Higher education notebook

Henderson starts bid for doctorate

Henderson State University will start the process of changing its role and scope to offer its first doctoral degree.

The Arkadelphia university's board approved plans to offer a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, along with a Master of Science in Nursing, on Friday. The master's program -- which is set to enroll its first class in January 2019 -- will produce either nursing administrators or practitioners and "will flow naturally" into the doctoral program, the university said in a news release.

The academic programs are "an extension" of Henderson's recent partnership with CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs to produce more nurses in the region, said university Provost Steve Adkison. Under the partnership, St. Vincent will give Henderson $500,000 over three years -- which has helped add faculty and create an online, accelerated program to help registered nurses earn Bachelor of Science degrees in nursing -- and another $200,000 per year in financial aid packages for nursing students.

To offer the doctoral program, the university will need to undergo a role and scope change with the state Department of Higher Education and its accrediting agency, the Higher Learning Commission. The change is necessary because the school is not currently approved to offer any degrees at that level. The academic programs will also need approval.

Reporters to talk about executions

The University of Central Arkansas is hosting a discussion with journalists who covered this year's executions in Arkansas.

The forum is Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the McCastlain Ballroom on the Conway campus. The session is open to the public and will feature KATV's Marine Glisovic, THV 11's David Lippman, KARK/FOX 16 Capitol View Arkansas host Jessi Turnure, and KUAR's Jacob Kauffman.

The panel members will recount their experiences covering the death penalty, including insight on the procedure, challenges and experiences that come with covering executions, the university said in a news release.

The state executed four death row inmates over an eight-day period in April. The first was Ledell Lee's lethal injection on April 20, also the first time the state executed a prisoner in more than a decade. The execution of Jack Jones Jr. and Marcel Williams was the nation's first double execution since 2000. The last execution was that of Kenneth Williams.

UAFS gets new 5-year plan, vision

The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith has a new vision statement and a five-year strategic plan, which includes four main initiatives.

The University of Arkansas System board of trustees approved both in a meeting last week. Under the new vision statement, the university "will be a national model for preparing students for workforce mobility through education and professional development while serving as a thought leader in the region for workforce training."

The five-year plan is the culmination of nearly two and a half years of work from focus groups, which included input from trustees, the state and the community, said UAFS Chancellor Paul Beran. He noted the university's mission -- preparing students to succeed in an ever-changing global world while advancing economic development and quality of place -- has not changed.

Under the plan, the university aims to:

• Increase the enrollment, retention and graduation rates of UAFS students.

• Provide an innovative and holistic educational experience for students with a focus on academic opportunities supporting economic growth and development.

• Increase workplace productivity, collaboration and innovation by fostering and championing professional growth and development for university faculty and staff.

• Strategically align resources to support university objectives.

Metro on 11/12/2017

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