ROBERT STEINBUCH: Fayetteville funding |
You will recall that after the provost (the No. 2 administrative position) of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville chose Emily Suski, professor of law and associate dean of Strategic and Institutional Priorities at the University of South Carolina law school, to become the Fayetteville law school's new dean, some members of the Legislature and executive branch expressed concern. So the offer was rescinded.
The school posted: "The university recently announced its intention to hire Professor Emily Suski as its next dean of the School of Law, to begin July 1, 2026. After receiving feedback from key external stakeholders including elected officials and others about the fit between Professor Suski and the university's vacancy, the university has decided to go a different direction. University officials are very grateful for Professor Suski's interest in the position and continue to hold Professor Suski in high regard. We wish Professor Suski well as she moves forward with her career.
"Dean Cynthia Nance will continue to serve as dean of the School of Law through June 30, 2026, as planned. The university has decided to conclude the current dean search and has begun working to identify an interim dean to succeed Dean Nance in consultation with the School of Law faculty, staff and students. The new interim dean would begin July 1, 2026. More updates will be provided as they become available."
More recently, and to the surprise of several, the school's provost announced that he had selected two longtime Fayetteville faculty members as the finalists for the interim-dean position: Professors Tiffany Murphy and Annie Smith. Some are pleased with these candidates. Some are not--both........