EL DORADO — Jason Morrison, chancellor of Southern Arkansas University Tech, announced that they are making changes in hopes of improving their fall enrollment. Morrison spoke to the El Dorado Rotary Club on Monday about these upcoming developments.
Morrison has been the chancellor at SAU Tech since January 3. He comes from Carl Albert State College in Oklahoma, where he served as the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Morrison supervises the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, the Vice Chancellor for Academics and the Vice Chancellor for Student Services. Additionally, he supervises the College’s Institutional Technology and Telecommunications Department, the Communications, Public Relations, Grants Department, the Arkansas Fire Training Academy and the Arkansas Environmental Training Academy.
For the upcoming fall semester, SAU Tech is starting a choir program and will offer religion classes. By spring of 2018, they will be offering criminal justice classes. Currently, SAU Tech offers a law enforcement academy that provides certificates, but with the criminal justice classes, students will be able to transfer to Southern Arkansas University to finish and receive a degree.
In the fall of 2018, SAU Tech will offer men and women’s basketball. “We will be joining the NJCAA as a Division II member for basketball,” Morrison said. “We’re looking forward to what it will bring to our culture, our student life and activities on our campus.”
Morrison hopes that by fall of 2019, SAU Tech will be able to offer a Registered Nursing program. Morrison is in the process of hiring a new graphic arts instructor to go along with the Film Studies program.
SAU Tech has recently hired a new Director of Development and Alumni Relations, Beckie Moore. “We are going to be aggressive about starting our alumni association,” he said.
Morrison said his trademark will most likely be the launch of SAU Tech’s virtual campus. “It is a true, stand alone campus where students who seek their degrees online, can receive one at SAU Tech,” he said. “We call it Discover Tech. I’m talking about not just read a chapter, take a test, but transferring knowledge, robust, rigorous, academic courses.”
Also in the fall of 2018, SAU Tech will be expanding their residential housing with 48 new beds on campus.
Morrison and the faculty at SAU Tech want the students to be involved in the community and their culture. With that, they are launching a scholars program in 2018. To be eligible for this program, a student must have a score of 22 or higher on their ACT and have a GPA of at least 3.25. Through support of the foundation, they will be able to pay for a portion of the student’s residential living expenses, he said.
“We want these students to live on campus, be involved in the clubs and organizations to help take on community projects each year and also be engaged in civic involvement with our local civic clubs,” Morrison said. “We are going to go out and get the best of the best.”
The enrollment at SAU Tech fluctuates around 1,500 students because of the law enforcement academy students and the fire training academy students, Morrison said.
They are also adding a mascot and currently have a poll with Rockets being the number one contender. The big companies surrounding Camden produce materials for rockets, so Morrison feels that Rockets is fitting for SAU Tech.
“We have a big year coming up with our choir, but we also have an even bigger year coming up in the fall of 18, with basketball, pep band, cheer and the scholar program,” he said. “It’s going to be an exciting year.”
Kaitlyn Rigdon is a staff writer at the El Dorado News-Times and she may be reached at 870-862-6611 or by email, [email protected].