Executive Q&A: The Gold Standard, The UAPB Sets the Bar High for HBCUs in Arkansas
UAPB Chancellor Dr. Laurence B. Alexander
Dr. Laurence B. Alexander, a nationally recognized scholar and academic leader, is in his ninth year as Chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, a public land-grant research historically black colleges and universities in an urban setting.
Alexander brings more than three decades of combined professional and academic experience as a transformational university leader, administrator, distinguished professor, First Amendment scholar, attorney and journalist. Under his leadership, UAPB has grown in enrollment, achieved remarkable increases in retention and graduation rates, launched several new marketable academic programs, completed reaffirmation of university accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission, reached higher levels of research investment and grant funding, acquired funding for new construction and renovation of capital projects, increased levels of community and statewide engagement, and success in major-gift fundraising and development, including the two largest donations in the university’s history. In that time, UAPB has grown in prominence and national visibility by rising to a Top-20 public HBCU ranking in U.S. News and World Report.
In 2022, Alexander was appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as Chair of the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development (BIFAD), an advisory committee to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). His appointment as BIFAD Chair marks the first time the board is chaired by a leader of an 1890 public land grant university, acknowledging the valuable contributions of HBCUs and presenting opportunity to further strengthen USAID’s partnerships with HBCUs and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). The Board supports USAID’s global commitments in agriculture and food systems through initiatives such as the revised U.S. Government Global Food Security Strategy and U.S. Government Global Food Security Research Strategy; responding to climate change; expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion; and strengthening local systems.
AMP: The last time you spoke with us, you mentioned you were most proud that UAPB was one of the few schools in the state that not only maintained enrollment but saw an increase in enrollment during the pandemic. Did that success carry over into 2021-2022, and what are your predictions for the upcoming school year?
Alexander: We did have an increase in the 21-22 school year. It was a much lower increase than previously. We previously had an 8% increase, but our growth was under 1% last year — so a tiny uptick in enrollment. As far as this fall, I don’t like to make predictions — not because I could be wrong. I don’t make predictions except to say that we’ve got our faculty, staff, students and alumni who are hard at work on growing enrollment in the university. So they’re working hard on it, responding to questions and interests. The application pool looks good. So, we remain cautiously optimistic.
AMP: You mention you have alum, current students, recruiters and staff who are working hard. What other things do you attribute to the university’s success under your current leadership?
Alexander: I want to attribute that to just great teamwork. First, we enjoy great collaboration by working together towards common goals, using innovative and entrepreneurial efforts and ideas that come into the process within the university community. They all help us bring the university to a higher level of prominence in enrollment growth and student success and increase our retention and graduation rate.
Through significant gifts and grants to the University from various sources — from corporations and foundations, expanding our research grant activity as well, and through the capital projects we have brought to the campus over the last several years. We’re in the midst of several capital projects now. So, I think I would attribute that to those kinds of successes, to the teamwork that we have, that we enjoy. Everyone is working in concert toward common goals and priorities in the university to enhance the prominence of our university.
We are open and looking for partnerships with businesses and industries that will not only help our students at the University, but will help grow economic development and business with our support.
AMP: Earlier this year, you were appointed the Chair of the Board for Agricultural Development, an advisory committee to the USAID (U.S. Agency for International Development). How has this role contributed to and coincided with your role as Chancellor of an HBCU?
Alexander: I’ve only been in the role for about five months, but it’s been a whirlwind. It’s been good. We are getting down to the work of the Board. We are engaging in conversations and working together on how we can best use our universities to achieve the priorities and goals of USAID. It’s only natural to have someone to chair the Board who is a leader of a Historically Black University. We put that front and center in many conversations about how we reach out to universities and ensure that HBCUs and MSIs (Minority Serving Institutions) are involved in that conversation.
AMP: What have been some of the recent changes or points of growth on the campus of UAPB?
Alexander: We’ve had several recent changes, and one of them we’ve already talked about is enrollment. Enrollment increased in 2020 by 8%, and we grew it by less than 1% last year. But our student success metrics continue improving, which is a good sign. Specifically, our graduation rate: Our six-year graduation rate moved up last year above 40% for the first time. And now it’s at approximately 41%. We’re having some success in graduating students on campus.
As a result of that success in student graduation retention, we’re getting increases in the state funding formula based on state success. Our cumulative growth over the last five years for us amounts to over $1.2 million, and that $1.2 million now is additional funds that UAPB will receive annually from the legislation unless it goes down. That’s a massive boost for us.
We have some changes in the physical plan itself. We currently have several construction and renovation projects that are underway. One of the big ones that we have underway is Larrison Hall. That’s a building on campus that’s been dormant for a couple of decades. And now, we will do a total internal renovation of that building, which we will use for faculty and student research. We also have renovation projects in the old student union and some renovations were just completed in Douglas Residence Hall and Lewis Residence Hall. We’re also starting phase one of the renovation of the Hazzard Gym. It’s the home of our very successful ROTC program.
We’re also looking forward to reopening academic buildings damaged by the storm last year. We had three academic buildings that suffered damage to the power source. We’re excited about opening those this fall. Last year, we completed all three phases of the renovation of the Kountz-Kyle Hall, the biology building. And so it’s beautifully renovated.
AMP: Are there new programs offered at UAPB?
Alexander: We have a new MBA program offering hospitality and gaming specializations. The gaming specialization is due to our local casino, Saracen Casino Resort. We are developing students and developing a workforce for local industry. And that program is off the ground; we had our first class coming through last fall. We’re going to be bringing on more students this year. And you mentioned the agricultural engineering program, launched a couple of years back. We just had our first graduate from the program just this spring. So that’s very good news that we were able to get the agricultural engineering program started. We also started an undergraduate program in hospitality management and tourism. So we’ve got some new programs geared towards things happening that are specifically targeted to job prospects right here in Arkansas.
AMP: How about your industrial technology program?
Alexander: While it’s not a new program, it continues to be a shining light for UAPB in that our students who graduate from the industrial technology program are sought after. Many obtain jobs earning $60,000-$70,000 a year or more, and it is a popular program on campus. But it is a challenging program, and the folks in industrial technology do an excellent job preparing their students and keeping our programs connected with industries that are beneficial to our local community.
And I don’t want to leave our aquaculture and fisheries program because it is a signature program that we are well-known for. And we also have a couple of centers of excellence. One is in aquaculture and fisheries; the other is in regulatory sciences, where we have been recognized nationally for the work done in those departments and those areas. So those are some excellent, critical areas of focus for our university.
I also want to mention the growth in our fine arts, our art design department and our music department. Our music department is well-known because people get to see the band or they get to see our concert band, they get to hear our choir, and they get to see us. But I hope they know that our art design department is doing some great things. So while we’re blossoming on the STEM side, I want to underscore that the arts and humanities at UAPB are doing quite well, too.
AMP: What should we be on the lookout for from UAPB this year?
Alexander: A couple of things are coming up this year: One is we’re going to begin construction. We got approval from the Board in May to construct a new student center. We’re calling it the Student Engagement Center, and we’re working with contractors now. That’s a fascinating project, and it’s going to contain new facilities for student success, as well as new facilities for our career services offices. It’s going to have, of course, recreational facilities for our students, as well as health facilities, and a student counseling center inside the wellness center, an exercise facility, an international office center as well as a resource office for graduate professional schools — lots of things planned, as well as eateries, a large activity room and a theater. So we’ve got a lot of plans for that.
