ASU Board hears campus updates on pandemic, enrollment

Chancellors at Arkansas State University System campuses gave the Board of Trustees updates on the continuing impact of COVID-19 on operations and enrollment for the fall semester.

“We’re not quite as normal as we would like to be, but we have been as successful as we could be,” System President Chuck Welch said. “We appreciate the effort you took to allow for face coverings. We’re making sure students are as safe as possible and want to ensure they have the best learning experience possible. Overall we’re just pleased it’s not any worse than it is.”

Chancellors reported having a relatively low number of COVID-19 cases. Arkansas State University Chancellor Kelly Damphousse said 39 students and employees were in isolation and that mask mandates in classrooms and indoor spaces have helped minimize numbers. More than 80 percent of faculty and 70 percent of staff at A-State report being fully vaccinated, he added, along with 90 percent of student-athletes.

Welch said students have returned to A-State’s Campus Queretaro in Mexico and that residence halls there are full for the first time. The campus had its first commencement ceremony in August with 50 students. Its fall enrollment of nearly 900 students represents a 14 percent increase in freshmen and a 20 percent increase overall, he said.

ASU System institutions reported total preliminary 11th day fall enrollment of 25,212, which is 2.1 percent lower than the fall 2020 preliminary total. A-State total enrollment is flat but with a 4.5 percent increase in freshmen, as well as increases in transfer and international students. Chancellors noted that enrollment numbers will rise throughout the fall and that traditional 11th day reports are a snapshot in time that don’t reflect changes in traditional enrollment periods.

ASU Three Rivers saw a 27 percent enrollment increase thanks to 470 new students attending the Saline County Career & Technical Center campus. ASU-Beebe, in partnership with the Lonoke School District, is offering classes and training at the new state-of-the-art Lonoke Business Academy.

Welch and System Executive Vice President Julie Bates reported on improvements in Henderson’s financial condition while acknowledging ongoing challenges such as enrollment and debt. Henderson’s FY2020 audit has been approved and the FY2021 audit is expected in December. The institution paid $250,000 toward its state advance in FY2021, and Moody’s Investor Services upgraded Henderson’s bond rating outlook from negative to stable following the merger with the ASU System. Cash on hand improved from seven days in June 2019 to 38 days in June 2020, while operating expenses decreased from $64 million in FY2019 to $61.9 million in FY2020.

Dr. Tim Langford of Little Rock announced he would be resigning from the board this month as a result of becoming chairman of the Urology Department at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Trustees recognized the service of former board member Stacy Crawford of Jonesboro.