FAYETTEVILLE -- Howard Brill's appointment as chief justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court means he will step down as chairman of the University of Arkansas chancellor search committee.
But he will remain on the 17-member search committee appointed by UA System President Donald Bobbitt, a spokesman wrote in an email, adding Brill will participate as his schedule allows. A new chairman will be appointed, but UA System spokesman Nate Hinkel said he couldn't say when that person might be named.
Brill -- a University of Arkansas law professor -- said Gov. Asa Hutchinson approached him last week about the state Supreme Court post.
"Thursday morning, I had a call from the governor's office asking if I would be interested in being considered," Brill said during a news conference in Fayettevillet. "I said I'd be honored to be considered."
On Tuesday, Hutchinson introduced Brill as his choice to step in for the next 16 months on the Arkansas Supreme Court to replace Jim Hannah, who has said he's resigning because of health reasons.
Brill said he had a brief conversation Friday with Hutchinson and also informed Stacy Leeds, the UA School of Law dean, about the possibility.
"I met with the governor at the Chancellor Hotel Monday morning, and when he offered the job, I accepted the job and I notified the dean shortly thereafter," Brill said.
He said he has been granted a leave of absence by UA and he expects to return to his role as a professor after his appointment ends.
Brill deferred comment to the UA System about his role in the search to replace former Chancellor David Gearhart, who retired in July. Former Chancellor Daniel Ferritor is serving as interim chancellor as the search goes on.
"The purpose of the search committee is to identify candidates, individuals who might be suitable to lead this institution as the chancellor and to recommend, to give some names to the president and board of trustees," Brill said.
On Friday, Brill and the committee met for about five hours at UA with members of the search firm helping to recruit and check references of candidates. The UA System has a contract that lists a $155,000 payment to Florida-based executive search firm Greenwood/Asher & Associates Inc.
The UA System's trustees are involved in a case pending before the Arkansas Supreme Court involving a dispute over real and personal property tax collection and certain campus business operations, including fast food outlets. In response to efforts by Washington County to collect such taxes, the university has said state laws grant it immunity because university property belongs to the state. In December, a circuit judge ruled the university didn't owe taxes.
Told that a case involving the university was before the court, Brill said he was unaware of it. Asked if there were any cases where he knew he would recuse himself, Brill said he helped write a judicial conduct code addressing the topic of recusals.
"The test that I've always given lawyers, and the test that I have given judges is, if you think there is some doubt, and if your impartiality might reasonably be questioned, then yes, you should recuse. So, beyond that, I'm not going to talk because, number one, I don't know what the case is," Brill said. "But obviously, I have to be very alert to that."
NW News on 08/27/2015