The North Arkansas College (Northark) Board of Trustees has approved an initiative to explore a potential affiliation with the University of Arkansas System. Board Chair Luke Feighert and President Rick Massengale have been appointed to lead discussions and examine the specifics of the agreement.
The UA System is comprised of 21 campuses, divisions, and units around the state.
Chair Feighert emphasized that this step is aimed at ensuring Northark remains a forward-thinking institution dedicated to delivering high-quality education. He noted that the affiliation could provide expanded academic and professional opportunities for both students and employees.
If the exploration process leads to a formal partnership, an agreement will be presented to the Northark Board of Trustees for review and approval. Following that, the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas would also need to vote on the agreement. Once approved, both institutions would collaborate over the next year to meet state and federal requirements. Additionally, administrators will host forums with students, employees, community members, and other stakeholders to address concerns, gather feedback, and guide the transition process.
If finalized, Northark would become the ninth community college to join the UA System, following the recent merger of East Arkansas Community College, now UA-East Arkansas Community College in Forrest City, which was officially incorporated into the system last month.
Northark President Dr. Rick Massengale highlighted three key benefits of joining the UA System. One of the most significant advantages, he noted, is the opportunity for Northark students to access the UA-Fayetteville transfer scholarship program. This program allows students who transfer with an associate degree to pay Northark tuition rates at the University of Arkansas, effectively enabling them to earn a bachelor’s degree at the cost of an associate degree.
Employees would benefit from discounted tuition and become part of a larger network of 28,000 employees within the University of Arkansas System, which operates with a total budget exceeding $4 billion.
“The Northark Board of Trustees membership would remain the same but transition into a Board of Visitors,” Dr. Massengale explained. “This Board of Visitors will provide recommendations to the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas while continuing to advise the college on matters such as budgeting, tuition and fee structures, academic programming, personnel matters and other key issues.” Northark would maintain its own appropriations and funding sources.
Additionally, the Board of Visitors would continue to oversee college operations, serving as ambassadors of Northark’s local identity and ensuring the institution remains connected to the community it serves.
“No student will lose opportunities for a successful transfer to the University of Arkansas or any other institution as a result of an affiliation,” Dr. Massengale assured the Trustees. “We will retain our existing transfer agreements with other colleges and hope to expand them further through this partnership.” He emphasized that no jobs will be eliminated, and no community events will be cancelled because of this partnership.
“If this moves forward, it will mark a period of change,” Massengale said. “Northark’s first 50 years will always be its legacy, and if we reach this milestone, we will retain Northark in the name. We have successfully merged with Twin Lakes Vo-Tech in the past and continued to grow. This is another step toward future expansion. Our local students deserve the same opportunities as those who have access to cities within the University of Arkansas System who already benefit from UA transfer scholarships.”