Presidential Search Advisory Committee begins task
The Presidential Search Advisory Committee met Friday morning, Aug. 6, for the first time and quickly began the task of identifying well-qualified candidates for president of the Arkansas State University System. Florine Tousant Milligan of Forrest City, chair of the ASU Board of Trustees, conducted the meeting; she is also chairing the Search Committee. Milligan charged the committee with developing a plan for hearing from various constituent groups, assisting with preparation of search process documents, reviewing the applications, participating in interviews with the finalist candidates, and serving as a resource and advisory group to the Board of Trustees. Listening sessions will be held with key constituencies during the month of August at several locations, including the Beebe, Mountain Home, Newport, and Jonesboro campuses of ASU and in Little Rock. Specific time and place for the various sessions will be announced as the details are confirmed. Faculty, staff, students, and community members will be invited to provide input into the search process during the public listening sessions. Dr. Tom Meredith of Effective Leadership LLC is serving as a consultant in the search process. Meredith distributed a proposed timeline for the process, which calls for the listening sessions and finalizing materials in August, advertising the position in September, and interviews starting in October, followed by reference and background checks. A board decision could come by mid-November, with the new president to begin Jan. 1, 2011. Both Milligan and Dr. Meredith emphasized that the timeline is ambitious but will be extended if necessary to secure the best possible person for the job. They also said the committee will serve as a valuable resource and advisory group to the board, but the selection of a new president will be a Board of Trustees decision. The Board of Trustees established the 11-member search committee and agreed to hire Dr. Meredith as a consultant at its meeting on July 30. For details, see the NewsPage release.

Student Support Services offers bridge program
ASU’s Student Support Services (SSS) is announcing the “Bridging the Gap” Summer Bridge program, a comprehensive program that allows students to become better prepared for their higher education experiences at ASU. “Bridging the Gap” is designed to introduce incoming or nontraditional students to the resources required for success in college and to provide them with an individualized introduction to ASU. This program will be held Tuesday-Friday, Aug. 17-20, on the campus of ASU-Jonesboro. The "Bridging the Gap" Summer Bridge program is in its 10th year at ASU. To be eligible for the Summer Bridge program, a student must be a U.S. citizen or national or meet residence requirements for federal student aid, and the student must have a need for academic support. In addition, a student must also meet at least one of the following criteria: he or she must be a first-generation college student (neither parent has earned a baccalaureate degree); he or she must meet income guidelines; he or she must be an individual with a documented disability.The Summer Bridge program is a free program, and students who will live on campus in the fall will be able to move in to their assigned room the evening of Monday, Aug. 16. The only costs incurred by students are for miscellaneous expenses, such as snacks and personal items. For details, contact Lori Hutchinson, advisor, Student Support Services, at (870) 972-2320, visit Student Support Services online, or see the NewsPage release.

ASU Museum closes 'Science and Art' Aug. 29
 August is the last chance for one of the two "Summer of Science" exhibitions now open at the ASU Museum. Two exhibitions, Science and Art and Illusion Confusion, offer a great opportunity for summer fun and learning for the parents and grandparents or for a group field trip. Science and Art features artists integrating scientific principals into their art and includes hands-on science activities and this exhibition closes on Sunday, August 29. Illusion Confusion also offers hands-on activities for children and adults to learn more about how perceptions can create illusions and this exhibition will remain open through October. The ASU Museum is a great place to get out of the heat and spend some quality family time this summer. Treasure Hunts, available in the museum’s gift shop, are a fun way to explore the museum; when visitors complete their maps, they select a prize. The cost is $1.50 for the younger children’s Treasure Hunt, and there is also a jewelry Treasure Hunt that is popular with teens and tweens for $3-$5, depending on the number of visitors in the group. The museum also offers archeology-themed and western-themed birthday parties for children; reservations are necessary. The ASU Museum is open Tuesday from 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday afternoon from 1-5 p.m.  The museum is closed on Mondays and university holidays, like Memorial Day. For more information, visit the ASU Museum online, call the ASU Museum at ext. 2074, or see the NewsPage release.

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