A longtime Mississippi business and higher education leader will assume temporary leadership of Henderson State University, following Arkansas Legislative Council's approval of his contract Friday.
Jim Borsig assumed the role of interim chancellor for the university Monday.
The Arkansas Legislative Council approved his contract without comment.
He replaces Elaine Kneebone, the university's general counsel who has served as acting president since July. Former President Glen Jones Jr. resigned last July after trustees learned of a multi-million dollar deficit just weeks after approving a budget increase.
Henderson State trustees don't need to approve the contract because they have already approved board Chairman Johnny Hudson working directly with Arkansas State University President Chuck Welch to negotiate a contract with an interim chancellor, Henderson State spokeswoman Tina Hall said.
Borsig reports to Welch, who hired him.
Henderson State, which has fallen behind on its bills for the past three years and which nearly depleted its reserve under previous leadership, intends to merge into the Arkansas State University System by 2021. The Higher Learning Commission, which accredits both entities, and the Arkansas Legislature must approve the merger.
Borsig has worked in municipal government and consulting, in addition to serving as associate commissioner of Higher Education in Mississippi from 2007 to 2012 and as president of the Mississippi University for Women from 2012 to 2018. (The university is co-educational.) He's spent the past two years as a partner at Leading Solutions Consulting.
His contract is for only one year with an option for a second, and he will be paid $230,000 annually.
After the year or two, Arkansas State University System will pursue a permanent chancellor.
Borsig expressed excitement for his appointment on Twitter, stating that he and his wife, Kate, "are delighted to join the Henderson State University family! #LiveReddie."
In a message to the Henderson State campus earlier this month, Welch said Borsig has been praised for his "leadership skills, communication abilities, and approachability."
"I was told how he arrived at MUW during a time of significant internal discord, financial challenges, and divisions regarding the future of the institution," Welch wrote. "I was consistently told that he managed to resolve all of these issues, increase enrollment, streamline university operations, and set the university on a much stronger course. One reference even stated, 'I would advise you to get in the car right now, drive to wherever Jim Borsig is, and get him to sign on the dotted line immediately.'"
Welch thanked Kneebone for her leadership, remarking that she "excelled in a position to which she did not aspire and brought much needed stability to our university during one of the most difficult times in the history of Henderson."