The director of the state Department of Higher Education, Shane Broadway, will start work as the Arkansas State University System's vice president for governmental relations at an annual salary of $185,000 next year, system officials said Wednesday.
Broadway, who is paid $168,128 a year as the department's director, will replace ASU System Vice President for Governmental Relations Robert Evans, who is retiring Dec. 31 after 16 years of service. Evans' salary is $189,159 a year.
ASU System officials announced Broadway's hiring nearly two weeks after Republican Gov.-elect Asa Hutchinson said he had asked Broadway, a Democrat from Bryant who has headed the department since February 2011, to stay in his current job and acknowledged that "I know he has opportunities in his life."
Wednesday, Hutchinson said ASU had made a good choice. "Shane is very talented and I know this is a good fit for him and ASU, and I look forward to working with him in his new position," he said.
Broadway, who narrowly lost to Springdale Republican Mark Darr for lieutenant governor in November 2010, had served in the state House of Representatives from 1997-2003, rising to House speaker, and in the state Senate from 2003-2011.
Broadway's starting date at the ASU System hasn't been determined, but he is expected to continue in his current role through the Jan. 30 meeting of the state Higher Education Coordinating Board, said ASU System President Chuck Welch.
Hutchinson will be sworn in Jan. 13 to replace departing Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe.
"We appreciate Gov.-elect Hutchinson's understanding of Shane's desire to serve his alma mater in this capacity," Welch said in a written statement. "We will all work closely with the Hutchinson administration to help ensure a smooth transition at [the Higher Education Department] and to continue efforts toward increasing the number of college graduates and enhancing workforce training in Arkansas."
When asked Wednesday if he's interested in becoming the department's next director, University of Arkansas System Vice Chancellor for University Relations Johnny Key declined to say.
"I have heard my name [being] kicked around about it," acknowledged Key, who resigned from the state Senate at the end of July to start work for the UA System in a job paying $130,000 a year.
Hutchinson spokesman J.R. Davis said "no decision has been made on this yet," when asked about who would lead the department.
In May, the UA System hired Key after he applied unsuccessfully to be UA-Fayetteville's vice chancellor for governmental relations.
The maximum authorized salary for the state Higher Education Department director should be $203,323 a year after factoring in a 1 percent cost-of-living increase authorized last month, said Kay Terry, the state's personnel administrator.
Welch announced Broadway's hiring nine days after Broadway interviewed for the job, along with Accelerate Arkansas Executive Director Charisse Childers of Little Rock, the wife of former state Rep. Marvin Childers, R-Blyetheville, who is the president of the Poultry Federation.
Broadway and Childers were among seven people who applied for the job, which was advertised on the ASU jobs website between Nov. 10-26.
Welch said Broadway "brings to us an ideal blend of experience as a former legislator who is very knowledgeable about higher education and the processes of state government. ... I have been particularly impressed by his ability to work in a nonpartisan manner at the state Capitol."
Broadway listed state Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, R-Little Rock, who is Asa Hutchinson's nephew; House Speaker-designate Jeremy Gillam, R-Judsonia; and Beebe as his references on his ASU System job application.
Broadway, who was the student body president during the 1993-1994 school year at ASU-Jonesboro, said he's "grateful for the opportunity Dr. Welch is giving me."
The ASU System serves about 20,800 students and includes campuses in Beebe, Heber Springs, Jonesboro, Marked Tree, Mountain Home, Newport and Searcy and instructional sites at Paragould and Little Rock Air Force Base.
Metro on 12/18/2014