ASU System Board of Trustees Approves Capital Project Updates, House Sale

LITTLE ROCK - A new systemwide strategic plan and revised budgets for major capital projects were approved today during a special meeting of the Arkansas State University System Board of Trustees. 

“Framework for the Future” outlines updated mission, vision and priorities for the ASU System, said System President Todd Shields in the first meeting since beginning his leadership appointment on July 1. 

“I want to thank Trustee Gary Harpole, the Task Force and many constituencies for contributing to this plan,” Shields said. “We have a clear path for escalating our systemwide economic impact on Arkansas, and we’re going to get to work.” 

Resolutions approving updated budgets for capital projects include: 

Phase one of construction of the Career Readiness Education and Skills Training (CREST) Center at Arkansas State in Jonesboro for $18 million. Phase one will be the first 26,000 square feet of a planned 70,000-square-foot facility designed to enhance workforce training opportunities in advanced manufacturing, food processing and steel production. A-State is pursuing New Markets Tax Credits to help reduce financing for the construction. 

Phase one of construction of the Center for Health Science at ASU-Newport for $18 million. ASUN is pursuing New Markets Tax Credits to help finance the construction. 

Construction of the Indoor Baseball Development and Training Center at Arkansas State for $8.5 million in cooperation with the Red Wolves Foundation. 

Expansion and renovation of the Gotaas Hall Health Science Building at ASU-Mountain Home for $6.3 million. 

Trustees voted to accept a contingent offer of $1,585,000, which exceeds the appraised value, for the sale of residential property at 48 Chenal Circle in Little Rock. The house, known as the McAdams House, previously served the ASU System as the president’s residence. A housing allowance will now be extended to Shields instead to create savings to the ASU System. 

In other business, the board approved: 

A-State to name Innovation Park on campus the Dr. Les Wyatt Park of Innovation in honor of the visionary leadership of the former longtime president of A-State. Wyatt became the 10th president of Arkansas State in Jonesboro in 1995 and later became the first president of the expanded ASU System. Shields said Wyatt had the vision for connecting the A-State campus to the Jonesboro Municipal Airport and for establishing an innovation and technology park on campus.  

A-State to name the newly constructed equine teaching barn the Dash Goff Equine Center – Nodouble Barn in honor of a significant contribution by Goff, a businessman and thoroughbred owner and breeder from Fayetteville. The racehorse Nodouble won the Arkansas Derby in 1968 and set track racing records across the country. 

A-State to name the primary workforce training space in the new CREST facility
the Hytrol Workforce Training Room in recognition of the Jonesboro manufacturer’s significant support of the facility. 

Revision of the system’s Capital Construction Project Approval Policy and Financial Reserves Policy.

A-State to grant a permanent sanitary sewer line easement to City Water and Light Jonesboro to allow construction and maintenance work. 

ASU-Mountain Home to add the Searcy County School District in Marshall as a location of instruction for multiple educational opportunities.