UAFS provost Hale to retire after 18 years of service

FORT SMITH — Georgia Hale, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, announced she’ll retire from her position June 30.

Hale said now is the right time to retire, according to a Monday news release from the school.

“The greatest blessing and impact of my 18-year career at UAFS has been the relationships formed with faculty, staff and students along the way,” Hale said. “I look forward to watching the university through different lenses — cheerleader and supporter — as it progresses to new heights.”

Hale’s tenure at the university started in 2004 as associate dean of the new College of Business, now the College of Business & Industry, the news release states. She helped prepare the college’s faculty and staff for their initial accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, a distinction the college still holds.

Hale went on to serve as the College of Business’ interim dean, as well as the dean of the College of Applied Science and Technology, before becoming provost and vice chancellor.

Terisa Riley, chancellor, said in the news release Hale has been a “critical member” of the institute’s senior leadership team since she became chancellor in 2019. She expressed gratitude for Hale’s support as she learned about higher education in Arkansas and became acclimated to the university.

“During her career at UAFort Smith, Dr. Hale has invested her time and talent to ensure that our students reach their educational and career goals,” Riley said. “She has mentored many students and colleagues during her time at UAFS and has interviewed each faculty member hired since she became provost. Many people in our region owe a portion of their successes to her advice, guidance and support.”

The Connecticut- based firm Academic Career & Executive Search will do a national search for Hale’s replacement, the news release states. Riley will appoint a search committee to select candidates for on- campus interviews, and members of the community — including faculty, staff and students — will have the opportunity to provide feedback on each of them. Riley will then consider all this input in selecting the best candidate for the job.

Riley expects the hiring process to be finished before June 30, according to the release.

Rachel Putman, the university’s associate director for strategic communications, said the current annual salary for the provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs position is $187,272.