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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A six-member search committee plans to extend interviews to 15 applicants vying to be the next director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.
Current Director Shane Broadway plans to leave to become vice president of governmental relations for the Arkansas State University System. Broadway, who makes $168,128 a year in the director's post, has led the department since February 2011.
The Department of Higher Education began advertising for the director's position in December. Friday marked the last day the department accepted applications for the job, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported Sunday (http://bit.ly/1B9ECHT ).
The department director supervises a staff of about 42. Job duties include developing and recommending to the governor and the state Legislature the operating, capital and personal services budgets for public two-year and four-year colleges and universities, administering statewide student financial aid programs and several federal and state grant programs and developing and revising the state master plan for higher education.
The appointment of a Higher Education Department director is subject to confirmation by the governor, and the director will serve at the governor's pleasure, according to state law.
The Higher Education Coordinating Board has not yet set interviews for possible candidates, according to Bob Crafton of Rogers, chairman of the board and a member of the search committee.
Board member Sherrel Johnson said she has high expectations for a new director because of Broadway. Broadway has always informed the board of "anything and everything" that will be published or communicated to the board before the members actually received a publication or correspondence, she said, adding that his response time is usually immediate.
"And Shane gets up before the chickens," she said. "It's not unusual to have an email from him before the sun comes up ensuring that board members hear whatever it is from him first. So I'm spoiled and have extremely high expectations of the new director when it comes to board communications."
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Information from: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, http://www.arkansasonline.com
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