University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Assistant Professor Serena Brenneman is an applicant for the position of director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.
Brenneman, who has a European background and joined UAPB in 2005, said her hands-on approach to education policy would bring a fresh perspective to statewide educational issues.
“I want to see for myself what goes on,” Brenneman said. “I’m the type of person who will walk around and find out what is happening. I will make time to visit schools and ask students what they think and want. We need people to stand up for what they believe in and not be afraid to participate or to communicate effective change in organizations that in turn affects the community in which we all work and live.”
Brenneman teaches ethics, consumerism and organizational behavior in the Department of Business Administration and Economics at UAPB.
“There has to be a true passion and interest in education,” Brenneman said of those who work at all levels of the field. “You have to have the right team standing on principles and values. We need better checks and balances with the education system.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Brenneman said that students are looking for role models in their professors and school administrators and community leaders.
“I know this director’s position and the responsibility it holds will by no means be easy, but there are issues within education that we can resolve,” Brenneman said. “You need to be able to actually find out from as many people as possible what could be done to improve the system, especially students, faculty and others stakeholders that it directly affects.”
ADHE communications coordinator Brandi Hinkle said that a total of nine people have applied for the director’s position with one of them withdrawing their name from consideration.
Hinkle said that potential applicants have until April 25 to submit their information.
“We don’t really know when a final decision will be made,” Hinkle said. “It depends on the applicants and whether the search committee wants to interview more people.”
Hinkle said the search committee is composed of three ADHE board members, one university representative and one two-year college representative.
Shane Broadway has been serving as interim director of the ADHE since Jim Purcell left the post in Feb. 2011.