University of Arkansas at Little Rock Chancellor Christina Drale has told the University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees that she will retire June 30 of 2027.
Drale cited her 40 years of work in higher education as the impetus for her stepping away, telling the board, “It’s just time for me.”
Prior to her 2019 appointment as chancellor, Drale served as the university’s interim vice chancellor and provost, helping oversee Little Rock’s academic functions. Drale came to Little Rock in 2006 as an associate dean of the College of Professional Studies.
During Drale’s tenure, UA Little Rock reversed a years-long decline in enrollment, eventually seeing a 29 percent bump in freshman students and an 18 percent increase in transfer students. Drale has also overseen the university’s Centennial Campaign, a comprehensive fund-raising initiative set to conclude in 2027 to coincide with Little Rock’s centennial year. Thus far, the campaign has accrued $242 million, with a final goal of $250 million.
Drale also greenlighted one of the largest athletic fundraising pushes of the university’s modern era and ushered in measures like the Enduring Opportunity Scholarship, the Half-Off Scholarship and the Trojan Guarantee — all designed to promote affordability and, combined, cutting tuition costs by nearly $4 million.
The UA System will begin a nationwide search for Drale’s replacement over the next year.
READ ALSO: Scottie Pippen, Sons, to Host Youth Basketball Camp in Bryant
