Each week, a different member of the chancellor’s executive team spoke to students. Cheryl Murphy, vice provost for distance education, shares the services and resources provided by the Global Campus.
A Seat at the Executive Table
By Julianna Kantner, Mar’Quavis Stuckett and Benjamin Walworth / Photos by Russell Cothren
The executive committee files into the conference room. One committee member queries the group, “What did you think of the homework?” This is not your average committee meeting — the Chancellor’s Executive Table consists of 12 undergraduate honors students. Through a rare opportunity to engage and interact with both Chancellor Charles F. Robinson and members of his executive team, students analyze the biggest debates in American higher education today, including college admission policies, the student-athlete experience, online education and student health. In addition to providing valuable insight and feedback as stakeholders on campus, students have the unique opportunity to learn about the administration of a flagship university and land-grant institution. Read below as three students reflect on lessons learned from Chancellor Robinson and how this course has shaped their futures as leaders.
Julianna Kantner
B.A. international studies and
political science, summa cum laude, ’23,
Toller Honors College Fellow
Sitting at the Chancellor’s Executive Table, I gained an appreciation for the moving parts that contribute to university management and learned how I can better advance the changes I hope to see at a university level.
I could ask nearly unlimited questions to Chancellor Robinson and decision-makers in finance, student affairs and governmental relations. I learned it is easy to suggest changes to a system you don’t fully understand. The process of developing solutions becomes more difficult when you learn the nuances of financial limitations, political culture and competing desires amongst all relevant stakeholders — in this case alumni, students, government officials, faculty, staff and more. Through this realization, the course challenged me to become a better, more-informed leader.
During the course, I had the opportunity to speak with those advancing career development on campus. I became aware of the challenges career development staff navigate relating to outreach, understaffing, and cultivating awareness of their services. I realized that my preconceptions of career development barriers tackled just the beginning of the work necessary to develop solutions for the growth of pre-professional advising and career success for underrepresented students. The more I learned, the more barriers I became aware of. Whether it is advocating for changes on my law school’s campus or leading my own law firm one day, I will carry with me a desire to be a leader who seeks a full understanding of the problems I plan to address.
Mar’Quavis Stuckett
freshman, Path Scholar,
supply chain management major
On the first day, Chancellor Robinson informed us that the course was rated “R” for REAL, and it was. The conversations were an eye-opening experience for me because I had not considered everything that goes into my success and experience as a student.
Although every presentation was phenomenal, my favorite presentation was about our Global Campus given by Cheryl Murphy, vice provost of distance education. The presentation covered the many opportunities that the University of Arkansas covers online and outside of its main campus. Our Global Campus offers non-traditional students the opportunity to earn certifications, skills and degrees to help them achieve their dreams and goals. It brought me hope to see how higher education continues to evolve and what being a “college student” can now look like.
A class with two deans can be intimidating, and adding the university’s chancellor into the mix doubled my anxiety. You would think that everyone in the class would be nervous to share their opinions and thoughts; however, that wasn’t the case. If you have yet to meet any of our outstanding administrators at the University of Arkansas, I advise you to do so immediately. They are great people to learn from and even better people to know.
The Chancellor’s Executive Table offered insight into higher education and gave me a broader sense of how every decision the university makes affects me and the other 30,000+ students here at the University of Arkansas.
Benjamin Walworth
junior, Toller Honors College Fellow,
marketing major
When I first enrolled in the Chancellor’s Executive Table, I was expecting a more traditional style of class, but this was not what I experienced. I was encouraged to take a seat at the table, think critically, ask questions and share my perspective on the many complex issues that face higher education today.
I enjoyed strengthening my understanding of the more commonly recognized components of a university, such as student affairs, academics and athletics. I was also exposed to other essential divisions that are not as directly visible to most students, such as finance and administration, governmental relations and economic development. Getting this “behind-the-scenes” look at the inner workings of a university was a fascinating and unique experience. For example, I gained a more nuanced understanding of how a university receives its funding and how it generates value through the services it provides. Throughout the course, I realized that issues in higher education are much more complex than they seem. Considering the many factors in play and the multitude of stakeholders involved with each decision is incredibly important. Collaboration and communication are also key in larger organizational settings when designing solutions.
Spending a semester at the Chancellor’s Executive Table not only increased my understanding of my institution but also caused me to develop a greater appreciation for how the University of Arkansas fulfills its land-grant mission of teaching, conducting research and providing service to the state.