College president’s contract extended to ’29

BENTONVILLE — The Northwest Arkansas Community College Board of Trustees on Monday approved extending President Dennis Rittle’s contract, according to board Chairman Mark Scott.

The unanimous vote occurred after board members came out of an executive session during their regular monthly meeting, Scott said. The two-year contract extension goes to June 30, 2029. Rittle’s contract was to expire at the end of the 2027 fiscal year, Scott said.

“He has surpassed our expectations and the goals we set for him, and he is the right leader for Northwest Arkansas Community College,” Scott said.

Rittle’s base salary when hired by the college in 2022 was $205,000, Scott said.

“We hope the contract extension does what it was intended to do — to allow NWACC, its students and our taxpayers to have the best leadership possible,” Scott said. “We also hope it shows not just our college, but our community, the appreciation and support Dr. Rittle has from us as he continues to lead our college into new initiatives and leadership that will make Northwest Arkansas stronger.”

Among the initiatives is the expansion of the college’s sports program. Brooke Brewer was hired in August as the school’s first full-time athletic director. The college has since added esports and men’s and women’s outdoor track running events to the college, joining the cross country program.

Rittle, 54, is the college’s fourth president. He was president of Cowley College in Arkansas City, Kan., for seven years before he was hired as president of Northwest Arkansas Community College. Rittle has a doctorate in organizational leadership from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va.

Northwest Arkansas Community College is the largest two-year college in Arkansas. Its enrollment last fall semester was 7,839.