UALR chooses Ole Miss official as new provost

Burton will lead in academics

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has chosen a new second in command.

Velmer Burton Jr., 54, will start as the 11,665-student university's executive vice chancellor and provost July 1, UALR announced Friday. He is coming from the University of Mississippi, where he has worked as dean of the school of applied sciences since 2012, and will earn $250,000 annually.

"It's an exciting time to join [UALR]," he said in an interview Friday. "I think that it's an institution that's rich in tradition, that is set to take off. It's in the capital city. It's a great community. I think it's a collective grouping of attributes that make the opportunity very desirable and appealing."

He is replacing an interim provost, Deborah Baldwin, who has held the post in that capacity since January. UALR Chancellor Andrew Rogerson selected Baldwin, associate provost of collections and archives and director of the Center for Arkansas History and Culture, after former provost Zulma Toro left to lead Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Conn.

The university is "thrilled" to bring on Burton, Rogerson said in a statement.

"He is extremely well qualified to help [UALR] grow into a transformative university that drives economic development in central Arkansas," he said. "Dr. Burton's talents and decades of academic experience have him well positioned to serve our students and faculty who are critical to our success and mission."

Before working at Ole Miss in Oxford, Burton worked as a special assistant to the senior vice president for system academic administration at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. He also led the University of Minnesota, Crookston, as chancellor in 2003, according to his resume. He has held various leadership positions at North Dakota State University, Southeast Missouri State University and Michigan's Ferris State University.

Burton earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in criminal justice and a doctorate degree in sociology from the University of Cincinnati. In 2003, he earned a doctor of education degree in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania.

In all of his positions, Burton has recruited students and faculty, developed academic support mechanisms for students and partnered with academic advisory boards to bridge the campuses with businesses for students, he said.

In his new role, Burton will lead the university in academics and faculty affairs, according to UALR's website.

He will start as the state is on the verge of switching to a new method of funding its public universities and colleges -- one based less on enrollment and more on student success. The new funding model, which starts July 1, 2018, will reward Arkansas' higher education institutions in which students progress to graduation and then graduate.

He also comes in as the university is finishing up its newest strategic plan, which includes five goals over the next five years. The goals are to prepare students for success; to strengthen and support the human resources and infrastructure necessary to fulfill the university's mission and vision; to encourage and support research and creative endeavors; to serve as an active partner in the community; and to improve diversity, inclusion, equality and global understanding in the campus community.

UALR has also set a goal to enroll 15,000 students in five years. The provost and vice chancellor for student affairs will be integral in "realizing this dream," along with homing in on retention efforts, Rogerson said in an interview earlier this month.

Rogerson has also called on faculty to start re-imagining curricula to be more multidisciplinary.

"I think the first thing is to join in as a member of the chancellor's cabinet as we fulfill Chancellor Rogerson's vision for the university and work to chart our course forward," Burton said. "My ears are going to be wide open, and so I think it's going to be very important that one listens ... and work with Chancellor Rogerson closely to strengthen and build the university."

Burton was one of 27 who applied for the position and among the four who were ultimately chosen for on-campus interviews. The university hired Miramar Beach, Fla.-based Greenwood/Asher & Associates Inc. for up to $105,000 to find a replacement for Toro.

Metro on 05/20/2017

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