UA names new vice chancellor

Crystal Bridges director to join university relations

The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville has hired a new vice chancellor for university relations, which is a department of its Advancement Division.

Laura Jacobs, who is director of communications for Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, will begin her new job at UA on Jan. 27. Jacobs said her salary will be $170,000 per year.

Jacobs worked in the university relations office from 1998 to 2011, when she took the position at Crystal Bridges.

Jacobs replaces John Diamond, who was fired Aug. 23 after a disagreement with his superiors over requests from the media under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.

“I’m truly looking forward to returning to work under Chancellor Gearhart’s strong leadership and supporting the institution’s goal of becoming a Top 50 research university,” Jacobs said in an email. “This is a great opportunity to start changing the conversation and focus on the people charged with advancing the institution.”

Chris Wyrick, vice chancellor for university advancement, said the division had many qualified applicants for the job.

“Laura Jacobs stood out as clearly the best among these candidates, as a truly great choice to lead university relations and an excellent addition to our Advancement leadership team,”he said.

At Crystal Bridges, Jacobs was responsible for guiding the museum’s public and media relations, creative services, digital media and advertising since the museum’s opening Nov. 11, 2011.

Jacobs will oversee an office that is responsible for all university communications and media relations, including social media; marketing and branding of the university; promoting the university’s fundraising efforts; supervision of website design and development; the university’s design, photography and videography production; and campus-wide crisis communications.

Jacobs is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in English and communications and a master’s degree in higher education administration.

Before working at the university, Jacobs worked for the Northwest Arkansas Times and Northwest Arkansas Business Journal.

Arkansas, Pages 21 on 12/20/2013

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