Robert Z. Carr Jr. has ended his candidacy to become the next chancellor at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
Perry Stuckey, chairman of the chancellor search advisory committee, along with UAPB spokeswoman Stephanie Jackson, confirmed Carr’s withdrawal. Carr was to make his presentation to the public Friday for the fourth and final Campus Conversation featuring chancellor finalists.
Carr is currently provost and vice president for academic affairs at Fisk University in Tennessee, a role he held at UAPB from 2017-22. Carr had previously been an education professor at Alcorn State University in Mississippi, associate professor at Langston University in Oklahoma and assistant professor at Jackson State University in Mississippi. He also is an examiner for the National Council for Teacher Education and site visitor for the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.
“We appreciate Dr. Carr for his previous service to UAPB and for his involvement in the process,” Stuckey wrote in an email addressed to members of the UAPB community.
Carr had just interviewed with University of Arkansas System personnel including President Jay Silveria on Thursday, system office spokesman Nate Hinkel said. A message seeking comment was left for Carr.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The search leaves Robert C. Mock Jr., executive vice present for strategic initiatives at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore; Anthony Graham, tenured professor of education and former provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina; and Carla Martin, vice chancellor for finance and administration at UAPB as the remaining finalists. All have met the public within the past two weeks.
Surveys for the remaining candidates are available here and will remain open until 10:45 p.m. Sunday, Jackson said.
“I want to thank the Advisory Committee, the leadership team at UAPB and the University of Arkansas System, our alumni, and the entire campus community for your involvement and input in this process,” Stuckey wrote in his email.
Carr, Graham, Martin and Mock were selected from a pool of 59 applicants. Stuckey commented that the quality of the candidates and interest “internally and externally” indicated to him a bright future for UAPB.
Hinkel said Silveria and the system board, which will make the final decision on the new hire, will take at least a week to consider the feedback from the public and members of the campus community on the remaining finalists. He clarified the search committee’s ultimate goal was to recommend the finalists.