Arkansas Department of Higher Education
The Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE) serves as the administrative staff for the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The Board consists of 12 members who are appointed by the governor and serve staggered six-year terms. As part of its responsibilities, the staff develops and implements board policies and procedures. Additionally, the Department reviews and approves academic programs; administers statewide financial aid programs and contracts with the Southern Regional Education Board for support of graduate and first professional study outside of Arkansas; recommends institutional operating, capital, and personal services budgets; and collects and reports on student and course data as part of a statewide data base and academic program inventory for policy studies.
The agency administers the Statewide Systemic Initiative for improvement of math and science education, the Carl Perkins Grant for academic program improvement, and the Youth Opportunities Unlimited Program, a high school dropout prevention program for economically disadvantaged students.
The director of ADHE is Jim Purcell.
