faculty member is on sabbatical 

leave, Henderson uses a budgetary line item specifically to pay 

replacement faculty members for the appropriate courses. 

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Teacher Evaluation and Recognition 

Faculty Evaluation Program 

“Henderson’s primary mission is to excel in undergraduate education, 

always striving to enrich the quality of learning and teaching.” 

To help fulfill this mission, Henderson engages in a Faculty 

Evaluation Program, the purpose of which “is to provide uniform, 

reliable data to improve the quality of instruction, promote faculty 

development, and provide more reliable support for personnel 

decisions.” According to the Faculty Handbook, each faculty 

member must submit a current vita, annual goals and objectives, a 

peer review, the summary of student rating of faculty, and the 

syllabi for courses taught. The department chair evaluates the 

faculty member’s performance, and both must sign the evaluation 

report. The report is then sent on to the dean. 

Teaching is the primary area in which each faculty member is 

evaluated and “teaching or equivalent responsibilities must be 

considered” while “the faculty member and supervisor must 

decide on the relative importance, if any, of each of the other 

evaluation areas.” However, the teaching load is usually assigned 

80 percent of the weight and may not fall below 60 percent. 

As a component of teaching evaluation, faculty members are 

evaluated by students in their courses near the end of each semester. 

In the past, the evaluations were conducted in each class by 

outside proctors. A new method of online evaluations is now being 

used. This has caused some frustration among some faculty 

members because many students are not completing the evaluation 

forms online. Some faculty members believe that it is only the 

extreme opinions that are being expressed. The Faculty Senate 

and the provost and vice president for academic affairs are discussing 

options for increasing the number and quality of online 

evaluations or returning to paper evaluations. 

The evaluation process for faculty also includes a peer review. 

Before the end of January each year, a faculty member chooses a 

peer with the supervisor’s approval and conducts an informal 

meeting with the peer, presenting self-evaluations, course syllabi, 

methods of presentation, worksheets and study guides, tests and 

evaluations, particularly successful teaching practices, and/or 

especially troublesome teaching situations. The peer may also visit 

the faculty member’s classroom as part of the review process. The 

peer then writes a non-judgmental summary of the review to be 

placed in the evaluation file. 

The Faculty Evaluation Program is designed to assist faculty 

members in constantly improving their teaching by assisting them 

in accumulating multiple measures of effectiveness. The Faculty 

Handbook emphasizes that the program “shall in no way infringe 

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upon academic freedom as set forth in the Faculty Handbook” 

and that “supervisors must respect the faculty member’s professional 

autonomy in the classroom and understand that there are 

many paths to excellence in teaching.” 

Promotion and Tenure 

Guidelines for promotion and tenure at Henderson also emphasize 

and recognize effective teaching. According to the 

Faculty Handbook, “Henderson is committed to offering the 

highest possible level of instruction to its students. Effectiveness 

in teaching is, therefore, of primary importance in 

evaluating faculty members for both tenure and promotion. 

The university expects its faculty to bring knowledge, scholarship, 

dedication, and energy to the classroom and to present 

the various disciplines offered by the university in a manner 

which assists students to understand, to develop intellectual 

discipline, and to develop as thinking human beings.” 

Faculty Excellence Awards 

In recognition of outstanding performance by Henderson faculty 

members who have served the university community above and 

beyond the call of duty, fifteen Faculty Excellence Awards are 

given over a three-year period. The three divisions of the Ellis 

College (Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, and Science and Mathematics), 

the School of Business, and Teachers College each make one 

annual cash award of $2,500 (after deductions). These awards 

are given in rotation starting in the first year with Excellence in 

Teaching, followed by Excellence in Scholarly or Creative Activity 

in the second year, and Excellence in Service in the third year. 

Ken Taylor engaging students 

in the classroom 

Recipients are nominated by chairs and/or colleagues. The 

awardees are selected within each college or division by an 

awards committee composed of faculty below the level of chair 

from that college or division. Faculty Excellence Award selections 

are announced and recognized at the Faculty Service 

Awards Ceremony that is held at the end of the spring semester. 

The recipients receive their monetary award and formal recognition 

during the Founder’s Day Ceremony at the beginning of 

the following fall semester. 

In addition to the Faculty Excellence Awards, the Outstanding 

New Faculty Award ($2500) is given in recognition of outstanding 

performance by a new Henderson faculty member. In order 

to be eligible for nomination, the faculty member must have less 

than five full years of full-time college or university teaching and 

for those with teaching experience below the collegiate level, less 

than eight years of full-time teaching. The areas of teaching, 

scholarly activity, and service will all be considered in the selection 

of the awardee. 

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In addition to the monetary award, the names of the Excellence 

Award recipients are engraved on plaques that permanently hang in 

the Garrison Center. A wall just outside the entrance to the banquet 

room holds the plaques for each year that Faculty Excellence 

awards have been awarded. 

Support for Faculty Teaching and Technology 

One of the goals of the Henderson Information Technology Plan 

of 2010 is that the university should develop innovative methods to 

instruct all members of the university community in the effective 

use of technology resources. The plan also states that the university 

should support curricular activities by providing technology resources 

that can be used to enrich the teaching and research components 

of the instructional programs. A comparison between the 

Information Technology Plan of 2001 and the plan formulated in 

2010 shows a substantial increase in technology available for academic 

use. The 2001 plan stated that the university had twentyseven 

multimedia teaching stations installed with another three 

stations in the process of being installed. By fall 2011 ninety-five 

multimedia teaching stations were in place with another six stations 

in the process of being installed. 

With the increase in technology resources, both the Office of 

Computer and Communication Services and the Department of 

Instructional Technology have increased support for faculty use and 

education. A list of technology training sessions shows 261 training 

sessions for employees from spring 2007 to fall 2010. In addition to 

scheduled training sessions, one-on-one help is available, and a 

technology help desk is accessible online, by phone, or in person for 

faculty, staff, and students. In 2006 the position of online learning 

services coordinator was created. Creation of the position allowed 

more time to be spent with the faculty on developing courses using 

the learning management system (LMS), and any faculty member 

must be trained before using the LMS (currently Angel). 

The Department of Instructional Technology comprises the Multi- 

Media Learning Center, Audio/Visual Services, Classroom Technologies, 

and eLearning, which all strive to support, enhance, and 

enable faculty members to use technology in the classroom in many 

other ways. Annually faculty members are encouraged to submit 

requests for software programs for curricular use; it is rare that any 

of these requests are denied. Over thirty computer lab rooms are 

maintained across the campus to facilitate the ability of faculty 

members to assign projects requiring computer access. 

Multimedia grants are awarded by the Department of Instructional 

Technology to individual faculty members who want training in the 

use of the appropriate technologies necessary for the successful 

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integration of eLearning. From spring 2000 to fall 2008, thirtyseven 

multimedia grants were awarded. Grants were 

implemented to be offered to professors as incentives for those 

taking the time to develop online courses. The courses developed 

with these grants were enhanced, partially online, or fully online. 

The multimedia grants have evolved over the years. Initially a 

grant recipient received a laptop which could be kept even after 

the grant period and three hours of release time during the 

semester of development. During that semester, the instructor 

received one-on-one training and support from the instructional 

technology staff to assist in the development of a course for 

online delivery or with an online component. 

Support for the use of technology in teaching has increased 

significantly in the past decade. In the Campus Climate Survey, 

over 64 percent of faculty respondents either agreed or strongly 

agreed that Henderson is adequately and reasonably providing 

technology, technical support, and training. 

CORE COMPONENT 3C: The organization creates 

effective learning environments. 

Classroom Environments 

In fall 2010 Henderson welcomed the largest freshman class ever 

to campus. With a student-to-faculty ratio of seventeen to one, 

Henderson courses average around twenty-three students per 

class. Seventy-one traditional classrooms seat over 2,800 students 

at one time, and this does not take into account the numerous 

labs and practice spaces where classes often meet. In the fall 2011 

schedule, standard classroom usage is 66 percent during the day, 

although during peak times that percentage rises to 81. Although 

finding an available classroom at peak times during the fall 

semesters may be difficult, there is more than adequate classroom 

space to accommodate all 

current students and the capacity 

to enroll more. 

The technology within the classrooms 

on the Henderson campus 

varies according to the needs of 

each specific classroom, the subjects 

which are taught in that room, and the desires of the 

instructors who are teaching there. The varied technologies 

which are available in these rooms are listed in Table 3C-1. 

Table 3C-1 MultiMedia Equipment 

in Classrooms 

In addition to permanent installations of equipment, the Audio/ 

Visual Services of the Department of Instructional Technology 

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provides a complete selection of technology equipment for use in the 

classroom, large lecture halls, and conference rooms. As multimedia 

became integral to more faculty members’ teaching effectiveness, the 

technology subcommittee of the Academics Taskforce for the 2005 

Designing Our Destiny strategic plan recommended that a technician 

be hired for the sole purpose of supporting the multimedia 

stations and setting up new multimedia rooms. A multimedia technician 

was hired in the summer of 2005. Before the addition of the 

multimedia technician, all multimedia room installations and many 

of the multimedia repairs had to be outsourced and were very costly 

to the university. The last full multimedia room that was installed 

by an audiovisual contractor cost the university over $39,000. By 

contrast, the average cost of on campus installations by the Classroom 

Technology section of the Department of Instructional Technology 

is now less than $7,000 per room. Furthermore, there were 

only twenty-seven multimedia classrooms on Henderson campus 

in fall 2000, but by the beginning of the 2010-2011 academic year, 

ninety-five multimedia classrooms had been established, resulting 

in an 80-percent coverage of the classrooms. (See Figure 3C-1.) No 

individual or department has requested any type of technology to be 

installed in the remaining classrooms without multimedia technology. 

Beginning with the 2009-2010 academic year, a questionnaire 

was sent out to all faculty members asking for their evaluations and 

needs for technology within their classrooms. All feedback from 

faculty was assessed for technology needs for the upcoming school semester. 

Additionally, the Department of Instructional Technology researches 

new technology for possible use on the Henderson campus. 

Online Learning Environments 

In addition to the traditional classroom, Henderson offers courses 

that use eLearning to enhance in-classroom courses, hybrid courses 

that are partially online, and courses completely online. The university 

has been deliberate in the development of these technologies, 

assessing the academic, cultural, and ethical challenges presented 

with students not being monitored by a faculty member. During 

fall 2003 Henderson offered 38 courses using a learning management 

system (WebCT); by spring 2010, there were 406 using the 

new LMS, Angel. The number of online, partially online, or hybrid 

courses taught through the years is reflected in the Figure 3C-2. 

WebCT was the learning management system (LMS) used by 

Henderson in 2001. The first instructors to use WebCT were 

trained in spring 2000. In 2004 Henderson purchased two Tegrity 

recording stations and third in 2005. Tegrity was purchased for the 

purpose of capturing classroom lectures for review online and/or 

creating lectures for online classes. In 2006 Tegrity became a 

web-based system and stations were no longer necessary because 

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the recording could be made from any properly equipped multimedia 

station. By 2009, Tegity was replaced with Camtasia for recording 

lectures in the classroom or at the instructor’s desk. Wimba 

system was implemented for simultaneous collaboration. The idea 

of using a distance learning system that would use compressed 

video has been discussed on numerous occasions. However, due to 

lack of financial and personnel support, this method of distance 

delivery has not been implemented on 

campus. At the end of the 2006-2007 

academic year, an extensive pilot program 

was run on campus to evaluate the 

learning management system and other 

available systems. It was determined that 

Henderson would switch to the Angel 

Learning Management System. The 

switch to Angel was implemented in the 

summer of 2007. 

Diversity of Learners 

Since 2005 Henderson has experienced 

an increase in the number of minority 

students attending the university, which has allowed Henderson 

students opportunities to interact with people different from 

themselves. During the student’s very first semester, Henderson 

Seminar encourages freshmen 

to discuss differences and 

to value and be aware of the 

diversity of people, extracurricular 

activities, and academic 

offerings of the university. The 

messages of Henderson Seminar 

are strengthened through 

outside speakers as well as 

student activities that present 

students the opportunity to 

learn from other students from 

diverse groups. Henderson also 

offers a minor in women and 

gender studies that provides a 

different yet wide-ranging experience 

for students to learn from several different departments in 

ways that challenge them to think critically about socioeconomic 

status, gender, exceptionality, language, religion, race, ethnicity, 

sexual orientation, and geographic background. Joint efforts 

between various departments resulted in interdisciplinary courses 

that help develop in students an expansive overview of the world 

around them. Outside-the-classroom experiences, such as Women’s 

Figure 3C-1 

Multimedia Rooms per year 

Figure 3C-2 

Course Sections using LMS 

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History Month, Black State of the Union panel discussions, and 

other diversity programs, also provide students a chance to experience 

diversity in a more personal manner. (See Criterion 1.) 

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) 2010 results show 

that students in their first year and senior year at Henderson are 

more likely than their counterparts at Carnegie, COPLAC, and all 

NSSE 2010 participating institutions to have serious conversations 

with students of a different race or ethnicity. However, first-year 

Henderson students could benefit from having more diverse 

perspectives in class discussions or writing. (See Table 3C-2.) 

In addition to supporting and including diversity within all university 

learning environments, Henderson has also created specific 

learning environments for particular groups on campus, 

such as international students, first-year students, first-generation 

students, students with disabilities, and honors students. 

Center for International Programs 

The Center for International Programs at Henderson seeks to 

promote and facilitate cultural diversity and international education 

in all aspects across the university in order to enhance crosscultural 

understanding and global literacy among Henderson 

students, faculty, staff, and the community of Arkadelphia. This 

mission has three primary objectives: 1) to recruit and retain 

a diverse body of international students; 2) to promote and 

provide study abroad opportunities to students; and 3) to promote 

global education and international understanding across the 

university. The current staff of the Center for International 

Programs consists of a director, an international admissions 

counselor, and an administrative assistant. The program is 

housed in the International Students House on campus. The 

program occupies offices on the first floor, and two upper floors 

offer small apartments for international and other students. 

The Center for International Programs began strictly as an international 

students program, and even though the mission has become 

broader in scope, the recruitment and retention of international 

students at Henderson continues to be of great importance. In 

the late 1980s, there were about one dozen international students 

attending Henderson in any given academic year and the director 

of the international programs also served as the university career 

counselor. Available records date back to 1996, when twenty-six 

international students attended Henderson. However, by fall 2002 

the international student population had reached 162. Thereafter, 

the international student population decreased to reach more consistent 

figures of 80-120 students, varying from semester to semester. 

140

Since fall 2004 more detailed records have been 

kept, which includes maintaining statistics not 

only on the number of international students 

attending each year, but also the names of the 

countries represented by those students. Table 

3C-3 is a breakdown of international student 

populations based on F-1 student visas from 

2004-2010, including the names of the various 

countries represented by the international student 

population during those years. In looking at these 

figures, one will notice the growth that took place 

between 2004 and 2008. 

In 2009 and 2010, the number of international 

students declined for several reasons. There was 

an unusually high graduation rate in spring 2009 

(twenty-two international students graduated). 

The global economic situation worsened, preventing 

many students being able to afford to come to 

the United States to study. And in fall 2010 Henderson 

stopped offering the waiver of out-of-state tuition rates to all 

students in noncontiguous states including international 

students, something that once helped keep costs 

down for attending international students. The 

transfer of $40,000 to scholarship funds for 

international students was unable to offset these 

economic difficulties in attracting international 

students. 

International students have always made great 

contributions to the academic and social climate 

of the campus. In 1986 the Henderson International 

Students Association (HISA) was constituted 

as an official student organization on campus. 

The purpose of HISA is to provide a student 

organization that focuses on the needs of international 

students, as well as educating the campus 

about the world. As a student organization HISA 

meets on a regular basis to plan activities, promote 

community service, and build international 

friendships. To encourage these connections, 

HISA membership includes both international 

students and American students interested in 

international affairs. 

International students are also involved in other student 

organizations, participate regularly in campus-wide events, 

work in various offices on campus, and serve as resident 

Table 3C-2 

NSSE 2010 Means Comparison- Diversity 

Table 3C-3 

International Student Enrollment 

Fall Semesters 2004 to 2010 

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assistants in the residence halls. Several international students 

have received academic honors and awards, and many have been 

participants and graduates of the Honors College. 

HISA and its international students are involved in a number of 

campus activities that seek to enhance student life and foster 

diversity on the Henderson campus. These activities include a 

monthly International Coffee House for faculty and students, the 

annual International Film Night, the International Dessert 

Festival, and the International Food Bazaar. (See also Criterion1.) 

The Center for International Programs understands the value of 

cultural experiences for international students; therefore, each 

semester the center sponsors off-campus trips as a way of providing 

those experiences to international students. Trips have 

included visits to the Clinton Presidential Center, Heifer International 

Headquarters, Heifer International Ranch, Central High 

School Museum, and World of the Pharaohs Exhibit. 

Center for Language Proficiency 

The Center for Language Proficiency was established in 2000 as 

Henderson’s English as a Second Language program (ESL) to 

assist language learners needing more proficiency in English. 

Since its inception, the center has provided language services to 

students from sixteen countries. The center’s slogan is “Connecting 

language, cultures and hearts!” The center’s three major 

goals are 1) prepare students to enter US College and Universities 

by preparing them for the TOEFL test, 2) assists non-students 

to strengthen English skills, 3) help ESL students to develop 

the five major skill areas of listening, speaking, reading, 

writing, and culture, 4) provide students with a quality language 

instruction combined with an exciting American cultural experience. 

Located in the Ross House on campus, the Center is 

staffed by a director, an assistant director, an administrative 

assistant, and extra help as needed. 

There are five levels of language proficiency classes available, all 

of which focus on skill levels in listening, speaking, reading, and 

writing. Preparation for the Test of English as a Foreign Language 

(TOEFL) is offered for students seeking higher education 

options. The center offers instruction and field trips that introduce 

students to American customs, cultures, and traditions. 

The Center assisted the following number of ESL students 

during the past few semesters: 

Fall 2007 

Spring 2008 

Fall 2008 

Spring 2009 

Fall 2009 

Spring 2010 

13 students 

15 students 

29 students 

22 students 

8 students 

9 students 

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ESL courses are not credit-bearing courses, but ESL 

students are issued Henderson ID cards and are encouraged 

to participate in campus activities. Some students 

take ESL classes while also taking credit classes at 

Henderson. The majority of the students are international 

students on F-1 student visas. There is no obligation 

on the ESL students to continue classes at Henderson 

once they have completed the program although 

many do. 

Members of the center administer the Henderson ESL 

Graduate Academy each summer which provides training 

for public school teachers to earn their ESL endorsement. 

The summer program consists of four courses or 

twelve graduate hours in education. The ESL Graduate 

Academy is funded by grants from the Arkansas Department 

of Education’s Programs for Language Minority Students, and 

successful applicants to the program receive scholarships to cover 

training costs. The ESL graduate program is a very intensive 

one that requires the students to be in the classroom for approximately 

twelve hours a day for thirteen days (including weekends) 

in June. After the participants have completed their required 

project/papers, received grades on transcripts, and provided 

scores of the Principles of Learning and Teaching Assessment, 

the successful participants receive updated ADE teaching licensures 

with the ESL endorsement. In 2008 there were 298 participants 

in the Henderson ESL Graduate Academy at four different 

locations in Arkansas, including the Henderson campus. In 

2009 and 2010 there were 277 and 142 participants respectively. 

2008 International Food Bazaar 

The ESL Graduate Academy process has proven to be an 

effective, productive avenue for teachers to receive training 

necessary to earn their ESL endorsement and to better 

serve those students in their classes with limited proficiency 

in English. Each year in survey results along with follow-up 

emails, academy participants indicate the long-term value 

of the ESL Academy and the positive impact its training has 

had in their diverse classroom environments by expanding 

cultural awareness and enhancing the quality of teaching. 

TRIO 

Federal TRIO programs are educational opportunity outreach 

programs designed to serve and assist low-income, firstgeneration 

college students and students with disabilities to 

progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to 

post-baccalaureate programs. Henderson has six TRIO 

Programs. 

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Two of the TRIO programs, Student Support Services (SSS) and 

Student Support Services-Disabled/Disability Resource Center 

(DRC) serve Henderson students who are from low income and/or 

first generation and/or Henderson students with disabilities with 

basic college requirements through such programming as study skill 

development, tutorial services, academic/ financial/career 

guidance, mentoring, and technological assistance. The Disability 

Resource Center also partners with faculty and staff in creating an 

accessible and supportive environment for students with disabilities. 

SSS serves 308 Henderson-enrolled students and the DRC serves 

100 Henderson-enrolled students. (See Table 3C-4.) 

The Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program 

works with upper-level Henderson students from low-income, 

first-generation backgrounds and with those who are 

underrepresented in their field of study to prepare students for 

doctoral studies through involvement in research and other 

scholarly activities. Each semester, the McNair Program serves 

twenty-five scholars who are upperclassmen at Henderson. 

In addition, Henderson has three TRIO outreach programs 

that target Clark county residents and middle and high school 

students. Two programs, the Educational Opportunity Center 

(EOC) which serves 1,000 residents and Talent Search (TS) which 

serves 600 middle and high school students, provide information 

and assistance on college admissions and financial aid. The EOC 

serves adults who want to complete their GED’s, return to college, 

or receive retraining, while TS works with middle and high school 

students to interest them in completing secondary education and 

enrolling in postsecondary education. The sixth TRIO outreach 

program, Veterans Upward Bound, serves 120 veterans annually 

and prepares them academically for postsecondary education. 

Altogether, Henderson’s TRIO programs have a total of 2,053 slots 

to serve low-income and first-generation individuals with grant 

awards totaling $1,517,459. (See Table 3C-4.) 

Honors 

The Honors College is an integrated set of courses, seminars, 

colloquia, honors contracts, independent study projects, and other 

events designed to add unique dimensions and depth to the capable 

student’s university experience within the context of the goals of 

the university mission. More specifically, the liberal arts core 

honors courses, as well as the upper-level seminar and colloquium, 

are explicitly structured to contribute to students’ achievement of 

the eight goals listed in Henderson’s mission statement. Student 

survey responses to this approach have been highly positive. Enter- 

144

ing freshmen with a composite ACT 

score of 26 or higher are eligible to 

apply for admission to the Honors 

College. Sophomore students with 

a cumulative grade point average of 

3.25 or higher may petition the 

committee for admission to the 

college. Some well-qualified upperlevel 

students, usually transfers, also 

apply for admission to the college, 

and other upper-class students may petition to take specific honors 

courses without being admitted to the college. 

The overarching purpose of the Honors College is summed up in 

the single ancient Greek word, areté (highest excellence), which the 

students and faculty of the college have taken as their motto. To 

insure movement toward the achievement of this purpose, the 

objectives of the Honors College are 

1. to identify students who have unusually high academic ability 

and interest as Henderson State University Honors College 

Scholars; 

2. to provide these students with special advising while they are in 

the Honors College; 

3. to involve the Honor Scholars with faculty members who are 

dedicated to the goals of honors scholarship and who provide 

challenging and rewarding opportunities for study and dialogue; 

4. to offer a measure of recognition to students who participate in 

a minimum number of Honors courses, colloquia, seminars, 

honors contracts, and independent studies; 

5. to encourage participating students and faculty to continue to 

excel in their scholarly and teaching vocations; 

6. to contribute to the enrichment of the university’s academic 

climate; 

7. to enhance the ability of Henderson Honor 

Scholars to deal successfully with the challenges 

of their vocations and lives beyond the university. 

During the freshman and sophomore years, a student 

is required to take twelve hours of honors designated 

liberal arts core courses, which include Freshman 

English-Honors, Masters of Western Literature-Honors, 

World Civilization since 1660-Honors, Fine 

Arts-Honors, Introduction to Philosophy-Honors, 

and General Psychology-Honors. In the junior and 

seniors years, an honors student takes an additional 

twelve hours of honors credit courses. At least six of 

Table 3C-4 

Henderson’s Federal TRIO Programs 

2011-2012 Budget based on Dept of 

Education Grant Award Notifications 

Honors College Students 

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these hours are earned through honors contracts fulfilled in courses 

within the student’s major field of study. The faculty member and 

the student draw up a contract for additional research work and/or 

work toward another achievement, such as a creative project, 

related to but beyond the usual scope of the course. The student 

sometimes presents the product at the annual Arkansas Undergraduate 

Research Conference or at a national or regional organization 

that accepts undergraduate submissions. 

A student may fulfill up to six of the upper-level hours through 

special Honors courses: the Honors Colloquium and the Honors 

Seminar. In both of these classes, honors faculty members participate 

not only as presenters but also as active members of class 

discussion along with the students. The twelve Honors Faculty 

members build the seminar around a topic which may be approached 

from any disciplinary perspective. A different faculty 

member conducts each weekly course session so that students 

have the unique opportunity to see the seminar topic illuminated 

from a variety of academic perspectives. At the beginning of the 

term, each student selects an appropriate faculty mentor to serve 

as a resource person for the student’s term paper, which is related 

to the Seminar topic and, most often, to the student’s major or 

minor area of study. The student meets with the faculty mentor 

as frequently as once a week to discuss and evaluate progress 

on the student’s research and writing progress. Near term’s end, 

each student submits a final version of the research paper to his 

or her mentor and to the honors director, and then presents the 

research findings to the other members of the seminar and the 

Honors Faculty. The Honors Colloquium is similar to the seminar 

except that the focus is on current issues and group projects, and 

each student helps to prepare a two-hour, small-group presentation 

exploring a current issue that the group members have selected. 

Although Independent Studies-Honors may also satisfy upper-level 

requirements, the course has rarely been used because it ordinarily 

calls on a faculty member to arrange a three-credit-hour course for 

a single student. However, this course has been used to designate 

credit for each student who has successfully completed an Honors 

College European trip, as well as the related spring semester of 

coursework preceding the trip. 

A faculty member is appointed to direct the Honors College with 

partial release time; Dr. David Thomson of the Department of 

English, Foreign Languages, and Philosophy has served in this 

position for twenty-two years. The university Honors College 

Committee, made up of the twelve Honors Faculty members and 

three students, coordinates the activities of the Honors College, 

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including interdisciplinary colloquia, honors courses, and independent 

study, and makes recommendations to the Office of Academic 

Affairs. From spring 2005 through fall 2011, the Honors College 

has averaged a total enrollment of 226 students, and freshman 

enrollment has averaged over 140 during the same period. 

Henderson Seminar 

The Henderson Seminar program is an integral part of the university’s 

desire to promote student learning. Henderson Seminar is a 

college-transition theme seminar, exploring orientation to college, 

life transitions, and academic skills. The mission of the seminar is 

to increase the likelihood that the student’s first and future years at 

Henderson will be successful, both academically and socially. It is 

required of all first-time freshmen and runs for nine weeks with 

classes meeting two hours per week. Course enrollments are capped 

at twenty-five students. Students who fail the course may re-take it 

during their second semester. 

The course goals for Henderson Seminar include increased knowledge 

of campus services, improvement in time management and 

other study skills, increasing student to student and student to 

faculty connections, and increased out-of-class engagement with the 

campus community, as well as the introduction of students to 

campus policies and practices. Instructors for Henderson Seminar 

are recruited by the director or are recommended by faculty or 

administrators. The instructors must have a minimum of a master’s 

degree, an ability to engage freshmen, familiarity with campus 

support services, and excellent classroom and communication skills. 

Henderson Seminar students are asked to fill out an evaluation 

form at the end of the classes. Based on these student evaluations, 

changes and modifications to the program are considered. In fall 

2011 a pre- and post-assessment instrument was also implemented 

to generate results that might help improve the program. 

Extracurricular and Co-curricular Learning 

Environments 

First-Year Experience 

The First-Year Experience (FYE) Program is a program designed 

to assist freshmen in adjusting to college life on Henderson’s 

campus. Although it is available for all incoming freshmen, the 

enrollment is limited to the first 250 who apply. Student mentors 

introduce first-year students to the many social opportunities at 

Henderson, including clubs and organizations, community service 

opportunities, leadership programs, cultural events, and campus 

activities. FYE promotes professional development and exposes 

first-year students to a comprehensive schedule of programs and 

events dealing with “first-year issues” and recreational activi- 

Lea Ann Alexander’s 2011 Henderson 

Seminar Class 

147


ties. Some of these include campus safety, mental health, and 

alcohol and drug issues. FYE electronically publishes a monthly 

newsletter for all FYE participants and the campus community. 

Each issue spotlights a peer advisor and eight students, a 

campus resource, and upcoming events. A hard copy of the 

newsletter is mailed to the parents of those students featured. 

MultiMedia Learning Center 

The Department of Instructional Technology offers a special 

technological learning environment through the MultiMedia 

Learning Center (MMLC) located on the first floor of the Education 

Center. The mission of the MMLC is to serve the university 

and the learning community of faculty, staff, and students 

by providing the tools and atmosphere for continued learning. 

The MMLC is staffed by a director, two audiovisual technicians, 

an online learning support technician, two paraprofessional 

support staff, a graduate assistant, and a number of student 

workers. It is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. 

to 7:00 p.m. and on Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The 

MMLC offers a computer lab, scanners, printers, folding machine, 

laminator, button maker, drill press style hole punch, and 

a copy machine for student and faculty use. There are hundreds 

of Ellison and Accucut dies in many fonts, sizes, and categories 

for use in making posters, bulletin boards, and “big Books” for 

teachers. Equipment such as camcorders (flip, DVD, or MiniDV 

tape), digital cameras, laptops, tablets, DVD/VCR, LCD projectors, 

PA systems, boom boxes, overhead projectors, and televisions 

are available for checkout by faculty and students (with a 

faculty sponsor). Paper, DVDs, poster board, sharpies, Mylar 

and latex balloons, gift boxes/bags, and other items are available 

for purchase. Media may be transferred from DVD, VHS, 

8mm, and Beta to VHS or DVD. Duplication of DVDs, CDs 

and VHS are offered (subject to copyright restrictions). During 

the 2009-2010 academic year, the MMLC served over 5500 

students, including over 250 Ouachita Baptist University students. 

Also through the MMLC, students are able to access assigned 

classroom materials that require computer resources. The MMLC 

offers a full service computer lab. The lab offers access to a number 

of software programs. The computers have the Microsoft 

Office Suite which can be used for writing papers, desktop publishing, 

and creating websites, brochures, posters, slide show presentations 

and much more. There is also access to Adobe Acrobat, 

Photoshop, Illustrator, Go Live, In Design, and Notebook software 

for Smartboard projects. 

148

The center offers students and faculty a picture projection area 

where they can project pictures on the wall and trace them 

for large poster illustrations. MMLC also offers the university 

and community the services of picture editing and wide 

format printing up to forty-two inches. The MMLC carries 

audiovisual equipment that is available for loan to Henderson 

faculty, staff, students, and approved community activities. 

Equipment available for loan includes LCD Projectors, laptops, 

screens, CD recorders, lecternettes, DVD/VCRs, camcorders, 

cameras, sound systems, easels, TVs, and presenters. 

Partnerships Creating Learning Environments 

Several partnerships between Henderson and the surrounding 

community have provided Henderson students with special 

learning environments. 

Henderson and National Park Community College in Hot 

Springs, Arkansas, have created a memorandum of understanding 

to offer a 2+2 program (two years at National Park and two 

years at Henderson) leading to teacher licensure. This program 

allows the successful completion of National Park’s associate of 

arts in teaching (A.A.T.) and Henderson’s bachelor of science in 

education. The curriculum has been designed to assure graduates 

of the A.A.T. that they can easily move into the Early Childhood 

(P-4) and Middle School tracks of the B.S.E., which leads to 

Arkansas teacher licensure at the appropriate level. Distance 

education technologies allow courses to be offered at times and 

locations where individuals may pursue and realize their educational 

goals because many residents of the state would otherwise 

have to travel great distances and expend resources not available. 

Each institution is dedicated to using current and developing 

technology to enhance the learning options for place-bound 

working students. 

MultiMedia Learning Center 

Discussed at length in Criterion 5, the Small Business and Technology 

Development Center (SBTDC) located on the Henderson 

campus provides services to the local community businesses, but 

it also serves to create learning opportunities for Henderson 

students. School of Business students obtain practical, relevant, 

real-world experience by acting as consultants for small business 

owners through the coordinating efforts of the SBTDC. Juniors, 

seniors, and graduate students provide expertise and advice to 

small business owners in the areas of marketing, human resources, 

and management. The center is involved with thirty to forty 

projects per academic year. Business students are responsible for 

one main project interspersed with instruction during a semester. 

Clients affiliated with the SBTDC reside in a ten-county region, 

149


located in the central and southwest parts of Arkansas. Students in 

courses, such as Small Business Management, consult with business 

owners to create a business plan which includes finding the 

optimum location for a business, defining operating challenges, 

managing cash flows and budgets, and offering advice with startup 

plans. Assistance is also offered in obtaining licenses, permits, 

and information about taxes affecting small businesses. Business 

students help their clients research the best legal form of ownership 

for their particular type of business and in locating potential 

grant funding. Although the SBTDC is not a financial center, 

students assist business owners with finding financial assistance 

through banks and other loan institutions. Graduate-level marketing 

students work with small business owners to develop marketing 

plans or rework existing plans. These students also perform retail 

reviews for business owners. Human resource classes conduct 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reviews 

by conducting a mini-OSHA walkthrough for the company. Students 

in these classes also review a business’s hiring practices, 

interview processes, employee screening, and company policies in 

handbooks, and check that proper labor laws posters are displayed 

in break rooms. 

The Alliance for Continuing Excellence in Education (ACEE) is a 

consortium of sixteen school districts, three educational service 

cooperatives, and two two-year colleges. This group of educational 

entities is partnered with the Ellis College, the Teachers College, 

and the South Arkansas Math and Science STEM Center. The 

ACEE’s mission is to improve the professional preparation of 

teacher education candidates and to provide continual professional 

development for practicing educators who believe in “teaching for 

learning for all.” Meetings with the ACEE are held at Henderson 

biannually to plan how all stakeholders can continue to provide 

pre-service teachers opportunities to work with students and 

schools in order to be fully prepared for the classroom. These 

opportunities include providing early and diverse experiences for 

teacher education candidates, orientation days in the public 

schools, and suggestions for Hot Topics conferences. These conferences 

are held the days that teacher interns return to the Henderson 

campus during their internship to receive training and in-service 

hours. Partners in the ACEE also give suggestions for portfolio 

assessments of interns and policy development within the teacher 

preparation program in the Teachers College. Teacher interns are 

allowed to practice their internship at the partner schools with 

cooperating teachers that are Pathwise trained. 

The South Arkansas Math and Science STEM Center (SAMSSC) 

is dedicated to improving student achievement in the areas of 

150

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) 

Education. (See also Criterion 5.) During fall and spring of the 

2008-2009 academic year and fall 2009, SAMSSC conducted a 

series of sessions for pre-service teachers. These sessions were 

entitled “The Pre-Service Association” and held once a month. 

Funding for the sessions was provided by a grant from the Arkansas 

Science and Technology Authority located in Little Rock, 

Arkansas. Participants were shown various mathematics and 

science lessons and inquiry-style instruction. The materials used 

in the sessions (e.g. books, manipulatives, science equipment) 

were given to the participants. As a result of these sessions, 

pre-service teachers became familiar with the teaching resources 

that SAMSSC has to offer and frequently returned for resources 

during their internships. SAMSSC also hosts students in the 

methods and modifications classes for both early childhood and 

middle school during each semester. Instructors for these classes 

schedule times for their students to visit SAMSSC to become 

acquainted with the resources that are available to them. Dates 

and the number of participants in the Pre-Service Association 

sessions are shown in Table 3C-5. 

Also discussed in greater detail in Criterion 5, the Southwest-A 

Educational Renewal Zone (ERZ) initiative is an innovative 

program designed to bridge resources available through institutions 

of higher learning (IHE) to the needs of public schools in 

Arkansas. In November 2006 the ERZ collaborated with the 

Arkansas Department of Education, Dawson Education Cooperative, 

South Central Education Cooperative, the South Arkansas 

Mathematics and Science STEM Center, and Arkansas Consumer 

Education to provide the first annual on-site professional development 

to Henderson pre-service teachers and students from other 

colleges. Breakout sessions were available for participants to attend 

throughout the two days. Professional development has been held 

for Teachers College every year since 2006. Examples of session 

content are below: 

• Understanding Children of Poverty 

• Scholastic Audit Review Process 

• Interactive Math Lessons 

• Wii in the Classroom 

• Using Facebook Professionally 

• Creating a Culture of High Expectations 

• The Learning Institute 

• Code of Ethics Law 

• Integrating Technology in Lessons 

• Best Practices in the Classroom 

• Student-Centered Instruction 

The South Arkansas 

Mathematics and Science 

STEM Center 

Table 3C-5 

South Arkansas Mathematics 

and Science Center, 

Pre-Service Instruction 

151


The professional development days allow for Teachers College 

administrators and faculty to attend a retreat in which 

they set goals for the coming year and plan methods of attaining 

the goals. Most professors in Teachers College require students 

attend the professional development days. The sessions 

provide pre-service teachers experience with issues pertaining 

to education in Arkansas that professors do not have time to 

include within their normal semester courses. Pre-service teachers 

also receive in-service hours for attending the sessions. 

Student Development and Advising 

Henderson is committed to the success of its students by providing 

an environment conducive to teaching and learning. Students 

are assigned a faculty advisor according to the student’s 

academic major. Faculty members work closely with students 

to assist in selecting courses for their programs of study. Academic 

advising for freshmen can begin as early as several months 

before a freshman arrives on campus. Academic advising for 

transfer students begins after a transcript evaluation for liberal 

arts core requirements is completed by the university transfer 

evaluator and the faculty advisor receives a copy of this evaluation. 

Students who are accepted into the Graduate School 

are assigned an academic advisor based upon their area of 

study in which they wish to earn their graduate degrees. 

In fall 2007 Henderson piloted a transitional students program, 

now called the provisional students program. Through this 

program, academically at-risk students who do not meet the 

university’s admissions standards of scoring a 19 or higher in 

English, reading, and math sections of the ACT are provided a 

chance to enroll in classes at Henderson. Enrollment in a remedial 

course in which they did not score 19 or above on the ACT 

is required. Students in the program are assigned advisors from 

the Academic Advising Center, and if they drop below a 2.00 

GPA while in the program they will be suspended from the university. 

To help ensure their success, advisors assist the students 

develop schedules and monitor their progress during the academic 

semester. After students have successfully completed thirty hours 

of coursework, they are no longer required to be in the program. 

To ensure that all students take full advantage of all of their 

educational opportunities, the Academic Advising Center has 

implemented an Early Alert retention program. The Early Alert 

program was developed as a retention tool to improve students’ 

persistence and promote academic progress. The program is 

based on the model that faculty will be proactive, supportive, and 

152

involved in facilitating the academic components of student retention. 

Through Early Alert faculty contribute directly to retention by 

assisting with the early detection and intervention of students who are 

doing poorly in class, being chronically absent from class, or experiencing 

other kinds of problems that affect academic performance. 

The concept of an Academic Advising Center has been mentioned 

in strategic plans and was specifically requested three years ago by 

a Faculty Senate ad hoc committee on retention. In the summer 

of 2010, the Academic Advising Center was finally formed. Over 

one thousand students in three categories were served in both fall 

2010 and spring 2011 by the Academic Advising Center: students 

who have less than thirty hours but are still enrolled in remedial 

courses, students who have not declared majors, and students who 

are on academic probation. A student is placed on academic probation 

whenever the cumulative GPA falls below 2.00. The Academic 

Advising Center monitors the academic progress of these students 

and intervenes when needed. Social networks and email are used to 

contact students to set up advising sessions. A student meets one-onone 

with a knowledgeable staff member who encourages the student 

to take advantage of resources that may facilitate academic success. 

In Table 3C-6, the NSSE 2010 results show that Henderson 

students are likely to describe the quality of academic advising 

as “good,” faculty and administrative personnel as helpful, 

and campus environment as “quite a bit” helpful in providing 

the support needed to succeed academically. 

Table 3C-6 

NSSE 2010 Means Comparison- Advising 

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CORE COMPONENT 3D: The organization’s 

learning resources support student learning and 

effective teaching. 

In spite of financial challenges in the last decade, Henderson provides 

a variety of resources that support student learning and effective 

teaching. Some areas, such as student support services and the 

advising center, are described elsewhere in this report. 

In this section one important and representative example of support 

for student learning and effective teaching is Huie Library. Other 

important programs of support for teaching and student learning 

include Computer and Communication Services, the Writing Center, 

Heart Start, the Student Health and Counseling Center, and the 

Center for Career Development. Henderson also provides a variety 

of up-to-date learning resources, such as science laboratories, music 

performance spaces, and clinical practice sites, that further contribute 

to student learning and effective teaching. 

Huie Library 

Mission and History 

Huie Library provides support for student learning and effective 

teaching. As stated by the mission, “Huie Library is committed 

to excellence in providing information resources and research assistance 

to the Henderson community.” Huie Library is named 

for Minnie Belle Huie, Henderson’s first professionally trained 

librarian. The original structure was built in 1968, and a 20,000 

square foot addition completed in 1993 made the total facility approximately 

75,000 square feet. The library houses 250,000 monographs, 

200,000 microforms, and approximately 5,000 audiovisual 

items. Huie Library subscribes to over 100 electronic databases 

and indices, giving students and faculty access to over 20,000 online 

journals. The electronic resources also include nearly 50,000 

e-books. To access these databases and online journals and books, 

Henderson students can use one of the sixty-four student computers 

in the library, and the databases are available to students and faculty 

off campus through a proxy server. The library also has wireless 

capabilities on all floors. The Huie Library staff is made up of six 

professionally trained librarians and twelve paraprofessional staff. 

The Electronic Resources/Systems Librarian maintains the library’s 

website and server, and the library has its own computer technician. 

Open ninety hours per week, the library has a professionally 

trained librarian on duty all but four and one half of those hours. 

Huie Library has several unique collections available for faculty and 

student use. In 2003 Huie Library acquired the papers of graphic 

artist Stephen R. Bissette, award-winning author, artist, editor, and 

publisher. The artifacts in this collection provide a behind-the-scenes 

154

look at both the artistic process and the business of publishing 

comics. The collection includes proposals, working drafts, and 

personal letters and communications with many comics professionals. 

The collection provides an overview of Bissette’s twenty-five 

years working in the medium, industry, and community of comics. 

To augment the Bissette Collection, Huie Library has an extensive 

Graphic Novels Collection, with nearly 1,500 items. Henderson 

offers several comics-related courses within Communications, and 

the Comics Club is a very active student organization. Another 

unique collection, the Blackmon Aviation Collection, supports 

Aviation with over 1,500 volumes. 

Support for the fine arts is a focus of Huie Library. The library has 

a collection of the art work of John W. Linn, a former professor of 

art and dean of fine arts at Henderson. On extended loan from his 

widow are eleven pieces, valued at over $27,000. The library has 

also purchased over the years several art pieces from Henderson 

art students. There is an atrium on the second floor that hosts the 

Art Department’s senior shows. Each semester ten to fifteen senior 

art students have their shows and receptions in the library. In 2009 

the library collaborated (financially) with the art department and 

purchased new display panels to display the artwork. In addition to 

holdings in visual arts, the library contains holdings in music. The 

third floor of Huie Library holds the William Underwood Music 

Scores Collection, which along with several thousand music scores, 

contains original music scores by deceased professor of music, William 

Underwood. In 2008 the library also added the NAXOS online 

music library, which offers streaming access to over 40,000 CDs. 

Henderson’s students and faculty also benefit from the library’s 

participation in a consortium of academic libraries across the state 

called ARKLink. Formed in 1998, it is a nonprofit organization of 

forty-seven college and university libraries cooperating to deliver 

services and collections to researchers in Arkansas. ARKLink 

libraries participate in a reciprocal borrowing program using the 

ARKLink card which allows students and faculty to borrow books 

from other participating members. ARKLink is also the conduit for 

obtaining consortium (discounted) pricing for many of the research 

databases to which Henderson subscribes. 

Huie Library is a longstanding member of Online Computer 

Library Center (OCLC) which gives users access to WorldCat, the 

world’s largest library catalog with over 194 million bibliographic 

records. To better serve students’ and faculty members’ needs, the 

Huie Library staff reclassified its entire collection from Dewey 

Decimal to the Library of Congress Classification system during 

the summer months of 2005. With financial support from the 

university administration (to allow for automated reclassification of 

Huie Library 

155


the bibliographic records of the collection), the library hired 

twenty part-time workers and completed the reclassification 

project in less than three months. 

In 1974 the Joint Educational Consortium (JEC) was established 

between Henderson and Ouachita Baptist University. It was 

under this umbrella that the libraries from the two institutions— 

one public and one private—purchased their first joint computerized 

library system in 1987, a second system in 1994, and migrated 

to their current library system, Innovative Interfaces Inc. (III), 

in 2002. Students and faculty have access to both libraries’ collections 

and have reciprocal borrowing privileges. 

Budget 

The budget for Huie Library over the past decade is indicative of 

the same budget issues that have faced many academic libraries 

during this period. Table 3D-1 shows the library budget 

compared to the Educational and General Budget for the 

university since 2000-2001. While the Educational and General 

Budget has increased 60.6 percent since 2000-2001, the library 

budget has actually decreased from 3.2 percent of the Educational 

and General budget to 2.2 percent. 

In the late 1990s it was becoming increasingly difficult for the 

library to support the information needs of its patrons because of 

a static materials budget. The materials budget had actually 

declined from $298,313 in 1987-1988 to $280,000 in 1997-1998. 

In early 1998 (after an article in the student newspaper detailed 

the budget situation), the university administration approved an 

immediate increase of $28,000 in the materials budget and, with 

the support of the Student Government Association (SGA), 

instituted a student library fee for 1998-1999. The fee was 

designated for the purchase of library materials. (See Table 3D-2.) 

Table 3D-2 shows that in 1998-1999, the library fee 

commenced at 25 cents per credit hour. For 2010-2011, the 

fee was $2.50 per credit hour. The base materials budget for 

the library has remained at $308,000 since 1998-1999. The 

table shows the money collected from the library fee for each 

year and the actual amount expended for materials during 

the same year. (The library is able to carry over unspent 

money from the library fee from one fiscal year to the next.) 

Without the funds made available through this student library 

fee, it would have been impossible for the library to have 

continued to meet the information needs of its patrons. 

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The library has a good relationship with the SGA. 

In 2008 the SGA requested that the library extend 

its evening hours past the 10:00 p.m. closing time. 

Later hours for the library required additional staff. 

The library and SGA proposed that the student 

library fee would be raised from $2.00 to $2.50 

per credit hour in 2008-2009. The library and 

the university administration would designate 25 

cents of this 50-cent increase to the employment 

of two new twenty hour per week employees. 

With these additional employees, the library has 

remained open until midnight on Sundays through 

Thursdays during the regular semesters. In 2009- 

2010, the SGA was instrumental in persuading 

the university administration to allocate ten 

additional student computers to the library. 

Building the Collection 

Huie Library continues to build a collection— 

print, non-print, and electronic—that will support 

the curriculum. Cataloging statistics for the past 

few years are shown in Table 3D-3. 

Cataloging statistics over the pas decade have 

fluctuated. The numbers for the 2009-10 year 

were up significantly because the library received 

a donation of several thousand withdrawn books 

from the Arkansas State Library and two LP gift 

collections. The library does not anticipate any 

significant increase in the number of items being 

cataloged since more and more information sources are being 

accessed online. 

During the past ten years, and in the last five years in particular, 

the focus of collection building in Huie Library has been to 

increase access to electronic resources. In the early 1990s the 

library had one general database (InfoTrac) and it 

was accessible on only one computer terminal. In 

2000 students and faculty had access to about 

1,200 journal titles on paper and microfilm. 

Access was in the library only. Today students and 

faculty at Henderson have access to over 100 

online databases and indices which total over 

20,000 unique journal titles—both the current 

volumes and extensive back files. Most of these titles are in full 

text. In the past two years, the Huie Library has also gone from 

zero e-books to approximately 50,000 titles. 

Table 3D-1 

Table 3D-2 

Materials Budget and Actual 

Materials Expenditures 

Table 3D-3 

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The percentage of the library’s annual materials expenditures that 

has been used for e-resources has recently seen substantial growth. 

In 1990-1991 the library spent 7 percent of its materials budget on 

CD subscriptions and databases. In 2000-2001 this figure was still 

only 10 percent. As shown in Table 3D-4, the percentage of the 

materials expenditures spent on e-Resources has risen from 13.2 

percent in 2006-2007 to 44.4 percent in 2009-2010. This is one 

indication of the major shift in the focus of collection building that 

has taken place in just the last four years. 

Huie Library still sends some paper journals for binding, but 

microfilm cabinets, formerly reaching capacity, are being rapidly 

cleared as more and more journal titles become available in full 

text online. This shift to electronic access is also evident in the fact 

that in 2006-2007, Huie Library ordered 769 journal titles through 

its periodical vendor (Ebsco Publishing), but by 2010-2011 the 

number of paper subscriptions through Ebsco had dropped to 269. 

The number of microfilm subscriptions has dropped even more 

dramatically. In 2006-2007 the library received 709 titles on 

microfilm from National Archive Publishing, but by 2010-2011 the 

library received just four titles on microfilm, not including newspapers 

received on microfilm. 

Another way that Huie Library supplements its collection is 

through interlibrary loan. Students and faculty are able to request 

books and journal articles that are not held in the library from 

other libraries throughout the United States. The average turnaround 

time for items requested is three to seven days, but many 

articles are received on the day they are requested, via email or 

Ariel. Huie Library is known as a “net lender,” meaning that it 

lends more than it requests, indicating the relative strength of the 

collection. Interlibrary loan transactions are tabulated in Table 

3D-5. 

Borrowing numbers for books (loans) and journal articles are down 

over the past few years, an indication of increased use of online 

resources that precludes the need for borrowing journal articles 

that are now available full text to patrons through the databases. 

Use of Huie Library 

It is very evident to library staff that Huie Library has seen increased 

use over the past few years. This increased use is not 

always evident in one of the traditional library measures, circulation 

numbers. Table 3D-6 shows that circulation numbers have 

remained static over the past few years. And circulation numbers 

are down considerably from the late 1980s and early 1990s when 

over 45,000 items were loaned in some years. 

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Assisting students and patrons with information 

literacy and intelligent use of information is a goal 

of Huie Library. One of the ways that the Huie 

librarians assist Henderson students in their learning 

processes is through the library instruction 

program. Table 3D-7 shows formal library instruction 

sessions. Bibliographic instruction also happens 

daily on a one-to-one basis at the reference desk. 

The library also offers a three-semester hour class each spring 

entitled Library Research Methods. This class provides an 

introduction to library and research skills. First taught in 

spring 2000, it usually attracts ten to fifteen students per 

semester. The Library Research Methods class fulfills requirements 

in the bachelor of general studies degree and for the 

bachelor’s degree in sociology. 

Increases in Library Use 

As stated previously, the library staff has noticed an obvious 

increase in the use of Huie Library. Two ways that this increased 

use can be shown are in the library’s door counts and 

in printing statistics. Table 3D-8 indicates the door counts for 

Huie Library for the years 2000 through 2010. While enrollment 

at the university has remained relatively constant during 

this time, the door count for Huie from 2000 to 2005 was flat. 

However, door counts since 2007 (projected over the twelvemonth 

period because data was lost for the first six months 

of 2006 and 2007) have risen dramatically. From 2000 to 

2010, the door counts for the library increased 54 percent. 

Table 3D-4 

Actual Materials Expenditures and 

E-Resources Expenditures 

Table 3D-5 

Another indication of increased library use is demonstrated 

by printing statistics. Huie Library has fifty-eight 

student computers, the largest bank of student computers 

on campus. The library also has significantly longer open 

hours than any other building on campus which contains 

public computers with the exception of the Garrison Center 

and the Technology Center. In 2006 the library had one 

student printer and twenty-three student computers on the 

first floor of the library. In 2010-2011 there are forty-one 

terminals on the first floor and additional computers on the 

second floor. There are now four student printers in the 

library, two on the first floor and 

two on the second floor. Students 

are allocated four hundred prints 

per semester in the library and an 

additional five hundred prints per 

semester in other campus labs 

Table 3D-6 

Circulation Statistics 

Table 3D-8 

Door Counts 

Table 3D-7 

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which are networked. Printing has burgeoned in the library primarily 

as a result of online databases and the increased availability of 

full text articles. In contrast, the number of microfilm reader 

printers in the library has decreased in recent years from eight to 

two, and these are infrequently used. Table 3D-9 indicates that 

printing increased by 412 percent from 2006 to 2010. 

Assessment 

Huie Library participates in the assessment program of the university. 

As part of the assessment process, the library conducts both 

online and paper surveys of its users each April. An average of 

almost two hundred surveys were completed each year between 

2006 and 2010. The results of these surveys show a high degree of 

satisfaction with the services provided by Huie Library, but a lesser 

degree of satisfaction with the physical environment of the library. 

The survey results indicate the need for more computers in the 

library. (See Table 3D-10.) 

The survey includes all categories of library patrons—faculty, staff, 

undergraduates, graduate students, and community patrons. This 

may account for the relatively low percentage of satisfied users with 

interlibrary loan because many undergraduates do not avail themselves 

of this service. 

In the other areas, Huie Library provides excellent service to most 

of its patrons. The one category of concern over the past few years 

has been computer access. In the 2008, 2009, and 2010 surveys the 

question was asked: Would you like the library to offer more computers? 

The percentage of “yes” responses for this question for 

these three years was 56 percent, 53 percent, and 47 percent respectively. 

Since 2008 the library has added sixteen computers on the 

second floor for student use and ten computers on the first floor. 

There is still a need for additional computers, however, particularly 

in peak use times. 

The surveys have also sought patrons’ reactions to the physical 

environment of the library. The original building is over forty years 

old, and its age impedes remodeling and altering the structure to 

make it more capable of handling the needs of today’s students and 

faculty. (See Table 3D-11.) 

Huie Library ranks considerably lower in the physical environment 

that it offers to its patrons compared to the services it provides. The 

age of the building is certainly a factor in this regard. Persistent 

heating and cooling issues in the library provide an uncomfortable 

situation for the library’s patrons and cause the collection to deteriorate. 

There is also a lack of comfortable and suitable seating in 

the library. Most of the seating on the second and third floors of 

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the library dates to the original construction of the building 

in 1968, and the shortage of study rooms continues to be an 

issue in the library. The addition to the library was completed 

in 1993 without any individual or group study rooms 

being included. Some minor renovations to the new addition 

added one group study room on the first floor. In 2008 five 

group study rooms were constructed on the second floor of 

the addition. These are heavily used and there is a need for 

additional group and individual study rooms in the library. 

Faculty, student, staff comments about library resources, services, 

and staff are generally positive: 

Undergraduate 

“I am a transfer student. I have 

found that the library staff at HSU 

is 100% more knowledgeable and 

friendly that that of my former 

school. Anytime I have asked for 

assistance, I have been assisted 

promptly and given clear instruction 

and explanation. I greatly appreciate 

the staff. Thank you!” 

“Fantastic resources” 

“The library staff has helped me in situations where i needed help 

quick, fast, and in a hurry. I am very thankful for that. Thank you 

Huie Library Staff.” 

Table 3D-9 

Library Printing Statistics 

Table 3D-10 

Library Survey–Services 

Percentage of Satisfied or Very 

Satisfied Responses 

Graduate 

[Library databases are] “one of the 

greater contributors to my academic 

success at Henderson.” 

“I love the library! It is the best thing 

to assist students in their endeavors 

to excel!!!” 

“Overall this library provides a good impression on me with respect 

to rich and useful resources and great study environment.” 

Table 3D-11 

Library Survey–Physical Space 

Percentage of Satisfied or Very 

Satisfied Responses 

Faculty 

“Just yesterday, I heard a faculty member say, ‘We have the greatest 

college librarians in the world.’ I agree.” 

“Love having access to journals from anywhere even when I’m away.” 

The majority of negative comments relate to library facilities and equipment. 

The statements below are representative of many such comments. 

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Study rooms 

“We need more study rooms. Six rooms for thousands of students? 

Get real.” 

“I tutor for SSS and I sometimes have a hard time finding an 

empty study room.” 

“I wish there were more private study areas & also more computers. 

Along with that, the temperature can sometime become too 

hot or too cold.” 

Library Temperature 

“During the spring it was extremely hot in the library. It was most 

uncomfortable. It is a little disappointing seeing fans scattered 

throughout all three floors.” 

“It is almost unbearably hot in the library. Also, the seating is 

very uncomfortable. Both of these make it very difficult to 

concentrate while trying to study.” 

“It is a lot of times either really cold in the library or hot. There 

is really never been a happy medium.” 

Computers 

“Your computers are archaic. It is absolutely disgraceful that 

a University that is so nice in every other way has such crappy 

computers for our research.” 

“There definitely needs to be more computers, and it would 

be AMAZING if there were Macs available for use.” 

“It is hard to find a computer that isn’t being used at any 

given time.” 

Patron suggestions and complaints form the basis for library improvements 

and change. Librarians regularly use survey and 

suggestion box comments to purchase books and other items for the 

collection. Other improvements stem from survey comments: 

Technology Center 

“I would use the young adult section, but I find it very disappointing 

in its size.” 

[A new Young Adult literature collection has been established 

and is being augmented regularly.] 

Database suggestion: “More current criticism of Medieval 

Literature” 

[Library purchased Early English Books Online(EEBO) database.] 

“…vending machine area…” 

[The library now has both a soft drink machine and snack food 

vending machine.] 

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Computer and Communication Services 

The mission of Computer and Communication Services 

is to support, enhance, and enable the university 

in technological endeavors by providing and maintaining 

computer support services, computer training, data 

and voice communications, and online technology in 

an academic environment to the university community. 

Student learning and effective teaching at Henderson 

are supported by the availability of public computers 

for student use in a variety of locations on the campus. 

Students at Henderson have access to over 375 public 

computers in seven major banks of computers. There 

are also a number of smaller departmental labs in such areas as 

psychology, biology, and communications. The main banks of 

student computers are 

Technology Center 

Conference Room 

Huie Library 64 

Mooney Hall School of Business 34 

Garrison Center 

26 plus 4 in snack bar 

McBrien – The Writing Center 26 

Education Center—Second floor 22 

Evans Hall – Math Lab 21 

Foster Hall – The Technology Center 18 + 2 Macs 

Opened in fall 2011, a new technology center on the first floor of 

the newly renovated Foster Hall will provide students with multiple 

opportunities to interact with technology both for learning and 

leisure. Students may lounge in comfortable chairs and connect 

their laptop computers to the internet. At one end of the center 

are twenty desktop computers, and a variety of tablet computers, 

including iPads and Android-based devices, will be available for 

checkout. At the other end of the center or in four smaller rooms, 

televisions and game stations are available for students who are 

ready to take a break from the schoolwork. Additionally, the help 

desk is located in the center, staffed twenty-four hours a day to help 

students with their technological needs. 

The help desk supports faculty, students, and staff for computer, 

network, and online related questions. The Help Desk was established 

in 1999 and is staffed by three part-time student employees. 

In addition to help desk support, computer and communication 

services also has set up residence hall technicians by using students 

in each residence hall to be available for student support. 

During the 1999-2000 academic year, Henderson entered into a 

lease arrangement with Dell. This lease agreement allowed for a 

rotation of Dell computers every three years in classrooms and 

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computer labs on campus. During the 1999-2000 year, a third of all 

computers on campus were replaced by leased computers. Another 

third of the computers were replaced by leased computers during 

the 2000-2001 academic year. The last third of the computers were 

replaced during the 2001-2002 academic year. This lease rotation 

system provides Henderson with new computers that are covered 

under a service program. This provides a cost savings and allows 

operating systems on each computer to be updated regularly, especially 

important as faculty teach more hybrid and online courses. 

In 1989 the university purchased the POISE student information/ 

data system and has used this system for the last the twenty-two 

years. While many members of the Henderson campus community 

find the POISE system satisfactory, anecdotal evidence and comments 

suggest that some find it and its corollary program Skylite to 

be complex and difficult to use. 

There have been many changes and upgrades with the network 

through the years. Some of these changes and upgrades enhance 

and support the effective learning environment directly and many 

affect it indirectly. During 2001 an intrusion detection system for 

network security and a Pipeline Portal was installed. The Pipeline 

Portal allowed students to access their Henderson information via 

the internet. In 2002 the document imaging system was upgraded, 

and the Student Information System (SIS) was upgraded to POISE 

software. Also, student online registration for classes through 

Campus Connect began. Henderson became one of the first 

universities in Arkansas to install off-campus email spam filtering. 

This filtering system stops approximately 98 percent of spam from 

affecting Henderson’s system. 

Currently, the university Intranet utilizes a 1GB ethernet fiber 

backbone. Fiber concentrators are connected to the switch allowing 

for the needed fan-out of the segments across the campus to offices 

and to classrooms. Various models of Hewlett Packard switches are 

used across the campus allowing for 1000 Base-T connections. In 

2003 the single domain was split into two domains to provide more 

speed and security, HSDOMAIN for faculty and classroom use and 

HSSTUDOMAIN for student use. A bandwidth management 

system that assured proper bandwidth division between HSDO- 

MAIN and HSSTUDOMAIN was also installed. The student 

network was moved to a different ISP at 20MB. In 2004 the network 

was upgraded to 1 GB communication between buildings 

which was ten times faster than past communications. The student 

internet has been progressively upgraded over the past three years 

– 45MB in 2008, 55MB in 2009, and 150MB in 2010. In the 

summer of 2010, Henderson moved away from the existing AT&T 

T1 network connection and connected to the Arkansas Regional 

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Education and Research Optical Network (ARE-ON). This connection 

is currently 150MB of internet bandwidth with the potential of increasing 

to 1 GB of bandwidth. This gives Henderson the ability to 

directly connect via Ethernet to other ARE-ON members and it also 

allows Internet 2. 

Computer and communication services maintains two separate wireless 

management systems for the Henderson campus: the academic 

wireless and the student wireless. The academic wireless was installed 

in 2006. The student wireless system was set up in the residence halls 

in 2007. In 2009 the academic wireless system was upgraded to support 

the 802.11N protocol. In 2010 the student wireless was upgraded 

to the 802.11N protocol. Henderson has thirty lab rooms across the 

campus providing computer and printing capabilities for students. In 

2008 computer and communication services designated a lab tech 

specifically for support and maintenance of the 361 computers located 

in the labs. 

Each semester students pay technology fees to fund this advanced 

technology on the Henderson campus. The amount of the fee is 

recommended by the administration and approved by the Board of 

Trustees. Until the 2003-2004 academic year the technology fee was 

$20 per student per semester. In 2003 it became apparent to the 

administration that in order to keep up with the technology needs of 

the campus, the way Henderson collected the fee would need to 

change to a per credit hour fee amount. The following shows the 

increase from 2003 to the present: 

2003-2004 $5.00 per credit hour 



2006 to current $12.00 per credit hour 

The technology fees are disbursed to a number of accounts that 

support the computer lease plan, the computer/network infrastructure, 

software needs, and instructional technologies on campus. 

Writing Center 

The writing center supports the university’s mission by encouraging 

students to analyze, synthesize, and articulate the materials they have 

read, enabling them to produce scholarly and creative papers that are 

logical, critical, and effective. The center is located in McBrien 108 

and includes a computer lab equipped with twenty-five computers. 

Each computer has Microsoft Office Suite, including Word 2007. 

Collaborating with writing center tutors, students learn appropriate 

uses of technology essential for research in their scholarly endeavors 

and enhance their mastery of the written language. 

165


The writing center is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday 

through Friday. Appointments are suggested but drop-ins are welcome. 

The writing center has five graduate assistants who teach the 

Basic English class and tutor in the writing center. Professors may 

make appointments to reserve the writing center for their classes to 

meet for writing assignments. The center is also open to students 

who need assistance with writing assignments or general writing skills. 

Graduate assistants or writing tutors are on duty during the writing 

center’s open hours to assist students and answer writing questions. 

Students may also make appointments with one of the graduate 

assistants or writing tutors for private consultations of twenty minutes 

each. The graduate assistants or writing tutors will not proofread, 

write, or re-write students’ papers. They will, however, help 

students improve their own writing skills so that they will be able to 

proofread and edit their own papers more effectively. There were 

over 7000 student visits to the writing center in 2010. 

Facilities Supporting Student Learning 

Henderson provides a wide range of facilities, from science laboratories 

to individual music practice rooms that promote student learning 

and assist in effective teaching. In the 2010-2011 academic year, 

Henderson received an unprecedented amount of General Improvement 

Funding (GIF) from the state. These dollars are distributed 

annually, when surpluses are available, by legislators and the governor 

for one-time expenditures only. The total of the Henderson GIF 

allocation that year was about $500,000, $150,000 of which was 

designated for the Office of Academic Affairs and went directly to 

academic facilities and equipment improvements. An additional 

$54,000 was moved from elsewhere in the budget and added to that 

academic affairs amount to honor departmental equipment and 

facility improvement requests, which surpassed the GIF allocation. 

These special budget allocations allowed departments to purchase a 

wide array of items to improve instruction and student engagement. 

Biofeedback equipment for psychology, a high performance liquid 

chromatograph for chemistry, a new set of five timpani drums for 

music, a table top etching press and two kilns for art, flip video 

digital recorder for the counseling program, and a nanodrop spectrophotometer 

for biology are just a few of the items secured through 

these funds. Other equipment and facilities are described in the 

pages that follow. 

The Sciences 

The biology department has a number of labs for student and faculty 

use in the Reynolds Science Center. There is also a greenhouse with 

automated ventilation, heating, and watering systems. The department 

has over 120 binocular compound light microscopes and 

forty-eight binocular dissecting microscopes. Other equipment in the 

biology department is conservatively valued at over $750,000. 

166

Construction of the Simonson Biology Field Station has been completed 

and a dedication will be held in fall 2011. The field station is 

funded by a gift from Dr. Della Sue Simonson and her brother, Col. 

Eugene Simonson, both 1951 graduates of Henderson. Located on 

DeGray Lake about twenty-five miles from the Henderson campus, the 

station is on 104 acres of lakefront property on long-term lease to the 

university. A 7,200 square foot structure with three levels, the main 

building includes two multimedia classrooms/laboratories, a research 

laboratory, a library/resource room, and a dining area and kitchen. 

There are also two bedrooms for faculty stays and three offices. The 

building also has two additional “general use” rooms large enough for 

future expansion and projects. A pontoon boat will be available for use 

on DeGray Lake. The field station also has satellite internet access. 

Estimated cost of construction is $600,000 with another $100,000 

designated for equipment. 

Henderson’s chemistry department has its offices and laboratories in 

the Reynolds Science Center. The chemistry department’s teaching 

laboratories are well equipped with glassware, hot plates, and other 

basic laboratory equipment needed for an effective teaching environment. 

Students taking chemistry laboratory courses are charged a lab 

fee that allows the department to replace and update this basic equipment. 

The money collected from the fee also occasionally allows the 

department to try new innovations that can improve the effectiveness 

of the laboratories. 

The department is equipped with modern instrumentation which is 

effectively incorporated into junior and senior chemistry laboratories. 

Senior-year independent research is strongly encouraged which usually 

involves the use of the instrumentation available. This equipment 

allows both students and faculty to be successfully involved in research. 

Instrumentation available includes 

• Bruker 200 MHz FT-NMR 

• Hewlett Packard GC-MS (gas chromatograph with mass selective 

detector) 

• two Fourier transform infrared spectrometers 

• Cary 50 UV-Visible Spectrophotometer with a fiber optic accessory 

• diode array UV/visible spectrophotometer 

• Raman spectrophotometer 

• flame/graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer 

• quaternary gradient high performance liquid chromatograph 

• BAS electrochemical analyzer w/ accessories 

• thermal analysis equipment (differential scanning calorimeter and 

thermal gravimetric analyzer) 

• several gas chromatographs w/ thermal conductivity and flame 

ionization detectors 

167


This instrumentation provides students the opportunity to effectively 

prepare for graduate school or for industry where they will be 

expected to be familiar with modern instrumentation. The only 

negative is the age of some instrumentation; a number of these 

instruments will need replacement in the near future. 

The physics department also has labs in the Reynolds Science 

Center. The centerpiece of the physics department, however, is the 

Henderson Planetarium. The planetarium is an 8.2 meter 90 

degree hemispherical dome with seating for 45. In 2009 the planetarium 

added a full-dome digital projector system. The planetarium 

supports the physics department curriculum as a working tool 

to better illustrate the concepts of astronomy. The planetarium is 

most notably used in the Introduction to Astronomy class but is also 

used in the General Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology, and 

Non-Western Cosmology classes. To a lesser extent the planetarium 

has been used in the Applied Acoustics class because of the state-ofthe-art 

sound system. 

The planetarium also supports the greater Henderson mission by 

allowing other departments the opportunity to have an alternative 

venue for many types of learning activities, including being the 

inspiration for writing assignments, a place to view alternative 

material for history assignments, and a quiet and dark location for 

the swim team relaxation routine prior to various swim meets. The 

planetarium is also used to meet the physics department’s mission 

to provide an outreach to the general public. Currently the planetarium 

provides three shows a month to which the general public 

is invited. 

The Arts 

The performing arts are a focal point of the academic atmosphere 

at Henderson. Arkansas Hall houses offices and classrooms for the 

Department of Communications and Theatre Arts and modern 

facilities for theatre and television productions. The building’s 

renovation in 2003 included construction of a studio theater, dance 

studio, design lab, makeup room, dressing rooms, costume shop, 

television studio, and computer lab. The 939-seat theater/auditorium 

was also renovated in the process. 

Arkansas Hall contains two performance venues, Arkansas Hall 

Auditorium and the Studio Theater. The studio theater is a 162- 

seat thrust theater designed specifically for the theatre program 

with the audience on three sides of the acting space. The Studio 

Theater lighting system is equipped with state-of-the-art lighting using 

an ETC Emphasis system with an Express 250 console and 

complete with an inventory of ETC lighting fixtures. An overhead 

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tension-wire grid (one of only two in the state of Arkansas) is used 

in place of catwalks, ladders, scaffolding, or hanging pipes, as a 

method for hanging lighting instruments and carrying technicians 

through space. 

Arkansas Hall Auditorium is a traditional proscenium theater 

seating up to 939 and has many functions. It serves the university 

community as an education and fine arts performance facility–accommodating 

a wide variety of events including theatre, dance, 

music, receptions, corporate meetings, and broadcasts. The Arkansas 

Hall Auditorium facilitates almost one hundred of these events 

each year, most of which are administered and produced by Henderson 

theatre faculty and work study staff. Some events are sponsored 

by other university organizations and departments, as well as 

the local community. Among the many events hosted during the 

year are the Miss HSU Pageant, band and choir concerts, university 

lectures, and special guest artist performances. 

The dance studio on the first floor of Arkansas Hall provides 

rehearsal space for all dance classes and the Henderson Dance 

Company. The dance program presents one major concert a year 

onstage in the Arkansas Hall Auditorium. The Spring Dance Concert 

presents faculty and guest artists’ choreographic works, as well 

as works choreographed and performed by students. Informal concerts 

are also held throughout the year in the dance studio. Noted 

dance artists are regularly brought to campus to perform, teach 

master classes, conduct special workshops, and set choreographic 

works for the students. Recent guest artists have included Marlies 

Yearby, Chet Walker, Eva Tessler, David Wick, Micki Saba, Patrick 

Crommett, Lucy DuBose, Michael Tidwell, Richard and Roberta 

Walker, Ameria Jones, Zinse Agginie, and Sherman Steward. 

The design lab is a classroom with drafting tables for all theatre 

design courses. Ten drafting tables provide an optimal environment 

for students to succeed in drafting, rendering, and design courses. 

A computer station equipped with Photoshop, Virtual Light Lab, 

MacLux Pro, and Vector Works Designer software offers a place for 

students to do production and design work. The design lab is also 

available for students working on design projects outside of class. 

The makeup room is a space used both for educational purposes 

and for performance preparation. As a single large room, the 

space is used for makeup classes seating a total of twenty-two 

students at fully lit makeup stations. The costume shop operates as 

classroom and shop facility for the theatre and dance program. 

The costume shop features include eight sewing machines, 

one industrial sewing machine, three sergers, and an industrial iron. 

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In addition to the costume shop, a separate costume crafts 

room features an industrial dye vat and a washer/dryer laundry 

area. The scene shop is another classroom and shop facility 

for the theatre and dance programs. Arkansas Hall stage is 

also used for scenic construction and as a classroom for the 

theatre program. 

Henderson Television (HTV) also has its studio in Arkansas Hall. 

The studio is a fully digital facility with computer-mediated production. 

Students learn to operate cameras, perform live switching, 

and direct television programs within the studio’s production and 

control rooms. This also includes lighting the studio, executing 

chroma-key composites, running audio, and working a teleprompter. 

Each mass media student gets an opportunity to try to 

master more than one of these tasks. After taking on behind-thescenes 

production, students also have opportunities to move in 

front of the camera and produce their own shows. In front of the 

camera, students hone personal skills and build demo reels for 

potential broadcast employers. While producing their own shows, 

students get the opportunity to script and edit the shows in Arkansas 

Hall’s two edit bays and Macintosh computer labs, which 

include all software for video production. The shows range in 

content from sports, news, entertainment, and documentary, to 

short film. The goal is to make the broadcast students multi-faceted 

so that they can move into the broadcast world as on-air or 

behind-the-scenes professionals. 

Henderson and HTV have an agreement with the local cable 

provider, Suddenlink, that allows HTV to air on Channel 9, five 

days a week from 12:00 noon-2:00 p.m. and 9:00-11:00 p.m. Each 

semester the students at HTV strive to produce two shows each 

week in the studio and to air dance company performances, 

Henderson sporting events, television spots, public service announcements, 

and alumni events. 

The Henderson Intercollegiate Debate Lab is in Arkansas Hall 

208. In this seminar-configured room, the debate team and the 

debate practicum work with tutors and in instructional settings to 

develop individual and competitive speaking skills. The practicum 

often has twenty students working on judging, debating, or preparing 

for the fall and the spring intercollegiate debate tournaments 

that are conducted on the Henderson campus. A work-study 

student coordinator manages the lab. A Communications Lab is in 

Arkansas Hall 210, and a work-study tutor is available to work 

with oral communications and debate students, as well as assist in 

other communication capacities. 

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Music performances at Henderson take place in the Harwood 

Recital Hall and the Arkansas Hall Auditorium. The music program 

at Henderson has its own classrooms, performance spaces, 

and faculty offices in the Russell Fine Arts building. The Evanson 

Band Hall, an addition to the Russell Fine Arts building, was 

specifically designed for band practices. This addition was completed 

in 1990. There are nineteen individual practice rooms, 

most with pianos, a choir rehearsal room, and three other classrooms 

that are used for small ensemble rehearsals. 

A band fee has been assessed to all students since 1998. In 2010- 

2011 the fee was 25 cents per credit hour. The amount collected in 

band fees for the past few fiscal years is listed below: 

2005-2006 $21,755.00 

2006-2007 $21,232.75 

2007-2008 $22,248.50 

2008-2009 $21,869.00 

2009-2010 $22,525.50 

The fee has been used to purchase large and specialty instruments 

as well as band uniforms. James Buckner, chair of the Music 

Department, feels that the fee has allowed us to purchase instruments 

that we would have not obtained any other way, and the 

new uniforms reflect positively on the public image of the band 

and the university. 

The Henderson art department supports nine specialty areas of 

study in two locations on campus, The Russell Fine Arts building 

and the Art Annex. The areas of study are painting, printmaking, 

photography, digital design, papermaking, ceramics, sculpture, art 

history, and art education. Each area supplies students with a 

specified studio space, equipment, and materials needed for a 

high-quality education in the fine arts. 

Students in the art program are supplied with photography and 

lighting equipment for copying work, mat cutters, framing materials, 

and wood-working equipment as well as a production room to 

document and prepare work. Students in art education have a 

studio with supplies for projects and a Smart Board. All studios 

and lecture rooms contain multimedia learning stations. 

Ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, and photography are taught in 

the Art Annex. Photography students can use nineteen photographic 

enlargers, three ultra violet exposure units, and darkroom 

and developing equipment and supplies. The printmaking lab has 

over thirty lithographic stones, two heavy lithographic presses, a 

star etching press, and screen-printing equipment. Ceramics offers 

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one manual clay extruder, one pneumatic clay extruder, ten Brent 

wheels with bats, one slab roller, two 11.6 Skutt 1231 PK electric 

kilns with digital controls, one 10-cubic ft. electric kiln, one 27- cubic 

ft. electric kiln, one 46-cubic ft. Bailey cone 10 glaze kiln, one 

38-cubic ft. soda kiln, two 4.5 cubic ft. raku kilns, one 68-cubic ft. 

wood burning tunnel kiln, a fully stocked materials room with 

Soldner clay mixer, and a fully stocked glaze lab. 

Facilities for digital art are located in the Russell Fine Arts building. 

One Apple iMac computer lab contains twenty computers with 

Adobe Master Suite productions and design software, Final Cut 

Pro video editing suite software, Light Wave 3D 9.6 modeling and 

animation software, an Epson Stylus Pro 7800 24-inch large 

format inkjet printer, HP Design Jet 130nr inkjet printer, Wacom 

Cintiq Direct screen drawing tablet, Canon 30D Digital SLR 

camera, Canon XL1s Mini DV video Camera, four Agfa Flatbed 

Scanners, an XVGA LCD classroom Projector, and a Mackie 

Onyx 2-channel digital sound recording workstation. 

The papermaking studio in Russell Fine Arts building houses a 

Critter 1¼ pound Hollander Beater. The painting studio uses a 

multimedia learning station with overhead projection, easels, 

worktables, and storage. The art history lecture room has a multimedia 

learning station, slides, and slide projectors. 

Heart Start 

One of the most important and effective resources for student 

learning takes place before their college careers even begin. 

“Heart Start” is Henderson’s summer orientation program 

designed to help incoming freshmen in their transition to college 

life. Each summer Henderson usually hosts four sessions 

with up to two hundred incoming freshmen in each session; 

in summer 2010, 841 students attended four sessions. Family 

members are encouraged to accompany their sons and daughters 

to Heart Start, and many choose to do so. The program 

is coordinated by Henderson’s Student Services and the dean 

of students, with participation by faculty, staff, and students. 

In the early years of the program, Heart Start was a one-day, 

one-afternoon event. In 2007 Heart Start became a two-day 

program with freshmen staying overnight in the residence halls. 

One of the major aims of Heart Start is to provide academic 

advising and to register new freshmen for their fall classes. Students 

and parents also attend sessions on financial aid, residence 

life, and campus activities. 

Each Heart Start session is evaluated by parent and student 

surveys. Past surveys indicate that Heart Start has 

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een an effective means of helping new freshmen adapt to 

college life at Henderson. Four key questions which were 

part of the student surveys for 2009 and 2010 are listed in 

Table 3D-12 along with the percentages of responding students 

who Strongly Agree or Agree with the statements: 

Student Health and Counseling Center 

The Student Health and Counseling Center at Henderson seeks to 

enhance the ability of a diverse student population to achieve 

academic success by providing caring, accessible, high-quality 

physical and mental health services in a confidential and ethical 

environment that fosters respect for all students. Its services are 

available to undergraduate and graduate students at Henderson. 

The Student Health and Counseling Center is a 4,650 square foot 

facility on the first floor of Mooney Hall. The center opened in 

remodeled and expanded spaces in 2002. It is staffed by a director/counselor, 

two licensed counselors, one Advanced Practice 

Nurse (APN), two registered nurses, one administrative assistant, 

and a student worker. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday 

through Friday. Emergency counseling services are available 

twenty-four hours a day through 911 or the Henderson Police 

Department. 

The Student Health and Counseling Center is funded by the 

student health fee which covers most health services, only charging 

for laboratory testing done outside the center. Services include 

APN/RN assessments, allergy vaccines, over-the-counter medications, 

immunizations, health promotion services and educational 

programs on the campus, and the Reddie for Wellness Program 

(individualized screenings and counseling). 

The health services portion of 

the center averages over 10,000 annual 

contacts and conducts a user satisfaction 

survey each February. Since 

2006, 99 percent of students completing 

the survey have reported being 

very satisfied or satisfied with the care 

that they have received in the center. 

Two licensed professional counselors along with the director 

provide individual counseling to students and work with the health 

professionals in the center to provide the best intervention possible. 

This assists in the retention of students. The counselors coordinate 

needed services with other university entities, such as Student 

Support Services and the Disability Resource Center. 

Table 3D-12 

Heart Start Surveys 

Educational programs provided by the counselors include alcohol 

and drug abuse prevention presentations to new freshmen through 

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the Henderson Seminar program, and stress and anxiety detection 

and prevention through the ROTC program, Residence Life, Peer 

Advisors, and Athletic Training. 

The counseling services portion of the center began to track 

student referrals and retention rates during fall 2009. Forty-six 

percent of the students were referred by faculty or staff and 38 

percent were referred by other students. Retention figures for fall 

2009 indicate that 95.1 percent of the students who were seen at 

least one time during the semester were still enrolled at the end of 

the semester. 

Center for Career Development 

Henderson’s Center for Career Development is located on the 

second floor of the Garrison Center. The mission of the center is 

to provide guidance and resources to a diverse student body by 

teaching life-long skills in career exploration, preparation, and 

implementation that enable students to apply their academic 

experiences to a global environment. It is staffed by a director of 

career services. Services of the center are available to students and 

alumni free of charge. 

The center offers online workshops dealing with job interviews, 

résumé writing, salary negotiation, dressing for success, and 

preparing for Henderson’s career fairs. In the 2008-2009 academic 

year, twenty-four students took advantage of these online 

offerings. In 2009-2010 there were 500 résumé/cover letter 

accounts opened due to the education and assistance provided by 

Career Development in using a program designed to assist with 

such tasks. Unfortunately, due to funding, the program was no 

longer available to students after October 2010. The first virtual 

career fair took place online from October 4-18, 2010. The 

Center also provides job search assistance, career fairs, coordinates 

on-campus interviews, and provides a professional clothes closet 

for students to dress appropriately for job interviews. 

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Henderson has made tremendous progress in developing and using an 

assessment program to improve teaching and student learning outcomes. 

The commitment of the faculty, staff, and administrators to the 

enterprise has culminated in improved plans, data, and actions on 

results. However, just as teaching and student learning can always be 

improved, assessment programs can also be improved. Henderson is 

building on its excellent programs of faculty support, varied learning 

environments, and learning resources geared to student needs to continually 

assess its progress and improve on its success. Henderson not 

only provides evidence of student learning and teaching effectiveness, it 

has in place the processes which will help it continue to succeed in this 

endeavor central to the heart of its mission. 

Strengths 

• The faculty of most academic programs participate in developing 

the assessment plan for their areas. Plans and results are reviewed by 

the Assessment Team, and meetings are held with academic and 

administrative units to discuss ways to improve the plans. 

• Much work has been accomplished in the development of university-wide 

comprehensive assessment plans. Ninety-one percent of 

academic programs currently have assessment plans. Academic 

assessment plans link learning outcomes to the Henderson mission 

statement, to academic program goals, and to courses where measurement 

is occurring. 

• Well over half of the measures used to assess student learning are 

direct measures, with most incorporating the use of some type of 

measurement instrument. Many academic areas include licensing 

exams in their learning outcomes or monitor the results of licensure 

exams, survey employers of graduates, evaluate the performance of 

interns, and monitor student admissions to graduate programs. 

• Sixty-two percent of academic programs have executed their assessment 

plans and have met to discuss results and develop plans to 

enhance student learning. Faculty members in several areas have 

used assessment results to identify and address student learning 

issues. Many non-credit programs have developed assessment plans, 

collected data, and used data to make decisions. 

• Great care is given to the hiring of excellent full-time and adjunct 

faculty members. New faculty members are mentored, provided 

with training, and evaluated each semester. Three- and six-year 

reviews have served the university well in the evaluation of all 

faculty members. 

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• Since 2005 the university has seen a large increase in the quality 

and number of classrooms equipped with the latest in teaching 

technologies. The Department of Instructional Technology 

provides strong support to faculty members who use multimedia 

to teach courses. 

• With the appointment of a new provost and vice president for 

academic affairs, all components of the academic curriculum – 

course offerings, scheduling, technology, training, evaluation, 

professional support and innovation – can be thoroughly identified, 

assessed and modified during the coming years. 

• Computer and instructional technology support and training 

have expanded and received increased structural and fiscal 

support. 

• Huie Library strongly supports student learning and effective 

teaching. It has greatly expanded its electronic resources in the 

past few years, enhancing the availability to students and faculty 

of the means necessary for learning and teaching. 

• Henderson is fortunate to have a number of entities on campus 

that offer direct and indirect support of student learning. The 

Student Health and Counseling Center, the MultiMedia Learning 

Center, the Center for Language Proficiency, the International 

Students Program, the Writing Center, and the Center for 

Career Development provide support to students in their academic 

endeavors. 

• Programs, such as Heart Start and Henderson Seminar, offer 

encouragement for student learning very early in a student’s 

time at Henderson 

• Henderson offers a wide range of physical facilities to support 

student learning and effective teaching. Some of these facilities, 

such as the labs in the Reynolds Science Center and the theater 

facilities in Arkansas Hall, are state of the art. 

• Partnerships with two-year colleges, school districts, and community 

businesses have made a tremendous impact upon 

students and community members. 

Challenges 

• Some academic areas need to refine their assessment plans to 

properly identify and state learning goals and outcomes. Some 

assessment plans still use course grades and GPA for some of 

their measures. Several areas have not progressed beyond the 

assessment-plan stage. Others have many criteria which have 

been met indicating that they may need to reevaluate their 

learning goals or may want to increase expectations to a higher 

level. Few areas share the results of assessment data with students 

and outside stakeholders. 

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• There are two academic areas that do not currently have assessment 

plans in place although one is working to correct the deficiency. 

Thirty-eight percent of academic programs have not executed 

assessment plans to the point of collecting data and meeting to 

discuss data and develop plans to enhance student learning. Some 

non-credit programs are not participating in assessment efforts. In 

addition, some pre-professional programs do not yet have assessment 

programs. 

• Our process of faculty evaluation during the past ten years, although 

acceptable, needs to be given increased attention, both 

annually and for tenure and promotion. 

• As with so many other institutions of higher education, funding is an 

increasingly challenging problem. Although Henderson is able to 

provide nominal funding for faculty travel, research, and sabbatical 

leaves, the current system nonetheless results in adequate professional 

productivity among the faculty. 

• The increased demand for and use of technology has led to the 

need for more employees. Online Learning Service Support, which 

includes the LMS, collaboration software, and lecture capture, 

should properly align with the growth of faculty users and courses 

taught. This would include additional faculty training, instructional 

design support, and LMS administrative support. 

• The number of faculty using the Early Alert system to report students 

who are doing poorly in and missing classes could be higher. 

• Huie Library’s continued support of student learning and effective 

teaching is constrained by the age and unsuitability of the building 

for learning in the digital age. 

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The organization promotes a life of 

learning for its faculty, administration, 

staff and students by fostering and 

supporting inquiry, creativity, practice, 

and social responsibility in ways 

consistent with its mission.

Criterion Four: 

Acquisition, 

Discovery, and 

Application of 

Knowledge 



Lea Ann Alexander 

Associate Librarian, Huie Library, 

and Director, Henderson 

Seminar, Co-Chair 

Vickie Faust 

Assistant Director, Disability 

Resource Center, Co-Chair 

Lenette Bailey-Jones 

Coordinator, Athletic Academic 

Success 

Stephanie Barron 

Associate Professor, English, 

Foreign Languages, and 

Philosophy 

Mitzi Bass 

Assistant Professor, English, 

Foreign Languages, and 

Philosophy 

Debbie Buck 

Administrative Assistant, Health, 

Physical Education, Recreation, 

and Athletic Training 

Introduction 

In March 2011, a student who had never traveled north of St. 

Louis stood transfixed before Toulouse-Lautrec’s In the Salon at the 

Guggenheim Museum in New York; that afternoon she received 

a call informing her that her collage series had been accepted by 

a national literary journal. Two weeks later, a student who had 

never flown before stepped off a jetway in Los Angeles, prepared 

to present his undergraduate research before the American 

Chemical Society at its annual meeting. Both students traveled to 

opposite coasts as part of Henderson groups, funded by the 

university and accompanied by professors who themselves have 

traveled widely in pursuit of scientific and creative learning. 

Also that March, two hundred boisterous middle-schoolers from 

across Arkansas filled Henderson’s student union and several 

classroom buildings, competing in a regional Quiz Bowl tournament, 

operated in part by Henderson faculty, staff, and students. 

A psychology professor presented a free community lecture 

entitled, “Batman in His Belfry: Psychology of a Superhero.” 

Thirty members of Henderson International Student Association 

(HISA) prepared the foods of their home countries for 240 

Henderson and community guests at the annual International 

Food Bazaar. Fifty-two faculty and staff members signed up for 

one of eight Microsoft Excel training sessions and several staff 

attended an evening Zumba class at the Charles D. Dunn Student 

Recreation Center. Two hundred and twenty students, faculty, 

and staff volunteered a Saturday to serve the community on the 

second Reddie to Serve day. And every day that month, local 

community members used Huie Library’s four community computers 

to polish résumé skills, look for jobs, and complete homework 

assignments. 

This snapshot of widely varied learning experiences is typical at 

Henderson, where the liberal arts mission means that all constituents 

of the university—faculty, staff, administration, students, and 

members of the community—are supported and encouraged to 

follow their own curiosity and to seek out knowledge. 

Kathie Buckman 

Associate Librarian Huie Library 

Aaron Calvert 

Associate Professor, Art 

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Core Component 4A: The organization demonstrates, 

through the actions of its board, administrators, 

students, faculty, and staff, that it values a life 

of learning. 

Henderson’s commitment to a life of learning begins with its 

mission and permeates all aspects of its academic culture. Over 

the past ten years, the university has consistently placed the 

quality of student education at the top of its agenda while exploring 

a variety of ways to enhance learning opportunities for all 

members of the university community. According to the university 

mission statement, “through a common core of courses in arts 

and sciences, as well as through the more specialized curricula, 

the university fosters the maximum growth and development of 

each student.” The inclusive mission embraces students, faculty, 

and staff: “Quality in education is fostered not only by a positively 

motivated student body, but also by a faculty and staff distinguished 

for their continuing commitment to excellence.” Henderson 

“encourages excellence in teaching and supports scholarly 

and creative endeavors on the part of both its faculty and students.” 

Mission statements and goals of units across the university reflect 

Henderson’s commitment to excellence in teaching and the life of 

learning. For instance, 

• The Ellis College reaffirms this ideal and supports the university 

mission with its own mission: “The dedicated professional 

faculty welcomes students into the Ellis College for an opportunity 

to work together as a community of scholars and learners 

to promote critical and creative thinking, effective written and 

spoken communication, and creative activity in the arts and 

sciences.” 

• Teachers College includes similar statements in its mission 

statement. “Teachers College, Henderson State University, 

through quality instruction, service, and research, prepares 

reflective teachers, school leaders, counselors, and other professionals 

who demonstrate high expectations for individual 

self-realization. Moreover, the College is committed 

to preparing these professionals with the 

twenty-first century knowledge and skills required to 

become successful citizens in a highly technological 

and diverse world.” 

• The School of Business “provides an educational 

environment in which excellent faculty, enthusiastic 

students, and engaged partners collaborate in experiential 

learning activities.” Excellence in teaching, 

research, and service is a Core Value of the School 

of Business. 

Design student Amy Porter 

shoots her reflection in a piece 

of art at the Museum of Art and 

Design in NYC while on a trip to 

present her work at a conference 

International Food Bazaar 

181


Martin Campbell 

Professor, Chemistry 

Nathan Campbell 

Assistant Professor, School 

of Business 

Dee Cox 

Assistant Professor, Educational 

Leadership 

Jim Duke 

Planetarium Manager and 

Instructor, Physics 

Rhonda Harrington 

Assistant Professor, Curriculum 

and Instruction [9/29/2009- 

8/17/2010] 

Erin Poe 

Education Specialist, Disability 

Resource Center 

David Thigpen 

Associate Athletic Director 

[7/8/2009-10/15/2009] 

Fred Worth 

Professor, Mathematics and 

Computer Science 

• The three-decades-old Honors College’s “overarching purpose” 

is areté, or “highest excellence.” The Honors College shares the 

university’s goal “to excel in undergraduate education, always 

striving to enrich the quality of learning and teaching.” 

• Huie Library is “committed to excellence in providing information 

resources and research assistance to the Henderson community.” 

• The Department of Psychology is “dedicated to scholarly 

excellence and the success of our students.” 

This core component discusses a variety of ways in which Henderson’s 

commitment to a life of learning is put into practice. 

Freedom of Inquiry 

Academic freedom is essential to the fulfillment of Henderson’s 

mission. Statements supporting freedom of inquiry are threaded 

through the Faculty Handbook, including the following: 

• “The University is committed to a policy of free inquiry and to 

the maintenance of conditions which enhance optimum moral 

and intellectual growth in the academic community.” 

• “It is equally a responsibility of the officers of the University 

administration and of the Board of Trustees to assure, to 

protect, and to defend academic freedom. The tenured faculty 

and those officers and Board members should work together to 

that end.” 

• “Academic tenure is a status accorded members of the University 

faculty who have demonstrated high ability and achievement 

in their dedication to the growth of human knowledge.… 

By such recognition, the University pays homage to the priceless 

worth of independence of the mind and freedom of inquiry.” 

• “The faculty evaluation program shall in no way infringe upon 

academic freedom as set forth in the Faculty Handbook.” 

• “Each [faculty member] should respect and defend the right of 

free inquiry of associates.” 

The Faculty Handbook, as well as changes and amendments to that 

document, are subject to approval by the Board of Trustees. 

Students’ freedom of inquiry is affirmed in Article IV of the The 

Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct: 

Section 4. Classroom Expression 

Paragraph 1. “Freedom of discussion and expression of views 

must be protected and encouraged. The instructor has the 

responsibility and authority to maintain order and appropriate 

academic environment, but this authority must not be used to 

suppress the expression of views related to a subject contrary 

to his own.” 

182

Section 5. Campus Expression and Organization 

Paragraph 1. “Discussion and expression of all views are 

permitted with the University subject only to the requirements 

for maintenance and order.” 

Section 6. Publications 

Paragraph 1. “A student, group, or organization may publish 

and distribute written material on campus without prior 

approval if such distribution and the content of the material is 

not disruptive to University operation.” 

Paragraph 2. “The student press is to be free of censorship. 

The editors and managers shall not be arbitrarily suspended 

because of student, faculty, administration, alumni, or community 

disapproval of editorial policy or content. Similar freedom 

is assured for oral statements or views on University-controlled 

and student-run radio or television stations.” 

The Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct is 

published in the Henderson Student Guide, which is updated 

each year and distributed to all freshmen as well as made available 

online. The Graduate Catalog notes that the graduate 

student is expected to engage in “free thought and discourse.” 

While freedom of inquiry is not explicitly enumerated in the 

Staff Handbook as a right, classified and non-classified staff 

members are empowered to contribute to university governance 

through several formal channels. Established in 1988 and approved 

by the Board of Trustees, the Staff Senate is active in 

advancing staff concerns with the full support of university 

administration. According to its Constitution, the purpose of 

Staff Senate is to 

…provide for the orderly representation of non-faculty 

personnel in communication between Staff and 

Policy-makers in areas affecting their general 

welfare, and provide a medium for the exchange 

and coordination of information between 

members of the Staff, Administration, Faculty, 

and Students. 

The Staff Senate president attends Faculty Senate 

and Board of Trustees meetings and serves 

as a member of the Faculty Senate Buildings 

and Grounds Committee. Classified and nonclassified 

staff are well represented in strategic 

planning and accreditation efforts and serve on 

many university committees, including the Judiciary 

Committee, Non-Academic Grievance Committee, Fringe 

Benefits Committee, and the University Budget Committee. 

Art Department Chair, Kathy 

Strause helps an art student 

Mass media and Oracle students visit 

ESPN Wide World of Sports while at a 

conference in Orlando 

183


Planning and Financial Allocation 

Two of the seventeen goals in the 2010 Strategic Plan relate directly 

to a pattern of planning and financial allocation that supports a life 

of learning: 

Goal 6: “The budget will support the mission.” 

The strategy will be to reallocate existing resources to support 

mission priorities, which include support for “scholarly and 

creative endeavors on the part of both [Henderson] faculty and 

students. 

Goal 7: “The University will undertake steps to increase grant 

funding.” 

Recognizing that the operating budget may fund only a limited 

amount of research and professional development, the Strategic 

Plan recommends hiring a professional grant writer or retaining 

other grant-writing services in order to increase grant submissions 

by 20 percent in two years. 

All three schools have set aside funds for competitive opportunities 

to obtain travel and research funds for faculty scholarship and 

development. The university also approves funding for fifty eight 

graduate assistants through the Graduate School and provides funding 

for adjuncts and overloads so that tenured faculty may take 

sabbaticals. (See also Criterion 2B.) 

The Undergraduate Research Program directly supports Henderson’s 

commitment to a life of learning. The program budget of 

$25,070 is used to partially fund student travel to present research 

results, to provide matching stipend money for state-sponsored 

grants, and to purchase research supplies. In addition, the university 

appoints an undergraduate research director who is granted onequarter 

time release to pursue duties related to encouraging research 

by undergraduates. 

The Honors College presents an outstanding example of planning 

and financial allocation support for a life of learning. Constructed 

in 2002 the Roy and Christine Sturgis Hall, an Honors residence 

hall and learning center funded through state capital funds and a 

one million dollar grant from the Sturgis Foundation, contains a 

multimedia classroom, a computer lab, a Seminar room, and four 

study rooms. 

The Henderson Foundation provides Honors College stipends of 

$125.00 per semester for all entering Honors College freshmen with 

a 29 or higher composite ACT as long as students maintain a 3.25 

cumulative GPA and take at least one honors course per semester. 

According to Honors College Director David Thomson, seventyone 

students per year on average have received these stipends in fall 

184

2009 through fall 2011. Honors students are also eligible for 

ACT-based scholarships from the university. The university 

provides Honors College students and faculty a travel budget to 

assist with expenses related to the biannual European discovery 

trip. In addition to stipends for students, $6000 in stipends is 

distributed among the dozen members of the interdisciplinary 

Honors Faculty each year for supplies, services, and/or travel, 

allowing them to assist their Honors mentees. Honors faculty 

member Shannon Clardy (Physics), for example, used her 2010 

stipend to assist seven Physics students with travel expenses, 

allowing them to attend the Society of Physics Students Zone 

Conference at the University of Southern Mississippi. Rick 

McDaniel (Physics) has used his stipend to purchase electronics 

kits for his Introduction to Engineering class. Honors faculty 

members frequently use the Honors stipend for instructional 

equipment purchases and to fund travel expenses related to conferences 

and research. 

Digital Art and Design and 

Mass Media students and 

faculty meeting with the 

president of DC Comics 

in NYC 

The Huie Library’s FY 2010-2011 budget represents 2.20 percent 

of the university Educational and General budget. The library 

materials budget is augmented with a library fee of $2.50 per 

credit hour. The majority of library fee income is dedicated to 

increasing and maintaining over one hundred electronic indices 

and other online resources, while a portion is used to employ late 

night staff in response to a Student Government Association 

request for expanded library hours. (See also Criterion 3D.) 

The university supports a life of learning for faculty and staff 

through tuition remission and leave time during the workday for 

taking a course. The maximum amount of this benefit is 100 

percent of the general tuition for undergraduate courses and a 

reduction to $20.00 per credit hour for graduate courses. Since 

2006, 226 Henderson staff members have received the tuition 

waiver for undergraduate coursework; 114 staff members have 

received the tuition waiver for graduate coursework. In 2009 and 

2010 approximately ten staff completed undergraduate or graduate 

degrees. The university also 

offers a tuition reduction to $10.00 

per credit hour for spouses and 

dependent children of faculty and 

staff who work at least half time 

(see Table 4A-1). 

The Ellis College provides Margin 

of Excellence funds to bring in 

outside speakers, visiting artists, 

and workshops that benefit the community 

Huie Library 

Table 4A-1 

Employee and Dependent 

Tuition Remission 

185


as well as the university. These funds also support conferences 

on campus. Since 2004, for example, Margin of Excellence 

has funded: 

• American College Theatre Festival 

• Comic Book Artists and Writers David Mack and Eric 

Shanower 

• Poets Jesse Lendennie and Ray McNiece 

• The Annual Henderson Student Competitive Art Exhibition 

• Latina Dance Project 

• Alexander Technique Workshops 

• Actor John Plumpis 

• Papermaker and Book Artist LeAndra Spangler 

• Author and Photographer Jonathan Waterman (in partnership 

with the Common Book Program) 

• Creative and Digital Artist Chien-Yu Sun 

• World Beat, The African Link, Dance Project 

• World Year of Physics Mary Kay Hemenway and John 

Peter Huchra 

In recognition that new technologies have led to new methods of 

knowledge delivery, the Department of Instructional Technology 

provides competitive technology grants for the development of 

online class delivery and for assessment of the use of technology in 

the classroom. Henderson also recognizes that students and employees 

require access to current computer equipment and software. 

Through a leasing agreement with Dell, staff and student lab 

computers are replaced every three years. Around 325 computers 

are replaced each year at a cost of approximately $352,000. (See 

also Criterion 3C and 3D.) 

Professional Development Opportunities 

Professional development opportunities are available to faculty, 

students, and staff across all academic and administrative divisions. 

The mission statement supports continued education when it states 

“Quality in education is fostered . . . by a faculty and staff distinguished 

for their continuing commitment to excellence.” It further 

states, “The university encourages excellence in teaching and 

supports scholarly and creative endeavors on the part of both its 

faculty and students.” 

Professional Development Opportunities – Faculty 

Henderson’s weakness here is not one of a lack of faculty participation 

in development opportunities but, rather, a lack of long-term, 

systematic tracking of faculty activities. To address this weakness, in 

2010 Henderson purchased Faculty180, a data management system 

intended to improve the collection and reporting of faculty creden- 

186

tials, professional activities, and achievements. For 2010, 

183 faculty members reported participation in 254 professional 

development activities, 201 of which were external 

in nature. 

As outlined in the Faculty Handbook, tenured faculty 

holding the rank of associate professor or higher are 

eligible for a one-semester or one-year sabbatical every 

seven years. The university approves six one-semester, 

full-salary sabbaticals per academic year, although a faculty 

member may opt for a full year sabbatical at half salary. 

The sabbatical program allows faculty to pursue 

opportunities related to their area of interest. Randy Duncan, 

Professor of Communication, for example, wrote the major portion 

of The Power of Comics: History, Form, and Culture (Continuum, 2009) 

while on sabbatical. Sabbatical leaves may also enhance faculty 

members’ teaching expertise. Claudia Beach, Professor and 

Director of Theatre, spent her spring 2007 sabbatical traveling the 

country as a Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival 

adjudicator. The valuable insights she gained into how different 

universities approach actor training and directing strengthened her 

teaching at Henderson. Ellis College Research Colloquium and 

Ellis College Faculty Showcase provide opportunities for faculty in 

that college to share sabbatical results and other academic and 

creative endeavors. Since fall 2010, Teachers College faculty who 

receive Faculty Development funding make presentations to the full 

faculty of Teachers College. 

Teachers College offers several opportunities for professional 

development for its administrative staff and students. In partnership 

with the Dawson Education Cooperative, Teachers College hosts 

occasional workshops for Teachers College administrative staff. The 

topics of these workshops vary and are applicable to assisting 

administrative staff in their duties. The workshops also function as 

a networking tool for staff who work with the public schools. 

Teachers College also offers teacher interns a series of Hot Topics 

conferences on topics of current interest to teachers; these sessions 

are open to school staff. (See also Criterion 3B and 3C.) 

Comics artist David Mack visit 

First Runner-up, Josh 

Clinton, at the 13th Annual 

Student Competitive Art 

Exhibition 

Henderson’s Computer and Communication Services Department 

employs a full-time trainer to conduct workshops on using software 

and new technologies. The workshops, which are open to 

Henderson faculty and staff, cover basic and advanced instruction 

in web editing and productivity software such as Word, Excel, 

PowerPoint, Publisher, and Outlook. The Department of 

Instructional Technology provides training in effective use of 

instructional software such as ANGEL, Wimba, and Camtasia. 

187


Other in-house trainers cover such topics as assessment and related 

software, MultiMedia Learning Center opportunities, training on 

the use of classroom technology, and workshops on workplace 

topics such as sexual harassment. 

Professional Development Opportunities – Students 

The office of the Dean of Students disperses funds to student clubs 

and organizations as well as to individual students for professional 

conferences, tournaments, foreign travel, and other organized 

events. Over the past five years, 20-30 requests have been funded 

each year. Examples include funds for Chemistry Club students to 

present research at national meetings of the American Chemical 

Society, support for Black Student Association members to attend a 

regional conference, student participation in an Aviation Student 

Leadership retreat, and a Biology student caving trip to northern 

Arkansas that developed into a National Science Foundation funded 

biology undergraduate research project. 

Dean of Students Office Expenditures for Student Co-Curricular 

Development, 2005-2010 

2009-2010 $52,307.75 

2008-2009 $62,808.13 

2007-2008 $51,159.89 

2006-2007 $34,083.07 

2005-2006 $32,361.81 

Each school offers its students professional development opportunities 

specific to its curriculum. For example, the School of Business 

Weekly Guest Lecture Series features seasoned business practitioners 

and community leaders. Since spring 2007, approximately every 

one or two weeks during the regular semester, seasoned business 

managers and community leaders have visited Henderson to speak 

on global or local business issues, work ethics, social responsibilities, 

and local community development projects. This guest lecture series 

has helped keep Henderson students well informed of developments 

beyond the campus and has enhanced their professional 

knowledge. 

Ellis College Margin of Excellence grants fund educational and 

professional development opportunities for students, including 

workshops, master classes, and concerts such as “Blender Workshop 

for 3-D Media Development,” “St. Louis Brass Concert and Master 

Class,” “Development and Review of Design Portfolios,” and 

“Oscar J. Gillespie Printmaking Workshop.” 

Each semester Teachers College provides numerous professional 

development opportunities for its students through a week 

188

of teacher intern orientation prior to the beginning of 

the semester and three special Hot Topics professional 

development days for interns and other teacher education 

candidates. Examples of topics include current laws, 

state-mandated initiatives, twenty-first century learning, 

teaching English Language Learners, diversity, and 

the use of current technology and software to improve 

student learning. At the graduate level, the Educational 

Leadership Program hosts a Leadership Conference each 

year for which the Arkansas Department of Education 

awards professional development hours to participants. 

Professional Development Opportunities – 

Administration and Staff 

While professional development activity has not been systematically 

tracked for staff and administrators, the anecdotal evidence demonstrates 

a clear pattern of support for professional development for 

these groups. 

Biology students with biology 

and journalism faculty on a 

research trip to Blanchard 

Springs Caverns 

Individual staff attend training sessions and workshops both on and 

off campus, whether in person or through webinars. Skilled trades 

and maintenance workers at the physical plant receive regular 

safety training. Custodial staff are given release time to take oncampus 

workshops. 

In addition to on-campus opportunities, Teachers College staff may 

pursue an off-campus professional development opportunity every 

two years. Teachers College Hot Topics sessions are also open to 

Teachers College faculty and staff. 

Examples of employee professional development activities exist 

campus wide. In 2010, Robert Wayland (Financial Aid) attended an 

in-house web-editor workshop and nine Great Lakes Financial Aid 

Training webinars while also working on a doctorate in higher 

education. Because of the pace at which library services expand 

and change, library technicians actively participate in professional 

development opportunities: 

• Sandra Golden and Pam Perez – Library Materials Preservation 

workshop (2009) 

• Natalie Scrimshire Phelps – ContentDM Digital Archiving 

webinar (2011), Overdrive webinar (2010), Overdrive webinar 

(2009), Proquest Librarian’s Day for Genealogy webinar (2009), 

Lexis Nexis webinar (2009), Preserving Your Historical Records 

workshop (2007) 

• Terry Clark – Overdrive webinar (2009, 2010), Ebsconet ERM 

Essential webinar (2010), Ebsconet E-Journals webinar (2009), 

Ebsconet webinar (2008) 

Senator Blanche Lincoln, 

2008 School of Business 

Weekly Guest Lecture Series 

Teachers College Hot Topics 

189


• Becky Hughes and David Sesser – Community Emergency 

Response Team (CERT) training (2010) 

• David Sesser – Disaster Recovery Workshop, Arkansas Museum 

Association (2009) [Note: Mr. Sesser is also working on an M.A. 

in Public History at University of Arkansas-Little Rock, where 

he has taken courses in History Museum Administration, Oral 

History, Archival Management, and Archival Conservation, all 

of which are relevant to his work in the library. He has been 

accepted to the M.L.I.S. program at the University of Southern 

Mississippi.] 

• Katrina Rogers – Overdrive webinar (2009, 2010), Ebsconet 

ERM Essentials webinar (2010), Ebsconet (2008) 

For Instructional Technology staff, ongoing professional development 

and technology training is critical for effective job performance. 

George Finkle, Online Learning Services Coordinator, for 

example, has participated in an extensive list of professional development 

activities including the Teaching with Technology Symposium 

(2010), the Arkansas Association of Public Universities Annual 

Conference (2008, 2009), the Arkansas Distance Learning Association 

Annual Conference (2009), ANGEL Users Conference (Chicago, 

2009), Educause 2008 (Florida), and online and on-campus 

training in EKTRON CMS 400, ANGEL LMS 7.4, WIMBA 

Classroom Administrator Training, and others. 

The TRIO staff members regularly attend state, regional, and 

national conferences such as those hosted by the Council for Opportunity 

in Education, the Arkansas Association of Student Assistance 

Programs, and the Association on Higher Education and 

Disability TRIO Training Institute. They also participate in Henderson 

in-service training on such topics as financial aid practices 

and personnel evaluation. 

Henderson’s active Staff Senate has in the past provided development 

opportunities through “Dutch Treat Luncheons” where 

invited speakers offered attendees a broader knowledge of campus 

opportunities. Staff Senate also invites speakers from within the 

university to present workshops and presentations on areas in their 

expertise. The staff senate is also in the process of developing a 

“Grow Your Own” program where staff members could receive 

time or compensation for training (whether graduate coursework or 

certification) to benefit their current positions in return for a time 

commitment to Henderson. 

Administrators also actively pursue professional development 

opportunities. Through Henderson’s institutional membership in 

College and University Professional Association for Human Resources 

(CUPA-HR), any member of the Henderson community 

may attend conferences of that association; the director of Human 

190

Resources regularly attends these conferences at the state level 

through ARCUPA-HR. University Counsel and Human Resources 

staff have also attended the ARCUPA conference. Henderson also 

maintains an institutional membership in the College Business 

Management Institute (CBMI). Employees with administrative 

responsibilities under the vice president for finance and administration 

are eligible for the Henderson Foundation’s Erwin W. Garner 

CBMI scholarship, which funds one employee each year to attend 

the CBMI Institute in Louisville, Kentucky. The Finance and 

Administration Department on occasion funds a second employee 

to attend the Institute. 

Specific examples of professional development by administrators 

include, but are not limited to: 

• Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Vernon G. 

Miles 

Higher Learning Commission PEAQ Consultant-Evaluator 

Peer Review Training (2009) 

Arkansas Works 2008: The Governor’s Summit on Education 

and Economic Development 

• Director of Public Relations Penny Murphy 

Lynda.com tutorials 

Campus workshops on Writing for the Web and Web Editing 

Arkansas Association of Public Universities conference 

Arkansas Association of Public Universities Communication 

Officers meetings 

• School of Business Dean Jeffrey Hamm 

AACSB International Conference and Annual Meeting. Los 

Angeles, California 

Southwest Business Deans Annual Meeting. Santa Fe, New 

Mexico 

Arkansas Deans Association meeting. Beebe, Arkansas 

Community Emergency Response 

Team Training 

Producing Scholarship 

Henderson’s commitment to scholarship is clearly stated in the 

university mission statement and supporting handbooks. The 

university mission statement declares: 

The university encourages excellence in teaching and supports 

scholarly and creative endeavors on the part of both its 

faculty and students. These endeavors form the foundation 

upon which Henderson builds appropriate programs in 

response to the needs of various communities that it serves. 

Faculty Scholarship 

While teaching remains the primary function of the university, 

faculty members are expected to demonstrate achievement in 

scholarship, research or artistic creation and performance, and 

other discipline-appropriate professional activity. These activities 

TRIO Awareness Day; Barriers, Challenges 

and Solutions to Educational Attainment. 

Students from the Student Support Services 

Disablility Program. 

191


include publications, grantsmanship, papers presented at professional 

meetings, planning and directing seminars, workshops, 

conference attendance and performance/exhibitions open to 

evaluation by competent professional judgment. 

The Faculty Handbook contains numerous statements in support 

of scholarship, which is a key consideration for granting tenure 

and promotions to faculty. Scholarship is a primary reason for 

providing the sabbatical program. For example, the preamble to 

the section on sabbatical policy states: 

Because scholarly and creative endeavors are essential complements 

to excellence in teaching, the University encourages and 

supports such efforts on the part of both its faculty and its 

students. 

Accreditation with the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools 

of Business (AACSB) requires that School of Business faculty 

“maintain knowledge and expertise” in their field through “contributions 

to learning and pedagogical research, contributions to 

practice, and discipline based scholarship.” In order to be considered 

“academically qualified” by AACSB standards, School of 

Business faculty members must have completed at least two 

quality publications over the past five years or have completed 

one quality publication and at least three validating academic 

experiences over the past five years. The School of Business 

defines a quality publication as a journal article that is peer-reviewed 

in a published or online resource. Other indicators of 

quality publications and validating experiences include faculty 

internships, major editorial responsibilities for a periodical, 

funded grant proposals, publication of a textbook, and publication 

of papers at professional meetings, among others. Between 

2004 and 2011, twelve members of the business faculty published 

forty-four articles, six of which were co-authored. 

Teachers College has developed a faculty evaluation rubric 

outlining expectations for faculty scholarship and professional 

growth. The rubric covers traditional forms of scholarship such as 

presentations, grant writing, and authoring books, refereed 

articles, and reviews. Scholarship may also involve practical 

application of research in service to the university and community, 

including activities such as presentations and workshops for 

universities, colleges, education cooperatives, or P-12 schools; 

school improvement consulting; creation or revision of programs 

of study; and creation or revision of courses. 

Victor Claar 

Professor of Economics 

Some departments in Ellis College provide faculty clear definitions 

of scholarship expectations for promotion and tenure. For 

192

example, in addition to publishing articles in refereed journals, 

scholarship in the Chemistry Department includes activities such as 

engaging in theoretical and/or empirical professional presentations 

at state, regional, and national professional conferences; chairing 

conference sessions; serving as editor, editorial board member, or 

reviewer for journals or other professional publications; writing 

research grants; publishing a monograph; and developing multimedia 

web-based designs to enhance teaching. The Chemistry 

Department emphasizes and encourages the involvement 

of students in all scholarly activities and highly values 

directing student research. The Biology Department also 

stresses mentoring students who conduct research, publish 

in peer-reviewed journals, and present research at scholarly 

meetings. Henderson Music Department Promotion and 

Tenure Thresholds categorizes creative activity/research 

expectations at three levels: 

Expected: 

Desirable: 

Preferred: 

Occurring at Henderson and local venues 

Positive annual evaluations 

Professional memberships 

Regional venues 

Letters of support (on- and off-campus) 

International/national venues 

Professional peer-reviewed publications, etc. 

Henderson’s faculty actively engages in scholarship, which 

can be categorized into six categories: awarded grants, 

articles in refereed journals and conference proceedings, 

books or book chapters, reviews, creative productions, and 

oral or poster presentations. As shown in the graph, faculty 

scholarship has steadily increased or remained steady, 

depending on the category, over the last seven years. 

For example, faculty reported publication of approximately 

200 articles in professional journals or proceedings from 

2004 to 2011; several of these publications include 

student coauthors. 

Faculty Scholarship, 2004-2010 

Faculty Articles 

Published 2004-2010 

During the same time period, faculty reported the publication 

of eighteen books, the contribution of another thirty-one chapters 

or articles, and the writing of sixty-three book reviews and 

review articles. 

Henderson’s dynamic Fine Arts faculty, representing the departments 

of Music, Art, and Theatre, reported 140 public displays and 

performances of their work, some in national shows, juried and 

invitational, and others in campus and local venues. 

193


• Art faculty exhibited works in over seventy venues, at least 

fourteen of which were juried or invited. Their works were 

featured in galleries and exhibitions in Shipston-on-Stour, 

Warwickshire, England; Fort Worth; Denver; and West Palm 

Beach, among many others. A documentary, written and 

produced by an art faculty member and a communication 

faculty member, was accepted in the Hot Springs Documentary 

Film Festival. 

• Music faculty gave over ninety major state, regional, and national 

performances as either soloists or members of ensembles. 

They also presented numerous faculty recitals at Henderson and 

participated in Henderson theatre productions. 

• Theatre faculty produced, directed, designed, and supervised 

construction of twenty-eight main stage theatre productions 

performed on the Henderson campus. In addition theatre 

faculty served as director, scenic designer, costume designer, 

actor, scenic painter, or costume shop supervisor/technician in a 

total of twenty-four professional productions at the Oklahoma 

Shakespearean Festival, the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, the 

Santa Fe Opera, the Glimmerglass Opera, the McLeod Summer 

Playhouse, and the Trinity Shakespeare Festival. 

Faculty reported 455 separate oral or poster presentations between 

2004 and 2011. Undergraduate co-authors often collaborate with 

faculty on poster presentations. Examples include 

• Long, John T., and Jaclyn A. Taylor. “Method for determination 

of organic components of bottled water.” 237th ACS National 

Meeting (2009). 

• Dawson, K. C., and Todd Wiebers. “GAME ON: How expert 

and amateur gamers cope with obsessive-compulsive tendencies.” 

Southwestern Psychological Association (2009). 

School of Business faculty presentations are often collaborations 

with other faculty and students at Henderson or other institutions. 

These presentations include papers given at national and local 

conferences, as well as addresses to community audiences. For 

instance, 

• Clark, Renae K., Paul J. Robertson, and Todd Green. 

“RFI/RFP Case: Application of Information System 

Purchasing Principles.” Allied Academies International Conference 

Presentation (2006). 

• Almand, Andrew D. “International Financial Reporting Standards: 

A World of Questions.” DeGray Chapter of the Arkansas 

Society of Certified Public Accountants Presentation (2009). 

• Beasley, Charlette, and Nathanael S. Campbell. “African American 

Identity and the Organization: The Consequences of 

Keeping it Hidden.” 17th Annual Arkansas Undergraduate Research 

Conference Presentation (2010). 

194

• Jackson, Lonnie L., Kenneth W. Green, Jr., and Paul 

Shuffield, Jr. “Clark County Rural Enterprise Initiative 

Survey.” Arkadelphia Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet 2006 

Presentation (2006). 

In Teachers College, presentations allow faculty the opportunity 

to present topics of interest to education students or to public 

school teachers to provide continuing education credit opportunities. 

Recent examples include: 

• Kelly, Michael S. “Sexual Harassment and the Law.” 

Hot Topics for Teachers Presentation, Henderson State 

University (2010). 

• Taylor, Kenneth D. “The Three R’s in Bullying.” Hot Topics 

for Teachers Presentation, Henderson State University (2011). 

Faculty-produced documentary 

Grants obtained by faculty indicate that a proposed activity is 

considered of value by others in the field. From spring 2004 to 

spring 2011, faculty reported obtaining seventy-three grants, 

of which thirty-one were from external funding sources. 

These include 

• Atchley, Clinton P., and Charles MacQuarrie. The Isle of Man: 

Crossroads of Medieval Cultures and Languages. National Endowment 

for the Humanities - $114,000, 2009. 

• Hardee, John R. The Chemical and Physical Characterization of Air 

Blown Asphalts From Two Different Feedstocks. Mack Blackwell 

Transportation Center and the Arkansas Highway and 

Transportation Department - $50,000, 2005. 

Internal grants were funded by various Henderson programs 

with money set aside for research or professional development. 

(See also Criterion 2B.) 

Student Scholarship – Undergraduate Students 

Student research takes place in many forms. Some 

degree programs, such as Chemistry and Psychology, 

require original research. Other programs offer capstone 

courses with a research component. Through the Undergraduate 

Research Program, Student Undergraduate 

Research Fellowships, and summer programs, undergraduates 

work with faculty mentors to produce highlevel 

research. Henderson undergraduate students have 

undertaken research in ionic liquid esters and diols, 

African American identity, and the graphic novel as 

literature and have made presentations in venues such as 

the American Chemical Society spring national meeting, 

the Southwest Regional Psychological Association, 

and the Comicon Conference. 

Dr. Rick Dimond performs 

with the Nufusion Jazz Band 

Theater Prodution of Bus Stop 

195


The Undergraduate Research Program was established in 

1994 to address growing needs and opportunities for undergraduate 

research. The undergraduate research director (URD) receives 25 

percent release time and reports directly to the provost and vice 

president for academic affairs. The URD organizes and chairs the 

Arkansas Undergraduate Research Conference (AURC). Undergraduate 

students from all university programs are invited to apply 

for up to $500 to fund the purchase of supplies or equipment for 

conducting research in their areas of study. They are also welcome 

to apply for partial travel funding to present research at conferences 

and/or to gather data at specific sites. Each year, 20-30 students 

receive funding to travel to regional, national, or international 

meetings to present research. By far the bulk of the $25,070 Undergraduate 

Research budget is consumed by travel and stipend 

matching for external grants. 

The URD office provides matching stipends for the Arkansas 

Department of Higher Education’s Student Undergraduate Research 

Fellowships (SURF). These competitive fellowships are 

available to undergraduates in any Arkansas university and are 

designed to provide a stipend and travel funds to students conducting 

original research in any academic field. The mentor may elect 

to receive the $750 stipend as salary or may use it for supplies and 

travel. The student stipend is matched up to $1,250 by the host 

institution. Undergraduate Research funds supply stipends for 

Henderson students. Each year, Henderson students submit approximately 

six to nine proposals of which three to five are funded. 

SURF applicants in the physical and biological sciences have 

automatically been considered for Experimental Program to 

Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) grants. This National 

Science Foundation encourages local action to develop long-term 

improvements in a state’s science and engineering enterprise and 

was created in response to congressional concerns about geographical 

concentration of federal funding of academic research and 

development funds. Since 2009 Henderson has received three 

EPSCoR awards: 

• Nguyen, Theresa, and Martin J. Campbell, Ph.D. Progress 

Towards Fluorinated Curcumin Analogues (2009). 

• Holmes, Brooke., and James Engman, Ph.D. Molecular Phylogenetic 

Analysis of Microbial Life in Blanchard Springs Caverns, 

Arkansas (2009). (This project also won the First Place in 

Undergraduate Life Science Research Award at the 2011 

Annual Meeting of the Arkansas Academy of Science. Department 

of Biology Chair James Engman notes that “these guys 

took a recreational, spring break nerd-fest, and turned it into an 

NSF-funded, award-winning research project.”) 

196

• Story, Lauren, and James Engman, Ph.D. Molecular Genetic 

Analysis of Microbial Life in Blanchard Springs Caverns, 

Arkansas (2010). 

Each year, Henderson hosts the Arkansas Undergraduate 

Research Conference (AURC), which 

provides an “undergraduate friendly” forum for 

participants in all disciplines from across Arkansas 

to present their research in poster or oral format. 

The two-day event is hosted and funded through 

the Undergraduate Research Program. In 2010, 

Henderson students made presentations on the 

topics below: 

• Preparation of Ionic Liquid Diesters and Diols 

• Perspective and Paranoia: Analysis of Will 

Eisner’s Spirit Story “Foul Play” 

• African American Identity and the Organization: 

The Consequences of Keeping it Hidden 

• Women, Education, and Advancement 

• Distinguishing Characteristics of Caddo Pottery 

• Psychological Effects of Media: Aggressive Behavior 

• Electric Dreams: How Video Games and Relaxation Exercises 

Influence Dream Content 

• Investigation of Carbon Nanotube Doped YBCO Superconductors 

Each fall, student and faculty mentor teams may apply for Arkansas 

Space Grant Consortium (ASGC) grants that provide student 

stipend, supply, and travel funding. The work must relate to an area 

of interest to National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

(NASA), so the primary participants in this program have been 

physics and chemistry students. Henderson is a member of the 

ASGC and actively participates in the state-wide selection process 

to decide which applications will be funded from those submitted 

across the state. Amounts of awards vary each year, but typically 

range from $1500-$3500. Funded projects include 

Arkansas Undergraduate 

Research Conference 

• Clardy, Shannon, Kayli Birdsong, and Beau Harrison. “Optical 

Observation Variation Analysis and Outreach.” (2009). 

• Campbell, Martin J., K. Ausburn, and N. Y. Verucchi. “Ionic 

Liquid Monomers for Low-Emission Polymers” (2008). 

• Miller, B., and J. Daniels. “Mapping Subsurface Stratigraphy 

and Anomalies Using Ground Penetrating Radar: Potential for 

Shallow Sounding on the Moon” (2008). 

In recognition of the fact that science students need exposure to 

high-level research facilities, biology and physical science faculty 

encourage their majors to participate in summer programs. 

197


For example, Henderson biology senior Claudia Gonzalez, an 

international student from The Republic of Panama, was awarded 

one of four highly competitive global fellowships in the Duke 

University summer 2010 marine conservation program. “This has 

been one of the most amazing experiences of my life. It was a 

great eye-opener. The world’s oceans are in such a delicate state; 

protecting them now is necessary and should be a priority for all of 

mankind,” said Gonzalez about her experience in the Duke 

program. During her three years as a student at Henderson, 

Gonzalez has also assisted in molecular genetic research on sea 

urchins at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, held a 

summer research internship in protein chemistry at the University 

of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, conducted molecular genetic 

research on cave bacteria at Henderson, and studied marine 

biology issues with other Henderson students during field experiences 

in Belize and Panama. She has been accepted into the Ph.D. 

program in Environmental Toxicology at Duke University for fall 

2011. She is one of ten 2011 Biology graduates who will begin 

work on doctorates in fall 2011 at universities such as Vanderbilt, 

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and Ohio State 

University, among others. All have received full tuition and fee 

waivers, as well as graduate stipends. 

Built originally with connections he made as a post-doctoral 

researcher, James Engman, Biology, developed his coral-reef 

research interests into a tropical ecology course that takes approximately 

ten students each year to Panama for three weeks and 

twelve students to Belize for an eleven-day adventure in learning. 

In 2007 Engman and one of his research students (along with two 

former students) were chosen to present the program at the prestigious 

“Posters on Capitol Hill” in Washington, D.C., organized 

each year by the Council on Undergraduate Research. Only sixty 

applicants are selected from hundreds of applicants nationwide. 

Engman and students also presented coral reef research results at 

the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium in Fort Lauderdale, 

Florida, in 2008. 

The Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program 

provides another avenue for undergraduate scholarship and 

research. The program supports student research through workshops 

on topics such as library research, use of technology, writing 

skills, and the research process. The program requires each Mc- 

Nair scholar to work with a Henderson faculty mentor in the 

completion and presentation of research. Scholars are required to 

attend conferences and present their research. They also attend a 

Research Internship, an intensive symposium guiding them stepby-step 

through the research process. Since 2005 approximately 

198

eighty-seven students have been admitted to the program; of 

these, fifty-five have enrolled in graduate programs, and thirtytwo 

have completed either a master’s or doctoral degree. In that 

same time approximately $84,600 has been spent on scholar 

and mentor stipends, with scholars receiving up to $2,800 each 

for research. 

McNair scholars have been active in publishing and presenting. 

Jim Miller won the 2009 Nation Student Writing Contest, 

College Level, with his essay “The Natural Order of a Small 

Town.” Jessica Herron (B.S., 2006, Henderson; M.S., 2008, 

Rice; Ph.D., in progress, Rice) made three conference presentations 

while a student at Henderson and has published three articles 

in peer-reviewed journals as a graduate student: 

• Herron, Jessica R., and Zachary T. Ball. “Organocopper 

Compound Synthesis Via Copper-Silicon Transmetalation” 

(poster). American Chemical Society 64th Southwest Regional 

Meeting (2008). 

• Yong, Promise K., Judy Miska, Jessica Herron, and Anamitro 

Banerjee. “Release of ketones and aldehydes from alkyl enol 

ethers via photoinduced electron-transfer” (poster). 231st ACS 

National Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia (2006). 

• Herron, Jessica R., and Martin Campbell. “Fluorous soluble 

crown ethers from a natural product” (poster). ACS National 

Meeting, San Diego, California (2005). 

• Russo, V., J. R. Herron, and Z. T. Ball. “Allylcopper intermediates 

with N-heterocyclic carbene ligands: synthesis, structure, 

and catalysis.” Organic Letters 12 (2010): 220-23. 

• Herron, J.R., V. Russo, E. J. Valente, and Z. T. Ball. “Catalytic 

organocopper chemistry from organosiloxane reagents.” 

Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) 15 

(2009):8713-6. 

• Herron, J.R., and Z. T. Ball, “Synthesis and reactivity of 

functionalized arylcopper compounds by transmetalation of 

organosilanes.” Journal of the American Chemical Society 130 

(2008):16486-7. 

In spring 2009 McNair scholar Lisa Bevans presented “The Differential 

Effects of Extracurricular Activities on Male and Female 

College Students”at the national Ronald E. McNair Research 

Conference at the University of Washington. Bevans entered the 

Counselor Education doctoral program at the University of 

Arkansas in fall 2011. She writes, “Had I not received the support 

of the faculty at Henderson State University, along with the 

guidance and support of TRIO programs and Ronald E. McNair 

Scholars, program, I can honestly say that my acceptance [into the 

doctoral program]…would not have been possible.” 

Dr. James Engman with students 

on a biology trip to Panama 

Council on Undergraduate Research 

“Posters on the Hill,” 2007 

From left: Shara Jones, April Helms, 

Representative Mike Ross, Shelly Dare, 

and James Engman 

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Student Scholarship – Graduate Students 

In its mission to continue education beyond the bachelor’s degree, 

the Graduate School aspires to “strengthen the academic and 

professional competence” of and “develop the capacity for independent 

study” in its students. To these ends, the Graduate School 

specifically states in its catalog that it expects students to engage in 

“extensive and intensive research and reading.” Below are examples 

of specific research-based requirements in various masters’ 

degree programs: 

• MLA students must pursue a major and a minor, take a twosemester 

graduate-level liberal arts seminar (Truth, Order, and 

Beauty I and II), and complete either a thesis (Liberal Arts 

Thesis I and II) or project (Liberal Arts Project I and II). 

• MBA students must complete both a strategic management 

module and an analytical/research module; this second module 

includes GBU 6023, “Research and Reporting in Business.” 

• Masters in Counseling students (both MS students in Clinical 

Mental Health Counseling and MSE students in School 

Counseling) are expected to “develop…the capability to think 

logically and critically, communicate effectively, and appreciate 

the complexity and diversity of world cultures.” As part of this 

goal, they must take EDU 613, “Introduction to Research,” 

and complete an internship. 

• MS in Sports Administration students must take EDU 6413, 

“Introduction to Research,” in order to develop research skills 

and methods, and are required to prepare a portfolio of 

materials as part of their degree plan. 

• MSE students in Reading must complete six hours of research, 

including EDU 6413, “Introduction to Research” and RDG 

6553, “Research Problems: Reading,” and complete a research 

project; MSE students in Advanced Instructional Studies must 

complete six hours of research, including EDU 6553, 

“Research Problems.” 

• MSE students in Educational Leadership must take EDL 6123, 

“Research for Educational Practitioners,” and complete a 

research project. 

• MSE students in Special Education must take EDU 6413, 

“Introduction to Research” and SPE 6273, 

“Research Problems.” 

Graduate theses are available in University Archives at Huie 

Library. Representative theses from graduate programs are available 

in the Resource Room and include 

• Petty, Cindy (M.L.A., 2009), “Lessons from Caravaggio. A 

Heuristic Approach to the Study of Caravaggio and His 

Works” 

• Peterson, Cadra McDaniel (M.L.A., 2007), “Oppositional 

Politics in Painting: An Analysis of the Depiction of Late 

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Nineteenth-Century Revolutionary Russia” 

• Rutherford, Robbie (Ed.S., 2007), “The Value of the Benton 

High School Diploma” 

• Hall, Marjory L. (M.L.A., 2007), “An Objective Look at 

Objectivism” 

• Eldridge, Audrey Dingler (M.L.A., 2006), “A Place to Hang My 

Hammock: Memoir of a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala” 

• Tedder, Lacy S. (M.L.A., 2005), “Nationalism and Feminism in 

Palestinian Women’s Literature” 

• Ives, Rebecca M. (Ed.S., 2005), “A Comparative Study of 

Closing the Achievement Gap” 

• Eldridge, J.R. (M.L.A., 2004), “Football: A Study That Digs 

Deeper Than Pop Culture” 

Individual faculty members and mentors can point proudly to 

instances where graduate students have published and presented 

their findings, but such information has not been systematically 

tracked. 

Research and evidence-based planning 

Research and scholarship also support and stimulate organizational 

and educational improvements, although evidence of this is not 

always readily apparent due to lack of documentation. Examples 

include the following: 

• In developing the 2010 Strategic Plan, committee members 

frequently discussed general research and best practices at 

other universities, although this discussion was not specifically 

documented. For example, student retention was a major focus 

of the initial 2009 strategic planning retreat. An ACT report 

on college student retention practices, “What Works in Student 

Retention?” provided the basis for energetic and wide-ranging 

discussions which also included Henderson retention statistics. 

The final version of the 2010 Strategic Plan includes several 

research-based initiatives stemming from this discussion. One 

of these, the creation of an Academic Advising Center to 

enhance advising of incoming freshmen and transfer students, 

was based on a report from a Faculty Senate Ad Hoc Committee 

on Retention. 

• In 2009 President Welch asked the General Education Committee 

to review the Liberal Arts Core curriculum with the goal 

of offering more flexibility in order to encourage transfers to 

Henderson, improve retention, and facilitate future partnerships. 

The process included reviewing the catalogs of fourteen 

Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) institutions 

similar to Henderson, surveying Henderson faculty, and holding 

open forums. 

• In developing the proposal for the Women’s and Gender 

Studies minor, Peggy Bailey and Angela Boswell examined 

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similar programs and course offerings of public and private 

universities across the country, including COPLAC universities. 

• In 2007 a Faculty Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Retention, 

together with Associate Dean of Academic Services Pam Ligon, 

looked closely at possible courses of action to increase Henderson’s 

retention rate. The committee consulted ACT’s “What 

Works in Student Retention?” the Sixth National Survey on 

Academic Advising, several articles and reports by Wesley 

Habley of the National Academic Advising Association, and 

statistics generated by Henderson’s office of Institutional Research. 

The Final Report of the Faculty Senate Ad Hoc Committee 

on Retention led to the creation of the Academic Advising 

Center in 2010. 

• In 2006 WebCT, Henderson’s learning management system 

(LMS), was becoming increasingly unreliable, leading MMLC 

staff to investigate options for improving the system. Staff 

researched available LMS programs, narrowing the list to two 

programs appropriate for Henderson. Faculty using WebCT 

were given the opportunity to volunteer as pilot participants to 

test the two programs. Four volunteers tested each LMS, while 

one instructor with a background in management information 

systems and a history as an auditor taught courses using both 

systems. Data was collected from both faculty and students 

during the pilot semester. Evaluation of the two products included 

cost, support, administrative function and faculty/ 

student feedback. As a result of the Learning Management 

System (LMS) Pilot Findings, Angel 7.1 was chosen as the next 

LMS for Henderson. 

• The Office of Finance and Administration uses historical and 

comparative data contained in the Arkansas Higher Education 

Comprehensive Annual Report to assist in determining the 

budgets for scholarships and evaluating the level of tuition and 

course fees. The university is required to reduce total academic 

and performance scholarships to less than 20 percent of tuition 

and mandatory fees by FY2013-2014. The Comprehensive 

Annual Report is also used to determine the level of expenses in 

functional categories (instruction, research, student services, 

institutional support, auxiliary) in relation to other Arkansas 

four-year universities. 

• To modify Henderson’s course transfer policy, the registrar 

queried the Arkansas Association of Collegiate Registrars and 

Admissions Officers listserv and checked course transfer policies 

of COPLAC and Gulf South Conference universities to determine 

best practices. 

• On occasion, when Henderson has a situation whereby salaries 

are saved through the resignation or retirement and the replacement 

of faculty, the school deans and the provost examine equity 

issues among current faculty. They conduct salary comparison 

research considering highest earned degree, job title and respon- 

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sibilities, time of service, and other factors, noting where salary 

compression has had the most impact within a program, department, 

or school. They use the resulting information to make 

periodic salary adjustments where appropriate, thereby helping 

to bring the salaries of current faculty closer to equitable levels. 

Acknowledging Achievements 

Henderson publically acknowledges scholarship and other 

achievements through public media and university publications 

for internal and external audiences. The office of Public 

Relations provides regular updates to local and regional 

media about achievements of individual faculty, students, and 

staff as well as university activities. Faculty, staff, and students 

are recognized for scholarship, honors, and other noteworthy 

activities in the Weekly Memo distributed electronically by 

the Office of Public Relations. 

Each year, Service Award ceremonies are held to recognize all 

full-time employees for their years of service and dedication 

to Henderson. The ceremonies are held each April for 

faculty and each May for staff. Recognition begins once an 

employee has completed five years of full-time service and 

thereafter in five year increments. Since 1972, the “H” Award 

has honored faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of Henderson for 

meritorious service. 

Recognizing Student Achievement 

Student academic distinctions are listed on the graduation program, 

which also designates Honors College scholars. These academic 

achievements are recognized when the graduate’s name is read 

during the ceremony. The Heart and Key awards assembly presents 

scholarships, awards, and honors to students at Henderson. The 

event is held each year to publicly recognize the recipients and to 

show appreciation to the organizations, departments, and donors 

presenting these awards. 

Henderson recognizes its 2010 “H” Award 

recipients 

(l-r) Dr. Charles Welch (former president) 

and Sherry Wright (alumni coordinator) 

present plaques to Sharon Gardner 

and Barbara “Babs” (’51) and 

John Hesterly (’51). 

Individual schools and colleges recognize achievements of their 

various students with ceremonies, publications, and visible tokens of 

honor. Ellis College, for example, holds an annual awards ceremony. 

Selected outstanding graduating seniors receive lapel pins, and 

selected freshmen, sophomore, and juniors received certificates of 

achievement for outstanding creative achievement and outstanding 

academic achievement. Each department selects recipients from 

their majors for this event. Factors considered in making these 

awards include GPA, student involvement, student leadership, 

research, and service outside the department. Awardees’ family 

members are invited to the April awards ceremony. 

Ellis College Awards 

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Each June, Ellis College publishes Forge Magazine to highlight 

achievements of students and faculty in the college. Distributed in 

print and online, Forge provides a snapshot of unique student and 

faculty activities over the previous year. For example, the 2010 

issue included articles about a graduate student who won a 

national essay contest, the story of a local student progressing 

from her small hometown to TV news anchor in Shreveport and 

then to reporter for a Minneapolis TV station, national recognition 

of the physics club, and an article highlighting archeological 

discoveries by Henderson students and faculty member Mary 

Beth Trubitt. 

Teachers College Henderson faculty select an outstanding teacher 

intern each semester. Each fall, the Health, Physical Education, 

Recreation, and Athletic Training (HPER/AT) Department holds 

a luncheon to recognize student successes of senior physical 

education, recreation, and athletic training majors, and HPER/ 

AT graduate students. Each spring, this department, in partnership 

with the HPER Club, hosts The HPER Club Grand Finale, 

an award ceremony in which Outstanding Major awards are 

presented. The Athletics Department recognizes both individual 

and team achievements, as well as academic achievements in its 

annual sports banquet. Names of high-achieving athletes are 

engraved on plaques placed in the Hall of Honor in the Duke 

Wells Recreation Center. 

The School of Business holds an annual banquet to recognize 

outstanding students and graduates. Honoree categories include 

Stella Spoon Accounting Scholars, Thurman May Outstanding 

Accounting Graduates, Oren Harris Outstanding Business Law 

Student, and the Southern Bancorp Bank Outstanding Finance 

or Accounting Student, among others. Beta Gamma Sigma 

Honor Society inductees are introduced and pinned, and business 

scholarship winners are announced at the banquet. 

Twice each year Public Relations submits the names of honor roll 

and dean’s list students to their hometown newspapers. 

Recognizing Faculty Achievement 

Faculty achievements are recognized in several ways. Since 2008 

faculty have been eligible for Excellence in Teaching, Research, 

and Service awards, with each category considered once every 

three years. Awardees are chosen by ad hoc award committees 

comprised of faculty below the level of chair from within the 

three divisions of the Ellis College (Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, and 

Science and Math), School of Business, and Teachers College. 

The committees consider nominees’ accomplishments in the 

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previous three calendar years. In 2005 the Faculty Senate voted to 

establish the Outstanding New Faculty Member Award, given 

annually to an outstanding new faculty member with less than five 

full years of full-time college/university teaching. Nominees’ 

teaching, scholarly activity and service are considered in the 

selection process. Recipients of all Faculty Excellence awards are 

recognized during the October Founders’ Day Convocation and 

receive an award of $2,500. Their names are engraved on plaques 

displayed in the Garrison Center. 

Other avenues for recognition of faculty achievement include 

emails sent out by the president, the provost, vice presidents, 

deans, and chairs. The first Ellis College Faculty Showcase, 

highlighting faculty research and creative work, occurred in 2010 

and is intended to take place every five years. Ellis College faculty 

achievements are also highlighted in Forge Magazine. 

Ellis College Faculty Showcase 

Recognizing Staff Achievement 

Each year staff members nominate coworkers for the Henderson 

Employee of the Year award. All nominees for the award are 

honored with a reception. The Henderson Employee of the Year 

receives a plaque, press coverage, and two tickets to the Arkansas 

State Employees Association Banquet for a chance to compete at 

the state level for Employee of the Year. In 2009 Employee of the 

Year Billy Tarpley received second place at the state level. 

The Staff Senate Textbook Scholarship is awarded once a semester 

to a staff member who is taking courses at Henderson. The $100 

award may be used to purchase books and course supplies at the 

on-campus bookstore. Recipients are selected based on an essay and 

years of service at Henderson. The recipient is announced at the 

Staff Awards Assembly or at a Staff Senate meeting. 

Staff members who graduate while employed receive a certificate 

and official diploma frame from Staff Senate. These diploma 

frames are presented during the Staff Awards Assembly. 

Recognizing Alumni Achievement 

Since 1972 the Alumni Association Board of Directors has selected 

Distinguished Alumni as a way of honoring Henderson graduates 

who have made outstanding achievements and contributions in 

their career, community, education, politics, and social service. 

Honorees are recognized at graduation ceremonies through the 

presentation of a medallion and are afforded the opportunity to 

address graduates. The honorees also received a History of Henderson 

State University volume set signed by the university president, a 

Henderson pin, and plaque. 

Employee of the Year 

Rhonda Thigpen 

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Since Henderson’s first Founders’ Day celebration in 2000 the 

university has recognized accomplished alumni by inducting them 

into the Henderson Academy. Each school selects alumni who have 

demonstrated achievement through academic research or teaching, 

exhibited a strong commitment to academic excellence, and/or 

helped promote the interests of students at Henderson over the 

years. Because of the importance of demonstrating Henderson’s 

commitment to excellence, first-year students especially are asked to 

attend the celebration (usually as part of the Henderson Seminar 

course) to hear what the inductees say about their own paths toward 

excellence. 

Each year a successful business leader who has graduated with a 

degree from the Henderson School of Business is selected for induction 

into the School of Business Hall of Fame and is recognized at 

the school’s annual banquet. The School of Business also selects 

alumni as speakers in a lecture series. 

The achievements of all graduates including promotions, awards, 

graduations, weddings, and births, are also celebrated each year in 

the Reddie Report Alumni Magazine. Recently, select accomplishments 

have also been shared via the Henderson website and on Facebook. 

Summary 

As shown above, Henderson clearly supports a life of learning for 

its faculty, students, staff, administrators, alumni, and the local community. 

Documents such as the university’s mission statement, the 

Faculty Handbook, and Article IV of The Code of Student Rights, 

Responsibilities, and Conduct contain strong statements supporting 

free inquiry. University staff members have an active and 

valued voice in university governance and university committees. 

Every member of the Henderson community has access to professional 

development opportunities, whether those opportunities are 

funded directly or made possible by work-release time. Despite the 

extreme budgetary pressures of recent years, the university continues 

to commit substantial funding to faculty and student scholarship 

and development and to undergraduate research and travel. 

Both faculty and students engage in scholarly activity. Margin of 

Excellence funds support a vibrant campus life in which guest 

lecturers, visiting artists, master classes, and concerts augment the 

academic life. The Liberal Arts Core provides a solid underpinning 

to programs and curricula that are responsive to technological 

change and that reflect a commitment to diversity. All of these 

activities, processes, and accomplishments are mission-driven. 

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Core Component 4B: The organization demonstrates 

that acquisition of a breadth of 

knowledge and skills and the exercise of 

intellectual inquiry are integral to its educational 

programs. 

As a public liberal arts university, Henderson considers its 

Liberal Arts Core (LAC) an essential building block for a 

life-long pursuit of learning as noted in Henderson’s 

2010 Strategic Plan (goal 9: develop life-long learners 

through examining the LAC curriculum). The mission of 

the LAC is to cultivate the skills, knowledge, and intellectual 

curiosity that are essential in every field of study, and 

which support a full and productive life. 

The Liberal Arts Core 

In 2008-2009 President Welch requested that the General Education 

Committee, composed of the dean of Ellis College, and university 

faculty, reevaluate the LAC. The committee was instructed 

to determine if the core contained enough flexibility to aid student 

recruitment and retention while maintaining the mission of the 

liberal arts core. The committee compared Henderson’s LAC requirements 

to Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE) 

requirements, to the LAC courses required by the eighteen 

COPLAC institutions, and to the general education requirements 

of the other four-year Arkansas universities. The committee 

sought additional input through campus-wide forums for faculty, 

students, and staff. As a result of this assessment, the General 

Education Committee recommended reducing Liberal Arts Core 

requirements from 52 to 45 hours and increasing 

the number of courses which might be used to fulfill 

requirements. The current LAC offerings better 

reflect the number of hours required by ADHE and 

requirements of similar COPLAC institutions. The 

reduction in the number of hours required to meet 

LAC requirements, along with the addition of a core 

elective, allows students to choose additional electives 

outside of the core based upon personal interests. 

Also as a result of the review of the LAC, the General 

Education Committee developed LAC mission statements 

to clearly define the skills and outcomes that will 

be nurtured in each Henderson student through the 

core. These statements are published in the 2010-2012 Undergraduate 

Catalog. The courses required in the LAC are foundational 

both for successful degree completion and for successful life experiences. 

Each undergraduate degree program relies on skills that are 

taught and enhanced in the LAC. 

Distiguished Alumni 

Kay Roberts McAfee (left) and 

Ann Barnwell Rye (right) 

Founder’s Day 

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Essential Skills 

By fulfilling the essential skills requirements, students will be able 

to think critically, write clearly and effectively, read with understanding 

and appreciation, speak effectively, demonstrate fundamental 

mathematical skills, and practice lifetime fitness skills. 

As stated in the Undergraduate Catalog, the LAC curriculum 

emphasizes the acquisition of essential skills; chief among these 

are analytical and critical thinking, oral and written communication, 

and quantitative reasoning. Henderson requires that all 

students take a course in oral communication, even though this 

is not a requirement of the state of Arkansas, in order to develop 

crucial verbal skills. In order to develop and hone writing 

skills, Henderson students are required to complete two semesters 

of freshman English in which 70-80 percent of the semester 

grade is based on writing performance. In addition to this basic 

requirement, students must also take a junior-level writing 

course (University Writing, Advanced Composition, Technical 

Writing, Magazine and Feature Writing, or Creative Nonfiction), 

as well as a Writing Intensive (WI) course within his or her 

major. Numerous writing intensive offerings, designated with a 

(WI), are listed in the Undergraduate Catalog. Examples of 

these courses are Tropical Marine Biology; History of Photography; 

Movie Appreciation and Enjoyment; Sports Reporting; 

Women, Gender and Race in American Theatre; Greek Drama; 

Capstone Course–Mathematics; Twentieth Century Music; and 

Tudor and Stuart England. These examples illustrate the numerous 

avenues of investigation within the WI requirement that 

offer students the opportunity to internalize knowledge, critically 

analyze thought, and formulate ideas into a well-structured 

cognitive product, all of which are skills associated with a life of 

learning. Henderson’s writing requirements clearly integrate 

LAC fundamentals into degree planning. 

Quantitative reasoning is taught through traditional mathematics 

courses such as College Algebra, Plane Trigonometry, 

and Precalculus Mathematics, while unique courses such as 

Mathematics for Liberal Arts and Mathematics through 

Practical Applications offer other avenues for developing this 

essential skill. The latter course encourages students to learn 

mathematics through practical applications in areas such as 

sports, music, art, physics, and acoustics. 

Academic Enrichment 

In addition to essential skills courses, many courses required in 

the LAC foster further academic enrichment. 

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Students who successfully complete the Fine Arts and Humanities 

requirements will have the ability to respond or react to a 

given artistic creation using a range of tools that include 

aesthetic sensitivity, personal experience, understanding of 

social context, and a variety of cultural/historical references. 

The Fine Arts and Humanities requirement, including courses 

in literature, art, music, and theatre arts, shapes a student’s 

aesthetic sensitivity and forms a compass for navigating in the 

social context. 

Students who successfully complete the Social Sciences requirements 

will gain a functional knowledge of the history of 

civilization and the United States in particular and will develop 

an understanding of political systems abroad and locally. 

The Social Sciences develop analytical and critical thinking 

skills through the study of civilization and the history of the 

United States, with options for students to delve into anthropology, 

economics, sociology, psychology, and geography. 

Students who successfully complete the Natural Science 

requirements will develop a deeper understanding of the 

physical universe and recognize some of the issues in both the 

physical and life sciences that influence society. Natural Science 

courses teach analytical and critical thinking through the 

scientific method of discovery. Henderson students may 

choose from Biology, Botany, or Zoology and from Chemistry, 

Physics, or Astronomy. 

Students who successfully complete the upper-level nonwestern 

culture requirement will appreciate the complexity and 

diversity of world cultures. They will develop an understanding 

of how culture influences behavior, and in turn, how 

cultural differences impact intercultural interactions. In order 

to participate as a concerned, intelligent citizen, a Henderson 

graduate must be aware of the rapidly changing, richly diverse, 

interconnected world. The nonwestern culture requirement 

allows the choice of study of culture, politics, civilizations, 

literature, art, religion, music, health care, or geography, 

thus broadening the Henderson student’s world. 

The courses of the Liberal Arts Core form the foundation 

for self-knowledge and for building successful life experiences 

for students. The LAC is more than a list of required courses 

that a student must take in order to complete a degree; it is 

designed to help students achieve personal as well as professional 

success. 

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Integrating the Liberal Arts Core into degree 

programs 

According to its mission Henderson “advocates a program based 

on the liberal arts, regardless of specific educational interests.” The 

concept of a program based on the liberal arts permeates the 

design of Henderson’s undergraduate degree programs, which 

build upon course selections within the LAC foundation. All of 

Henderson’s undergraduate degree programs require completion 

of the Liberal Arts Core requirements. 

The Ellis College is the heart of the liberal arts education at 

Henderson. Ellis College makes possible the development of a 

superior academic program based on a comprehensive core of 

courses in the arts and sciences. The full integration of this liberal 

education into the four-year curriculum is designed to enable the 

student to think logically and critically; communicate effectively; 

appreciate the diversity of world cultures; understand the physical 

universe; and participate as a concerned, intelligent citizen. 

The inclusion of the writing intensive course requirements as a 

component of each degree program clearly integrates LAC fundamentals 

into degree planning. 

Students graduating with the distinction of “Henderson State 

University Honors College Scholar” have completed a minimum 

of twelve hours of LAC honors courses which satisfies fifty percent 

of the coursework required for acquiring this distinction. 

The carefully constructed eight-semester degree plan for the 

Bachelor of Science in Nursing provides an example of how 

sequencing LAC courses before upper-level nursing classes emphasizes 

the importance of core classes as foundation classes necessary 

for further learning and understanding. According to the BSN 

degree plan, students are to complete all but one liberal arts course 

by the beginning of the fall semester of their junior year. The one 

LAC course not taken during the first two years is transcultural 

Health, a junior- level course which not only fulfills the nonwestern 

LAC course requirement but also directly relates to work in 

health care. 

The Bachelor of General Studies Degree Program is designed to 

use existing university resources to develop a personalized, 

challenging plan of study. Students who wish to pursue a unique 

field of study not currently in the regular curricular offerings or 

who wish to pursue various university resources to help them in 

finding a more specific path to follow are empowered to make 

many curricular decisions in conjunction with their advisor and 

as approved by the BGS Committee. Each individual plan of 

210

study builds on the LAC and coursework from Technology, and/ 

or Foreign Languages, and/or Library Research Methods to 

ensure that the student graduates with skills critical to the 

mission of Henderson. 

The Women’s and Gender Studies’ program builds upon Henderson’s 

mission. This program features an interdisciplinary core 

course and cross-listed courses from several departments that 

challenge students to think critically about sexuality, gender, race, 

class, and nationality while examining historical and cultural conditions 

crucial to understanding the construction of gender and the 

experiences of women across cultures. 

Understanding of life-long learning may be seen in the Human 

Diversity minor. This interdisciplinary program provides students 

with a broad intellectual framework for understanding common 

human experience and differences. Courses within this program 

foster respect for the diversity of people and cultures as related to 

issues, such as race, ethnicity, gender, gender roles, creed, religion, 

culture, age, body type, physical conditions, sexual orientation, 

learning differences, social skills differences, intelligence level, 

regional differences, language, dialect, socioeconomic status, and 

other areas of individual and group differences. 

Curricular and Co-Curricular Activities 

Henderson’s faculty and staff recognize the importance of student 

groups and organizations as a means for linking classroom curriculum 

and co-curricular activities. Faculty and staff accept responsibility 

for serving as volunteer advisors for such diverse student 

organizations as Student Government Association, fraternities and 

sororities, intramural sports, honorary organizations, service organizations, 

departmental/academic organizations, religious organizations, 

cheerleading and pom-pom squad, and the communication 

media/debate team. 

Through about one hundred student organizations focused on 

academics, service, student governance, and spirituality, Henderson 

students have the opportunity to become engaged in activities that 

support inquiry, practice, creativity, and social responsibility. Active 

student involvement within these various groups and organizations, 

whether as members or in leadership positions, provides opportunities 

to use and develop skills associated with such concepts as 

management, marketing, finance, publicity, communications, 

teaching, planning and implementation, decision-making, team 

work, compromise, and interpersonal relationships. One example is 

the Women’s History Organization (WHO), a student group responsible 

for the activities celebrating the achievements of women 

in history. Through planning activities (e.g.: panel discussions, guest 

Guerrilla Girls on Tour 

presented “Feminists Are Funny!” 

Sponsored by the Women’s History 

Organization 

211


speakers, art shows, movies) presented during National Women’s 

History Month, the students have an opportunity to connect the 

past with their future. Honing leadership skills, researching, planning 

and implementing programming, considering financial costs, 

creating publicity, and public speaking are among the many tasks 

involved that help students link classroom learning with practice. 

In addition to the various student groups, Henderson offers its 

students a number of co-curricular opportunities outside the 

classroom that connect learning with practice. The following 

programming provides a snapshot of what Henderson has to offer. 

The Business Mentorship Experience developed within the School 

of Business brings together business leaders in the community and 

Henderson students, as a means of enhancing the students’ knowledge 

of business and non-profit organizations. The program helps 

students develop professional and personal business skills through 

active participation with business professionals. U.S. Congressman 

Mike Ross was invited to campus by the School of Business as a 

business leader (pharmacy owner) who has also aspired to political 

service. U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln also participated in this 

lecture series. Inviting guest speakers to Henderson’s campus 

throughout the semester provides an opportunity for student inquiry 

and the development of social responsibility. 

The annual Sidney S. McMath Pre-Law Conference and Banquet 

hosted by the Department of Social Sciences presents an excellent 

opportunity for students to meet with representatives of law schools 

and local attorneys who will answer questions about admission to 

law school and the practice of law. The highlight of the conference 

each year is the keynote address by a prominent member of the 

Arkansas bar. The most recent speaker, the Honorable Morris S. 

Arnold, Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth 

Circuit, joins an impressive list of former keynote speakers: chief 

justices of the Arkansas supreme court, federal district judges, 

judges of the Arkansas court of appeals, United States senators who 

are also former Arkansas governors, a former Arkansas congressman 

who is also a former Arkansas attorney general, a deputy 

attorney general of Arkansas, a president of the Arkansas Conference 

of the American Civil Liberties Union and the late Governor 

McMath himself. 

The director of the center for international programs and the 

international student organization have developed programming 

and interactive events to assist international students with acclimation 

to southern culture and to the university, providing opportunities 

for non-international students to become acquainted with 

international students and their cultures. The International Food 

212

Bazaar scheduled at the conclusion of Henderson’s International 

Focus week is one of its most popular activities. Henderson’s International 

Program promotes an appreciation of the complexity and 

diversity of a global society. (See Criterion 1B.) 

The Common Book Program provides a prime example of how the 

classroom experience links with co-curricular activities. First-semester 

college students discuss a common book in Henderson 

Seminar, and copies of the book are available to any member of 

the Henderson community who wishes to read it. The theme of 

the first six selections has alternated between international, diversity, 

and environmental issues. The featured speakers, which so far 

have included Hispanic-, Iranian-, Japanese-, and Sierra Leone- 

Americans, not only each deliver a major address but also visit with 

one or two classes, directly engaging students in open discussion of 

the themes of the book. Relevant documentaries and films provide 

additional perspectives on that year’s theme. 

Faculty members in the Biology Department offer students an 

opportunity to study abroad in Belize and Panama through a 

Tropical Marine Biology course. Not only are these students engaging 

in hands-on learning, they are experiencing the diversity of a 

different culture and lifestyle. (See Criterion 4A.) 

The Art, Theatre, Music, and Dance programs all sponsor visiting 

artists, guest speakers, and exhibits through the Ellis College Margin 

of Excellence program to broaden the experience of their 

majors and the campus community at large. These visiting artists, 

guest speakers, and exhibits provide students with specialized 

instruction, an introduction to a new technique, or an opportunity 

to view art work not readily available to them. Public events are also 

offered to expose the public to some of these diverse activities. (See 

Criterion 4A.) 

Visiting author Julie Otsuka, author 

of last year’s common book, When 

the Emperor Was Divine 

Lifelong Learning 

Community classes offered free of charge through the Ellis College 

showcase faculty research, special interests, or expertise in onehour 

sessions during the spring semester. Typically five sessions are 

scheduled providing the community with exposure to such topics as 

“Why Study Art? Caddo Indian Pottery,” “Dashiell Hammett and 

Hard-Boiled Detective Fiction,” “Original works by Faculty in the 

Arts and Sciences,” “Batman in His Belfry: Psychology of a Superhero,” 

“Women, Witchcraft and the Witch Craze,” “Uses of Medicine 

in the Bible,” and “Current Trends in American Theatre.” 

Engaging the campus community and the community at large 

through non-credit offerings such as Summer Community Art 

classes, “An Introduction to the Orchestra: A Concert for Chil- 

213


dren and their Families,” water aerobics, and summer camps (e.g.: 

band, basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball) are some other 

ways that Henderson applies its expertise to develop programming 

that will promote the preservation and improvement of the 

quality of life in Arkansas. 

Teachers College regularly schedules professional development for 

their teacher interns through their Hot Topics programs. These 

programs are open to Henderson faculty and local school teachers 

as one means of staying current on such issues as educational law, 

inclusive or assistive technology, teacher retirement, and societal 

issues (e.g.: bullying, social media, child advocacy) that have an 

impact on learning. 

Henderson promotes international travel and study abroad as a 

means of encouraging students to experience the diverse world. 

Since the summer of 2007, a life-long learning program of study 

offered by the university provides Henderson students, family, 

employees, alumni, and children sixteen and older the opportunity 

to tour China as a group led by a faculty member. This is an 

opportunity to support inquiry, practice, creativity, and social 

responsibility in students and the Henderson community. College 

credit is available. 

International Focus Week programming planned by faculty representing 

several academic departments is another avenue Henderson 

uses to enrich students’ learning experience. This programming is 

open to faculty, staff, and the local community. (See Criterion 1B.) 

Learning Outcomes 

As noted in the 2010-2012 Undergraduate Catalog, Henderson is 

committed to a continuous process of improving all areas of the 

institution, particularly student academic achievement. 

Liberal Arts Core Assessment and Review 

Having recently reevaluated the LAC, the General Education Committee 

has moved forward with discussion on the LAC mission and 

the goals of the LAC curriculum to determine what outcomes 

should be identified and measured. The Committee is currently in 

the process of working with the Assessment Office and Assessment 

Team to 

• determine what outcomes should be identified and measured 

• establish goals for assessing the Liberal Arts Core 

• determine objectives for each of the proposed goals and 

• develop a measurement tool for the core. 

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Learning Outcomes 

Faculty regularly assess the extent to which students have developed 

skills, knowledge bases, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors which are 

required of the specific profession and/or the applicable accreditation 

standards. The Office of Assessment and the Assessment Team 

provide assistance with the assessment process and tracking learning 

outcomes through TracDat. 

In all academic preparation, the Teachers College’s programs 

encourage collaboration and expertise of professional public school 

mentors throughout the preparation program. The mentoring 

component in the academic advisory process is critical to the 

candidates’ learning and professional success. The mentor, who is 

carefully chosen by the candidate in consultation with the academic 

advisor, possesses a repertoire of skills that aid the candidate in 

personal and professional growth throughout the program. 

Learning outcomes for Teachers College students are assessed both 

internally and externally throughout their preparation programs. In 

addition to internal assessment by course instructors, student 

learning is assessed by external constituents. Teachers College 

preparation programs encourage collaboration with and draw from 

the expertise of public school and other professionals. These professionals 

serve as mentors, assist with admission and exit interviews, 

are members of a number of committees, and serve on advisory 

councils. Many of them serve as external evaluators of candidate 

performance. At the initial preparation level, they serve as cooperating 

teachers who use standards-based instruments to evaluate 

interns’ knowledge, skills, and dispositions. At both initial and 

advanced levels, public school teachers and administrators serve as 

interviewers of candidates at admission into and exit from programs, 

evaluating candidate presentation 

skills and dispositions. Other 

professionals serve as mentors and 

supervisors to students in dietetics, 

athletic training, and recreation. 

Annual China Trip available 

through Ellis College 

Teachers College students are also 

required to take state and national 

assessments in the program area. 

Examples of such assessments are 

shown in Table 4B-1. 

Faculty and staff also evaluate 

student perceptions of coursework, teaching, advisement, 

and other important services provided to support student 

learning. This evaluation allows students to have a voice in 

Table 4B-1 

Teachers College - Assessments 

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improving not only the quality of their own educational experience, 

but also the experiences of future Henderson students. 

As a means of giving students a voice in improving the educational 

experience at Henderson along with evaluating whether Henderson 

is 1) keeping within its mission and 2) meeting program learning 

goals, outcome skills, and professional competencies essential to a 

diverse workforce, Henderson students completed a Mission Survey 

in March 2010. The results from the Mission Survey exhibited in 

Table 4B-2 were used in the university’s strategic planning process 

and program review. 

Additionally 73.4 percent of students completing the survey indicated 

that they had acquired mastery of their field of study, and 

78.8 percent felt they had been challenged, supported, and motivated 

to achieve academic success. 

The assessment and evaluation process occurs at the individual, 

class, course, program, department, and university levels. Results of 

this assessment process are used to help make decisions to enhance 

the quality of student learning and the learning environment at 

Henderson. 

Many departments conduct progressive reviews, interviews, state 

testing, rubrics, and exit reviews with their prospective graduates. 

These departmental monitoring devises are varied but provide 

evaluation outside a single course performance. Table 4B-3 provides 

examples of such monitoring tools at the undergraduate and 

graduate level. 

In addition to state mandated exams (PRAXIS I and II), Table 

4B-4 for the BSE in Art Education degree shows a comprehensive 

example of multiple monitoring and evaluating tools currently in 

practice. Evidence from these evaluations is tracked through rubrics 

and standardized forms used to assess degree candidates. 

Students’ overall readiness, growth, and continuous learning are 

assessed through frameworks such as Professional Awareness/ 

Interest, Caring for Students/Families, Sense of Fairness, Use of 

Standard English, Sense of Efficacy, Personal Appearance, Personal 

Reflection, Sensitivity to Diversity, Sense of Professionalism, Communication 

about Art (vocabulary, concepts, references), Preparation 

and Presentation (appearance, on time, volume of work, 

condition of art), Craftsmanship and Skills (media skills, high 

personal standards, experimentation and initiative), Career Discipline 

(work ethic, ability to take criticism, class attendance, adequate 

sketchbooks), Show and Graduation Preparation (informed 

of degree deficiencies, informed of graduation requirements, career 

216

plans, material for senior show). This assists 

faculty in determining a candidate’s overall 

readiness to enter a professional field. 

Graduate Programs 

Henderson’s graduate programs began in 

August 1955, when the Board of Trustees 

approved a fifth-year program of advanced 

professional education. The university now 

offers the following graduate degrees: master 

of business administration, master of liberal 

arts, master of science in counseling, master 

of science in education, master of arts in 

teaching, master of science in sports administration, 

and educational specialist. 

Henderson’s admittance process is threefold: 

1) general admittance criteria, 2) 

individual program admission criteria and 3) admission to 

candidacy. Successful graduate applicants have a bachelor’s 

degree from an accredited institution, a minimum grade point 

average of 2.7 overall or 3.0 (out of 4) on the last sixty hours 

taken, passed the appropriate entrance exam (e.g.: GMAT, 

GRE, MAT), provided letters of reference and 

résumés, been interviewed, provided appropriate 

licensure, and completed any undergraduate 

prerequisites. Full admittance to Graduate School 

commences upon successful admission to candidacy. 

These entrance requirements for Henderson’s 

graduate programs establish a knowledge 

base for graduate students from which the individual 

graduate programs, through advanced and 

specialized programming, broaden the students’ 

theoretical knowledge and concepts to prepare 

them for professional careers and lifelong learning. 

Program assessment is an ongoing process at Henderson 

to determine relevance of courses and degree 

plans, quality of faculty, quality of students, productivity 

and other criteria to ensure academically 

sound programs of study. Each graduate program 

uses various methodologies to assess the usefulness of its curricula. 

The Office of Assessment and the Assessment Team provide 

assistance with the assessment process. Learning outcomes are 

tracked through TracDat. External program reviews are conducted 

by the program’s accrediting agencies providing assurance of 

program currency and adherence to national quality standards. 

Table 4B-2 

Table 4B-3 

Monitoring Tools as Reported 

by Departments 

217


Any course, curricular, or program introduction, review, modification, 

or elimination is evaluated by the individual degree 

program faculty and any changes are then submitted to the 

Graduate Council. The Council is responsible for approving 

new graduate courses; approving the graduate faculty; 

and recommending additions, deletions, and changes in the 

various graduate programs and degree requirements. 

Preparedness and Assessment in Individual 

Graduate Programs 

Master of business administration (M.B.A.) student preparedness is 

initially assessed through entrance criteria to the graduate program. 

The School of Business assesses M.B.A. students’ communication, 

critical thinking, and teamwork skills along with their global 

perspective and ethical leadership skills. In addition to exams, 

reports, projects, and portfolios, student learning is also assessed 

through the use of a number of rubrics. The results of the data 

collected are used by the School of Business Assessment Committee 

to determine whether M.B.A. students are demonstrating the 

acquisition of knowledge and skills in critical thinking, teamwork, 

global society, ethics and communication. 

The master of liberal arts (M.L.A.) program in Ellis College is 

designed to cultivate an appreciation of cultural ideals, such as 

truth, order, and beauty and to develop critical thinking, written 

and oral communication, and scholarly research. Student learning 

is assessed by faculty evaluation of the M.L.A. project and classroom 

performance. The M.L.A. thesis is evaluated by full-time 

graduate professors who are experts in the field of study. 

The master of science in education (M.S.E.) degrees in advanced 

instructional studies, educational leadership, reading, school 

counseling, and special education, the master of arts in teaching 

(M.A.T.) degree, and the educational specialist (Ed.S.) degree in 

educational leadership are accredited by the National Council for 

Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and are therefore 

subject to regular internal and external reviews. Each of these 

programs emphasizes the acquisition of advanced knowledge and 

skills applicable to the area of study. In addition to school counseling, 

the Department of Counselor Education offers a master of 

science (M.S.) degree in clinical mental health counseling. Both 

programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of 

Counseling and Related Professional Programs (CACREP). 

Student learning is assessed through faculty evaluation of projects, 

research assignments, observed counseling sessions, supervised 

internships, practicum classes, a class portfolio, rubrics, and a 

comprehensive examination of CACREP Core Knowledge Base. 

218

The School Counseling and the Clinical 

Mental Health Counseling programs 

both lead to additional licensing beyond 

the degree. 

The master of arts in teaching program 

focuses on candidates who hold baccalaureate 

degrees in arts or sciences in academic 

disciplines but do not hold teaching 

credentials and would like to advance 

themselves into the teaching profession. 

Student assessment involves obtaining a 

nontraditional teaching license, meeting 

the established cut-off scores on the 

Praxis I and the content area in Praxis II Specialty exam(s), and 

developing a portfolio documenting the completion of course 

competencies. The portfolio is used in the exit interview, with a 

committee comprised of Henderson faculty and a superintendent 

or principal from the partnership schools. The assessment of 

student learning focuses on content knowledge and competencies 

exhibited in the four domains and the nineteen criteria found in 

the Pathwise Classroom Observation system. 

Table 4B-4 

Monitoring and evaluating 

tools used in BSE in Art 

Education 

The master of science in education program has several tracks 

under educational leadership: building level administrator, curriculum 

program administrator, special education supervisor, and 

instructional facilitator. All of the programs are standard, researchdriven, 

and delivered through courses aligned with the Interstate 

School Leaders Licensure Consortium, the Educational Leadership 

Constituent Council, and the National Education Technology 

Standards for Administrators. 

The educational leadership program seeks to empower building 

and district level educators to positively impact student achievement 

and quality of life through teaching, learning, service, and 

leadership. Graduates demonstrate the necessary leadership skills 

and attitudes to succeed as building-level administrators by demonstrating 

the ability to work collaboratively with all stakeholders of a 

school district. Upon completion of the student’s program of study, 

candidates who are pursing licensure (building level leader and 

curriculum program administrator) through the educational 

leadership program must meet the cut-off score for the School 

Leaders Licensure Assessment, an assessment tool that is based 

upon acquisition of knowledge and skills necessary for successful 

leadership at the building level. In turn this external assessment 

tool provides Teachers College with data to use in evaluating and 

updating programming. 

219


Student learning is also assessed through an exit evaluation committee 

comprised of the faculty advisor, one faculty member from the 

Educational Leadership program, one external evaluator, the 

candidate’s mentor, and one person of the candidate’s choice who 

holds a valid teaching license. The evaluation committee uses a 

rubric to evaluate the candidate’s electronic exit portfolio. A post 

interview is conducted as well as the final evaluation. 

The master of science in advanced instructional studies prepares 

public school educators to broaden their knowledge of their teaching 

field and subject matter through emphasizing acquisition and 

application of a specialty area or interdisciplinary study. It offers 

students an opportunity to shape a program to fit their intellectual 

needs and professional goals. Student learning is assessed through 

faculty evaluation of research performance, as research is an integral 

component of the degree. The purpose of the Research Problems 

course is to assist the candidates in designing, organizing, and 

implementing a research project pertaining to the field of education 

through either quantitative or qualitative research. National Board 

for Professional Teaching Standards Five Core Propositions; Pathwise 

Mentoring System; Arkansas Department of Education 

Standards; and National Educational Technology Standards for 

Teachers compose the knowledge foundation from which this 

program of study builds. 

The master of science in education in reading is a graduate program 

that enables early childhood, middle level, and secondary 

teachers to obtain an Arkansas Reading Specialist License. The 

students acquire advanced knowledge of their reading content area 

by going through a system of program assessments at various levels 

during the program. The students are assessed from admission to 

candidacy and rubrics are used for the interviewing process, completion 

of the practicum, exit from the program, and post-graduation. 

The M.S.E. reading program assesses and evaluates students 

through the Research Problems course as well. Candidates completing 

the reading specialty program are required to take the appropriate 

Praxis II examination prior to gradation. 

The master of science in special education program emphasizes the 

acquisition of instructional and scholarly domains that were largely 

adopted from the Council for Exceptional Children Guidelines for 

Teacher Education Programs. Student learning outcomes are 

assessed through successful completion of the program of study, 

successful presentation of the portfolio to an Exit Evaluation Committee 

comprised of the candidate’s faculty advisor, another special 

education faculty member, and a special education supervisor or 

special education teacher. 

220

The master of science in sports administration program emphasizes 

the development of knowledge of the major literature in the 

field of sports administration, as well as the development of 

competencies for independent study in methods of inquiry 

through research methods. Student learning is assessed through 

the comprehensive written examinations of sports administration 

courses taken by all candidates in the program, as well as through 

portfolio materials that are submitted at the conclusion of all 

course work. Portfolios are reviewed by a committee of the graduate 

faculty in sports administration for determination of successful 

completion of the degree. 

Summary 

Henderson has integrated a general education knowledge base 

throughout all of its undergraduate degree programs by building 

upon the LAC requirements that supports an acquisition of a 

breadth of knowledge and skills and the exercise of intellectual 

inquiry that are integral to the educational programs. Henderson’s 

internal and external review processes have been effective in 

assessing program strengths and challenges, along with identifying 

areas for improvement. The recent changes made to the LAC 

requirements, the development of writing intensive courses, and 

the addition of the women’s and gender studies minor are examples 

of Henderson’s review process in action. Each graduate 

program has in place a process for assessing student learning and 

for using assessment results for program improvement. 

Core Component 4C: The organization assesses the 

usefulness of its curricula to students who will live 

and work in a global, diverse, and technological 

society. 

Central to Henderson’s mission is the goal to provide an education 

that will nurture in each student the capacity to appreciate 

the complexity and diversity of world cultures and to discern 

appropriate uses of technology. As such, Henderson also strives to 

enrich the quality of learning and teaching within a culturally rich 

and diverse student population. 

Commitment to consider the usefulness of the curricula to students 

who live and work in a global, diverse, and technological 

society is further supported through the inclusion of the following 

objectives from Henderson’s recently revised 2010 Strategic 

Plan (goal 9 and 13): 

• developing strategies for utilizing assessment results in making 

university academic decisions 

221


• ensuring that curricular offerings reflect currency in the 

discipline and diversity of programming 

• expanding student knowledge that the world contains diverse 

cultures and preferences that may be different from our own. 

Program Reviews 

Determining relevance of courses and programs is an ongoing 

process at Henderson. The schools and departments use various 

methodologies to assess the usefulness of its curricula. Any 

course, curricular, or program introduction, review, modification, 

or elimination is evaluated at the college and university level. This 

is accomplished through the Ellis College Curriculum Committee, 

the School of Business Curriculum Committee, Teachers 

Education Council, the Graduate Council and the University 

Academic Council. 

In addition to ongoing departmental assessment reviews, Henderson 

conducts formal program reviews (on a rotation basis) every 

ten years as required by the Arkansas Department of Higher 

Education and through participation in national accreditation 

assessments. As part of program reviews and assessments, many 

schools and departments examine their students’ results on standardized 

tests in order to evaluate student preparedness and 

competence. These evaluations can generate changes in programs 

or course content. A sampling of the standardized tests used for 

these purposes include the PRAXIS for education majors; Education 

Testing Service Major Field Tests for physics, business, 

mathematics, computer science, and biology; ASSET in English 

(Basic English) and mathematics (Intermediate Algebra); the 

American Chemical Society’s national standardized exams for 

almost all of the chemistry classes; and the Comprehensive 

Assessment and Review Program for Nursing. 

Teachers College reviews the relevance of its courses and programs 

within the philosophical framework: “Teaching for learning 

for all.” The academic environment exemplifies professional 

conduct, cooperation, and integrity and prepares professional 

educators who are grounded in the liberal arts core at both the 

baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate levels. The college offers 

educational experiences that go beyond teacher preparation, such 

as classes in health and wellness, human relations, and cultural 

development. Teachers College promotes a culture of diversity 

and technological competency. Results from Henderson’s recent 

accreditation assessment review can be seen in the NCATE 

Report (Standard 4 Diversity). 

222

The management faculty from the School of Business met in fall 

2008 to discuss the addition of a class that was identified as a 

result of a recent survey given to senior management students. 

One conclusion drawn from the management course survey was 

that students wanted a class in entrepreneurship. In fall 2010 the 

School of Business began offering two Entrepreneurship courses 

focused on the creation of a business, now called Introduction to 

Entrepreneurship and Applied Entrepreneurship. 

Henderson’s computer science program has a unique challenge to 

remain current and relevant in a mathematical field that is continually 

and rapidly evolving. As computing technology and 

practices change and develop, the needs and demands of a computer 

science program must change as well. To that end, even 

though the computer science program is not accredited by the 

Computer Sciences Accreditation Board (CSAB), the department 

uses the guidelines that board uses which are set by the Association 

of Computing Machinery (ACM) in the self-study process to 

assess the usefulness of its curriculum. Additionally the computer 

science faculty contacted employers, concentrating on those who 

have hired multiple graduates to seek input about program offerings. 

As a result this outreach and the use of the ACM standard 

assessment process, the department has incorporated 80 percent 

of identified needs into its current degree plan. One of the identified 

needs is for program graduates to communicate more effectively, 

and so the computer science program now requires their 

majors to take the Business and Professional Communication and 

Technical Writing classes in addition to the Writing Intensive and 

LAC requirements. This course addition, along with constantly 

providing updates in program language offerings, has helped the 

computer science program to remain one of the outstanding 

computer science programs in the region and have kept it on the 

cutting edge of technological advances and educational practice. 

As another example of how departments review programs 

and look for more relevant solutions at all levels, the mathematics 

department recently reviewed the way Intermediate 

Algebra is taught as a means for improving the passing rate 

of students in College Algebra. The math faculty initiated a 

process where the Intermediate Algebra coursework was divided 

into five-week modules. Students are required to master 

each module before moving on to the subsequent material. 

Although the program worked for some students, the department 

assessed the innovation and realized it did not achieve 

significant positive results. As a result, the department is returning 

to the traditional format, but it is still reviewing the course 

and the process in order to help students be more successful. 

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Curricular Evaluation – Alumni, Employers, Student 

As part of the School of Business’ self-evaluation process, results 

obtained through interaction with the School of Business Advisory 

Council and the School of Business faculty have been used to better 

prepare business students with the skills and professional competence 

needed to be successful in a global, diverse, and technological 

society. The council includes representation from alumni, the 

community, and business leaders to assist the school with acquiring 

a “world view.” As a result the School of Business is in the process 

of refining an experience portfolio that will require students to 

participate in a variety of activities, including a service activity. 

During the past several years, a number of surveys have been 

completed by alumni, employers, and students in order to gain a 

better understanding of the professional competency of students 

and to identify areas for improvement. See the Tables 4C-1, 4C-2, 

and 4C-3 for a sample of the surveys administered. 

Curricular and co-curricular opportunities promoting 

social responsibility 

Henderson currently prepares students for social responsibility in a 

global society by providing and enhancing curricular and co-curricular 

opportunities. The mission and strategic plan reinforce the 

university’s commitment to this endeavor. Henderson’s mission 

statement includes the initiative of “providing an education that will 

nurture in each student the capacity to participate as a concerned, 

intelligent citizen.” Henderson shows further support for this 

criterion by including the following objective as an integral component 

of Henderson’s 2010 Strategic Plan (under goal 13): “Developing 

opportunities for service learning experiences connected to 

classroom learning outcomes.” The plan references opportunities 

for students to experience what they are learning in the classroom 

through volunteerism, internships, cooperative jobs, and other 

such venues. 

A wide range of student organizations participate in activities that 

augment the classroom experiences and provide opportunities for 

students to become socially responsible. These activities range from 

the Coats for Kids clothes drive, to working with the Humane 

Society, to participation in the Junior Auxiliary’s Angel Tree project. 

(See Criterions 4D and 5.) The following activities illustrate a few 

ways that Henderson’s students have actively become involved. 

Henderson held the first Reddie to Serve Day on September 11, 

2010. Approximately four hundred faculty, staff, students, and 

supporters completed fifty community projects. One of the projects, 

led by the football and baseball team members, was to assemble 

playground equipment at Central Primary School. About 250 

224

Henderson students, faculty, and 

staff participated in the second 

Reddie to Serve Day on February 

26, 2011. After enjoying breakfast 

and receiving their assignments, 

the volunteers spread out across 

the community to pick up trash 

along the streets and do yard work at several locations. Some 

of the volunteers helped clean at the Humane Society of 

Clark County, while others walked the dogs and 

brushed the cats. In all, the volunteers completed 

more than twenty-five projects. 

A special Reddie to Serve Day for Group 

Living, a local group that works with developmentally 

disabled adults, was held to assist this 

organization with moving from temporary 

quarters, which had been occupied since a fire 

had destroyed the group’s previous facilities, to 

its new location. This event occurred during 

the work week. Faculty and staff were encouraged 

to take time from their assigned duties 

to assist with this effort. Annual leave was not 

charged against staff who participated 

(See also Criterion 5.) 

Table 4C-1 

Table 4C-2 

Table 4C-3 

Heart and Key, one of the service 

organizations, provides a multitude of 

opportunities for students, faculty, and staff 

to be socially responsible including canned 

food drives, Reddie to Serve Day, DeGray 

Lake Cleanup, and the local PBS station 

AETN’s Telethon. 

The Nursing Student Organization in conjunction 

with the Nursing Department serves 

the Arkadelphia community through the annual Kindergarten 

Round Up by providing complete physical assessments to 

local children preparing to enter the school system, as well as 

administering annual flu shots. Henderson’s nursing program 

also prepares nursing students for community service and 

instills social responsibility through the provision of the 

following coursework: 

Reddie to Serve 

February 2011 

• Disaster Nursing and Emergency Preparedness 

(NSG4672) identifies the nursing roles in the planning for 

and participation in mass casualty disasters and addresses 

the effect of disasters on communities. 

225


• Health Promotion and Wellness (NSG4692) focuses on strategies 

to facilitate individual, group, and community health and 

wellness across the lifespan. Emphasis is on planning and 

implementing effective teaching and interventional behaviors. 

In addition to the two nursing classes noted above, Criterion 4D 

addresses how courses across the curriculum reinforce Henderson’s 

emphasis on social responsibility. 

Several university programs model social responsibility through 

faculty and staff involvement. One such program, provided by the 

Southwest-A Education Renewal Zone, pairs Henderson faculty 

and staff with public school teachers and classrooms. Sharing 

faculty and staff expertise with elementary students enhances the 

learning experience for all. In return, the faculty gains current 

knowledge of issues, trends, technology, and programming in the 

public school system. (See Criterion 3C.) 

Another such program is from Henderson’s Center for Language 

Proficiency, which serves area business and industry employees 

desiring basic language and cultural understanding for more 

effective and efficient work performance. By addressing challenges 

that a language-diverse population presents, the center provides 

outreach opportunities to the community for language assessment, 

multilingual services, and lifelong learning. The center also provides 

skills and opportunities to enhance the quality of life within 

the local community by enhancing cultural integration and awareness, 

increasing English communication skills, and addressing 

English as a Second Language (ESL) needs in the workforce. 

Diversity and Technology 

As cited in the mission, Henderson strives to enrich the quality of 

learning and teaching by seeking a culturally rich and diverse 

student community as means to excel in undergraduate education 

and in the process to nurture an appreciation of the complexity 

and diversity of world cultures. The 2010 Strategic Plan emphasizes 

expanding student knowledge that the world contains diverse 

cultures and preferences that may be different from their own 

(goal 13) by 

• Supporting and encouraging study of other cultures both 

locally and abroad 

• Encouraging student leadership to reflect the diversity of the 

Henderson student population 

• Encouraging learning about (people with) disabilities and 

accessible technology. 

226

Diversity 

Although pursuing a diverse student body and cultivating an 

appreciation for diversity is encouraged throughout the campus 

community, the goal of the Office of External Affairs-Diversity is 

to be an effective change agent in providing a welcoming climate 

for those of diverse backgrounds. It is the administrative unit that 

is charged with carrying out the university’s mission to recruit, 

retain, and promote a diverse faculty, staff, and student body, 

while assisting the greater university community in preparing 

students to become leaders and productive citizens in a global 

society. The Council for Diversity, composed of faculty, staff, 

students, and community members, was created as an advisory 

group to the Office of External Affairs-Diversity. As part of the 

university’s ongoing assessment, President Welch created the 

Diversity Task Force (2009) and directed it to examine the current 

philosophy, practices, and goals for the diversity program on 

campus. In turn the Task Force will make recommendations 

about the function of the office and the council for the future. 

(See also Criterion 1.) 

As the Diversity Task Force focuses on the effectiveness of the 

diversity program at Henderson and proceeds to more fully assess 

the outcomes, the mission survey revealed that 35.4 percent of 

the students strongly agreed and 49.4 percent of the students 

agreed that Henderson strives to meet its goal to actively recruit a 

culturally rich and diverse student body. Furthermore 21.5 

percent of Henderson students strongly agreed and 55.7 percent 

agreed that Henderson encourages among its students knowledge 

and appreciation of nonwestern cultures as an essential component 

of its mission. 

Technological Society 

Being informed and skilled in technological resources is crucial 

for living and working in today’s global society. As mentioned in 

the mission, Henderson “endeavors to provide an education that 

will nurture in each student the capacity to discern appropriate 

uses of technology.” The university has committed funding to the 

creation of a state-of-the-art Technology Center, which is housed 

in the newly renovated Foster Hall. (See also Criterion 3D.) 

Students at work in the Center for 

Language Proficiency Lab 

Ample opportunity is provided for Henderson students to become 

informed and skilled in technological resources through 

interaction with a variety of technologies located across campus. 

Students have access to campus computer labs, the MultiMedia 

Learning Center, Huie Library e-resources, science labs, the 

aviation lab, the psychology lab, the planetarium, the digital art 

227


lab, and numerous other departmental facilities. Such programs as 

iWebFolio, ANGEL, Wimba, Web 2.0, Microsoft applications, 

Photoshop, AutoCAD, SPSS, Adobe and other software packages 

are also available for student use. WiFi is available across campus 

for ready access to technology. All of these resources help promote 

the technological literacy of students. (See also Criterion 3.) 

The foundation for the university’s commitment to technological 

literacy is through the Department of Instructional Technology. 

The department uses a number of instructional technology components 

to provide twenty-first century learning opportunities to 

its student and faculty population by equipping a number of classrooms 

with multimedia teaching equipment, Smartboard technologies, 

and other course-specific technologies. The Learning Management 

System is used to deliver synchronous and asynchronous 

course materials via fully online, partially online, and enhanced 

ANGEL courses. In order to better use instructional technology 

within the university setting, the Information Technology Plan 

was developed to guide the university in its implementation and 

operation of information technologies. The Department of Instructional 

Technology supports and maintains its technologies. 

As discussed in Criterion 3C, The MultiMedia Learning Center 

(MMLC), a unit within the Department of Instructional Technology, 

helps students and the campus community develop crucial 

hands-on technological skills. The MMLC includes many kinds of 

audiovisual resources and playback equipment in addition to a 

media production lab where students create projects like bulletin 

boards, posters, and “Big Books” for teachers, use the computer lab 

scanners and color printers, and talk with the unit’s digital artist 

about methods of design or creating extra-large prints. Assistance is 

available from the department’s multimedia experts. Henderson 

faculty, staff, and students (with faculty sponsorship) may borrow 

audiovisual equipment for non-profit community events. DVD, CD, 

and tape duplication is available for non-copyrighted material. The 

Center has a full service computer lab that includes software support 

from skilled student workers. The Center computers are 

equipped with the Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Professional 

(writer), Photoshop, Illustrator, Go Live, In Design, and Print 

Master 12. These programs can be used by students for creating 

websites, writing papers, desktop publishing, brochures, posters, 

slide show presentations, and much more. 

The TRIO Student Support Services-Disabled (Disability Resource 

Center) maintains a computer lab with a variety of equipment 

and software programs geared towards access for students 

with disabilities. Instruction on its use is available through program 

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staff and student assistants. Specialized technology or software 

includes Closed Circuit Televisions (CCTV), Braille Embosser, 

Assistive Listening Devices, Pulse Smart Pens, Victor Readers, Digital 

Recorders, Magnification devices, Dragon Naturally Speaking, JAWS, 

Read Please, Text Aloud, Zoomtext, and several optical character 

recognition technologies that transform data from scanned pages or 

image files into electronic or audio files. Program staff present at Hot 

Topics (Teachers College) on accessible technology and its use in the 

learning environment. 

Discussions of appropriate use and the ethical dilemmas that may result 

from the ever growing use of technology are embedded throughout 

the student’s plan of study and are addressed as technology is 

introduced into the curriculum. Furthermore, ethical issues are addressed 

during student orientations, in Henderson Seminar, through 

such publications as student, graduate assistant, internship, and 

work-study handbooks, syllabi, and case studies. Integrity is one of 

the goals of Henderson’s 2010 Strategic Plan (goal 4). Importance 

is placed on both having university units and students operate ethically 

and responsibly in principle and action through understanding 

proper protocols and having both operate under codes of ethics 

or standards of conduct. The plan goes on to emphasize that 

students will understand ethical principles and will understand 

and apply ethical decision-making processes, including technology. 

Independent Learning in Programs of 

Applied Practice 

Henderson faculty members expect students to master the knowledge 

and skills necessary for independent learning in programs of applied 

practice as they uphold the mission to provide an education that will 

nurture in each student the capacity to acquire mastery of a particular 

field of study. 

TRIO Student Support Services – 

Disabled computer lab 

Independent learning occurs in a broad spectrum of arenas. Many 

venues are available to Henderson students where they are able to 

show their mastery of their particular fields of study outside the 

classroom. Music students selected through a competitive process are 

given the opportunity to perform with members of the Arkansas 

Symphony (President’s Concert). Student art work is submitted 

through a juried competition and their work is displayed in the Henderson 

Art Gallery (Annual Student Competitive Exhibition). Students 

participate in the Business Beyond the Classroom; take part in plays, 

musical productions, dance recitals, and debate; and present research 

or papers (Arkansas Undergraduate Research Conference, Arkansas 

Academy of Science, and other professional conferences). 

(See also Criterion 4A.) 

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Henderson’s School of Business approved the following new mission 

statement in 2011: “The School of Business at Henderson 

State University provides an educational environment in which 

excellent faculty, enthusiastic students, and engaged partners collaborate 

in experiential learning activities.” The “experiential 

learning activities” are what the School of Business has branded as 

Business Beyond the Classroom. Activities that fall within this realm 

include the Business Mentorship Experience, student projects 

through the Small Business and Technology Development Center 

(SBTDC), the Student Managed Fund, the inclusion of a new 

entrepreneurship class that culminates in a business plan competition, 

and the recent internal Business Plan Competition that was 

held with Ouachita Baptist University. The teams competing in the 

“Business Battle of the Ravine” were tasked to write a business plan 

based on an idea from one of the student team members. A panel 

of judges made up of local business people and alumni listened to 

presentations from each group and determined the winners (first 

place won $4000; second place $3000, and third place $2000). The 

School of Business is in the process of adding “Experience Portfolio: 

Invest in Your Success,” a program designed to promote and 

develop student learning in four areas: 1) job-related, 2) experiential 

learning, 3) Henderson service, and 4) community service. 

In Teachers College education students are given real workforce 

opportunities through maximum public school involvement. The 

college embeds extensive field experience and clinical practice for 

both undergraduate and graduate students as evidenced through 

the student internship and mentorship experiences. Through this 

firsthand experience, education students gain a better understanding 

of local, national, and global societies. Each student is required 

to complete and present a portfolio of various artifacts (e.g.: assigned 

projects, demographic comparisons, action research, research, 

field experiences, or observations) related to the program 

standards demonstrating the student’s acquisition of skills and 

knowledge necessary to function in a diverse, local, national, and 

global society. The exit process allows the candidate to demonstrate 

learning competencies in each of the standards through the written 

and oral defense of an extensive program portfolio. 

The university’s Alliance for Continuing Excellence in Education 

(ACEE) partners with surrounding schools in providing field experiences 

for students. Based on the belief that the preparation of 

effective teachers involves commitment, cooperation, and a shared 

vision among all partners in the educational community, the Teachers 

College obtained an ACEE grant in 1993. The mission is to 

improve the professional preparation of teacher education candidates 

and to provide continual professional development for practicing 

educators who believe in “teaching and learning for all.” Membership 

in ACEE includes several schools, community colleges, and 

230

education service cooperatives. Henderson’s students 

are assigned to the partner schools and, 

through a collaborative effort by all partners, preparation 

of teacher education candidates is strengthened. 

The ACEE also serves as an Advisory Council 

for the Teachers College. This intentional program 

collaboration with school partners is designed to 

provide relevance and currency to each program. 

Ellis College programs also offer a variety of field 

experiences or internships. For instance, the Social 

Sciences Department offers an internship for 

political science and public administration majors 

to allow students to gain practical knowledge in 

different organizations related to the their interests 

or career goals, and the Sociology Department 

provides concerned students opportunities to make 

relevant contributions to the community through services in 

an organization, agency, or program that combats social and 

environmental problems. 

Many of Henderson’s programs offer 

coursework requiring field experience, 

practicums, internships or clinical experiences. 

See Tables 4C-4and 4C-5 for a 

sampling of such programming. 

Summary 

Through an ongoing process including informal 

and systematic evaluation, Henderson 

assesses the usefulness of its curricula to students 

who will live and work in a global, diverse, 

and technological society. Henderson 

involves alumni, employers, and students in the 

program evaluation process. Accrediting 

agencies’ standards are also a measure used to 

determine currency and relevance of courses 

and programs. Learning goals and outcomes 

that include skills and professional competency 

essential to a diverse workforce have been 

incorporated into the overall curriculum. 

Henderson students are provided ample opportunities 

to gain the skills and knowledge needed 

to function in diverse local, national, and global 

societies. Numerous curricular and cocurricular 

opportunities exist on Henderson’s campus that 

promote social responsibility. The Henderson faculty fully 

supports independent learning through applied practice and 

expects students to master the knowledge and skills necessary 

for living and working in a global society. 

Table 4C-4 

Programs with coursework requiring 

field experience, practicums, internships, 

or clinical experiences 

Table 4C-5 

Programs with coursework requiring 

field experience, practicums, internships, 

or clinical experiences 

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Core Component 4D: The organization provides 

support to ensure that faculty, students, and staff 

acquire, discover, and apply knowledge responsibly. 

Henderson’s dedication to fostering ethical conduct in research and 

instruction is reflected in mission, values, and goal statements from 

each of the three schools. 

• The School of Business lists integrity as the first of the core 

values stemming from its mission: “We exhibit and expect high 

ethical standards in all we do.” 

• All candidates in educator preparation programs in Teachers 

College are expected to demonstrate the following dispositions: 

caring for students and their families, valuing diversity, being fair 

in the treatment of others, demonstrating efficacy, reflecting 

upon learning, and modeling professionalism. One of the goals 

of the Educator Preparation Program is to “model high moral 

and ethical professional dispositions.” Evidence of candidates 

demonstrating these dispositions is collected through admission 

and exit interviews, clinical performances, and portfolio presentations. 

Moreover, the Arkansas Department of Education 

expects all educators to adhere to the Arkansas Code of Ethics 

for Professional Educators. 

• The Ellis College endorses the view of the ancient Greek 

philosophers that “the liberal arts are disciplines that advance 

intellectual and moral qualities, rather than those that deal only 

with technical skills.” Ellis College faculty and students “are 

encouraged to engage in significant service to others.” 

With support from the university, units such as Academic Advising 

and the Writing Center are dedicated to assisting students in acquiring 

and applying knowledge responsibly. (See also Criterion 3.) 

Henderson’s fully funded TRIO programs also provide vital assistance 

and instruction to support the responsible acquisition and 

application of knowledge. (See also Criterion 3C and 5.) Student 

representation in bodies such as Faculty Senate and on committees 

such as the Reddie to Serve committee, the Sustainability committee, 

the Common Book committee, the Strategic Planning Council, 

the Diversity Task Force, and the Budget committee insure that 

students are engaged participants in university, program, and 

process discussions regarding social responsibility and other issues. 

Policies and Procedures 

Academic Freedom and Responsibility 

This broad and detailed statement stresses that faculty members are 

entitled to full freedom in the classroom but enjoins them to practice 

intellectual honesty, foster honest academic conduct, evaluate 

students fairly, and protect students’ academic freedom. It further 

states that research for personal gain is based on the understanding 

and approval of the university. While a separate policy covering 

232

esearch misconduct does not exist, the Faculty Handbook lists “general 

inaccuracy or dishonesty in the performance of teaching and/or 

research duties or administrative duties” as a cause for dismissal or 

non-reappointment. 

Internal Review Board/Institutional Review Board (IRB) 

Since 1992, the Department of Psychology has borne the responsibility 

for conducting an Internal Review Board (IRB) with the primary goal 

of protecting the dignity, rights, safety, and welfare of all human and 

animal participants used in research carried out by students and faculty 

university-wide. In fall 2010, President Welch approved the creation of 

an Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the entire university. The 

objectives of this IRB include adopting an institutional protocol and 

determining what training the university should require of investigators. 

The IRB has already begun its work to standardize research procedures 

and training and to ensure that all research conducted on humans is in 

compliance with federal regulations. 

Intellectual Property/Copyright Policy 

The Faculty Handbook contains the university policy regarding intellectual 

property and copyright: “It is University policy that a patent or 

copyright resulting from grants funded by or through the University 

may be shared with the University as negotiated with grant recipient(s) 

unless such ownership is retained by the funding entity.” On November 

6, 2002, the Faculty Senate Academic Committee recommended 

the following: 

Academic, intellectual, and creative work produced within the 

context of a Henderson State University contract, or supported 

through any source funded by Henderson State University or the 

State of Arkansas may be subject to copyright and ownership by 

Henderson. Therefore, if a faculty member wishes to retain original 

copyright ownership he or she needs to be sensitive to the time, place, 

and resources utilized to achieve his or her work. It is recommended 

that faculty members seek knowledgeable counsel concerning their 

legal rights to intellectual property. 

The office of legal counsel is now in the process of formulating a more 

detailed policy to be presented to the president, provost, and Faculty 

Senate within the coming year. 

TRIO Talent Search 

Bauxite Middle School student 

attending the 2011 Talent Search 

Techcamp at 

Camp Winnamocka 

Royalty Policy for Use of Personal Works 

When a faculty member requires a class to purchase textbooks and 

course materials authored by that faculty member, the faculty member 

is charged with reporting royalties received to the departmental chair or 

the dean. These royalties are to be used for the benefit of the faculty 

member’s program or students in order to avoid a conflict of interest, 

pursuant to Act 106 of the Acts of Arkansas 2007. 

233


Conflict of Interest 

Faculty members have a responsibility to inform the university, in 

writing, about proposed consulting activities whenever these involve 

significant amounts of time or the use of university facilities. 

Concurrent Employment 

Henderson employees may be employed by two or more state employers, 

or in more than one Henderson position, so long as dual 

employment does not present a conflict and the employee’s combined 

salary does not exceed the line-item maximum of the primary position. 

Employees are required to fill out a “concurrent employment” 

form created by the Office of Personnel Management. 

Technology Usage 

Several policies govern responsible usage of technology. 

Users of university computers are enjoined to use them responsibly 

and ethically, respecting the data, rights of other users, and all 

pertinent license and contractual agreements. The university will not 

monitor individual computer usage or inspect files without “just and 

sufficient cause” of malicious misuse of computing resources. 

The Technology Usage Guidelines and Email Policy apply to all 

Henderson students, faculty, and staff and require that university 

equipment be used ethically, legally, and for work-related purposes. 

Webpage owners or editors are encouraged to assert copyright when 

they own it. They are responsible for complying with all relevant 

copyright laws. 

Ethical Student Behavior 

Specific policies and procedures support Henderson’s emphasis on 

integrity and ethical conduct in research and instructional activities. 

Student conduct is governed by the Student Guide, the Undergraduate 

Catalog, and the Graduate Catalog. 

Henderson students are expected to comply with policies on academic 

misconduct. The University Academic Integrity Discipline Policy lists 

behaviors that constitute academic dishonesty and guidelines for 

sanctions. The university reviews and updates such policies as necessary. 

For instance, in fall 2010 Faculty Senate recommended an 

Academic Grievance Policy, which was returned to the Senate in 

spring 2011 for revision. The issue will be taken up again by the 

Faculty Senate in fall 2011. The Student Code of Conduct defines 

expected and prohibited conduct, outlining the judicial and appeals 

processes for violations. In addition, the Undergraduate Catalog 

clearly defines types of academic dishonesty and lists consequences. 

234

And, the Student Guide includes the Henderson Principles of Public 

Responsibility: 

As a member of the student Body, I will be honest in my academic 

effort by avoiding cheating and plagiarism. I will also be honest 

and truthful in my dealings with others and respect the rights and 

dignity of all persons. 

This statement also appears in the syllabus for Henderson Seminar, 

a transitional course required of all first-time freshmen. Many 

faculty members include this or a similar statement in their syllabi. 

Sample statements include: 

• “Henderson State University considers all forms of plagiarism 

and cheating serious academic disobedience.” (Aneeq Ahmad, 

Psychology) 

• “Plagiarism and/or cheating of any type are violations of the 

Code of Ethics.” (Jim Buckner, Music) 

• “Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism, 

any use of external or unapproved assistance during an examination, 

and any intentional falsification of data or citation. It’s also 

really bad for your karma.” (James Engman, Biology) 

Formal assistance with understanding and avoiding plagiarism is 

available through the Writing Center. Writing Center staff members 

instruct students one-on-one and address Freshman English A and B 

and other classes on request. (See Criterion 3D.) 

Social Responsibility 

Curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular experiences encourage 

all campus community members to relate responsible use of knowledge 

to practicing social responsibility. 

Courses across the curriculum reinforce Henderson’s emphasis on 

social responsibility. 

The Liberal Arts Core includes a nonwestern culture requirement 

because “understanding cultural differences is important to 

fostering a perspective of global concern and acceptance of a 

range of cultural responses. Students completing the Non-Western 

Culture requirement will appreciate the complexity and 

diversity of world cultures.” 

The objective of Teaching People of Other Cultures (EDU 

4543/5543) is “to assist educators in working with a growing and 

unique segment of population from multicultural backgrounds by 

increasing knowledge, sensitivity, and awareness along with the 

strategies necessary to address a culturally diverse population.” 

Media Law and Ethics (MMC 4043) is an in-depth study of 

journalism history, law, ethics, and literature and the interrelation 

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of each with society. 

Ethics (PHI 3113) asks questions such as “How should human 

beings live? What is it to live a good life? Is there such a thing as 

a moral standard? If so, how do we discover it? How do we 

think critically, consistently, and coherently about good, evil, 

and human behavior?” 

Business Ethics (GBU 3123) is a general introduction to the 

aspects of moral philosophy which are relevant to ethical 

decision-making in business and is intended to enhance the 

student’s moral perspective and to enrich his/her knowledge of 

both ethical principles and facts about business practice requisite 

for making informed moral decisions. 

Started in 1999 the Summer Institute for Prospective Students is a 

one-week summer residential program geared toward primarily 

minority high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors selected 

from school districts within Henderson’s service area. Students 

attend sessions on securing scholarships and financial aid, study 

skills, leadership skills, college life, self-esteem, and math anxiety. 

Henderson faculty, staff, and students work collaboratively with 

public school personnel and community members to serve as 

facilitators and supervisors of the sessions and activities. 

A wide range of student organizations provide activities to supplement 

classroom experiences, enhance campus life, and provide 

leadership opportunities. These organizations include Greek life, 

governing councils, honorary organizations, service organizations, 

and departmental clubs, among others. (See Criterion 5B.) 

Henderson’s Greek program offers opportunities for leadership, 

career networking, and community service. Greeks for Gurdon is 

an outstanding outreach program in which fraternity members act 

as mentors, tutors, and counselors to twelve-to-seventeen year old 

children in nearby Gurdon, Arkansas. Organizations which have 

benefited from Henderson Greek activities include: 

• St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis 

(with money raised from the All Greek Council’s Up 

‘Till Dawn event) 

• Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock (Alpha Sigma Tau, 

Alpha Sigma Alpha, and Alpha Xi Delta phonathon) 

• Habitat for Humanity (Alpha Sigma Tau) 

• Humane Society of Clark County 

Individual instructors may offer service learning opportunities in 

class. For example, yoga instructor Elana Johnson’s class celebrated 

National Yoga Day by catching the spirit of the 10/20 Project, 

in which participants commit to using small resources or volunteer 

236

time to make a positive difference in the life of individuals. One 

student wrote: “I have been volunteering my time at the local 

animal shelter. I take the dogs out for a walk, play with the cats, 

and give the people that run the shelter a little break during their 

day.” Another commented, “I am volunteering every Tuesday 

and Thursday at a local elementary school. I am reading to 

students and showing them that reading is fun and beneficial.” 

While Student Services provides recreational and 

entertainment programming for students, this unit also 

brings speakers to campus to educate students on 

alcohol awareness, diversity, leadership, and safe sex 

practices. Recent speakers and 

activities include: 

• Mark Sterner, “DUI: A Powerful Lesson” (fall 2010) 

Mr. Sterner told his heartrending, personal story to 

Henderson Seminar students and made an additional 

presentation in an evening session open to 

everyone on campus. One freshman commented, 

“The speaker today really touched my heart. He made me 

realize how valuable life really is.” 

• Ethan Zohn, “One Big Prize, One Big Diagnosis, Two Tests 

of Character” (fall 2010) Mr. Zohn spoke about character, 

leadership, and service to the community. 

• Neal Scoggins, “Dream from the Mountaintop: Share the 

Legacy, Shape the Future” (spring 2010) Every year in honor 

of Martin Luther King, Jr., a special guest is invited to 

campus to speak at a celebration in Arkansas Hall. 

The Student Activities Board strives to enhance the college 

experience by encouraging student involvement and leadership. 

The majority of Henderson’s more than one hundred 

student organizations participate in Henderson Halloween, a 

community service event open to all Clark county residents 

that provides an alternative to trick or treating door-to-door. 

Each organization hosts a Halloween table where they pass 

out candy, books, and toys to children who attend. Some 

organizations also create a haunted house. Approximately 

2,500 to 3,000 children attend each year. 

The mission of Residence Life is to provide a safe living and 

learning environment that challenges and supports the academic, 

social, and personal development of each residential community 

member through accountability and purposeful educational 

programming. West Hall, for example, has a Service and 

Activism living/learning floor where Residence Life staff assists 

fifty-five students in finding monthly community service projects. 

During fall 2010, Residence Life and First Year Experience staff 

Greeks for Gurdon 

Summer Institute for Prospective 

Students being addressed by 

interim president Bobby Jones 

237


provided over 530 programs and events to all students housed on 

campus. These programs and events centered on diversity, alcohol 

and other drug awareness, sexuality, and risky behaviors, among 

other topics. 

Reddie for Wellness is a Student Health Center disease prevention 

and health promotion program offered to students, faculty, and 

staff. Through personalized, individual sessions based on laboratory 

testing and health screenings, nurses underscore the importance 

of therapeutic lifestyle modification and personal responsibility. 

Session topics include explaining lab results, goal setting, diet, 

exercise recommendations, healthier fast food options, and smoking 

cessation, among others. In fall 2010 fourteen participants in the 

weight loss group lost a combined 69.8 pounds. Student Health 

Services also provides health education programming such as “Go 

Bananas-How to Stay Healthy in College” for the residence halls 

and emails health fact sheets to faculty and staff. In 2010, fact sheets 

covered flu facts, healthy holidays, MRSA, and nicotine addiction. 

(As of August 1, 2010, Henderson became a smoke-free campus.) 

The Sustainability Committee was formed in 2009 to develop 

guidelines for reducing Henderson’s energy use, increasing recycling, 

and promoting environmental stewardship. While changes in 

committee leadership have delayed completion of a comprehensive 

sustainability plan, university administration is committed to supporting 

the efforts of the committee, as evidenced by the addition 

of a budget line for sustainability efforts. 

Summary 

Henderson ensures the application of responsible knowledge 

through a wide variety of programs and activities. Whether it is 

taking a nonwestern culture class that exposes students more fully to 

global concerns or participating at a local level and volunteering in 

Reddie to Serve Day here in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, Henderson 

students are discovering what it means to be citizens of the world. 

With over one hundred student organizations and committees on 

campus, students at Henderson are encouraged to become involved 

and to take on leadership roles, further preparing them for life in 

the “real world.” An example of a campus committee made up of 

faculty, staff, and students is the Sustainability Committee. Formed 

in 2009 this entity demonstrates that Henderson is committed to 

promoting responsible environmental stewardship. The wide array 

of classes, activities, organizations, and committees confirm that 

Henderson is dedicated to ensuring the effective use of education in 

preparing students to become responsible citizens. 

238


Henderson faculty and students are enthusiastically engaged in an 

assortment of research projects. Original research by students is 

encouraged. Opportunities exist for faculty and students to present 

their research in venues where the sharing of knowledge is endorsed. 

Every member of the Henderson community has access to 

professional development opportunities. Offering ample programming 

beyond the classroom, open to various constituents, augments 

the academic life. 

The LAC builds upon the university mission by providing a solid 

underpinning to programs and curricula that are responsive to 

technological change and that reflect a commitment to diversity. 

Henderson’s internal and external review processes are effective in 

assessing program strengths and challenges. Through this ongoing 

process utilizing informal and systematic evaluation, Henderson 

assesses the usefulness of its curriculum to students who will live 

and work in a global society. Faculty, staff, alumni, employers, and 

students are involved in program evaluation processes. Accrediting 

agencies’ standards are also a measure used to determine currency 

and relevance of courses and programs. Learning goals and outcomes 

that include skills and professional competency essential to a 

diverse workforce have been incorporated into the overall curriculum. 

Changes made to the curriculum and programming are a 

result of Henderson’s successful assessment process. 

Henderson ensures the application of responsible knowledge for its 

faculty, staff and students through a wide variety of programs and 

activities. Henderson does promote a life of learning for its faculty, 

administration, staff, and students by fostering and supporting 

inquiry, creativity, practice, and social responsibility in ways consistent 

with its mission. 

Strengths: 

Henderson is committed to academic freedom and incorporates that 

commitment into multiple sources for faculty, staff, and students. 

A strong emphasis on undergraduate research directly supports 

Henderson’s commitment to a life of learning, including release 

time for an undergraduate research director, hosting of the 

annual Arkansas Undergraduate Research Conference, and the 

McNair Program. 

A strong and vibrant Honors College stimulates a life of learning 

among its students and faculty. 

239


Faculty engage in and model scholarly and creative activity, 

steadily increasing the production of grants, articles in refereed 

journals and conference proceedings, books or book chapters, 

reviews, creative productions, oral or poster presentations, creative 

productions, and creative performances. 

Systematic collection of data that can be readily retrieved has 

been a need on which Henderson has recently focused more 

attention. The establishment of the Office of Assessment, the 

creation of the Assessment Team, and the purchase of TracDat 

began this process. The Assessment Team and Office of Assessment 

personnel assist stakeholders with identification of measurable 

program goals and determining learning outcomes that can 

be entered into TracDat. As faculty members become more 

familiar with this tracking program’s capabilities, the data 

generated about program goals and learning outcomes will 

enhance the university’s current assessment process. The recent 

acquisition of the Faculty 180 database is another means that 

the university is employing to better collect and disseminate 

information about the faculty’s scholarship, outreach, and 

campus and community involvement. 

Henderson has much to offer its students. Individual departments 

and schools collect data, synthesize it, and make program and 

curricular decisions based on the data. 

Challenges: 

The committee’s major challenge in preparing the Criterion 4 

report was locating information. Henderson has neither a university-wide 

electronic records keeping system, nor clear policies on 

what should be kept in archives. Henderson should develop a 

records management system for more efficient collection of 

documents and information that includes policies on collection, 

organization, dissemination, and preservation. 

While units across campus base their recommendations for 

improvements upon research, it is not always clear to the larger 

community what that research has revealed or why the recommendations 

have been forwarded and approved. The research 

and data that inform decisions needs to be better preserved 

and communicated. 

Program offerings tend to be well known within individual departments 

or schools but are not always known to others. 

240

More funding for research and professional development opportunities 

for faculty, staff, and students would propel development of 

those persons to even greater heights. The 2010 Strategic Plan 

makes sound recommendations to assist in this endeavor: increasing 

grant funding by 20 percent in two years, hiring a professional grant 

writer or retaining other grant-writing services, reviewing current 

grant writing procedures, and educating faculty and staff on grant 

writing procedures and availability of potential grants. 

Henderson lacks a clearly defined policy on research misconduct 

and needs to address this lack. In addition, policies are scattered 

through various handbooks and university web pages. The committee 

recommends the creation of a well-organized web page dedicated 

to providing access to all university policies. 

241

242

As called for by its mission, 

the organization identifies its 

constituencies and serves 

them in ways both value.

Criterion Five: 

Engagement and 

Service 


Subcommittee Members:: 

Lonnie Jackson 

Instructor, School of Business, 

Co-Chair 

David Thomson 

Director, Honors College, Co-Chair 

Jill Batson 

Instructor, English, Foreign 

Languages, and Philosophy 

Johnny Campbell 

Chief, University Police 

Victor Claar 

Professor, School of Business 

Greg Gibson 

English, Foreign Languages, 

and Philosophy 

John Hardee 

Chemistry and Associate Dean, 

Ellis College 

Calvin Johnson 

Interim Coordinator of Student 

Organization and Multicultural 

Services 

Patti Miley 

Chair, Family and Consumer 

Sciences 

Introduction 

On a Saturday in May, an Arkadelphia high school student prepares 

for his senior prom and the party after called “Project Prom” that 

will take place in the Garrison Activity and Recreation Center on 

the Henderson campus. His younger brother will be in McBrien 

Hall at Henderson for his Saturday morning session of the Arkadelphia 

College Preparatory Academy, a program of the Educational 

Renewal Zone (ERZ), designed to help prepare students to overcome 

areas of academic weakness before attending college. Earlier 

that week, a middle-level school science teacher presented a new 

lesson she developed after participating in a workshop at the South 

Arkansas Math and Science STEM Center, while another teacher 

knew how to respond to a difficult issue in a classroom because of a 

professional development workshop he attended as part of the ERZ. 

Two senior citizens walk into Huie Library to check out a book 

recommended at a free lecture they attended as part of the Ellis 

College community classes. There they meet a man learning how 

to create a résumé using the software LearningExpress Library, 

which the library purchased when it doubled the number of 

community computers after the economic situation increased 

unemployment in the area. He is in the process of completing his 

GED with the help of the Community Education Center, which 

reached out to him at his workplace after the business he worked 

for announced layoffs. In response to those layoffs that seem all too 

frequent, Henderson faculty, staff, and administrators volunteer 

their time and work on the committee and subcommittees of the 

Clark County Strategic Planning Process, a group working to 

improve the lives and economy of the people of Clark county. 

The lives of the residents in Arkadelphia, as well as the surrounding 

towns and counties, are intertwined with Henderson. While some 

might not immediately see how the university has affected them, the 

impact on the community has been significant and far-reaching. 

Henderson’s commitment to and capacity for engagement and service 

is directly expressed in its mission statement, most obviously in 

its explicit commitment to improving the quality of life in Arkansas: 

“Henderson builds appropriate programs in response to the needs 

of various communities that it serves. In close concert with these 

communities, Henderson applies its expertise to develop those 

programs that will promote the preservation and improvement of 

the quality of life in Arkansas.” That portion of the mission statement 

emphasizes the long-standing and well-known assertion that 

Henderson is, indeed, “The School with a Heart.” Because of the 

university’s clear commitment to community, it is not surprising that 

efforts begin at the top; however, engagement with and service to the 

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community permeates every level of the university down to the individual 

members. In the course of its work to prepare this section of the 

current self-study, the subcommittee polled the various areas of the 

university and was overwhelmed by the sheer number and rich variety 

of engagement and service efforts. The wealth of information submitted 

by the individual departments regarding the services they perform 

can be found in the survey grids generated as a response. 

Whether through institutional outreach programs, department or 

college initiatives, student groups organizing for change, or individual 

students and employees volunteering time and expertise, Henderson 

serves its constituencies in ways that enrich the lives of those in both 

the community and the university. 

CORE COMPONENT 5A: The organization learns 

from the constituencies it serves and analyzes its capacity 

to serve their needs and expectations. 

Commitment to Engagement and Service 

Henderson’s commitment to and capacity for engagement and service 

begins with—and flows directly from—its mission statement: “Henderson 

builds appropriate programs in response to the needs of the 

various communities which it serves. In close concert with these 

communities, Henderson applies its expertise to develop those programs 

that will promote the preservation and improvement of the 

quality of life in Arkansas.” Henderson proactively seeks to identify 

the needs of the people of Arkansas, especially the surrounding 

communities, and to use the expertise of higher education to work 

with those communities to meet their needs. As Arkansas’s public 

liberal arts institution, Henderson understands the value of education 

to transform individuals and communities, and a commitment to 

engagement and service permeates all levels of the university. 

As part of its guiding philosophy, “Ellis College seeks to promote 

service to students, faculty, and the larger community. Faculty and 

students are encouraged to engage in significant service to others as 

their time and talents permit.” In its vision, Teachers College “aspires 

to educate professionals who make a positive difference in the lives of 

individuals and their communities.” The School of Business mission 

specifically aspires to collaborate with engaged partners in experiential 

learning activities. Individual units also often indicate their various 

commitments to engagement and service within their missions: 

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Joyce Shepherd 

Associate Professor, Sociology 

Drew Smith 

Director, Center for International 

Programs 

Lynn Stanley 

Health, Physical Education, 

Recreation, and Athletic Training 

Katherine Strause 

Chair, Art 

Sheryl Strother 

Assistant Director, Community 

Education Center 

Anita Williams 

Professor, School of Business 

Beth Wyatt 

Assistant Professor, Advanced 

Instructional Studies 

• The goal of the art department is to prepare students “to be 

ethical citizens who are advocates for art in society and who 

recognize art as a vehicle for social and personal awareness.” 

• The goal of the business administration program is “to serve as 

a resource for the business community in the areas of consulting, 

training, and economic development.” 

• The counselor education program “is committed to offering 

studies…leading to the personal growth of students and ultimately 

benefiting the diverse client groups they serve.” 

Henderson has a long tradition of commitment to the community, 

a fact that the HLC visiting team acknowledged in its report and 

response to Henderson’s 2001 Institutional Self-Study Report to the 

Higher Learning Commission on “Initiative Six: Partnering and 

Collaboration.” With President Welch’s arrival, that commitment 

became an even higher priority, and he used many statewide speaking 

engagements to connect to communities throughout Arkansas. 

Recognizing that Henderson needed coordinated efforts to identify 

the community needs that the university has the capacity to fulfill, 

President Welch presented an initiative to the Board of Trustees in 

2009 to fill an administrative vacancy by creating a new position: 

Vice President for External Affairs. 

The Office of External Affairs exists to “develop and promote 

educational, economic, and community growth” in the region. To 

meet this commitment, the office “is reaching out to non-traditional 

students” in a variety of ways, is “working with two-year institutions” 

to facilitate the transition process for students coming to 

Henderson to earn baccalaureate degrees, and is “encouraging 

students, faculty, and staff to become involved in community service 

and civic engagement.” This new office has already been active in 

putting the Henderson community to work fulfilling needs identified 

by the Arkadelphia community. 

Environmental Scanning 

While the new position of Vice President for External Affairs will 

assist the university to more systematically scan and assist the needs 

of the community, scanning has been occurring at many levels of 

the university for many years. For instance, a decade ago, environmental 

scanning by Teachers College indicated that of the 310 

school superintendents in the state, 160 would be retiring within five 

years, creating a tremendous demand for educational leaders. To 

meet that need, Teachers College worked with the Arkansas Department 

of Education (ADE), Arkansas Department of Higher 

Education (ADHE), other Arkansas four-year institutions offering 

the Ed.S. degree, and a diverse group of in-state stakeholders 

including the Arkansas Leadership Academy and the Arkansas 

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Association of Educational Administrators (AAEA) to create a new 

educational specialist degree program at Henderson. 

The Department of Aviation works closely with the City of Arkadelphia’s 

Airport Committee to address immediate local needs of 

the aviation community. The department manages the airfield by 

overseeing and maintaining the facility to ensure that local aviation 

customers are provided with safe and adequate resources, as well as 

any on-field services they need. As per a Memorandum of Understanding 

entered into by Henderson and the city of Arkadelphia 

and approved by the state of Arkansas, the department meets the 

needs of the local aviation constituents in a number of specific 

ways. Aviation serves the city of Arkadelphia by maintaining 

hangar space, providing ramp space, offering line and towing 

services, maintaining fuel inventory, providing a facility featuring 

flight planning services, and assisting with local air traffic advisories 

by providing daily on-site customer service. The department also 

meets the needs of local farmers, agriculturists, and timber industries 

by providing services and support to aerial agriculture applicators. 

A department representative regularly meets with the city 

Airport Committee to discuss the ongoing, changing needs of the 

constituents and the best methods of meeting those needs. The 

airport managers also engage in Arkansas Department of Aeronautics 

and the Arkansas Airport Operations Association by representing 

regional aviation constituents in commission meetings, conferences, 

and board discussions, as well as hosting events and 

encouraging both external and internal constituent involvement. 

Henderson’s Community Education Center (CEC) has supported 

the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance by 

assisting with a workforce analysis conducted in the region. The 

results of this study suggest a need for the center to undergo another 

name change. The proposed name, Henderson Center for 

Workforce Development, is currently being considered and discussions 

have been held on the positive and negative impact an additional 

name change might have. The proposed name would better 

reflect the workforce development function of the center and help 

with marketing for economic development. Another finding of the 

study suggests a workforce that lacks a strong work ethic. The CEC 

is currently working on new programs that will address these issues 

for employers. In addition, the CEC staff meets periodically with 

business and industry representatives to determine what training 

programs might assist the current workforce and what issues need 

to be addressed in the area to ensure that a pool of skilled workers 

exists in the current and future workforce. Two such meetings are 

Business After Hours, which is hosted by the Arkadelphia Chamber 

of Commerce, and the quarterly Industrial Breakfast, which is 

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hosted by the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development 

Alliance and the Henderson Small Business and Technology Development 

Center (SBTDC). 

One of the most significant environmental scanning and planning 

initiatives in which Henderson has taken part is the Clark County 

Strategic Plan. Sponsored by Henderson, Ouachita Baptist University, 

the Joint Educational Consortium, and the Ross Foundation, 

the Clark County Strategic Planning process has always had a 

representative of the university serving as co-chair (currently Lewis 

Shepherd, Vice President for External Affairs) and multiple representatives 

of Henderson on the subcommittees that examined the 

realities, goals, and visions of the county and developed plans to 

realize those goals and visions. This comprehensive planning 

document organized the community’s long-term vision into fortyone 

strategic goals and 254 actionable items, a blueprint for change 

with workable plans of action that provided for organized community 

engagement in a comprehensive process involving each of the 

five fundamental pillars of community life: economic development 

(both tourism and job creation), housing, education, leadership 

development, and healthcare. In addition to the Steering Committee 

Co-chair, two of the five subcommittee co-chairs of the Clark 

County Strategic Plan are representatives of Henderson. 

Diversity 

Henderson has been able to use its institutional resources to recognize 

and reach out to the diversity of people in its communities. 

One example is the Summer Institute for Prospective Students 

offered by the Office of External Affairs-Diversity, which is devoted 

specifically to students, frequently minorities, who might not be 

encouraged to attend college. The goals of the institute are to 

expose these high school students to postsecondary education and 

to assist in the transition from high school to college. 

Arkansas’s rural and racially diverse population has a significant 

array of issues that interfere with access to education. After identifying 

many of these issues, Henderson has applied for and received 

federal grants to fund six TRIO programs: 

In Arkansas 18.5 percent of the population lives in poverty, and 

many more live close to it. Thus, the mission of one of the TRIO 

programs, the Educational Talent Search is “to increase the number 

of youths from disadvantaged backgrounds who complete high 

school and enroll in post-secondary education.” Talent Search 

provides tutoring, career guidance, guidance in applications for 

college admission, scholarships, and financial aid for six hundred 

students in grades six through twelve and assists high school drop- 

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outs in completing their high school equivalency requirements. 

Talent Search provides social, cultural, and academic enrichment; 

exposure to college campuses and activities; mentoring programs; 

and workshops for families of participants. 

In a depressed economy, the number of unemployed and underemployed 

persons in Arkansas is large. The Educational Opportunity 

Center serves these adults who wish to pursue further education as a 

means for advancement by providing information regarding opportunities 

for postsecondary education and training, academic advice 

and assistance in course selection, assistance in completing college 

admission and financial aid applications, assistance in preparing for 

college entrance examinations, and guidance on GED programs or 

other alternative education programs for secondary school dropouts. 

The Educational Opportunity Center serves over one thousand 

participants per year in twenty-two counties. (See Criterion 3C.) 

Many veterans who are returning to Arkansas from active duty face 

employment and occupational barriers. According to David Fletcher, 

Director of the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs, there 

are 257,625 veterans residing in Arkansas. Of this total, 60,352 

veterans reside in Henderson’s targeted counties. Henderson identified 

the need to help these veterans with retraining and education. 

Thus, Henderson applied for and received a TRIO grant to establish 

a Veterans Upward Bound Program on campus in order to 

provide opportunities for postsecondary education and retraining 

for area veterans. Henderson’s registrar’s office serves as the university’s 

liaison to Veterans Affairs to help veterans use their educational 

benefits. Since 2008 Henderson’s registrar’s office has served 555 

veterans by processing applications for VA benefits and certifying 

enrollment in order for veterans to receive VA housing allowances 

and/or educational stipends. 

Once enrolled in college, first-generation and low-income students 

still face obstacles to continuing and finishing their educations. 

Henderson hosts two separate TRIO programs to provide support 

for these students: Student Support Services and Student Support 

Services-Disabled (Disability Resource Center). Student Support 

Services provides a “supportive environment for academic success, 

retention, career planning, and college graduation… by helping 

students make adjustments to living away from home, monitoring 

student progress to insure good academic standing, [and] providing 

students with academic tutoring, support groups, workshops and 

academic advice.” The Disability Resource Center assists “in 

creating an accessible university community where students with 

disabilities have an equal opportunity to fully participate in all 

aspects of the educational environment.” The Disability Resource 

Henderson’s Veterans Upward 

Bound Veterans Day event 

2011 Christmas parade 

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Center provides adapted testing, alternative print formats, success 

strategies, tutoring, notetakers, guidance and academic advisement, 

assistance with gaining accessible university housing accommodations, 

an assistive/adaptive technology computer lab, and more. 

The sixth and final TRIO program, the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate 

Achievement Program, provides disadvantaged college 

students with effective preparation for doctoral studies. The majority 

of the participants are low-income individuals who are first-generation 

college students, with the remainder coming from groups who 

are underrepresented in graduate education. Many times, students 

from these backgrounds do not have outside support to guide them 

toward doctoral studies, and the McNair program provides opportunities 

for research or other scholarly activities to provide students 

with effective preparation for doctoral study. The McNair Program 

also offers summer internships, seminars, tutoring, academic counseling, 

mentoring, and assistance with securing admission to and 

financial assistance for enrollment in graduate programs. 

Outreach Programs 

In addition to the TRIO programs mentioned above, Henderson 

provides multiple outreach programs in line with the university 

mission that respond to community needs. Programs such as The 

Alliance for Continuing Excellence in Education and a host of 

programs under the Southwest-A Education Renewal Zone, all 

discussed later in this section, meet the community’s needs by 

preparing better teachers who will, in turn, better prepare students 

for college. Other programs fulfill the mission as a public institution 

to promote the education, economic health, and welfare of the 

state. Outreach programs, in the ways described below, assist in 

education, economic development, and the improvement of individual 

lives in southwest Arkansas. 

South Arkansas Math and Science STEM Center 

The South Arkansas Math and Science STEM Center (SAMSSC) 

is dedicated to improving student achievement in the areas of 

science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. 

This is accomplished by providing professional development in 

these areas to K-12 educators and pre-service teachers at Henderson. 

The emphasis of all professional development workshops is 

teaching students how to think, not what to think, through inquirystyle 

teaching methods. Teachers and pre-service teachers are 

instructed in lessons that require students to take charge of their 

own learning and develop understandings of mathematics and 

science concepts through activities which apply thinking skills, 

practice, and self-reflection. Lessons in all areas of mathematics, life 

science, earth science, physical science, and environmental science 

250

are provided for educators. SAMSSC provides content instruction 

and teaching resources to pre-service teachers in Teachers College 

and the middle school math and science methods classes in the Ellis 

College. In-service training sessions are conducted during intern 

orientation meetings with Teachers College and during professional 

development days for Henderson faculty and pre-service teachers. 

These professional development days are sponsored by the Southwest-A 

Education Renewal Zone. 

M.H. Russell Center for Economic Education 

The M. H. Russell Center for Economic Education is a public 

service branch of Henderson. Certified by the Council on Economic 

Education, the center coordinates with Economics Arkansas to 

provide programs designed to encourage an economic way of 

thinking and problem solving on the part of educators, so that they 

in turn can encourage their students to use that understanding in 

their everyday lives. The office of the M. H. Russell Center for 

Economic Education is housed within Teachers College in the 

Education Center. 

Community Education Center (CEC) 

The mission of the Community Education Center (CEC) is to 

provide training opportunities to businesses, industries, and individuals 

in Clark county and the surrounding area. These programs 

are created to enhance skills that will improve quality of life for all 

area citizens and assure a well-trained workforce that will enhance 

regional economic growth. This mission is accomplished through 

collaboration with area universities, two-year colleges, and specialized 

training providers. 

SAMSSC workshop 

participants 

The goals of the CEC, listed below, indicate the center’s specific 

mission to engage with its constituents to build a stronger and more 

vibrant community: 

• Improve the quality of life in the community 

• Meet the specialized training needs of businesses and industries 

in the area 

• Maintain open, accurate, and responsive communication with 

local businesses, industries, and educational partners 

The CEC offers customized training programs to fit the direct 

needs of local businesses and industries. These training programs 

are created to assist companies in maximizing their training dollars 

while minimizing the time participants must be away from their 

jobs. All course material is approved by company representatives 

before classes begin. The CEC seeks opportunities to help dislocated 

workers when an area company has a layoff. Surveys are 

SAMSSC Junior Academy of 

Math and Science summer 

camp 2011 

251


distributed to the dislocated workers to identify areas in which they 

might be interested in receiving additional training. Based on the 

results of the surveys, training classes are scheduled to meet the 

needs of these individuals. One such survey resulted in an overwhelming 

request for basic computer classes, so a class was scheduled 

to accommodate the interested participants. The response was 

so great that two classes were held to meet area needs. 

Small Business and Technology Development Center 

The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center 

(SBTDC) is a university-based economic development program that 

provides assistance to entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout 

Arkansas via a statewide network of seven offices. The SBTDC 

network is funded by the Small Business Administration along with 

a partnership with each host institution that houses its offices. As 

the state’s premier business assistance program, the SBTDC is 

dedicated to helping small businesses achieve success and to promoting 

economic development throughout the state. The SBTDC 

is vital to the local business community as a resource for consulting, 

training, and research related to start-up or existing businesses. The 

center also provides a valuable resource to business owners requesting 

loans to start or expand their businesses. The Henderson Small 

Business and Technology Development Center facilitates approximately 

fifty client/student/faculty projects per year, partnering 

student groups with clients on projects such as business plan development, 

marketing planning, human resources and OSHA review, 

retail planning, consumer behavior, sales management, and graphic 

design. These projects allow the students to get real-world experience 

while at the same time creating value for the businesses they 

work with. The small business clients frequently have a positive 

experience working with the students and gain insight they would 

not have received otherwise. In addition at each college SBTDC 

offers training courses that are offered to student groups as well as 

to the general public. 

Summary 

Henderson has always valued its connections to the community and 

has been committed to serving the needs of the immediate community 

and the state of Arkansas. The new position, Vice President for 

External Affairs, will help Henderson accomplish this more effectively 

by enhancing outreach programs, reflecting the diversity of 

the community, and scanning the needs and expectations of the 

community. Henderson acknowledges that it cannot meet all the 

needs of the community, but it successfully marshals resources to 

respond to those needs that it is most able to meet. 

252

CORE COMPONENT 5B: The organization has the 

capacity and the commitment to engage with its identified 

constituencies and communities. 

Henderson demonstrates its capacity and commitment to engage with 

its identified constituencies and communities through careful planning 

and organization for engagement at the highest levels of the university’s 

leadership, as well as through the university’s various divisions 

and departments. 

Henderson seeks to offer a comprehensive program of engagement 

that uses co-curricular activities and programs that connect students, 

faculty, and staff with external communities in order to create both 

one-time and ongoing opportunities for engagement and service. The 

relationships between internal and external communities provide 

opportunities for all parties to better themselves, the university, and 

the community. Toward this effort, Henderson utilizes physical, 

financial, and human resources which testify to the university’s capacity 

to engage with constituents and communities. 

Planning and Organizing for Engagement 

Henderson seeks to engage with its identified constituencies and 

communities through organizing efforts at the university level, as well 

as at the level of individual divisions and departments. In doing so, 

Henderson is committed to including engagement and service as a 

part of strategic planning at the highest levels of the university’s 

administration. 

The 2010 Strategic Plan has put forth four goals that specifically 

address Henderson’s desire to engage with its constituencies and 

communities: 

• The university will enhance its recruitment strategies and efforts by 

2012. 

• Henderson will increase community awareness and involvement 

by 2012. 

• The university will engage the local community to enhance the 

benefits for students to come to the Arkadelphia area. 

• Henderson will serve as a model of environmental responsibility to 

the community. 

These four goals, which make up almost one-fourth of the stated goals 

within the full 2010 Strategic Plan, demonstrate Henderson’s strong 

commitment toward planning for ongoing, long-term engagement 

with its primary constituents and communities. Under each of these 

goals, the plan also states clear objectives, strategies, and activities that 

support the accomplishment of these goals. Moreover, each objective 

identifies the resources needed, as well as the departments and person- 

Mary Elizabeth Eldridge of the 

Ross Foundation presents a check 

to the SBTDC to sponsor a Human 

Resources Management seminar 

series conducted at Henderson. 

From left to right: Lonnie Jackson 

(Henderson SBTDC Center Director), 

Charles Welch (Henderson 

President), Deanna Gourley, Kelly 

Massey, Leah Hasley, Eldridge 

(Ross Foundation) 

253


nel responsible for carrying forth each stated objective to completion. 

A time frame is also attached to each objective, and evaluation 

criteria are clarified. 

In addition to the university’s commitment to a planning and 

organizing process by which to engage its constituents, the appointment 

of a Vice President for External Affairs is another example of 

Henderson’s recognition of the need to establish well-defined 

structures and processes that enable the university to make long 

term connections with the communities it seeks to serve. This 

position serves as the primary contact for external relationships, 

including those Henderson creates and maintains with high schools, 

community colleges, and local businesses and organizations. Creating 

this new, cabinet-level position ensures Henderson’s commitment 

to specific planning for continual and cohesive engagement 

and service. 

gure 5B-1 

udents assemble playground equipent 

during Reddie to Serve Day. 

Under the guidance of the Office of External Affairs, Henderson 

students, faculty, staff, and alumni participated in the first “Reddie 

to Serve Day” on Saturday, September 11, 2010. Over four hundred 

Henderson volunteers showed up at 8:00 a.m. ready to tackle 

the fifty scheduled projects. Projects ranged from assembling 

playground equipment at the local elementary school to raking 

leaves and mowing yards in the community. Advertisements were 

placed in the local newspaper and on radio stations to determine 

where assistance was needed in the community. Phone calls concerning 

citizens needing assistance in one area or another were 

received up to the afternoon before the event. This outreach 

project would not have been a success without the cooperation of 

the Henderson community members who volunteered not only 

time but also lawnmowers and other yard equipment; Aramark 

Catering, who provided breakfast for workers; Southern Bancorp 

who provided lunch; and the City of Arkadelphia Sanitation 

Department, who agreed to pick up all trash and debris that was 

placed on curbs. Another “Reddie to Serve Day” was held on 

February 26, 2011, and 250 Henderson students, faculty, and staff 

spread out across the community to pick up trash along the streets 

and do yard work at several locations. Some of the volunteers 

helped clean at the Humane Society of Clark County, while others 

walked dogs and brushed cats. In all, the volunteers completed 

more than twenty-five projects. According to the best calculations, 

the latest Reddie to Serve day in October 2011 enlisted more than 

500 students, faculty, staff, and volunteers who completed 55 

projects. The response of the Henderson participants and the 

community has insured that this event will continue to be planned 

once a semester. 

254

In November 2010 Group Living, Incorporated, a private, non-profit 

organization that serves adults with developmental disabilities, moved 

locations and called Henderson for assistance. The Vice President for 

External Affairs coordinated efforts, and President Welch allowed 

Henderson employees to take work time to volunteer in this important 

community service. Twenty-eight employees signed in, logging 30.75 

volunteer hours. These hours away from regular work were valuable 

contributions to this important community institution by both Henderson 

employees and the university itself. 

Communication and Connections 

In addition to planning for engagement with the broader community, 

Henderson works to communicate with its constituencies and the 

public. The Office of Public Relations serves as the strategic center for 

Henderson’s communications. The office is responsible for maintaining 

relationships with the press and media, coordinating university 

marketing, producing print publications, maintaining the university 

brand, and developing and maintaining the university website. Public 

relations is always looking for better ways to communicate with the 

public and with Henderson’s community constituencies. The office 

often fields requests from the press for academics with specialized 

knowledge or expertise. In order to better facilitate the connection 

between reporters and faculty, in fall 2011 the Henderson website will 

tap the Faculty180 database specializations fields to place the names 

and contact information of faculty members on the website with their 

areas of expertise. Individual faculty members will be able to update 

their expertise through the Faculty180 database. 

Henderson Cheer Squad 

makes do without a 

ladder while working 

Reddie to Serve Day 

Recognizing that the university’s website needed 

redesign to better meet the information needs of 

outside constituents, Public Relations oversaw the 

process in 2010. Stamats Higher Education Marketing 

(Stamats) was hired to assist in the redesign 

because this higher education marketing company 

provides a solid understanding of the perceptions, 

motivations, and behaviors of the key audiences 

Henderson attracts to its website. The new Henderson 

website was strategically planned and based on 

Stamats’ market research, and the navigation was 

designed to be intuitive, direct, and logical for 

Henderson’s audiences. 

Henderson as a university engages in activities that 

make connections between the university and the 

community. For instance, Henderson regularly hosts 

Chamber of Commerce coffees. 

255


From President Welch’s speaking engagements across the state to a 

faculty member’s speech to the local Kiwanis Club, individual 

members make connections with Henderson’s communities. In 

2010 alone, 117 faculty members reported 268 community service 

activities, ranging from serving as board members for local nonprofit 

groups such as Courage House (for Abused Women and 

Children) to volunteer council for the Arkadelphia Human Development 

Center to president of the local Lions Club. In response to 

a survey on voluntarism, sixty-nine faculty, staff, and students 

estimated that they volunteered 8,724 hours in four categories: 

direct service, indirect service, advocacy, and boards, commissions, 

or advisory councils. In addition to normal avenues of volunteer 

work, the hundreds of smaller examples of university-community 

engagement cannot be adequately captured in a report: faculty 

members travelling to the Garland County Library to deliver 

presentations on Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, the role of women 

of the American Civil War, or the popularity of hard-boiled detective 

fiction and film noir; faculty and staff members who actively 

participate in service-oriented organizations—Rotary, Kiwanis, the 

United Way, the Red Cross—within their respective communities; 

and faculty members who serve on the boards of nationally recognized 

community institutions, such as Habitat for Humanity. While 

many of these smaller contributions may go unnoticed or undocumented, 

they remain an important component in Henderson’s goal 

of community outreach. 

Engagement through Extracurricular and 

Co-curricular Activities 

Part of the impact of engagement and service is the way Henderson, 

through its various departments and organizations, connects 

students and faculty in collaborative efforts to engage in co-curricular 

activities that offer services to constituents and that expose 

students and faculty to a diverse group of external communities. 

These co-curricular activities are coordinated by different academic 

departments, student clubs, and other divisions within the university, 

and they provide out-of-the-classroom experiences that serve 

the mission of the university. 

Many student groups engage in community projects such as 

Reddie to Serve Day or local philanthropy projects throughout 

the year. For example, students from the Arete Society of the 

Honors College, the Rotaract Club, Heart and Key, and other 

campus groups routinely participate in the annual DeGray lake 

Shoreline Cleanup, and the three named organizations also 

participate each spring in the AETN TV fundraising drive, raise 

money and donate to the county’s United Way campaign, volunteer 

at the county humane society, and provide assistance with 

256

concessions at the county’s Relay for Life event each spring. The 

Student Activities Board hosts two blood drives each academic 

year. The student organization known as D.I.R.T. (Developing, 

Informing, Reclaiming, and Transforming) has made numerous 

advancements in increasing the knowledge in the community 

about the importance of recycling. Together, the Student Activities 

Board and D.I.R.T. purchased recycling bins that have been 

used at Henderson and in the local community. 

Greek organizations at Henderson also take the commitment to 

service and engagement seriously. The National Pan-Hellenic 

Council (NPHC) implements two community service joint projects 

per semester. In fall 2010 the council raised funds to assist the 

Arkadelphia public schools’ food pantry for Thanksgiving. In 

December NPHC Organizations adopted an Arkadelphia child as a 

part of the Central Arkansas Development Council Christmas 

Scholarship Program. The entire Greek community assisted three 

students of Boone Park Elementary in North Little Rock, Arkansas. 

These students’ families lost their homes and everything that they 

owned, including Christmas gifts, to a fire over Christmas Break. 

The Greek community began raising funds to help find housing, 

clothes, and other needed items for the family. Not including the 

numerous clothes, food, and school supplies, the entire Greek 

community contributed in raising more than $2,000 for the family. 

NPHC board members also began a mentoring program in the 

spring of 2009 called “Greeks for Gurdon.” The program is in 

partnership with Gurdon School District. Members of Henderson’s 

NPHC Greek organizations, along with members of Inter-Fraternal 

Council (IFC), Pan-Hellenic, and service organizations mentor 

between thirty-seven and forty-two 7 th and 8 th graders at Cabe 

Middle School in Gurdon, Arkansas. The program aims to help 

students understand the importance of education, youth leadership, 

positive self-esteem, and community service. Alpha Phi Omega, one 

of Henderson’s service organizations, assisted with some of the 

following volunteer activities in 2010-2011: participated in Highway 

Clean-Up, prepared programs for National Alcohol and Drug 

Addiction Recovery Month, raised money during an APO game 

night for Courage House, provided women and children of Courage 

House Thanksgiving dinner, and also handed out pamphlets for 

National Glaucoma Awareness Month. The Phi Lambda Chi 

Fraternity raised money in fall 2010 to purchase school supplies for 

local underprivileged children. The IFC sent fraternity members to 

the Arkadelphia Boys and Girls Club to support local youth and 

help out the facility as needed. During Greek Week, the All-Greek 

Council determines a philanthropy for which they would like to 

raise money during the week’s activities. In the recent past, the 

Students and scholarship 

donors meet at Heart and Key 

awards assembly 

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community raised money with a program called Greek God and 

Goddess. Each fraternity and sorority nominates a member and 

throughout the week money is placed in the jars to determine a 

winner. In the recent past, the Greek Community has raised 

money for Courage House, Habitat for Humanity, and the Humane 

Society of Clark County. 

The event that brings most student groups together with the 

largest number of people in the community, however, is Henderson 

Halloween. This event has become a grand tradition in Arkadelphia 

where residents and their children trick-or-treat in the 

safety of the Garrison Center. Student organizations set up decorated 

tables lining the halls of the Garrison Center and members 

(often costumed themselves) give out candy, toys, and books to 

thousands of costumed trick-or-treaters every year. Although there 

is no way to count exactly how many, in 2004 the crowd was 

estimated at 3,000, and every year the event seems to grow. Due to 

its immense popularity, in 2010 Henderson partnered with 

Ouachita Baptist University to hold the event downtown. 

Academic clubs associated with particular departments also 

connect the university mission and their discipline to community 

service and engagement. The School of Business Club plans and 

implements a networking event to give potential employers or 

internship providers an opportunity to meet with School of 

Business majors who are preparing to graduate or who are seeking 

internship opportunities. The quality of the event is difficult to 

measure, but the event results in invitations for interviews, job 

offers, and internships, indicating that the event is worthwhile. 

One measure of success is the attendance of forty-eight students 

and twenty-one organizations in fall 2010. 

Through their participation in the English Club, students have been 

involved in the local community through volunteering to tutor and 

to read in local school classes. The club has also sponsored a book 

drive, which involved collecting books and then donating them to 

the local schools. These service- oriented activities provide much 

needed literacy education to children and give Henderson students, 

many of whom will enter the education field as school teachers, the 

opportunity to hone their communication skills. 

Another illustration of co-curricular efforts to engage external communities 

is the psychology department’s efforts through the Psi Chi 

International Honor Society, the Psychology Club, and its practicum 

students. These groups involve both students and faculty in important 

presentations at regional and national conferences on important 

societal issues such as parenting, bystander apathy, abortion/adoption, 

and animal rights. Such co-curricular engagement offers not 

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only student and faculty interactions, but also provides students occasions 

to enter a dialogue with other students on these issues. 

In a variety of ways, the student clubs in natural sciences engage with 

external constituencies and communities through co-curricular 

activities. These constituencies include elementary students, high 

school students, other undergraduate students, and citizens of the 

community. Both the Chemistry Club and the Society of Physics 

Students engage with external communities by presenting demonstrations 

from their fields of study. The Chemistry Club demonstrates 

chemical experiments for area elementary schools and retirement 

homes, and the Society of Physics Students and the physics faculty 

hold “Star Parties” to involve high school students and members of 

the community at large in learning about astronomy. The society also 

presents a “Circus” of science demonstrations for elementary and 

high school students. 

Teachers College students engage with communities through activities 

in which students are an important driving force. Students are responsible 

for organizing, collecting, scheduling, and distributing books to 

schools. Students also engage with external communities through 

observation hours, book fairs, Read Across America day, school 

supplies drives, food drives, and Relay for Life. These activities provide 

students with meaningful community engagement that teaches 

them the value of community service within their own field of study. 

Henderson music faculty members participate in Mass Brass and 

Percussion, a performing group made up of retired faculty, alumni, 

and students, as well as faculty members and students from other 

universities, including Ouachita Baptist University, Southern Arkansas 

University, University of Arkansas-Monticello, and the University 

of Central Arkansas. This group performs four free concerts annually 

throughout the region. All members of the group are volunteers who 

donate their time and travel expenses. In addition, music faculty 

members and students perform throughout the year on and off 

campus and attend public school music performances throughout the 

region. The music department produces advertisement fliers 

which detail each event. 

Henderson Halloween at 

the Garrison Center 

Henderson faculty members have helped community leaders and 

Ouachita Baptist University faculty to secure a grant to fund the 

opening of the Arkadelphia Arts Center in fall 2011. The Arkadelphia 

Arts Center will be a place to provide community art 

classes, the Henderson K-12 Art Lab, meeting spaces for local art 

groups, and local and national exhibitions. The Arts Center will 

also serve all art groups in Clark county: literature, music, visual 

art, theatre, and dance. 

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Engaging Students with External Communities 

One of the values of attending Henderson is the ease with which 

students can engage with external communities. The small size of 

both the university and the local community offers a small-town 

context in which connections between students and members of the 

local community can be cultivated. These relationships are valuable 

to both students and external communities alike. 

External communities are sometimes explicitly linked to the curriculum, 

such as in the human services mission statement: “The 

challenge accepted by our faculty is to develop a curriculum to 

integrate formal instruction with activities outside the classroom 

such as internships in social agencies, research in the community, 

service learning experience, and technology to enhance learning.” 

One example of how that program achieves its mission is the 

fifteen-hour certificate program in gerontology, in which students 

gain field experience by being placed in agencies to receive instruction 

from qualified practitioners. This fieldwork offers students 

hands-on experience in working with the elderly and is an essential 

component for anyone pursuing a degree in human services. 

Internships are the most obvious and useful manner in which 

educational programs connect students with external communities. 

The disciplines of athletic training, aviation, communication, 

education, business, history, mass media, and political science all 

offer off-campus internships for credit. Other departments offer 

practicums or apprenticeships, such as the art department, which 

allows students to earn college credit for serving as apprentices in 

museums, studios, galleries, or other art-related establishments. 

Many other programs encourage their students to practice the 

knowledge learned in their curricula by working with external 

communities. Secondary art education students at Henderson work 

with local P-12 students through ARTLab and also volunteer 

annually to teach lessons at the Artchurch in Hot Springs. 

From 1990 through 2008, the School of Business regularly fielded 

Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) teams. “SIFE is an international 

non-profit organization that works with leaders in business and 

higher education to mobilize university students to make a difference 

in their communities while developing the skills to become 

socially responsible business leaders. Participating students form 

teams on their university campuses and apply business concepts to 

develop outreach projects that improve the quality of life and 

standard of living for people in need.” 

The School of Business offers internships and has also developed 

the Business Mentorship Experience which matches students with 

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external business mentors to the benefit of both, as mentors “meet 

potential employees and evaluate their capabilities in an informal 

relationship and network with other business people who are participating 

as mentors.” The “Business Beyond the Classroom” program 

and the Student Managed Investment Fund are two additional ways 

that the School of Business connects their students with the larger 

community and real-world experiences. 

Within the Family and Consumer Sciences department, students 

connect beyond Henderson’s campus through internships and other 

off-campus field placements, clinics, and class projects. For example, 

the Dietetics program, currently granted initial accreditation status by 

the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) of 

the American Dietetic Association (ADA), connects students with 

external communities through clinical practicums and rotations in 

healthcare settings and foodservice operations. These students are also 

connected with the external communities through health fairs, nutrition 

education in the public schools, internships, and class projects. 

The child care management, fashion merchandising, and foods and 

nutrition programs connect students with the external community 

through practicums, internships, and class projects. Students are likely 

to be found working in food-service establishments, hospitals, nursing 

homes, fashion retail locations, and public schools. 

Teachers College engages students and faculty primarily through 

educational assistance programs offered to local schools and community 

members. Such services include substitute teaching, tutoring, advising 

and mentoring school teachers, assisting parents with educational needs, 

and serving on school boards and educational committees. 

Music students engage with external constituents through a variety 

of performances. The Wind Ensemble makes annual tours, alternating 

between Arkansas and East Texas. The Concert Choir, Chamber 

Chorale, and Opera Workshop conduct semi-annual performance 

tours. The Flute Choir recently performed at Arkansas 

Children’s Hospital. 

Theatre arts and dance students are also involved in performances 

that engage students with off-campus constituents. Students perform 

a festival of short plays for public performance each fall semester. 

Students whose career choice is teaching attend the Arkansas Communication 

and Theatre Arts Conference with educators from all 

over the state. Design and technology students have attended both 

the United States Institute of Theatre Technology conference and 

the Southwest Region Symposiums of the United States Institute of 

Theatre Technology. At these conferences they attend master classes 

with educators and professionals from across the nation and region. 

Henderson art education 

majors work with visiting 

artist Hamid Ebrahimifar 

and local school children to 

create an installation for the 

Arkadelphia Arts Center 

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On-Campus Opportunities 

In addition to the many avenues for engaging students in external 

communities, Henderson also brings the external communities to 

the students in a variety of ways. 

In fall 2010 the Center for International Programs hosted Patrick 

Nalere, Country Director for Heifer International in Uganda. 

Nalere spoke to classes in economics, world cultures, and nutrition. 

In spring 2011 the center also sponsored a Forum on World Religions, 

which involved off-campus guests serving as panelists. The 

participants included representatives from Buddhism, Judaism, 

Christianity, and Islam. The panelists answered prepared questions 

for one hour, and then responded to audience questions for a 

second hour. The estimated attendance was 175-200 Henderson 

students and employees, Arkadelphia residents, and students from 

Ouachita Baptist University. A video of the event is now online. 

In an effort to expose the Henderson community to important local 

and state leaders, the social sciences department sponsors an annual 

Constitution Day event, a campus-wide and public event at which 

an invited speaker addresses issues related to the U.S. Constitution. 

Speakers at Henderson’s Constitution Day events have included 

W.H. Arnold, former Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court; 

Charles D. Dunn, former President of Henderson; Blake Batson, 

Clark County Prosecuting Attorney, Johnnie Roebuck, an Arkansas 

state representative; and Morril Harriman, Chief of Staff of the 

Governor of Arkansas. 

Additionally, every spring the social sciences department organizes 

the annual Sydney S. McMath Pre-law Conference and Banquet. 

Open to students of all majors and the public, the banquet features 

a keynote speaker and panel discussions in which representatives of 

law schools, local practicing attorneys, and others are available to 

answer questions from students pertaining to matters such as law 

school admission requirements, the first-year law school experience, 

and professional expectations. In 2001 the keynote speaker was 

Governor McMath himself and other additional keynote speakers 

have included two federal district judges, two chief justices of the 

Arkansas Supreme Court, one judge of the Arkansas Court of 

Appeals, two former United States senators who are also former 

Arkansas governors, one former congressman who is also a former 

associate justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court, a deputy attorney 

general of Arkansas, and a former president of the Arkansas 

Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. 

The School of Business also offers a popular Mentorship Guest 

Lecture Series. In conjunction with the mentorship experience, 

speakers—some of whom are alumni and/or recent college graduates—expose 

students to the world of work. 

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The biology and chemistry clubs provide opportunities for their 

students to engage with representatives from graduate schools 

and professional schools by inviting spokespersons from these 

schools to come and speak to students desiring to pursue graduate-level 

work. Additionally, each year spokespersons from the 

admissions offices of a medical school and a pharmacy school are 

invited to discuss admissions requirements and the application 

process. These speakers have turned out to be a valuable service 

to students interested in a professional career, and the information 

provided to students at these sessions greatly assists them in 

seeking admission into these programs. 

Summary 

As a university, as departments, as extracurricular groups, and as 

individuals, Henderson connects significantly with the broader 

communities to the benefit of all. The volunteer contributions of 

Henderson faculty, staff, and students enrich Arkadelphia, Clark 

county, and Arkansas. The engagement with the communities also 

enriches students’ lives and learning experiences. Engagement with 

and service to a greater community teach important life lessons that 

members of the Henderson community embrace, model, and 

convey to one another. 

Randy Hill, Clark County District Court Judge, speaking 

at Henderson’s Constitution Day 

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CORE COMPONENT 5C: The organization demonstrates 

its responsiveness to those constituencies that 

depend on it for service. 

Partnerships 

Henderson engages in many formal and informal partnerships and 

collaborations, some of which are ongoing while others are temporary 

coalitions for the accomplishment of a specific task. Three of 

the more formal partnerships are the Education Renewal Zone, the 

Alliance for Continuing Excellence in Education, and the Joint 

Educational Consortium. The Community Education Center 

partners with many local schools and agencies, and individual 

departments on campus develop appropriate partnerships to forward 

the goals of the departments and the university. 

Southwest A-Education Renewal Zone (ERZ) 

Henderson participates as an important partner in the Southwest 

A-Education Renewal Zone (ERZ), which is located on the Henderson 

campus. An ERZ is a “broad-based collaborative effort 

among geographically or technologically proximate stakeholders– 

school districts, IHEs, community-based youth and support organizations, 

community developers” that “concentrates human and 

financial resources on improving and sustaining schools in highneed 

areas… for gathering and building local capacity to implement 

long-term, systemic change on multiple levels simultaneously.” 

School partners are presenters during the pre-service teacher 

professional development days. Since November 2006, the ERZ has 

collaborated with the Arkansas Department of Education, Dawson 

and South Central Education Cooperatives, South Arkansas Mathematics 

and Science (STEM) Center, public schools, Discovery 

Education network, Arkansas Consumer Education, Henderson 

faculty, and others to provide professional development opportunities 

twice a year for teacher candidates, nontraditional teachers 

enrolled in the master of arts in teaching programs, non-practicing 

teachers continuing licensure requirements, students from other 

universities, candidates for other professional roles, and certified 

teachers. These workshops focus on various education initiatives 

that are consistent with the educator preparation vision “teaching 

and leading for learning for all” and are based on school needs, 

evaluation of pre-service teachers, and responses from higher 

education faculty. 

The visiting professor/classroom program was formed through 

ERZ for the purpose of allowing P-12 classroom teachers and 

university professors the chance to collaborate on the teaching of all 

students P-16. This program also encourages teachers to bring their 

students to the university to audit classes on the university level. 

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“Elementary classes adopted by visiting professors will participate in 

tours of the Henderson campus thus heightening the awareness 

and interest of students for college at an earlier age. The idea of the 

visiting professor/visiting classroom stimulates discussion between 

higher education, public schools, and students while promoting 

productive collaboration between universities and public schools. 

The sharing of content knowledge and effective high yield instructional 

strategies is the focus of this partnership.” Twenty-six Henderson 

faculty members participated in the program in 2009-2010. 

Another important ERZ initiative is the Southwest Arkansas Preparatory 

Academy, which was chartered in 2008 and developed “as a 

university-public school collaboration that is data driven and 

focused on individual student achievement and school improvement. 

The goal of the … Preparatory Academy is to strengthen 

college preparedness through the utilization of the ACT’s Explore 

test data and PLAN test results. The Explore test identifies students 

who express an interest in college but whose test scores indicate 

remedial courses may be required in college.” The Academy pairs a 

Henderson or Ouachita Baptist University faculty member with a 

public school faculty member in three content areas: math, reading, 

and English. As a data-driven program, the Academy evaluates its 

constituents using testing data. According to data provided by the 

Academy, “the pilot program served forty students. Thirty-three 

students completed the Academy … Based on post-test data, 68% 

of the students increased their ACT Explore test score (18 students); 

20% of the students’ scores did not change (5 students); and 12% (3 

students) saw a decrease in their score.” The data from the charter 

class was ultimately used to make adjustments for the second and 

third years of the Academy (2009-2010). 

Alliance for Continuing Excellence in Education (ACEE) 

Teachers College maintains partnership involvement with the 

educational community through the Alliance for Continuing Excellence 

in Education (ACEE). The mission of ACEE is to improve the 

professional preparation of teacher education candidates and to 

provide continual professional development for practicing educators 

who believe in “teaching for learning for all.” This alliance includes 

several schools, community colleges, education service cooperatives 

and representatives from Teachers College, Ellis College, and 

Henderson administration and faculty. The Alliance is an advisory 

group formed to enhance collaboration and communication within 

the greater Henderson service area community. The alliance 

discusses continuing education activities and acts as a sounding 

board on curricular and program issues. Teachers College uses the 

alliance as a means of seeking opportunities outside of the university 

to provide expertise and services for faculty and teacher candidates 

and to provide professional development to pre-service and 

in-service educators. (See also Criterion 3C.) 

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Joint Educational Consortium 

The Joint Educational Consortium of Arkadelphia provides 

enhanced educational opportunities for students. Students at 

Henderson and Ouachita Baptist University have immediate 

access to library and reference material on both campuses. 

When programs or classes offered by either university are not 

available on the other campus, cross registration and credit for 

courses can often be arranged. 

Community Education Center Collaborations 

The Community Education Center has been involved in the delivery 

of an associate degree program offered upon request by industries 

wanting their employees to have an opportunity to earn the 

degree in Metal Manufacturing or Industrial Equipment Maintenance 

Technology (IEMT) without commuting to an out-of-town 

school. The degree was offered through a partnership with College 

of the Ouachitas and National Park Community College, with 

classes held at the Community Education Center. 

In addition, local industry representatives partnered with the 

Community Education Center and College of the Ouachitas to 

create the IEMT high school program to help meet local industry 

needs for entry-level maintenance workers. Henderson provides the 

classroom space for the program and the office space for the instructor. 

The program began in the fall 2003 with eleven students 

and now averages approximately thirty-five students enrolled each 

semester. An advisory council of industry representatives meets 

each semester to evaluate the program’s effectiveness in meeting 

industry needs. High school students completing the two-year 

program can receive up to twenty-four college credit hours from 

College of the Ouachitas through concurrent enrollment at their 

high schools. Currently, Arkadelphia and Gurdon high schools 

participate in this program, with Ouachita, Centerpoint, and 

Bismarck high schools having been invited to participate in the 

future. Industry representatives contact the IEMT instructor when 

they have an opening in maintenance; former students of this 

program have been employed by Danfoss-Scroll Technologies, 

Alumacraft Boat Company, Georgia Pacific, and Brown Machinery. 

The Clark County Adult Education staff works closely with the 

Community Education Center to ensure that participants have the 

necessary basic skills for employment. Participants often come to 

the CEC with a desire to improve basic skills or obtain a GED. The 

center refers these individuals to the Clark County Adult Education 

Center. The CEC has also partnered with the Adult Education 

Center for basic computer classes open to anyone desiring to learn 

or improve basic computing skills. 

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The Community Education Center works closely with two-year 

colleges to provide needed customized training programs. College 

of the Ouachitas in Malvern and National Park Community 

College in Hot Springs are resources most often used by the Center. 

College of the Ouachitas has partnered with the Community 

Education Center on training projects including the following 

classes: Programmable Logic Controller, Adjustable Speed Drives, 

Resistance Weld Training, Geometric Dimension and Tolerance, 

and Supervisory Skills Training. National Park Community College 

has also been an active partner by assisting in classes such as Industrial 

and Construction Safety, Pre-Employment Training, and 

Microsoft Excel training classes. 

Selected Department Examples 

In November of 2007, the Center for International Programs 

collaborated with other international programs across Arkansas to 

secure a grant from NAFSA: Association of International Educators 

to fund an International Student Leadership Conference 

entitled “Developing Global Leaders,” which was held at Lake 

Pointe Conference Center in Russellville, Arkansas, on November 

16-18, 2007. 

Theatre Arts and Dance have arranged collaborations with the 

Ouachita Baptist University theatre department, El Dorado High 

School, the Educational Theatre Association, Kennedy Center 

American College Theatre Festival, the United States Institute of 

Theatre Technology–Southwest, the Arkansas Theatre Arts Association, 

and other organizations to achieve educational goals. 

The Center for Career Development also works in partnerships that 

illustrate its commitment to important educational, economic, and 

social goals. For the past two years, Henderson and Ouachita 

Baptist University have hosted their spring career fairs on the same 

day to allow students from both universities—and others in the 

community—to network with recruiters. Along with nine other 

Arkansas schools and universities (Arkansas State University-Beebe, 

Hendrix College, Lyon College, National Park Community College, 

Ouachita Baptist University, Philander Smith College, Southern 

Arkansas University-Magnolia, University of the Ozarks, and 

Williams Baptist College), the Center for Career Development 

conducted a virtual career fair in fall 2010. As participants in the 

Arkansas Consortium Virtual Career Fair, students had the opportunity 

to interact with many employers. The fair was open to all 

students, as well as to alumni, and was conveniently accessible 

twenty-four hours a day. Participants had the opportunity to review 

job postings, track employers and positions, and submit electronic 

résumés from the comfort of their computers. A total of 117 stu- 

High school student Mason 

Prince using the virtual 

welder in an IEMT class at the 

Community Education Center 

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dents registered for this career fair, where participants were able to 

chat live with potential employers and search and apply for jobs. 

The Department of Aviation holds regular safety meetings which 

are open to the public; the meetings are also attended by Jaret 

McFarland, Regional Safety Program Director for the FAA, members 

of the Arkadelphia Airport Committee, and also members of 

the greater general aviation community. The cooperation between 

the Department of Aviation and the community, as well as local 

and federal officials, provides a solid example of Henderson’s 

commitment to its external constituencies, but also demonstrates 

how Henderson’s external constituencies see the university as an 

integral part of their community. 

Transfer Policies and Articulations 

Admission from another Institution (taken from 

Undergraduate Catalog, pp. 24-45) 

Advanced standing on credits from an accredited institution will 

be allowed when a certified transcript and (a letter of honorable 

dismissal from the college previously attended) are sent to the 

Office of University Relations and Admissions of this institution 

from the Registrar of the other institution. If the student is on 

suspension, it will be necessary for a letter to accompany the 

transcript showing that the student could re-enter the institution 

from which he or she is transferring. The student cannot earn 

degree credit from Henderson or any other institution while on 

suspension from a previous college or university. Transfer students 

on probation must participate in a program of the Office 

of Academic/Career Services. 

Transfer students must have at least a 2.00 cumulative 

grade point average in order to be admitted to the university, 

based on Henderson’s computation of courses. 

Only grades of “C” or higher will transfer. However, all grades 

(with the exception of remedial courses) will be used to determine 

Henderson’s student transfer admission eligibility. Remedial 

courses do not transfer for college credit and do not count in the 

cumulative grade point average. Transferable course work from 

accredited institutions will be posted to the Henderson transcript, 

but the grades from those institutions will not be used to calculate 

the cumulative grade point average. 

In evaluating transcripts of transfer students, the entire cumulative 

record will be accepted regardless of the fact that a student’s 

record may show credits from one or more colleges. If the 

applicants are from an unaccredited college, they may be admitted 

on trial, and an evaluation of their transcripts will be made 

after they have proved their ability to do work in advance of the 

credits offered. 

A student may transfer a maximum of 67 semester hours of 

credit from a junior college. A student who has earned 67 

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hours of credit from all schools attended may not earn 

additional hours of degree credit at a two-year institution. 

The university reserves the right to determine the number 

of hours of credit to be accepted toward a degree. All course 

grades from previous institutions will be used in determining the 

academic status of the student. Transfer students majoring in a 

program within the Ellis College of Arts & Sciences must complete 

a minimum of nine upper-division hours at Henderson 

State University in their major. 

Transfer students who enrolled as entering freshman, degreeseeking 

students (either in-state or out-of-state) during the Summer 

of 1988 or anytime thereafter must provide ACT scores or 

approved alternate test scores before enrolling in college-level 

English or math and to determine if remediation is necessary. 

Scores are not required in these areas if students have completed 

college-level courses or remediation courses or programs. 

A maximum of six hours of religion will be accepted for degree 

credit. The Registrar and the Committee on Admissions and 

Adjustments will administer this section. 

The Arkansas Course Transfer System (ACTS) contains information 

about the transferability of courses within Arkansas 

public colleges and universities. Students are guaranteed the 

transfer of applicable credits and the equitable treatment in the 

application of credits for the admissions and degree requirements. 

Course transferability is not guaranteed for courses listed 

in ACTS as “No Comparable Course.” 

Additionally, courses with a “D” frequently do not transfer and 

institutional policies may vary. ACTS may be accessed on the 

Internet by going to the ADHE website and selecting Course 

Transfer (http://adhe.edu). 

Henderson is also bound by the Roger Phillips Transfer Policy Act 

which dictates that any four-year public institution of higher education 

“accept all hours completed and credits earned for” the associate of 

arts, associate of sciences, or associate of arts in teaching toward a 

bachelor’s degree. In addition to accepting such degrees, Henderson 

also issued a Memorandum of Agreement to accept the associate of 

science in business for transferring to the B.B.A. program. 

Articulations and Memorandums of Agreement 

Ellis College cooperates with the Baptist Health Schools Little 

Rock, School of Medical Technology, to offer a bachelor of science 

in medical technology. The Affiliation Agreement allows students to 

complete three years on the Henderson campus and then a fourth 

year at the Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock. 

Henderson has also signed articulation agreements or memoranda 

of agreement to facilitate easy transfer of students from community 

colleges into particular courses of study at Henderson. 

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Southern Arkansas University Tech’s students can complete programs 

to transfer seamlessly and complete the Bachelor of Science 

in Education program for Middle Level Language Arts/Social 

Studies, while National Park Community College students can earn 

the Middle Level Language Arts/Social Studies or Early Childhood 

education degrees. The Office of Financial Aid works in conjunction 

with National Park Community College in a consortium agreement 

to coordinate awards for eligible students who are concurrently 

enrolled. Henderson also has agreements with South Arkansas 

Community College to facilitate select 2+2 programs and with 

Pulaski Technical College to accept the associate of science degree to 

satisfy completion of the Henderson liberal arts core requirements. 

The music department has a formal articulation agreement with that 

of Arkansas State University–Beebe and is in the process of establishing 

a formal agreement with the music department at National 

Park Community College to accept certain music courses in transfer. 

The aviation department has articulation agreements with Southern 

Arkansas University Technical College and Pulaski Technical 

College to give students who have obtained their associates degrees 

in aviation management technology and airframe powerplant certificates 

to transfer those hours toward a Henderson bachelor of 

science in aviation maintenance management degree. The aviation 

department has also developed a program in partnership with the 

Dawson Education Cooperative and Arkadelphia High School, 

funded in part through the Arkansas Workforce Development 

Office. High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors may participate 

in a three-year educational curriculum in which the students 

experience both classroom and flight simulation learning environments 

that will allow them to obtain the background and basic skills 

necessary to pursue a degree in aviation at Henderson. After graduation 

from high school, students who have participated in this 

program and attend Henderson will be each awarded up to six 

hours credit either towards the aviation degree or as general electives 

should they decide on a different major. This program has 

been approved by the Arkansas Department of Education, and 

with continued support from Dawson Education Cooperative, the 

department hopes to expand this program to other high schools 

throughout the state via distance learning. 

The Teachers College graduate program also has three programs, 

two facilitating transfer of credit hours to Henderson and one 

facilitating transfer of credit hours to the University of Arkansas. 

Teachers in the DeQueen School District may count twelve hours 

completed for the English as a Second Language endorsement 

toward a master of science in education in advanced instructional 

270

studies. Henderson’s Graduate School and department of educational 

leadership will accept fifteen hours of graduate coursework 

from students who complete the instructional facilitator program of 

study at the University of Arkansas Monticello. And Henderson 

graduate students in education may transfer some of their coursework 

to the University of Arkansas to complete a Doctor of Education 

Degree in Educational Administration. 

Summary 

Through outreach programs and partnerships, Henderson serves 

its external and internal constituencies. Clear transfer policies and 

articulation agreements help make Henderson accessible to all and 

enable students from a diversity of backgrounds to get the skills, 

training, and education they need to improve their own lives and 

meet the educational needs of Arkansas. 

Core Component 5D: Internal and external constituencies 

value the services the organization provides. 

Community Involved in Evaluation of Services 

Henderson values the input of the community and encourages it in 

many ways. 

Huie Library annually surveys all of its constituencies in order to 

improve its services using both electronic and traditional formats. 

Emails sent to the campus community encourage participation in a 

short library survey, and community members who have used the 

library’s services are also encouraged to complete these evaluations. 

(See also Criterion 3D for results.) In addition, the library responds 

to constituency comments and requests; a bulletin board with 

various comments and requests (and subsequent answers from 

library staff) is posted near the circulation desk. 

The Henderson Small Business and Technology Development 

Center asks constituent clients and training attendees to complete 

survey evaluation forms to provide feedback regarding the quality 

of services rendered and to suggest additional needed services. The 

existing Management Information System (MIS) tracks and evaluates 

the information. 

Bryan Waddle, Henderson aviation 

instructor, gives airport tour to 

Arkadelphia high school aviation 

students 

In both recent presidential searches, representatives from the 

community were asked to participate and serve on the advisory 

committees (in addition to alumni and a Board of Trustees member). 

Community members also serve on other unit advisory 

boards. For instance, the Community Education Center has an 

advisory board consisting of local industry representatives, educational 

partners, and economic development specialists to assist in 

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needs assessment. The nursing department established a B.S.N. 

Program Advisory Council composed of various agencies who hire 

B.S.N. graduate nurses. 

The Teacher Education Council includes a superintendent, a 

principal, a teacher, and an undergraduate student as well as one 

representative from each department with a teacher education 

program in Teachers College and Ellis College. The council recommends 

curriculum, policies, standards, and procedures for the 

operation and improvement of teacher education. 

The School of Business and its members survey business people, 

potential employers, mentors, and others to see what changes might 

need to be made in their programs and curricula. For example, the 

Business Advisory Council (BAC), consisting of business owners 

and practitioners and executives of non-profit organizations, was 

established. It meets with faculty, staff, and students twice during 

the academic year to exchange ideas about how the School of 

Business can improve its programs. 

Community Appreciation and Use 

In addition to the outreach programs and partnerships mentioned 

in previous sections, such as the Henderson Small Business and 

Technology Development Center, the Joint Educational Consortium, 

the Community Education Center (CEC), M.H. Russell 

Center for Economic Education, The Alliance for Continuing 

Excellence in Education, the South Arkansas Math and Science 

STEM Center (SAMSSC), and the Southwest A-Education Renewal 

Zone (ERZ), Henderson provides many and diverse services to 

the community. The community gives every indication of appreciating 

the outreach programs, workforce development programs, 

and other services provided by Henderson. Shawnie Carrier, 

President and CEO of the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development 

Alliance, provided a statement in affirmation of the role of 

the Community Education Center in providing valuable instructional 

and training opportunities for the local workforce. Carrier 

describes this resource as critical and indicates its usefulness to 

industries considering a location in this area. Jarrod Harper, the 

senior human resource representative at Danfoss-Scroll Technologies, 

LLC, in Arkadelphia has also provided a statement of support 

concerning the relationship of the Community Education Center 

and expressing his desire to continue this invaluable relationship. 

Other services the university provides can gauge their value to 

the community by the frequency with which community members 

use them. For instance, the Captain Henderson House, a 

bed and breakfast owned by Henderson, fulfills a need for 

272

comfortable, elegant lodging in the community, and is used 

often by non-Henderson related community members. It is 

listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is frequently 

mentioned in tourism materials. 

The Arkansas Small Business Technology and Development Center 

(SBTDC) has become an integral resource for the local community. 

In 2010 the SBTDC consulted with over two hundred clients for a 

total of 1,900 consulting hours. The SBTDC conducted seventy 

five training seminars that attracted a almost seven hundred attendees. 

The center also worked with professors and Henderson students 

to perform over twenty two faculty/student/small business 

projects. The SBTDC assisted eighteen entrepreneurs with their 

business start-ups, adding additional jobs and affecting a favorable 

economic impact on the community. The constituents’ value of the 

SBTDC is evident in two primary ways: the constituents have 

contributed over $50,000 annually for training programs, and the 

attendee numbers continue to be favorable year after year. 

Reddie to Serve days, mentioned earlier in this section, have been 

highly successful. The sheer number of requests from the community, 

in addition to the numerous phone calls, thank you notes, and 

other expressions of gratitude, attest to the community’s deep 

appreciation for Henderson’s contribution to the community. 

The MultiMedia Learning Center (MMLC) welcomes community 

members. In the three fiscal years of 2008-2010, over one thousand 

visits were made to the MMLC each year by non-Henderson 

community members. Huie Library offers services to a wide variety 

of constituents. Library computers are available to a number of 

different constituencies, including Henderson and Ouachita students, 

area high school students, and residents of Arkadelphia and 

the surrounding communities. All of these resources are available 

free of charge. Huie Library also values its relationships with its 

broader external constituencies. The library hosts (in rotation) 

quarterly meetings of ARKLINK (Academic Library Consortium 

of Arkansas) and the Arkansas chapter of the Innovative User’s 

Group (Huie’s automated library system). (See also Criterion 3.) 

Captain Henderson 

House Bed & Breakfast 

The Henderson Small Business 

and Technology Development 

Center workshop 

Cultural and Enrichment Opportunities 

Henderson’s wide variety of activities—many of which are open 

to the greater Arkadelphia community—are well attended and 

supported by the university’s external constituencies. Indeed, 

events such as planetarium shows, the International Food Bazaar, 

and the numerous activities of the aviation department show the 

extraordinary participation of the community in the programs of 

the university. 

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Henderson’s theatre program hosts a number of productions each 

academic year, all of which are open to the campus community and 

the general public. Box office records provide one method of 

demonstrating the campus and community’s support for the program’s 

endeavors. Indeed, statistics show that attendance at Henderson’s 

theatre productions has risen regularly since the construction 

of the Arkansas Hall Studio Theater. As part of the program’s 

2010-2011 season, Henderson presented Eve Ensler’s The Vagina 

Monologues. The program was presented in cooperation with Ensler’s 

“V-Day,” which seeks to promote and support women’s anti-violence 

groups through the profits from performances of The Vagina 

Monologues. For this production, Henderson paired with the Courage 

House. The posters for the production prominently advertised the 

production as a benefit for Courage House, and both nights’ productions 

were extremely well-attended. Box office records, as well as 

correspondence between Claudia Beach, Director of the Theatre 

Program, and the Courage House, all testify to the success of this 

collaboration between the university and a community partner. 

Henderson’s planetarium, a state-of-the-art facility located within 

the Reynolds Science Center, features a “Digitalis Gamma digital 

projection system and modern sound technology that bring 

planets, comets, constellations, and more to life in [its] hemispherical 

dome.” During the spring 2011 semester, the planetarium 

presented three different shows—“Black Holes: The Other 

Side of Infinity,” “Mars Quest,” and “Magellan: Report from 

Venus.” In addition to public shows, the planetarium offers 

frequent shows for school groups, homeschool groups, and other 

community groups. The physics department tracks attendance for 

these events and also coordinates evaluations for participants in 

the planetarium shows and in the department’s Star Parties and 

Circus of Science demonstrations. 

The International Food Bazaar is perhaps one of the most popular 

campus activities and boasts a great number of participants, 

including American students, international students, faculty and 

staff, local Arkadelphia residents, and guests from outside of 

Arkadelphia, including visiting school groups. The Center for 

International Programs also hosts the International Film Night 

and the International Dessert Festival, both of which have been 

well attended. Tickets sales, the statistics of which are maintained 

by the Center for International Programs, attest to the popularity 

of these events, particularly with the university’s external constituents. 

(See Criterion 1B.) 

The music department also provides seventy-five or more concerts 

and recitals each year. These performances, which are all open to 

the public, include recitals by faculty, guest artists, and students, as 

well as performances by large and small ensembles. As a part of the 

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music program’s public performances, the Concert Choir, Chamber 

Chorale, Opera Workshop, Wind Ensemble, and Jazz Ensemble 

also present concerts off campus. 

During the spring semester of each year, the Ellis College Community 

Classes offer a series of free classes on a variety of topics given 

by the knowledgeable professors on Henderson’s campus. Lectures 

are free and open to the public. There is no credit or grades given 

to those participating. Topics in past years included “Women, 

Witchcraft, and the ‘Witch Craze’ in Early Modern Europe,” 

“Caddo Indian Pottery,” and “The Seeds are in the Pulp: Pop 

Culture 1940-1970.” 

Other Community Events 

Almost all guest speakers, fine arts performances, and other entertainment 

are open to the public. For instance, the weekly “Movie on 

the Quad” invites community members to enjoy a free movie 

shown on a giant inflatable screen in the open area in front of the 

Garrison Center, “the Quad.” There are also some events specifically 

geared to encourage the public to interact with the university. 

The Department of Aviation hosts “Old Timer’s Day” annually 

at the Arkadelphia Airport. This event is designed to recognize 

and honor retired members of the armed forces. As a result of 

the constituents’ (retired army aviators) participation, the university 

has established a scholarship fund that has grown to over 

$7,500 in just three years; the ultimate goal is to fund an aviation 

endowment that will enable the university to offer scholarships to 

Henderson aviation students. The department coordinates with 

military leaders throughout Arkansas to promote the event and to 

encourage both military and civilian constituents to contribute to 

the scholarship fund. Clearly, the success of the program is 

linked with the participation of the external constituents; 

without their valued contributions, the scholarship fund 

might have quickly foundered. 

The Art Department offers a wide array of resources that are 

actively sought after by a variety of community constituents. 

The Summer Art Teachers’ Workshop is a five-day/four-night 

workshop during which Henderson houses over eighty teachers 

in the Honors College (Sturgis) Residence Hall. Attendees 

eat in the university’s dining hall, and the workshops are 

conducted in Henderson’s art studios. Members of Henderson’s 

art faculty serve as instructors, and the department’s administrative 

assistant serves as assistant director of the program. The 

department evaluates its performance in these various programs 

through a series of surveys and other evaluative measures. Using this 

feedback, the department makes changes to its various programs. 

Department of Aviation “Old Timers” 

The Summer Art Teachers’ Workshop 

Exhibition in Russell Fine Arts Gallery 

275


Civic and educational leaders also actively recruit the services of the 

music department. Each summer, Henderson’s band camps provide 

training to almost 800 public and private school music students. The 

band camps draw on a variety of campus resources, including 

academic buildings such as the Russell Fine Arts Center and Arkansas 

Hall, as well as the Garrison Center, Smith and Newberry residence 

halls, and the Caddo Cafeteria. During the camps, Henderson 

music faculty and advanced music majors provide private instruction 

to area students. The department evaluates its performance in these 

various programs through a series of paper evaluations as well as 

post-event forums. During the forums, participants discuss what 

worked, what did not work, and how changes to the program can be 

made going forward. Full records of attendance and facilities’ use are 

available through the department of music as well as through the 

Garrison Center and Residence Life. 

Facilities 

Henderson makes its various facilities open to the external communities 

for a variety of functions. Even university activities that are 

open to the public—such as the career fair organized by the Center 

for Career Development—are nearly always held in one of the 

university’s large facilities. Among the many facilities that are 

sought after by the community are the Garrison Center, the university’s 

various student housing facilities, and the facilities of the 

Communication and Theatre Arts programs. 

Figure 5D-1 

Department of Aviation “Old 

Timers Day” 

Nearly all of the Garrison Center is available for public use. There 

are room charges for the public, which include set-up and teardown 

fees, but the center also handles multimedia requests, security 

(charged and provided by the Henderson Police Department), and 

catering (charged and provided by Aramark). Among the organizations 

that use the Garrison Center on a consistent basis (in addition 

to such examples at the band camps indicated above) are the Future 

Business Leaders of America (for the district 4 and 6 conferences); 

the Arkansas Student Council Association (for their summer leadership 

conference); the Family, Community, and Career Leaders of 

America (for their district 5 conferences); the Arkadelphia and 

Gurdon public schools (for their respective proms); the Arkadelphia 

Project Prom (for their after-prom party); and the Arkadelphia 

Kiwanis Club (for their scholarship banquet). In addition, several 

state agencies use the Garrison Center facilities for various meetings, 

and the university plays host to the Dawson Education Cooperative 

Science Fairs and Quiz Bowls. 

The department of residence life makes a number of its residence 

halls available to groups during the summer months as housing for 

camps, conferences, and other events on campus. In addition to the 

use of Newberry and Smith Halls, which are used to house band 

campers, Sturgis Hall has been used to host attendees of the univer- 

276

sity’s High School Volleyball Camps, the Art Educator Workshops, 

and the English as a Second Language (ESL) Academy. These 

records are maintained by the department of residence life. 

Both the Studio Theater and the Arkansas Hall Auditorium play 

host to a number of community activities. In the past several 

years, the Studio Theater has hosted the Arkadelphia Little 

Theatre and local governmental public fora. The Arkansas Hall 

Auditorium, a larger facility, hosts twenty to thirty events annually, 

including community dance recitals, public fora, pageants 

(such as the annual Miss HSU Pageant), band concerts, and military 

recognition ceremonies. Full support facilities for the events 

include box office facilities, dressing and make-up rooms, and 

green rooms, as well as support staff. Bookings for these events 

are through the Garrison Center, which also maintains the 

records of all events held. (See Criterion 3D.) 

The Department of Family and Consumer Sciences shares space in 

Proctor Hall during various district meetings of the Family, Community, 

and Career Leaders of America (FCCLA) for their Star 

Events competitions and also provides judges for these events. 

Proctor Hall is also available to boy and girl scout troops for various 

activities and to local 4-H groups for food preservation, sewing, and 

etiquette workshops. 

Henderson summer band camp 

Licensed Professionals 

The university is aware of the continuing education needs of the 

licensed professionals in the community—not only its faculty, 

staff, and students, but also members of the community. While 

Teachers College provides a number of opportunities to both 

current students and area teachers, other programs such as 

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training or the 

various recurrent training classes offered through the Student 

Recreation Center also speak to the university’s willingness to 

provide valuable (re)training to the members of its community. 

CERT Training is offered through Henderson in conjunction with 

the Clark County Department of Emergency Management. The 

training covers areas such as disaster preparedness, fire safety, triage 

and treatment of life-threatening injuries, light search and rescue, 

team organization, disaster psychology, and terrorism. During 2010 

fifty-five Henderson employees attended one of two trainings and 

received CERT certification. Henderson has also hosted Arkansas 

Crisis Response Trainings for Henderson employees and community 

members. 

Teachers College offers a number of educational opportunities to 

the community in the form of professional development, the ESL 

Academy, and graduate-level classes. All of these programs help 

277


participants to gain valuable knowledge and insight that they can 

apply in their academic and/or professional careers. One of the 

main providers of professional development to faculty members, 

teacher education candidates, and professional educators has been 

the Southwest A-Education Renewal Zone (ERZ). The ERZ has 

collaborated with several educational agencies and Henderson 

faculty to provide professional development to pre-service and 

in-service teachers. The ERZ sponsors fall and spring professional 

development opportunities based on current research-based best 

practices and the identified needs of public schools and university 

faculty. (See Criterion 5C.) 

The Teachers College English as a Second Language (ESL) 

Academy has proven to be an effective and productive avenue for 

teachers seeking their ESL endorsement to better serve non-native 

English speakers in their classrooms. Year after year, through 

completion of a final overview summary, along with follow-up 

emails, academy participants have indicated the long-term value 

that they have assigned to their ESL Academy experience and 

the positive impact that the ESL Academy has had on diversifying 

their classroom environment, expanding their cultural awareness, 

and enhancing the quality of their teaching. Indeed, all of 

the constituencies served by Teachers College are encouraged to 

provide feedback in regard to improvements, changes, and the 

continuation or addition of various programs. 

Summary 

Henderson clearly works to involve its constituencies in its various 

programs and is successful in doing so. In a wide array of academic 

areas and programs, the university makes its facilities, its faculty, and 

other resources available to the public. By their participation in the 

many varied activities and by their use of the facilities and other 

resources, the community has clearly come to rely upon Henderson 

and to value its services. 

CRITERION 5: SUMMARY 

Henderson demonstrates a strong commitment to its constituencies 

and supports the same through partnerships with area public schools, 

businesses within the region, and other colleges and universities. 

Henderson is committed to serving the community and fulfilling its 

mission through various outreach programs from a wide array of 

areas. Henderson also demonstrates a long-term commitment to 

engagement and service through goals and objectives developed in 

the current strategic plan as well as by the creation of the Office of 

External Affairs. Multiple departments and organizations within the 

278

campus community actively seek, evaluate, and maintain strong 

partnerships and collaborative relationships with local public schools, 

businesses within the region, and other colleges and universities. 

These vital relationships serve to strengthen the university itself and 

the various communities and organizations surrounding it. Henderson 

continues to meet the needs of its constituencies through innovative 

collaborative ventures, through the creation and support of 

effective transfer policies and articulation agreements, through 

evaluation of feedback from community leaders, through its programs 

strengthening connections and responsiveness to diverse 

communities, through promotion of and collaboration with organizations 

that share its goals, and through the specific contractual agreements 

that are in keeping with Henderson’s core values and integrity. 

Strengths: 

Henderson is deeply committed to serving the needs of the community. 

The creation of the Vice President for External Affairs position 

signifies its commitment to engaging with the external communities. 

The university has many excellent outreach programs and participates 

in strong partnerships, including the Henderson Small Business 

and Technology Development Center, the Community Education 

Center, the South Arkansas Math and Science STEM Center, 

the Education Renewal Zone, TRIO programs, and the Alliance for 

Continuing Excellence in Education. 

Departments and individuals at Henderson constantly seek opportunities 

to serve the community and find many ways to do so. 

Challenges: 

Henderson could do a better job of “tooting its own horn.” Henderson 

should strive to make the internal and external communities it 

serves more aware of the university’s engagement with and service 

to these communities. As this report shows, many events are offered 

to the community through various departments. A more coordinated 

effort to publicize the various Henderson events would serve to 

better educate the external constituencies on the many opportunities 

the university offers. 

While the university is clearly committed to service, this service is 

not always clearly recognized or centrally documented. Some of this 

will be remedied by Faculty180, the collection of data pertinent to 

various workshops, programs, and other offerings made by the 

university is not readily available in a central location for the purposes 

of university-wide assessment and coordination of efforts. 

279

Henderson State 

University 

Self-Study 2012 

Summary


Summary 

Report Summary 

Henderson State University is pleased to submit this report of 

its self-study for continued accreditation by the Higher Learning 

Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges 

and Schools. The Henderson community has engaged in two 

years of self-study to produce a report that provides evidence to 

the Commission that it fulfills the Criteria for Accreditation, 

that constitutes formal application for the continued accreditation, 

and that will serve as the frame of reference for the review 

that the visiting evaluation team conducts in February 2012. 

The extensive two-year self-study process which involved a 

significant portion of the faculty and staff has led to this 

report and to the conclusion that Henderson does indeed 

fulfill the five criteria for accreditation set forth by the Higher 

Learning Commission. 

Criterion One: Mission and Integrity. The organization 

operates with integrity to ensure the fulfillment of its 

mission through structures and processes that involve the 

board, administration, faculty, staff, and students. 

• Henderson and its constituencies support the publicized 

university mission statement which may be summarized: 

Henderson State University, “The School with a Heart,” 

offers quality undergraduate and graduate education to a 

diverse student body. As Arkansas’s public liberal arts 

university, we empower each student to excel in a complex 

and changing world. 

• People and departments throughout the university make a 

conscious effort to build healthy and diverse learning environments 

in accordance with the mission statement. This 

has assisted the increase in racial diversity: between 2002 

and 2010, the number of all employees who are minorities 

has increased 4.4 percentage points, the number of minority 

faculty members has increased 6.7 percentage points, and 

the number of minority students has increased 8.6 percentage 

points. 

• The results of the campus climate survey of faculty, staff, 

administrators, and students administered in 2009 showed 

positively that the different constituencies believe in, understand, 

and support the mission of Henderson. 

• Strategic planning, assessment, unit mission statements, and 

governance structures all tie into the university mission 

statement. 

• Rigorous academic programs and extracurricular and 

co-curricular activities strengthen and uphold the integrity 

of the university and the liberal arts mission. 

282

Criterion Two: Preparing for the Future. The organization’s 

allocation of resources and its processes for 

evaluation and planning demonstrate its capacity to 

fulfill its mission, improve the quality of its education, 

and respond to future challenges and opportunities. 

• Henderson engages in multiple types of planning based 

upon an understanding of its current conditions, remaining 

prepared for social and economic trends both foreseen 

and unforeseen. In particular, the current 2010 Strategic 

Plan is structured as a flexible document that can guide the 

university on the path to the future but evolve with changing 

circumstances. 

• Henderson has been able to sustain educational quality 

despite decreases in state funding and rising expenses 

through conservative budgeting and restrained spending. 

The university was able to report to the HLC in 2010 its 

highest ever Composite Financial Index number (a measurement 

tool used to help determine the financial health 

of a public institution). 

• The university has supported evaluation and assessment 

through hiring a director of assessment, supporting a 

funded Office of Assessment and Research, purchasing a 

campus-wide assessment management system and survey 

software, and revitalizing the Assessment Team. As a 

result, academic and administrative units of the university 

have created a culture of assessment by making plans to 

collect data, reviewing data, and using data to make 

decisions leading to continuous improvement. 

• Planning processes align with the university’s mission, and 

budgeting processes are increasingly transparent and tied 

to planning processes and the mission. 

Criterion Three: Student Learning and Effective 

Teaching. The organization provides evidence of student 

learning and teaching effectiveness that demonstrates it 

is fulfilling its educational mission. 

• Henderson has transformed its assessment efforts into a 

well-structured and evaluative system for measuring 

student learning. A persistent effort has been made to 

create a culture of assessment across campus. 

• Although Henderson is able to provide only nominal 

funding for faculty travel, research, and sabbatical leaves, 

the current system nonetheless results in excellent professional 

productivity among the faculty, producing a wellqualified 

faculty who exert significant control over teaching 

and the curriculum. 

283


Summary 

• Eighty percent of Henderson’s classrooms have multimedia 

capability, and the university appropriately uses technology 

to produce multiple optimum learning environments on 

campus and online. 

• Henderson’s learning resources such as Huie Library, the 

Writing Center, computer labs, science laboratories, music 

performance spaces, and clinical practice sites effectively enable 

student learning and effective teaching. 

Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of 

Knowledge. The organization promotes a life of learning for 

its faculty, administration, staff and students by fostering and 

supporting inquiry, creativity, practice, and social responsibility 

in ways consistent with its mission. 

• Henderson is committed to supporting free intellectual inquiry 

in myriad ways, including support for the Arkansas Undergraduate 

Research Conference, for faculty and student travel and 

research, and for the Honors College. 

• The faculty actively and increasingly engages in scholarship. 

Since 2004 the faculty has published approximately 18 books, 

200 articles, and 31 chapters or essays, exhibited, displayed, or 

performed their work in the fine arts in 140 public venues, 

presented 455 papers or posters, and obtained 73 grants. 

• Henderson has integrated the mission of the liberal arts into 

curricular and extracurricular learning through the updated 

Liberal Arts Core requirements, assessment plans that tie 

program goals to the university mission, and support for learning 

inside and outside the classroom which encourages connections 

across disciplines. 

• Ongoing formal and informal program reviews and curricular 

evaluations which involve faculty, staff, alumni, employers, and 

students contribute to learning that is relevant to students who 

will live and work in a global, diverse, and technological society. 

• Students, faculty, and staff work together to learn how to acquire, 

discover, and apply knowledge responsibly in a rapidly 

changing world through exposure to global concerns in the 

curriculum, international travel, opportunities to serve the 

community, clear policies that encourage ethical conduct, and 

practice using technology responsibly. 

Criterion Five: Engagement and Service. As called for by its 

mission, Henderson identifies its constituencies and serves 

them in ways both value. 

• Henderson understands the value of education to transform 

individuals and communities and responds to identified community 

needs through outreach programs such as TRIO, Community 

Education Center, Arkansas Small Business and Technology 

Development Center, Alliance for Continuing Excellence in 

284

Education, Education Renewal Zone, South Arkansas Math 

and Science STEM Center, and M.H. Russell Center for Economic 

Education. 

• As a university, as departments, as extracurricular groups, and 

as individuals, Henderson connects significantly with the broader 

communities to the benefit of all. Henderson students learn 

about and engage in service to the community through curricular 

and extracurricular activities, particularly through internships 

and service projects such as Henderson Halloween and 

Reddie to Serve days. 

• Through outreach programs and partnerships, Henderson 

serves the needs of its external and internal constituencies. 

Clear transfer policies and articulation agreements help 

make Henderson accessible to all and enable students from 

a diversity of backgrounds to obtain the skills, training, and 

education they need to improve their own lives and to 

satisfy the economic and educational needs of Arkansas 

and the region. 

• In a wide array of academic areas and programs, the university 

makes its facilities, its faculty, and other resources available 

to the public. By their participation in the many varied 

activities and by their use of the facilities and other resources, 

the community has clearly come to rely upon Henderson 

and value its services. 

In addition to showing how Henderson fulfills the criteria for 

accreditation, the self-study process has highlighted multiple 

strengths of the university: 

• Henderson has long-cherished traditions that inform the lived 

mission of the university. 

• The governance structures lead to a collaborative form of 

governance in which constituents increasingly believe their 

contributions matter. 

• Henderson has been successful at developing and allocating its 

resources even during difficult financial times while an improved 

culture of assessment at all levels has improved the quality of 

education and services. 

• Planning efforts have evolved at Henderson to the current, 

broad, and comprehensive strategic plan that addresses long 

range priorities and includes an understanding of enrollment 

trends, technology needs, and quality academic programming. 

This 2010 Strategic Plan is a working document designed to 

have set priorities and timelines. 

• Technology planning and implementation have provided many 

opportunities for classroom enhancements with the use of 

multimedia stations, internet connections, and SmartBoards, 

among other learning technologies. The institution enjoys 

having modern facilities, the majority being new or renovated 

over the past fifteen years. 

285


Summary 

• Much work has been accomplished in the development of 

university-wide comprehensive assessment plans. Ninety-eight 

percent of academic programs currently have assessment plans. 

Academic assessment plans link learning outcomes to the 

Henderson Mission Statement, to academic program goals, and 

to courses where measurement is occurring. 

• Great care is given to the hiring of excellent full-time and 

adjunct faculty members. New faculty members are mentored, 

provided with training, and evaluated each semester. Three and 

six-year reviews have served the university well in the evaluation 

of all faculty members. 

• Henderson offers a wide range of physical facilities to support 

student learning and effective teaching. 

• Partnerships with two year colleges, school districts, and community 

businesses have made a tremendous impact upon 

students and community members. 

• A strong emphasis on undergraduate research directly supports 

Henderson’s commitment to a life of learning. 

• Faculty engage in and model scholarly and creative activity, 

steadily increasing the production of grants, articles in refereed 

journals and conference proceedings, books or book chapters, 

reviews, creative productions and performances, and oral or 

poster presentations. 

• Henderson is deeply committed to serving the needs of the 

community. The creation of the vice president for external 

affairs position signifies its commitment to engaging with the 

external communities. 

• The university has many excellent outreach programs and 

participates in strong partnerships, including the Arkansas Small 

Business and Technology Development Center, the Community 

Education Center, the South Arkansas Math and Science 

STEM Center, the Education Renewal Zone, TRIO programs, 

and the Alliance for Continuing Excellence in Education. 

While Henderson has many strengths, the university also recognizes 

in this report that there are challenges that it must face: 

• The campus community must be very conscious to continue 

forward momentum despite the great uncertainty caused by the 

transitions in leadership. 

• Support for the mission is generally strong, but Henderson 

continues to have difficulty articulating it clearly and consistently 

across campus and to constituent groups. Particularly, the 

connection between the liberal arts focus and the excellent 

professional and graduate programs needs to be more consistently 

articulated. 

• Policies and procedures, as well as data, information, and documents 

are sometimes difficult to find. While most offices on campus 

strive to be transparent and use email to effectively communicate, 

there is not an accessible location or a records management 

286

system to help locate information with which to make decisions. 

• State appropriations continue to be of concern to the university. 

If the downward trend in state revenue continues, Henderson 

will find it increasingly more difficult to support existing programs 

without considerable tuition increases or other outside 

sources of funding. Increasing Henderson Foundation support 

through the Office of Institutional Advancement will be critical 

over the next several years. Along with this, the institution must 

increase retention and recruitment in order to generate additional 

funds through SSCH. All of these things will be necessary 

to offset state funding shortages and rising costs in utilities and 

health coverage. And these things will be more difficult as 

Henderson is located in an economically depressed part of the 

state, with population and employment steadily decreasing. 

• Delayed funding of long term investment in real and human 

assets has put Henderson in a position where continued delay 

may have an adverse impact on the faculty, staff, or students. 

• There continue to be some academic areas that need to refine 

their assessment plans and a few that still need to develop such 

plans. The culture of assessment must continue to embrace all 

areas of the university. 

• Our process of faculty evaluation during the past ten years, 

although acceptable, needs to be given increased attention, both 

annually and for tenure and promotion. 

• More funding for research and professional development opportunities 

for faculty, staff, and students is necessary. The 2010 

Strategic Plan makes sound recommendations to assist in this 

endeavor: increasing grant funding by 20 percent in two years, 

hiring a professional grant writer or retaining other grant-writing 

services, reviewing current grant writing procedures, and 

educating faculty and staff on grant writing procedures and 

availability of potential grants. 

• Henderson needs to make the internal and external communities 

it serves more aware of the activities of engagement and 

service offered. 

In conclusion Henderson’s self-study process has led to a greater 

understanding of the university’s strengths as well as its challenges. 

Overall, the report concludes that Henderson’s mission, resources, 

and human commitment poise it for success in facing the future of 

continued changes in our state and in higher education that are 

certain to come. The “Reddie Spirit” continues to infuse “The 

School with a Heart.” 

287

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