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United States Russell Jones has transitioned from an accomplished academic leader to the President of Arkansas Tech University, overseeing significant institutional growth and development.
Russell Jones was elected the 13th president of Arkansas Tech University by the ATU Board of Trustees and previously served as interim president. He has overseen enrollment increases, facility enhancements, and fundraising campaigns. He is also a professor of accounting and was formerly the dean of the College of Business.
Russell Jones earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Texas at Arlington with a dual major in accounting and information systems.
Russell Jones holds a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering technology and a Master of Science degree in information systems from Arkansas State University. He also served as the Kathy White Endowed Professor of Management Information Systems (2006-2020), chair of accounting and information technology (2015-2018), Master of Business Administration director (2009-2012), associate professor of decision sciences (1995-2005), and assistant professor of computer information systems (1989-1995) at ASU.
Russell Jones served as a visiting professor at the University of Caen in France.
Russell Jones served as a visiting professor at the University of Otago in New Zealand.
Russell Jones was selected as one of 53 individuals to participate in Leadership Arkansas Class XIX during 2024-25, a program designed to develop business, civic, and community leaders in Arkansas.
Dr. Russell Jones, a native of Marianna, Arkansas, currently serves as the 13th president of Arkansas Tech University, a position he officially assumed on July 1, 2024. He was elected by the ATU Board of Trustees on June 20, 2024, becoming the first native Arkansan to lead the university since 1973. Prior to this, Jones served as interim president from August 17, 2023, during which he demonstrated leadership in stabilizing the institution’s academic framework by appointing new leadership in key administrative and collegiate roles. His tenure as interim president also saw him collaborate with student leaders on the design of the Ferguson Student Union, a new central hub for campus life at ATU.
Under Jones’ interim leadership, Arkansas Tech University experienced notable increases in enrollment and retention rates for the 2023-24 academic year. Fall 2023 enrollment reached 9,487 students, marking the first increase since 2018. Retention rates also improved, with first-semester retention on the Russellville campus reaching 86.8 percent and fall-to-fall retention at 70.5 percent, both being the highest figures since 2018 and 2017 respectively. The Ozark campus similarly saw an increase in first-semester retention to 76.9 percent and fall-to-fall retention to 56.1 percent.
Jones also addressed deferred maintenance, allocating $15.5 million for facility and equipment enhancements, and oversaw the completion of ATU’s “Together, We Can” comprehensive campaign, which raised $55 million for various university initiatives. He introduced new scholarship tiers to provide financial assistance to students while managing the scholarship budget. Jones joined ATU in July 2020 as dean of the College of Business, which was later renamed the ATU College of Business and Economic Development. His academic background includes a Bachelor of Science in engineering technology and a Master of Science in information systems from Arkansas State University, and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Texas at Arlington with a dual major in accounting and information systems. His career includes roles at Arkansas State University, such as the Kathy White Endowed Professor of Management Information Systems (2006-2020), chair of accounting and information technology (2015-2018), and MBA director (2009-2012). He also held visiting professorships at the University of Caen in France and the University of Otago in New Zealand.
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