NTI waits for Rollins’ response to offer of job as school president

SPRINGDALE — Northwest Technical Institute’s presidential search remains unsettled two months after the board of directors announced it was targeting Springdale School District Superintendent Jim

Rollins for the job.

“We’ve made him an offer, and we’re just waiting on Dr. Rollins to fully evaluate the opportunity,” said Derek Gibson, the board’s vice chairman. “We get a sense he has interest, but I think he’s working through that decision process.”

The board announced at a meeting March 10 it wanted Rollins to succeed Blake Robertson, who is retiring at the end of June.

Since then, the state has approved the board’s choice, and the board has officially extended a job offer to Rollins, Gibson said.

The state earlier this year approved an increase in the maximum salary for the president’s position from $125,986 to $147,200. Rollins is being offered the new maximum salary, Gibson said. Robertson is making $90,284.

Rollins, 73, has been the public school district’s superintendent since 1982. He’s earning $243,000 on a contract expiring Dec. 31, 2021. Springdale is the largest school district in Arkansas with about 22,200 students.

The Springdale School Board evaluated Rollins’ performance in January. The board granted him a 7.3% raise but declined to extend his contract another year, as it typically does following its annual performance review of the superintendent. The board didn’t give a reason for not extending his contract.

Rollins, when asked last month about the job offer, said he was considering it, but he was primarily engaged in School District business as schools adjusted to the distance-learning model made necessary by the coronavirus pandemic.

His answer hadn’t changed when he was asked again Tuesday.

“It’s been a consuming process here,” Rollins said. “My focus has been to provide as much stability as I possibly can to our leadership staff.”

He said he appreciates the support, respect and patience shown to him by the Northwest Technical Institute board. He said he expects to make a decision in the near future, although he didn’t offer specifics.

Michelle Cook, the Springdale School Board president, said Tuesday she hadn’t discussed the topic with Rollins, nor has the board discussed next steps in case Rollins accepts the institute’s job offer.

“We did make the entire board aware that offer was made, but that was as far as it went,” Cook said.

The institute is a state-supported school offering several programs for high school students and adults, including industrial maintenance, diesel technology, nursing and information technology. About 225 postsecondary students and 300 high school students are enrolled, according to Robertson.

Dave Perozek can be reached at dperozek@nwadg.com or on Twitter @NWADaveP.

Rollins