By Kenneth Heard

Thursday, February 25, 2010

LITTLE ROCK — University of Arkansas’ board of trustees has named state Rep. Steve Cole of Lockesburg the chancellor of Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas, replacing retiring Chancellor Frank Adams.

The nine UA trustees who attended Wednesday’s board meeting in Little Rock voted unanimously in favor of Cole.

“It’s a very natural fit for Steve to follow Frank as chancellor,” said UA System President B. Alan Sugg. “Steve has been part of the development of Cossatot. He is very, very highly regarded in the college community.”

Cole will make $155,000 yearly when he takes the position in De Queen on July 1.

Cole is now the vice chancellor and dean of academics at Cossatot, a position he’s held since 2007. He’s been a faculty member and administrator there for the past 13 years.

He also serves as the District 21 representative in the state House of Representatives, representing Howard and Sevier counties, and is the chairman of the Arkansas Rural Development Commission. He has also served as the chairman of the Arkansas Rural Nursing Education Consortium.

Cole will resign his House of Representative seat when he takes over as chancellor, he said.

“I’ve made a lot of friends in the House,” he sa id Wednesday. “I’ll miss that. But I’ve always been involved with educational issues, and I’ll continue working with legislators.”

Adams will retire as the Cossatot Community Chancellor on June 30 after 18 years.

Adams led the college into the UA System in 2001 and spearheaded the development of satellite campuses in Ashdown and Nashville.

“We have a history at [Cossatot] of growing our own leaders,” Adams said in a news release announcing his retirement.

“Steve has been here since 1997, and has shown throughout that time that he is both suited and equipped for the kind of work that being chancellor entails.”

Cole completed his undergraduate degree at Henderson State University and earned his master’s in business administration from Texas A&M University.

“We’ve been under great leadership,” Cole said. “I’ve been given the keys to a bright, shiny Corvette.

“We’re going to keep working to improving our retention and graduation,” he said. “We’re seeing an increase in enrollment at two-year schools. They are leaning on us to get into new fields, and we have to keep addressing those needs.”

Cossatot Community College has an enrollment of more than 1,400 students. It is the only community college in the state supported by sales taxes in three counties - Sevier, Howard and Little River, according to the UA System.

Arkansas, Pages 9 on 02/25/2010