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Students First

Students first.

It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? I think so. In fact, putting students first is something I am insisting on as chancellor.
 
As classes begin today to officially kick off the new semester, the University of Arkansas still offer students an excellent education at a great value in a dynamic environment.

But starting today, I think we can do even better by our students.
 
I think we can create an even stronger academic climate in which to learn.  I think we can move students even closer to the heart of what we do, and be even more mindful of their centrality to our mission.

As faculty and staff, we can reach out to them even more, and make them feel better valued and welcomed.  We can also be more patient, positive, and helpful when interacting with students.  We can do a better job of eliminating red tape and bureaucracy.  And where we can't streamline administrative processes further, we can improve on our ability to help students navigate them.

If we've accepted a student into the university, then we must use every means at our disposal to keep that student here, and to help that student be successful.  A major roadblock these days is the price of a college education, which has risen drastically across the country the last few decades.

That's why I will always keep students in mind when balancing our need for future resources and growth.  I do not, and will not, take tuition and fee increases lightly. No eligible student should be denied a university of Arkansas education due to his or her pocketbook.  For that reason, creating more need-based scholarships for our deserving students will be an ongoing priority.

Students drop out or transfer for reasons other than finances, though.  Students also need to be challenged, and they need quality interaction with faculty who provide active and collaborative learning opportunities.  They also need access to meaningful educational experiences, such as conducting research or studying abroad.  Where we can strengthen these existing components, we will, and I urge all colleagues from every part of the university to make their contact with students as supportive as possible.

Students come to us with different strengths and vulnerabilities, and as such require different levels of attention and support.

This means we all need to be more closely monitoring year-to-year changes and studying the impact of different interventions on student outcomes. It means that we need to be examining the graduation rates of different student populations, identifying students who are at risk of dropping out and engaging them in ways that may help turn that risk around. It might also mean putting more freshmen in learning communities where they receive more individual instruction and academic support from their peers.

Above all, it means each of us contributing to a compassionate campus community, able and willing to ask the extra question and spend the extra minute. Sometimes intrusive interventions are the answer, but a better solution is the embracing and engaging interaction, one that invites and persuades. That is how we can reach each student, both those in the midst of success and those facing the specter of failure.

In short, student-centeredness should permeate everything we do, and guide every decision we take. It should motivate us to continuously ask ourselves what can be improved, and compel us to share those thoughts with each other. 
 
That's how we all put students first.

To students, our superb faculty and staff alike, I wish you all the best on this first day of classes, and hope you enjoy a marvelous semester. We're very proud that you're at the University of Arkansas.

Thank you.