Glen Jones
Henderson State University President Glen Jones resigned Friday, effectively immediately, amid financial turmoil at the school and after a “no-confidence” vote from its faculty.
Jones had served as president since March 2012, and he plans to return to the university as a professor in August 2020. His annual salary was $230,500, and he will be paid $19,208 per month through July 31, 2020, University Spokeswoman Tina Hall told Arkansas Business.
The School of Business will determine his new salary when he returns to teaching, she said. Jones has tenure and taught at Henderson prior to his administrative role.
Jones’ resignation followed the university receiving a $6 million advance on state funding. It faces a deficit “primarily from unpaid student accounts and deferred maintenance projects,” Hall told Arkansas Business.
In addition, the HSU Board of Trustees has approved a contract for the Arkansas State University system to provide financial, internal audit, information technology, institutional research and legal support services from Aug. 1 through Dec. 31.
Jones said in a news release announcing his resignation, “While serving as president of my alma mater has been one of the great blessings of my life, I believe the time has come for a new vision for our beloved institution.
“I am proud of the many things we have been able to accomplish together during my tenure at HSU and am grateful for the efforts of our campus community in providing an outstanding educational experience for our students,” he said.
Board of Trustees Chairman Johnny Hudson said in the release, “Under Glen’s leadership, Henderson has attracted more incoming freshmen and graduate students at a time when competition for a shrinking pool of students is on the rise.
“New academic programs, increased fundraising and enhanced student life on campus that began during his tenure will benefit Reddies both now and in the future. I am grateful for his service and wish him well as he returns to the classroom.”
Elaine Kneebone, general counsel for the university, will serve as acting president until a national search for a new president is completed.
Kneebone is a 1997 graduate of Henderson State University and holds a bachelor’s degree in history. She studied law at the University of Canterbury as a Rotary Foundation Academic Year Ambassadorial Scholar in 1998 and completed her Juris Doctorate at the University of Arkansas School of Law in 2001.
Here is Jones’ resignation letter:
“Dear Campus Community,
“Over the past weekend, I informed the Chair of our Board of Trustees of my decision to step aside as president of HSU effective today and to return to the classroom in August 2020. While serving as president of my alma mater has been one of the great blessings of my life, I believe the time has come for a new vision for our beloved institution. I am proud of the many things we have been able to accomplish together during my tenure at HSU and am grateful for all of your efforts in providing an outstanding educational experience for our students. When a new president is eventually named, it is my sincere hope and prayer that we will all unite behind them and give them our full support as they lead this wonderful institution.
“You have been very gracious to Sharon, Camille, Cameron, and me. We have greatly appreciated your prayers, cards, letters, smiles, hugs, words of encouragement, and genuine interest in our collective well-being over the past seven years. Thank you for being such a blessing to us in so many ways and on so many levels.
“May God’s blessings remain upon each of you as you continue serving the wonderful students of Henderson State University.”
(Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Henderson State University had contracted with Arkansas State University. It has contracted with the Arkansas State University System. We have corrected the error.)
Sign up for Daily E-news
