Organization:Henderson State University

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Short description: Public university in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, U.S.
Henderson State University
Henderson State University seal.png
Former name
  • Arkadelphia Methodist College (1890–1904)[1]:ii
  • Henderson College (1904–1911)[1]:ii
  • Henderson-Brown College (1911–1929)[1]:ii
  • Henderson State Teachers College (1929–1967)[1]:185
  • Henderson State College (1967–1975)[1]:328
TypePublic university
Established1890; 134 years ago (1890)
Parent institution
Arkansas State University System
Academic affiliations
Space-grant
ChancellorCharles Ambrose
ProvostTaLisha Givan
Administrative staff
186[2]
Undergraduates2544[3]
Postgraduates557[3]
Location
Arkadelphia
,
Arkansas
,
United States
CampusRural 151 acres (0.61 km2)
|u}}rsRed and Gray[4]
         
NicknameReddies
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division II –GAC
Websitewww.hsu.edu
Henderson State University logo.svg

Henderson State University (HSU) is a public university in Arkadelphia, Arkansas,[5] Founded in 1890 as Arkadelphia Methodist College.[6] Henderson has an undergraduate enrollment of around 2,500 students. The campus is located on 156 acres (0.63 km2).[7]

History

The university was renamed for Charles Christopher Henderson, a Trustee and prominent Arkadelphia businessman,[8] on May 23, 1904.[1]:37

Glen Jones years and subsequent financial crisis

Glendell Jones Jr. was named Henderson State University's 17th president on Tuesday, March 6, 2012 and officially assumed presidential duties on July 1, 2012. Jones' tenure as president was rocked by a series of scandals and bad publicity, and he and his senior leadership were twice the subject of no-confidence votes by the faculty ignored by the university's board of trustees, chaired by Bruce Moore of Little Rock, AR. When the true scope of the university's budget crisis became public in July 2019, Jones was asked to resign--he was compensated with a year's further salary and six months free residence at the university's presidential mansion. He currently serves as an adviser to the president of Georgetown University.

Jones—as well as several other current and former administrators, staff, and members of the Board of Trustees—were called to testify before the Arkansas legislature in 2020 as part of the state's effort to understand the university's staggering financial collapse.

Following Jones' resignation, then-general counsel Elaine Kneebone was named acting president. She was replaced by (Interim) President/Chancellor Jim Borsig, who resigned in early 2021 citing health concerns. Chuck Ambrose was hired in November 2021 as the first permanent head of the institution in over two years.

On October 24, 2019, the Henderson State Board of Trustees voted unanimously to join the Arkansas State University System based in Little Rock, Arkansas.[9]

In February 2022, the university, claiming a pending cash shortfall of over $12 million, declared financial exigency and announced plans to begin cuts to personnel and programs in an effort to "right-size" the university and avert the university's closure.[10]

On May 2, 2022, 37% of faculty received phone calls from the Chancellor's office that their positions had been terminated, 12 departments were excised entirely, eliminating many degree programs.[11][12][13] The university cut 67 faculty positions, of which 44 were tenured.[14] Students and faculty protested the sweeping changes, and on May 4, the Faculty Senate voted no confidence in the administration.[15] On May 5, the ASUS Board dismissed the vote of no confidence and approved Chancellor Ambrose's recommendations for program and faculty cuts. Over a year later, Ambrose announced his resignation, effective September 15, 2023.[16][17] ASU System President Charles Welch later announced the selection of Bob Fisher, a native of Arkadelphia and former president of Belmont University, as interim chancellor of Henderson State.[18]

2019 campus methamphetamine synthesis incident

In October 2019, police responded to a campus chemistry laboratory at the Reynolds Science Center following concerns of chemical odors resulting in the building's closure for several weeks. Initial investigation found elevated levels of benzyl chloride and subsequently found methamphetamine residues. Two chemistry professors who were described as having been acting awkwardly were arrested and charged with manufacturing methamphetamine.[19][20][21]

Arkansas Hall
Donald W. Reynolds Science Center
Baseball player Andrew Reynolds in 2014

Athletics

Henderson State's athletic teams are the Reddies. The university is a member in the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Great American Conference since the 2011–12 academic year. The Reddies previously competed in the Gulf South Conference (GSC) from 1993–94 to 2010–11; as well as the defunct Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference (AIC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1930–31 to 1992–93.

Henderson State sponsors in 12 intercollegiate sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, football, golf and swimming & diving; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, softball, swimming & diving, tennis and volleyball. The university also has a co-ed cheer and pom squad.

Football

The university's football team's home games are played at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium in Arkadelphia.[22] Henderson State shares the longest rivalry in Division II football with Ouachita Baptist University Tigers, the Battle of the Ravine, which began in 1895.

Notable alumni

On campus at Henderson State University
  • Bobby Bones, host of the nationally syndicated radio show Bobby Bones Show
  • Lloyd L. Burke 1950, Medal of Honor recipient
  • Osro Cobb, Republican politician and lawyer
  • Ken Duke, professional golfer
  • Bob Fisher, past president of Belmont University.[23]
  • Roy Green, 1979, former American football wide receiver in the National Football League
  • Tony Johns, Canadian football player
  • Gus Malzahn, 1990, American football coach and former head football coach of Auburn University. Current head coach at University of Central Florida
  • John P. McConnell, 1927, General and Chief of Staff, United States Air Force
  • Sean McGrath, 2012, current American football tight end in the National Football League
  • Sid McMath, 34th governor of Arkansas (1949–1953)
  • David Pryor, 39th governor of Arkansas (1975–1979), US Senator (1979–1997), and US Representative from Arkansas's 4th district (1966–1973)
  • Aaron Owens, 1999, former AND1 Mixtape Tour basketball player
  • Reggie Ritter, 1982, former Major League baseball player for the Cleveland Indians and the only HSU graduate to play in the Major Leagues.
  • Jane Ross, co-founder of the Ross Foundation
  • Jimmy D. Ross, 1958, 4-star General and member of the board of two corporations, United States Army
  • G. Lloyd Spencer, U.S. Senator from Arkansas
  • Robert Thomas, former professional football player for the Dallas Cowboys
  • Billy Bob Thornton, (attended), Academy Award-winning American screenwriter, actor as well as occasional director, playwright and singer.
  • Delores White, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League baseball player
  • Jeremy Williams, American player of Canadian football
  • C. Vann Woodward, 1959, Sterling Professor of History at Yale University; Pulitzer Prize-winning historian

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Bledsoe, Bennie Gene (December 1973). The Origin and Development of Henderson State College (PhD). Denton, Texas: North Texas State University. Archived from the original on May 9, 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-09 – via University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library.
  2. ↑ "Office of Institutional Research | University of Arkansas". University of Arkansas. http://oir.uark.edu/quickfacts/faculty.html. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "College Navigator - Henderson State University". https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Henderson+State+University&s=all&id=107071. 
  4. ↑ "Henderson State University Visual Identity and Brand Standards". http://hsu.today/visual-identity-and-style-guide/color/. 
  5. ↑ "GetReddie for Henderson". Henderson State University. http://www.getreddie.com/. 
  6. ↑ "Henderson State University – Encyclopedia of Arkansas". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=4139. 
  7. ↑ "Henderson State University - Profile, Rankings and Data". https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/henderson-state-university-1098. 
  8. ↑ "Captain Charles C. Henderson House, Arkadelphia, Clark Country". Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. http://www.arkansaspreservation.com/historic-properties/_search_nomination_popup.aspx?id=1243. 
  9. ↑ Walkenhorst, Emily (2019-10-25). "HSU trustees OK beginning merger with ASU System". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (WEHCO Media, Inc.). ISSN 1060-4332. OCLC 980986607. https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2019/oct/25/hsu-trustees-ok-beginning-merger-with-a/. 
  10. ↑ "President Glen Jones". http://www.hsu.edu/president/. 
  11. ↑ "ASU System Board of Trustees Approves Henderson Academic Restructuring Plan" (Press release). Little Rock: Arkansas State University System. 5 May 2022. Archived from the original on 5 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022. LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas State University System Board of Trustees today approved the recommendations of Henderson State University Chancellor Chuck Ambrose for an academic reorganization designed to enhance student success, address community-based workforce needs and produce critical financial savings for the institution’s future.
  12. ↑ Zeringue, Neale (2022-05-04). "Faculty and students opposing Henderson State budget cuts plan". KARK-TV (Nexstar Media Group). https://www.kark.com/news/education/faculty-and-students-opposing-henderson-state-budget-cuts-plan/. 
  13. ↑ Nietzel, Michael T. (2022-05-04). "Henderson State University's Financial Exigency To Include Deep Faculty And Academic Program Cuts" (in en-US). Forbes. ISSN 0015-6914. OCLC 1088420850. https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2022/05/04/henderson-state-universitys-financial-exigency-to-include-deep-faculty-and-academic-program-cuts/. Retrieved 2022-05-05. 
  14. ↑ Jaschik, Scott (2022-05-04). "University Seeks to Cut 67 Faculty, 44 of Them Tenured" (in en). Inside Higher Ed. OCLC 721351944. https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2022/05/04/university-seeks-cut-67-faculty-44-them-tenured. "The administration of Henderson State University, in Arkansas, on Monday proposed cutting 67 faculty jobs, 44 of them held by tenured professors. The university also seeks to eliminate another 21 positions that are unfilled." 
  15. ↑ Counts, Chris (2022-05-04). "Henderson State Faculty Senate vote "no confidence" in administration after budget cuts released". KARK-TV (Nexstar Media Group). https://www.kark.com/news/education/henderson-state-faculty-senate-votes-no-confidence-in-administration-after-budget-cuts-released/. 
  16. ↑ hsu.edu, Henderson State University- (2023-07-31). "HSU Chancellor Chuck Ambrose to Resign, Effective Sept. 15 | News" (in en). https://www.hsu.edu/news/2023/jul/31/hsu-chancellor-chuck-ambrose-to-resign-effective-sept-15/. 
  17. ↑ Anderson, Ryan (August 1, 2023). "Henderson State University chancellor announces resignation". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/aug/01/henderson-state-university-chancellor-announces-resignation/. Retrieved August 2, 2023. 
  18. ↑ hsu.edu, Henderson State University- (2023-08-16). "Dr. Bob Fisher appointed interim chancellor at Henderson State | News" (in en). https://www.hsu.edu/news/2023/aug/16/fisher-appointed-interim-chancellor-at-henderson-state/. 
  19. ↑ Bote, Joshua (2019-11-19). "Chemistry professors charged with making meth in school lab after report of strange odor" (in en-US). USA Today. ISSN 0734-7456. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/11/18/arkansas-chemistry-professors-charged-making-meth-school-lab/4226884002/. ""Initial testing indicated an elevated presence of benzyl chloride in a laboratory," Hall told USA TODAY. Benzyl chloride is classified as an "extremely dangerous substance" by the U.S. government and is sometimes used in the manufacturing of amphetamines." 
  20. ↑ Halford, Bethany (2020-02-07). "Ex-Henderson State University professors plead not guilty to making methamphetamine" (in en). Chemical & Engineering News. ISSN 0009-2347. OCLC 567617114. https://cen.acs.org/research-integrity/misconduct/Ex-Henderson-State-University-professors-plead-not-guilty-to-making-methamphetamine/98/web/2020/02. Retrieved 2022-05-05. "Terry David Bateman and Bradley Allen Rowland, the two former Henderson State University chemistry professors who were arrested in November for allegedly making methamphetamine, pleaded not guilty to all charges on Feb. 4. The chemists are formally charged with making methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia for making methamphetamine, possession of the methamphetamine precursor phenylpropanolamine, and manufacture of a controlled substance in a drug-free zone (the university).". 
  21. ↑ Diaz, Johnny (2019-11-17). "2 Arkansas Chemistry Professors Face Charges of Making Meth" (in en-US). The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/17/us/arkansas-chemistry-professor-meth.html. 
  22. ↑ "Henderson State Historical Data". College Football Data Warehouse. http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ii/gac/henderson_state/index.php. 
  23. ↑ "Office of the President: About Bob Fisher". http://www.belmont.edu/president/bio.html. 

Further reading

  • Sesser, David Leo. "The School with a Heart: Henderson State University, 1929-1959." (PhD Dissertation,. University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 2019).

External links

[ ⚑ ] 34°7′50.44″N 93°3′31.72″W / 34.1306778°N 93.0588111°W / 34.1306778; -93.0588111



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