Vice Provost for Student Affairs Danny Pugh Reappointed to National Academy

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Keeping the University of Arkansas Division of Student Affairs in the forefront of national leadership, Danny Pugh, vice provost for student affairs and dean of students, has been reappointed to the James E. Scott Academy for a second three-year term, and also named as the institute director for the Richard F. Stevens Institute, both operated by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. 

During Pugh’s previous term with the Scott Academy he was able to help promote both the University of Arkansas and Chancellor G. David Gearhart when Gearhart wrote an article for NASPA titled “Deferred Action Is a Call to Action: Creating Opportunities for Undocumented Students,” which dealt with the details of the university’s position in support of the Dream Act and the hope that the U of A could lead a campus-based groundswell around the nation. Pugh also served as the senior student affairs representative to the National Greek Life Summit, focused on the future of Greek Life on the nearly 900 member campuses around the world.

“Danny is widely respected by his peers for his work in Arkansas and his thought leadership,” said Kevin Kruger, president of NASPA. “He is one of those visionary student affairs chief officers.”

Pugh is excited about his reappointment to the Scott Academy Board.

“Being asked to serve another three-year term on the Scott Academy is a significant recognition of the exceptional staff and programs within the University of Arkansas’ Division of Student Affairs,” Pugh said. “Throughout our organization, we lead at various levels of NASPA, from knowledge community leadership in NASPA’s IV-West regional and national boards to our continued investment and diversity leadership in the NASPA Undergraduate Fellowship Program.”

Pugh has helped to restructure the Stevens Institute to be of more value for senior student affairs officers at universities and colleges across the country, which he will be leading this summer. The Stevens Institute is NASPA’s premiere professional development program for experienced senior student affairs administrators. 

“I asked Danny to chair a group to look at and revise the Stevens Institute,” said Patrick Day, vice chancellor for student affairs at University of Massachusetts-Boston. “He is very thoughtful about his work. His depth of knowledge, insight, and his ability to get the job done is indispensable. I could not be happier. He is a tremendous colleague.”

A five-day conference in the middle of July, the Stevens Institute provides student affairs officials from campuses nationwide the ability to provide a more helpful student affairs division to their campus upon their return. This year’s Stevens Institute with Pugh as institute director will focus intensely on the adoption of an entrepreneurial approach to campus/division leadership.

“Serving as the institute director is very exciting. The new Stevens Institute will challenge us to look external to higher education for best practices that can best transition to internal practices for our campuses. We must continue leading in this environment of constant change with an entrepreneurial focus,” Pugh said.

Pugh will have some additional hometown support during the Stevens Institute with the inclusion of former University of Arkansas assistant vice provost for student affairs, Robert Mock, on the institute’s faculty.