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UA System Announces UA-EACC Chancellor Advisory Search Committee
LITTLE ROCK (Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025) - University of Arkansas System President Jay B. Silveria today announced the formation of an advisory committee to assist in the search for the next chancellor of University of Arkansas - East Arkansas Community College (UA-EACC).
Current UA-EACC Chancellor Cathie Cline, Ed.D., informed Silveria last August of her plans to retire July 1 after more than 25 years of service to the institution. Chris Thomason, vice president for strategic and community college partnerships for the UA System, is leading the search for the UA System President's Office and will coordinate the recommendation of a short list of final candidates cultivated by the committee for Silveria to consider before ultimately making his recommendation to the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas for final approval.
The 14-member search committee, listed below, includes key members of the campus community, alumni, and regional education, business and municipal leaders from the campus's service areas. To keep interested parties, the campus and community up to date, UA-EACC will also launch a search web page that will be updated with news regarding the search and the process.
"Upon my first visit to UA-EACC, it became immediately obvious how strong Dr. Cline's leadership is at the institution and how the culture she's created is so ingrained with the communities it serves," Silveria said. "We don't want that to change because of her retirement, and so I'm pleased with the representation of all of those key elements from its service area and within campus to help ensure we find the right fit to keep UA-EACC's momentum moving forward."
Thomason said the hope is for finalists to be named in late spring, and a new chancellor will have the opportunity to work with Cline for a short period before her July 1 retirement. Once finalists are named, campus visits will be organized for each individual and public forums held to keep students, faculty, staff and the public at the forefront of the process.
"Dr. Cline has done such a great job on campus and in the community of building relationships that it's important for us to recognize ways this search process can be an extension of that," Thomason said. "The bond the campus shares with this region is remarkable and is one of the big reasons UA-EACC was an attractive partner to the UA System. We intend on leaning into that to ensure that not only this institution and the UA System succeed, but that the community and region also continue to enjoy and benefit from this relationship."
Thomason will guide the committee with the help of two UA-EACC staff members, Anne Kelso, an administrative assistant at UA-EACC, who will be an assistant to the committee, and Lindsay Midkiff, associate vice chancellor for Public Relations and Community Programs at UA-EACC, who will serve as its communications coordinator.
The UA-EACC Advisory Search Committee includes:
|
Committee Member |
Representation |
|
Judge Ann Hudson |
UA-EACC Foundation Board and Board of Visitors, Circuit Judge - First Judicial District, Division Five at State of Arkansas |
|
Dr. Florine Milligan |
UA-EACC Board of Visitors, Retired Boar's Head Executive, Former AHECB member |
|
Anna Howton |
Forrest City Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Dir. of Marketing and Comms. at Woodruff Electric Cooperative, UA-EACC Foundation Board |
|
Ty Griffin |
Wynne Economic Development Commission, Cross County Chamber, Attorney |
|
Michelle Wilson |
UA-EACC Foundation Board, retired Vice President of Academic Affairs |
|
Ed Adams |
UA-EACC Associate Vice President for Computer Services |
|
Pete Cross |
UA-EACC Director/Instructor of Workforce Training |
|
Sam Harris |
Alum, UA-EACC Human Resources Support Analyst |
|
Yalonda Smith |
UA-EACC Humanities Instructor and Academic Advisor |
|
Jerry Stegall |
Alum, UA-EACC Director of Recruiting and Student Activities |
|
Christine Williams |
UA-EACC Dean of Career and Technical Education |
|
Ryan Halbert |
Palestine-Wheatley School District Superintendent |
|
Dr. Tiffany Hardrick |
Superintendent, Forrest City School District |
|
Dr. Kenneth Moore |
Superintendent, Wynne School District |
|
Non-Voting Leadership/Staff |
Affiliation |
|
Chris Thomason |
UA System Search Lead |
|
Anne Kelso |
UA-EACC, Assistant to the Committee |
|
Lindsay Midkiff |
UA-EACC, Search Communications Coordinator |
Previous UA-EACC Chancellor Search News:
About the University of Arkansas System (www.uasys.edu) Since its inception, the University of Arkansas System has developed a tradition of excellence that includes the state's 1871 flagship, land-grant research university; Arkansas's premier institution for medical education, treatment and research; a major metropolitan university; an 1890 land-grant university; two regional universities serving southern and western Arkansas; eight community colleges; two schools of law; a presidential school; a residential math and science high school; and a 100 percent-online university and divisions of agriculture, archeology and criminal justice. As the premier higher education system in the state, it enrolls more than 70,000 students, employs more than 27,000 employees, and has a total budget of more than $4 billion. An intrinsic part of the texture and fabric of Arkansas, the UA System is a driving force in the state's economic, educational and cultural advancement.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Nate Hinkel (UA System)
(501) 707-8050
nhinkel@uasys.edu
Lindsay Midkiff (UA-EACC)
(870) 633-4480, ext. 214
lindsay.midkiff@eacc.edu
