Southern Arkansas University begins negotiations with Bruno Hicks as next president

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by Ryan Anderson

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Submitted photo of Bruno Hicks, provost and vice president of academic affairs at Dalton State College and finalist for Southern Arkansas University president.

Southern Arkansas University’s board of trustees voted unanimously Monday to begin negotiations with Bruno Hicks — provost and vice president of academic affairs at Dalton State College in Northwest Georgia — to become SAU’s next president.

If Hicks can agree to terms, he has indicated he could start his new duties as early as June 17.

The SAU board selected Hicks over in-state finalist Phillip Wilson, the chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Rich Mountain since 2011.

Laura Winning, chairperson of the board of trustees. called it “a very important decision” and said SAU was “excited about what (Hicks) can bring to” the 5,127-student university in Magnolia.

Before starting his tenure at Dalton State College in 2020, Hicks was the founding dean of the school of education from 2016-2020 at Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts.

He spent nearly two decades at the University of Maine at Fort Kent as a professor of education and environmental studies. He also served as chairman of the education department for 12 of his 18 years there.

Former SAU President Trey Berry departed at the end of last year to become chancellor of Henderson State University on Jan. 1,.

David Rankin, who retired as SAU president on June 30, 2015 and is SAU President Emeritus — is filling in temporarily as SAU president.

Nate Evers, the board of trustees’ vice chairman, said he made the motion “with much enthusiasm” to begin negotiations with Hicks.

Winning, the board of trustees’ chairperson, expressed gratitude to everyone who helped with the search, from faculty and staff, to the search committee led by fellow trustee Monty Harrington, and to members of the community.