News Article

JONESBORO, Ark. — The $10.5-million, 20,000-square-foot first phase of the Career Readiness Education & Skills Training (CREST) Center at Arkansas State University to enhance workforce training in Northeast Arkansas was approved today by the ASU System Board of Trustees.

The CREST Center, designed to become a 70,000-square-foot facility over three phases, received a $7.5 million grant from the Arkansas Department of Commerce Higher Industry Readiness through Educational Development (HIRED) program. The center is a partnership with ASU-Newport and Arkansas Northeastern College and will provide job-ready talent and credentials in advanced automated manufacturing, steel manufacturing and food processing for Northeast Arkansas employers.

A-State Chancellor Todd Shields and Dr. Robin Myers, the project lead and former interim ASU System president, explained that programming is already under way with facility construction being the next step. They were joined at the meeting by Craighead County Judge Marvin Day and Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO Mark Young.

“This investment marks the greatest opportunity we’ve had in workforce development in my entire career,” said Young, a longtime economic developer. “It makes a positive impact on future workers and changes lives for the better.”

Day said the CREST Center project is “ . . . a real team effort. A lot of people were willing to break down silos and bring people to the table. At the core, they want this community to be better place to live. Education is key to that.”

In his report to the board, ASU System President Brendan Kelly praised the campuses for their commitment to increase educational and workforce training opportunities while expanding their student reach with a 7.6% gain in overall enrollment for the fall semester. The ASU System on Thursday reported 11th-day total enrollment of 30,339 students across its seven institutions.

“Six of our seven campuses had an overall enrollment increase, including record enrollment for A-State and an extraordinary upswing for Henderson,” Kelly said. “Our two-year institutions also attracted more students as workforce training programs grew. I appreciate the work of our teams across the ASU System to seek out and meet the needs of students and Arkansas employers.”

Shields gave trustees an overview of activity at A-State and focused on a new “One Pack” strategy that reorganized multiple campus operations including advising, recruitment and fundraising. 

“Over the past year, we annihilated silos and are now working together across all units,” Shields said. “Our One Pack strategy is working. We’ve had a 28% increase in students in three years.” 

Shields also cited improved retention rates with “intrusive advising” that proactively reaches students in need through various support programs. He noted that A-State is “building rare assets” with the addition of a College of Veterinary Medicine, a Steel Research & Testing Center and the CREST Center.

“We are growing, we are financially strong and we’re uniquely defining A-State and Arkansas’ future economy,” Shields said.

Student-athlete Corey Rucker, a standout wide receiver on the Red Wolves football team, addressed the board and described his A-State journey. He recalled leaving for South Carolina for one season and deciding to return.

“I believe in Coach [Butch] Jones,” Rucker said. “Our relationship goes beyond football. He wants to make sure I’m the best person I can be. I also wanted to be the reason Arkansas State was at the top.”

Henderson State University Chancellor Trey Berry spotlighted the school’s Arkansas Aviation Academy, which serves a high demand talent pipeline for the state and is the only Federal Aviation Administration program tied to an academic bachelor’s degree for a public institution in Arkansas. The academy was recently approved by the FAA to conduct private, instrument and commercial examining authority “check-off rides” for all pilots.

Berry said the program this fall has 129 majors in professional pilot and aviation management and is the most geographically varied program on campus with students from 19 states, four countries and 31 Arkansas counties. Henderson has 14 flight instructors – the most since 2019 – to meet growing demand, and the university is committed to adding more planes and instructors.

A plan for ASU-Beebe to offer a Technical Certificate and a Certificate of Proficiency in Precision Agriculture was approved by the board. The programs, which will support its portfolio of workforce education programs in career education, are funded in part by a $2.3 million HIRED grant from the state to develop a precision agriculture program and training center.

ASU-Beebe Chief Academic Officer Blake Perkins said the programs will train students at the 150-acre campus farm in applications of geospatial technologies, including GPS, GIS and remote sensing. Students may choose to extend their education in A-State’s agriculture programs. ASU-Beebe also offer the only Associate of Applied Science in Agriculture Equipment Technology/John Deere program in the state.

Trustees approved ASU Three Rivers to name its facility at 823 Martin Luther King Boulevard in Malvern the West Fraser Workforce Training Center for the next 10 years. Chancellor Steve Rook said West Fraser Timber Co., which has a lumber mill in nearby Leola, financially supports workforce programs, sponsorships and resources that have created significant value for Three Rivers. Joining Rook at the meeting from West Fraser were executives Travis Oldershaw, Camille Shatley and Bill Bell.

The board voted to name a new intramural field project at Henderson the Georgia-Pacific Reddie Recreation Complex in appreciation of the company’s $100,000 commitment, as well as scholarship funding and other student-focused initiatives. The board also adopted a resolution conferring the honorary degree of Bachelor of Business Administration upon Anita Cabe and the late Charles Cabe, who have demonstrated generosity, leadership, service and transformational philanthropy in support of Henderson for decades.

The board approved four system policy and process additions or modifications, including:

• Revising of the ASU System Conflict of Interest and/or Conflict of Commitment Policy to expand definitions, clarify procedures and ensure consistent interpretation and application;

• Creating of the Disposition of Real Property Policy to ensure efficient disposition of real property by ASU System institutions when buying, selling or leasing;

• Adopting a New Hire and Annual Employee Training Policy to ensure compliance with federal and state laws, promote safety and support a welcoming and professional workplace with a uniform, mandatory employee training regimen; and

• Modifying the system’s Title IX hearing and appeals process in the ASU System Employee Handbook.

The board, on a motion by Trustee Paul Rowton, voted to table consideration of a proposal to rescind the current Telecommuting Policy, which was adopted during the global COVID-19 epidemic in June 2021, and replace it with a new Remote Work Policy. He asked for further review of the policy and its impact on ASU System institution employees.

In other business, the board:

• Approved A-State to apply for an Arkansas Department of Human Resources grant to continue participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, which provides food services to about 600 children in the Arkansas Delta.

• Approved ASU-Newport to offer an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Automation and Electrical Technology, which will prepare students to install, calibrate, modify and maintain automated systems.

• Approved ASU Mid-South to offer courses to students located on campuses in the West Memphis School District, Marion School District and West Memphis Christian School. In response to the Arkansas ACCESS Act that expands concurrent college credit opportunities, the schools expressed a desire for ASU Mid-South to offer courses on their campuses in addition to the Mid-South campus and online offerings.