The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas today unanimously accepted UA System President Dr. Donald R. Bobbitt’s recommendation to name Christina Drale, Ph.D., chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Bobbitt previously named Drale acting chancellor following the resignation of former Chancellor Dr. Andrew Rogerson that went into effect on Sept. 1. The Board voted to approve Bobbitt’s recommendation to hire Drale as permanent chancellor at its regularly scheduled meeting today at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

“I’m very pleased to have been given the confidence and support from Dr. Bobbitt and the Trustees to help guide UA Little Rock into a new era of improvement in many areas on campus,” Drale said. “This is a tremendous opportunity to bring the campus and the community together and work with our students, faculty, staff and alumni to move UA Little Rock forward in the most efficient and effective ways possible. I appreciate the supportive reception I’ve gotten so far on campus and in the community, and I look forward to helping make this institution all it can be.”

Drale has served as interim executive vice chancellor and provost at UA Little Rock since October 2018. She previously served as associate vice chancellor for faculty relations and administration. She earned a doctorate degree in sociology, a Master of Arts in sociology, and a Bachelor of Arts in communications, all from the University of California, San Diego.

“Dr. Drale is widely respected on campus and is equipped with the necessary skillset to guide UA Little Rock through the challenges it currently faces and help solidify its unique standing as a comprehensive metropolitan university serving our Capital City and the entire state,” Bobbitt said. “I appreciate her stepping in recently to accept the challenge as acting chancellor and look forward to working with her and supporting her efforts to improve the institution.”

The campus started out as Little Rock Junior College in 1927 and was housed inside the new Little Rock High School (now Little Rock Central High School). After transitioning to Little Rock University, in September 1969, it joined the University of Arkansas System and became the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Dr. Drale is the tenth permanent leader of the campus.  Previous presidents and chancellors have been:

R.C. Hall (1927-1930)
John A. Larson (1930-1949)
Granville Davis (1950‐1954)
Carey V. Stabler (1956‐1972)
G. Robert Ross (1973‐1982)
James H. Young (1982‐1992)
Charles E. Hathaway (1993‐2002)
Joel E. Anderson (2003‐2016)
Andrew Rogerson (2016-2019)