The Arkansas State University System on Wednesday announced that President Brendan Kelly is resigning for the same role at his alma mater, Eastern Michigan University.
Kelly has been ASU System president — only the third president in the system’s history — since September 2024.
His resignation is effective Feb. 12.
The Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents voted Wednesday to elect Kelly as the university’s 24th president, effective March 1, to succeed the retiring James Smith.
“We appreciate Dr. Kelly’s service and respect his decision to return to his alma mater and home state,” ASU Board of Trustees Chair Steve Eddington said in a statement. “The Board of Trustees will outline a plan to prepare for a smooth transition for future leadership. We have a strong team of campus and system leaders to carry on the work of service to our students in the interim.”
The board set a special meeting for Wednesday at 5 p.m. A regular session is scheduled for Friday at 10 a.m. in Little Rock.
Kelly joined the ASU System after serving as president of the University of West Georgia. He succeeded interim president Robin Myers and the second system president, Chuck Welch, who left the system in January after nearly 13 years to become president and CEO of the American Association of State Colleges & Universities (AASCU) in Washington, D.C.
Kelly earned his bachelor’s in public relations with a minor in philosophy and his master’s in communication from Eastern Michigan University.
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