Ep. 2 - A Conversation with the President: Growth, Affordability, And Community Impact

What happens when a public university decides to act like a nimble problem-solver for its region? We sat down with UCA President Houston Davis to unpack how a 10,000-student campus can feel personal, deliver strong outcomes, and show up where Arkansas is growing the fastest. From daybreak planning sessions to late-night grading, Davis explains why he still teaches every term and how that keeps policy grounded in real student needs.

We trace the roots of his leadership—mentors, research on educational and economic trends across thousands of U.S. counties, and a process-driven approach that values clarity, application, and writing. That foundation shapes UCA’s strategy: build a residential experience that truly fits undergraduates, keep students from getting lost, and invest in programs that serve the state’s evolving workforce. Northwest Arkansas takes center stage as we talk alumni strength, employer partnerships, and the goal of becoming a go-to resource for innovation and talent. Think aviation pathways, STEM expansion, and a campus that travels through people, programs, and service.

Cost myths get a hard reset. Davis breaks down the difference between viral debt stories and the reality of regional public universities, then walks through the UCA Commitment—a debt-free pathway for qualifying Arkansas families that pairs financial support with hands-on help navigating FAFSA and scholarships. Coupled with disciplined fiscal stewardship, UCA is widening access without compromising health. The message to alumni and friends is simple: we’re not looking for a slogan in Northwest Arkansas; we’re building a presence that solves problems, lifts students, and strengthens the state.

If this conversation resonates, subscribe, share it with a Bear in your life, and leave a quick review to help others discover the show. Your feedback shapes future episodes and partnerships.

Transcript

Welcome And Guest Intro

SPEAKER_00 0:01

This is Central to NWA, a UCA podcast. I'm your host, Paul Gatling, and we are bringing the University of Central Arkansas to Northwest Arkansas. Each episode, we will talk with leaders, alumni, and innovators driving this region forward. People who are shaping industries and defining what is next for our state. Let's get started. All right, we're back. Welcome to another episode of Central to NWA, a UCA podcast. I'm your host, Paul Gatling, and I am extremely happy to be with you today, and we appreciate you watching and listening. And today I'm glad to have with us um our president of the university, Dr. Houston Davis. Looking forward to having a conversation uh with the person who made this podcast possible and made my my job possible uh through that. So uh, President Davis, great to see you. Always good to see you.

SPEAKER_03 0:56

Paul, always a delight to uh join you and thank you for allowing me to participate in the podcast. I'm excited about this. I think it's gonna be a great way to be able to get the message out and be able to reach more folks about the good work of the university.

SPEAKER_00 1:08

All right. I've got a uh a quick note just for my benefit. Uh I need to get out of the way. Uh is it President Davis or Houston on this podcast that I should call you?

SPEAKER_03 1:18

Oh, goodness gracious. I'd probably probably it'd be easier to go Houston. It'll it'll fill more like a conversation if we can go there.

SPEAKER_00 1:24

Yeah, I'll probably do both, but uh it's it's hard for me to address you as anything other than President President Davis. But I'll work in some Houstons uh as we go through.

SPEAKER_03 1:33

So I think Houston is a far more interesting person than President Davis. So and I can I can promise you I prefer Houston over President Davis, but um, but I'm honored to play that role too.

SPEAKER_00 1:46

Good. Well, again, uh thrilled for the chance to visit with you today. Um we're gonna talk about UCA, yes, but also we're gonna talk about leadership and and higher education and um and in that scope, what gives you hope about it, what keeps you up at night about higher education, and and also why do you believe Northwest Arkansas is uh a big part of UCA's future. So um

What A University President Really Does

SPEAKER_00 2:10

let's get into that. But you know, uh just for some background for our listeners and our viewers here, you've been president since 2017. When somebody asks you, um, if you see an old buddy from high school and he says, What exactly does a university president do all day? What what's the answer? What do you what do you tell him?

SPEAKER_03 2:27

Yeah, well, uh first of all, when old buddies from high school ask that, they know way too much about you. So it's it's gonna quickly get into uh that that conversation's gonna go sideways. Um but uh but I you know I do get questioned all the time about what what in the world does a president do? And I'll I joke about uh and this is when I had titled vice chancellor, this was probably true as well. Uh my my children said, well, well, that goes to me. So that's what he does for a living. I think that sometimes he can feel that way. But um, you know, when you when you uh when you're president of university, yes, you are overseeing creating conditions for everything that happens in in the classroom, outside the classroom, and partnerships and the like, but I always like to remind Eversighty that that's just a part of the job. The 24-7 is almost like being a small town mayor. Um it never ends. A school like UCA, we're highly residential. Um, it is a 24-765-day a year uh relationship we have at Wadana Puff, uh, because it's a little town. So uh what one part um educational policy leader and one part small town maker would be my day-to-day.

SPEAKER_00 3:34

A day-to-day. So playing off of that, what's something that somebody would be um uh interested to know about you? What is your morning routine? What's the morning routine of the the president of the University of Central Arkansas?

SPEAKER_03 3:46

Yeah, it's hard for me to believe that I would answer this question because earlier in my life I was a night owl and I would I would sleep in every time that I could, but I love uh being able to get up early and get involved somewhere. Um I have found that the perfect time to get things done, uh Wingo Hall is where uh where my office is located. Um if I can be in here at 6 30 or so in the morning and and have about an hour and a half, two hours running head starting the day, I can get more done. Um that I need to get done on my things to do as um in that window in any other time of the day. Um after that the calendar takes hold. Um I everybody likes to think when you're uh when you're in charge of using bookmarks, for everybody that may just have the audio of this, um, that you're in control of your calendar. Why not? Um I generally uh when that phone dings, I I know that it's dinging with enough time for me to get to wherever I'm supposed to be. So lots of times as the day gets going. I mean, the meetings and opportunities to go things with students, I love. But student groups ask me, hey, would will you come or will you participate? Answer's just about all of yes, because first of all, what an honor they would want me, I mean I'm an old man this date. The morning hours are the they're kind of the almost the me time uh to be able to focus on what I need to do most for the university.

SPEAKER_00 5:07

Well, I I know I'm excited to have to be on your schedule today, and I work really you've got a great team, and I'll tout them really quick. I mean, Alicia, your assistant, and Amy, your chief of staff, are um uh I don't need to

Morning Routine And Leadership Team

SPEAKER_00 5:20

tell you, but invaluable to me, and I'm sure you feel the same exact same way.

SPEAKER_03 5:24

Yeah, we we we have a we have a high performing um leadership team and certainly a high-performing president's office, not because of the president. It is because of great people like Amy White, as chief of staff. Who is your carboncy, I'm gonna trade the assistant, um, and and basically Secretary of Paul Board of Trust. They keep trains running on the time, and they certainly keep me honest on uh on the checks and balances that they keep with me. We're lucky to have the key.

SPEAKER_00 5:50

All right, so let's back up um to earlier in your career. You're from Tennessee, you've worked in Oklahoma, you've worked in Georgia, but before Arkansas, before UCA, um kind of what it what it what things in your career have have shaped your leadership style? What would you point to? What would pop in your head as as a person or a thing that has really uh taken hold of your philosophy of leadership?

SPEAKER_03 6:12

Yeah, you know, I I was very lucky that early early in my career I I knew that I likely was going to stay in higher education. Um that was sort of one that I loved. Uh public policy public administration, yeah, that was my background in terms of uh discipline, but I kind of loved that place where um education and policy came together. So I can use that, but but the the fortunate uh opportunity to have several men do white Don Barclays, um Student Affairs uh VP and Paz, Rich Web, uh higher education executive uh for the state of TC for their their system of higher ed. Um baby, exactly, boss or Tennessee system. Those were people that I think at the beginning and they hadn't agreed to thinking I wanted to work in higher education and develop mentorships that allow me, and I and I and I think even at that point I need to take advantage of the fact that they were wanting to invest in me, so I leaned into those openers. I tell everybody, all my my students, I teach leadership for policy biases, one of the most important gifts that they can give to themselves to get committed to mune and opportunities when mental shrewdic themselves and a lot of those folks of Carson Grote, I leave. I mean, those are individuals that shape that. Um one of the experiences I had that absolute has has shaped just about everything I do as president of a of a of a university in the same time was I got the opportunity to be a part of the research project. It was an educational needs index project. And we eventually Southern Governors Association funded it initially, uh actually Bell South funded initially, Southern Governor Association picked it up the mayor, Luma Foundation, funded our group to do that NASH. I was able to do a project out. And it was basically looking to gauge educational and economic gross democracy pressures um that were going on in all 3,140 counties of the perfect in the US. Um and then a big part of what we're gonna run is to go out and understand those where understand those areas where pressures were were showing up such that yes, the educational structure is gonna be strained as leaks in the future. Or there's things demographically that are changing, they're going to fundamentally change the tactics and should be the direction that institutions we had. I I've had a lot of different jobs in the four states that you mentioned. Yeah. Tennessee, Elton, Georgia, and now Arkansas. But I would say that project and that interest in that research and that interest in booking up all those communities during that period of time early in my career. Um it it helped me that when I got lucky now to have this opportunity to be able to do CA. I mean, there was a little bit of, all right, here's an approach. I mean, to understand not only the immediate um 10, 15 county carrier, let's understand the 75 counties in Arkansas, let's understand less help us all, let's understand where the bordering counties, where the leech. And a lot of that all is grounded in um, you know, some of it was research, but a lot of it was just a bit old there, um, press the flesh and understand communities and eat them where they are and understand what their needs are, what their desires are, and then how do you take the gifts and palents that they can bless you at? And then how do you find somebody who gets in your capital anyways in that region? So um I can't say that anything I do at UCA is any much different than theoretically than practically, um, how that needs a front jet that sort of shape my

Mentors And Research That Shaped Leadership

SPEAKER_03 9:45

Yeah, well there like you said, there is a practical approach that you could take with you um wherever you happen to be based on your experience.

SPEAKER_00 9:53

But and I'm sure like you said, you've had a lot of jobs, you've had a lot of options.

SPEAKER_02 9:57

Um I can't hold on to a job. I didn't need to worry yet.

SPEAKER_00 10:02

Well, you've you've had a lot of opportunities to do what you you could have led anywhere. Why UCA? What was the moment um that made you uh realize uh this place is special, this is the place where um I want to be. Just kind of take us through the circumstances of uh of how you um got connected with this job and and then when you decided this is the job that I want, the place I want to be.

SPEAKER_03 10:25

Yeah, no, I I think I became um aware of the University of Central Arkansas while we work in Oklahoma, so she's administered officer for the Oklahoma system uh from 2007 to 2012, and then the December role, the she said from Jordan University Bay Little Shat Dolls that um asked me to basically play that role for Dice State 12 through uh well 16 and 17 when I came here. Um I think that because we were in Oklahoma, um, I was just as a as kind of a a neighboring state, and then emerging subtle Arkansas was an athletic conference, several of the fall schools. It was on my radar, and I knew it to be um a really high-falled institution. Um I I I knew it would have had a a great reputation in higher education. But then I also knew there was this thing, Conway, the city of Collies, and you had UCA and Hendricks and Central Baptist College, and then really being so close to their being in that Little Lock metropolitan area where there's several other higher education institutions. There was always this in the back of our minds, well, that's a really neat school. And it's in an area that was naturally has kind of an entrepreneurial created a uh a sort of a research and stretch yourself sort of mentality just by having all these higher education institutions. And that was the theory. And I think when the job became available, uh, I commented, I was not in a position to fly when it first came open, um, but I commented to search fun movement and energy that, hey, I've been impressed at 2016. I said for the last decade or so I've been watching the work going on there and the kind of that environment over in that kind of conway. That's a good job. I didn't know if I could apply, but I asked him, was it open? If I never really was open to his name to search. And I said there may be some folks that I'd like to search within that pool, because that's a great document. Little did I know that about five months later or so after that conversation, um, I myself got into that pool, and I guess I should think about that I encourage people to compete against me uh for which I uh but as soon as the window opened up, uh Jimmy and I voted. We had this already favored review of UCA, the sense that Conway was a good place to be located. Um town and down is very important to me. I knew about most diver pockets um in the state of Arkansas, so maybe Arkansas being one of those well aware of in Oklahoma. Um, you know, so all of that kind of came together, and again, you probably picked up. I mean, I believe in education and economics and in what's going on with the Dom Happens in here. So those things had to be figured to me. I saw this particular pocket all the way up to especially in the Western pocket of Arkansas, which is one of the most bi regions in the U.S. So that needs index research also been in me that this was a good place to be able to not only have you delta did hand in terms of the foundation, but to be able to inherit something that had not yet reached its attention. So let's continue to vote. So that's a lot, that's kind of long-winded, but but it there really was a lot of thought about this place long before I ever thought about of applying for it. And the Navarros of War had an impression and web perfection UCA had in the general lead.

SPEAKER_00 13:39

Yeah, well, and I want to stop real quick too. You mentioned your wife, Jenny. I mean, she's on campus as well, too, right? For for people who may not know, she is a UCA faculty member, and I'm sure she um like any big decision that you've been involved in, that was a group decision, and um she's a a big part of the campus as well.

SPEAKER_03 13:58

Yeah, no, it it was. I we like to joke that it was on me to determine it was the University of Central, Arkansas was a great place. And again, we were early, I thought I got the job. I mean, that was a big decision to, you know, early, early in a career, early in university about a community, and in a place where you like for a community to stay a place for a while. Um, it was on me to be able to look at is this to like fit professionally. And then kind of left it up to Jenny to see is Conway in that region of of Arkansas, and we already was familiar very much of Arkansas and mid-south, but was that a place to really want to dig out person? And and we both agreed that that was a a great opportunity but to pursue it. And then I remember when she and I left from our few days of the interviews, um, we drove back to the airport um and our and our in our host or yeah, first Texas Air Force dropping saw and then went in to Rural Rock Air Force. We both said it's like that'll be a great experience. I don't know if we're gonna get it, but somebody is gonna be getting really happy um to know that and uh thrill uh just a couple days later, uh got the word that Bravor cheese up.

SPEAKER_00 15:06

Yeah. You mentioned that word reputation now. Um, so I'm I'll ask you now you're in your ninth academic year. What what do you hope that UCA's reputation is? Um, you know, what what do you think that we do that uh we don't get enough credit for? What do what do you think we should get more credit for?

SPEAKER_03 15:25

Yeah, well, I I think the thing that we do well, we do get a lot of credit for. Actually, there was a meeting with other fellow presidents um from throughout, say, and looking up for cheer and statewide versus champs like California subset um

Why UCA And Why Conway

SPEAKER_03 15:40

of that reaper got together. And one um one of the presidents, a two-year president, um, you know, we were talking about some things that UCA is doing. They said one of the greatest gifts that UCA has is that you know who you are and you do that exceeding, and I love to know who you are and do that exceeding. Um I think that I knew this when I applied for the job, so I want to I want to boast on the culture that was already here. It has nothing to do with Fusion. It's everything about ground was laid before we got here. This is a place that those um residential experiences very, very uh that's still very much attuned to what is it that an undergraduate student's wanted to get. Not only classroom that outside the classroom. Um that that is intentional from the freshman year all the senior. Um and and that that's something that I think um we're not all sight of, and as we both have our our senior faculty as well as you faculty we're hiring in, um that's something that invides into. And that might sound like throwaway traits, but in American public higher education and private higher education, those are not things that universities are still attending. Um when a student comes to us, um I hear all the time, yes, and they'll say, My son's great experience. And I'll tell them the same thing. I'm not surprised by that. That's it. That's what we shoot for, and that's what we expect. Um, but then the next thing is we'll do that. Um this place is not a satisfied, but we're not to make certain um that that is a meaningful, seamless, exclusive student experience that that that that that that every young person is getting. Um, and we're wanting to make certain that we're never resting in the phone, so we're fine with that. So so therefore the short answer function is I mean, if a student is working for a place where it's big enough to do really meaningful things, and a proud of the fact that we 10,000 students, uh roughly 8,000 under 2,000 graduates, we're kind of a sweet spy to do big things, do meaningful things, invest in those things if we love enough colourities, but not so big that students get lost and shut. Um and that's what I think to Holly, when he was talking about we know who we are and we do that exceedingly well. I think that's a compliment of people. Um and and and again, I'm proud. Whenever we have a student come here um to tour this campus, I mean you know that they're gonna have a good experience and be impressed. Um, then it's just a matter of is the right fit for them. And if they come here, we're gonna stick. Um, we we don't see a lot of students that come here inside this is not basic than me when they transfer it. Um they're proud of that, proud of the fact that we give me transfer from university to do some easy colleges. That's something that you don't find in that gentile education. And a lot of that is, you know, the students that are like students are looking for. Um we deliver by seating takes for a night.

SPEAKER_00 18:30

Yeah, well, I can underscore that with um um, you know, the Rogers mayor, Greg Hines. He's a friend of mine, and we've taught and his daughter is a UCA student, and we've talked about her and her experience there, and she went down there. Um his other daughters went to the U of A. He's a U of A grad, but their daughter wanted to go to UCA to be a school teacher. Well, she determined early on that she uh wanted to switch and do something else, but she didn't leave UCA. She she loved the campus, loved the people. They've taken great care of her through her, you know, transition through that. And she's uh I believe pre-dental hygiene. And and uh so yeah, that kind of underscores your point. Whether when students go there, if they may have a a hiccup or a change of plans, uh there are a lot of other things that are um that are in play to keep them there other than just their their academic pursuit. Like you say, it's a it's a small community, uh, as you put it, and you're the mayor. So well, let's talk about um you know Northwest Arkansas. I think you and I both uh are definitely in alignment that uh UCA needs to be a bigger part of the story here. Uh both uh and and what was the moment that you said um okay, we need to we need to plant a flag up there. We need to we need to move on northwest Arkansas. Why is it critical that UCA uh raise its brand and its visibility in this part of the state?

SPEAKER_03 19:48

Yeah, well, I think there were there were a couple of maybe the light bulb went off. There was uh dimly lit and then a little bit more in the black with that. I mean, I knew when I started in January 17 that um again my background is measured things and doing demographic research. I knew about the growth in northwest Arkansas. I knew that UCA already we get we get students every single year from all 75 counties and we graduate alone to go back to all 75 counties. So I knew that we already had um reach. Um I knew that we already will cover in the map, I'd either we already

Reputation, Fit, And Student Experience

SPEAKER_03 20:25

had reputation that reached in that area. So that's the dim little bit. Um but probably a little bit more to that, but a couple of years in, um, I I I really did um start seeing that we um we were a natural complement to opportunities. Yeah. Especially the student who was in position to be able to be arrested. So I mean the uh and and a lot of this uh I I'll use the example just like in Georgia. I mean you University of Georgia, uh Georgia Tech, George Southern, Kinsall State. I mean, those are the examples of schools where they're usually not going after the same student. They're looking for the right days. And I knew that in Northwest Arkansas, we had very relationships in Arkansas, whether they're Charles and Mistine of any uh relationships and uh uh but but there's a space that UCA occupies where we sort of we're comprehend. We're we're we're a regional competence of the university, we do different things in those two institutions. So we should, for any student that is is in the conversation up there, we need to find a way to know certain that they're aware of of what UCA has to offer. We need to find um the ability to to be able to connect up with stories and success that students from that area have had on our campus and then alums in that area. And then the brighter the vault came, when I realized that we got over 3,000 alumni um in the area and and a lot of them active with the university. Um it's it's it's not like we have to introduce a lot of people in Northwest Arkansas, the University of Arkansas, they are excuse me, the Northwest Arkansas, they already know UCA. I mean, they know it from the work that all these alumni, and especially bottom of them are our young professionals. They're a big part of the movement, the excitement, the energy that's going on there. For we need to make certain that people know that, hey, this is the work of folks that were graduates of our university, and we need to be able to tell that story. We need to find out how we can be of service to them. Um there's Empire Ed, you got you got teaching, research, and service, and that's a free legs and stool, just about everything that any post-secondary institution does that raw the falling on those buckets. Yeah, we need to be thinking about how are we um seen as as being an innovative campus that things about if we've got uh you have assets, we've got capabilities, you've got um the wherewithal to be able to be assistance um in promoting promoting community of life. We need to be rendered accepts and not only those butters, um, but we want to know those sort of extension surgeries for the new economy, that's the way I think about it. What can we direct uh to be a service on that region? All those vehicles already built uh for people that believe in making a thing back, you know. You see as made in their life, maybe the fact that we should say once that at sort of critical mass came through to me, um, said yeah, we've we we need to next certain with the flag. Um it it it needs to be about awareness for uh attracting more students, but mainly it needs to be about making certain folks know the UCA wakes up every single day thinking about how we're doing a part of the Union Grand Challenges in the state of Arkansas, and then particularly on that serve in that region, um that we're thinking about, well, if we had an actual uh fit in a conversation about some challenge that that region's trying to meet you, you need to be where in the place I am and say, hey, you're gonna do fun court. That was how you are the steward of place. That's how um you make certain that you really are making the greatest impact you can under the region, under state, and beyond the state. Uh and that happens by and then I'll slugishly, um, I'll put a plug here. It also very patient to find the white person to be uh our lead there, find the white person um that be the ambassador that opened those doors to uh be the one uh start those conversations and then know that there's wind in their sail of being that any of those conversations needs that person all yeah. Uh we

Making The Case For Northwest Arkansas

SPEAKER_03 24:40

really uh follow you through. We're delighted uh to be able to have you join us. And we've already seen, I mean, just in the last year or so, I mean, that we've we've made more more more progress on what we're hoping you do you do.

SPEAKER_04 24:54

Kind of just thinking about influence, think about um awareness. Um, than in all of those Gambo Bine goals that I described very rude. Thank you about that.

SPEAKER_00 25:05

Well, I can tell you it's been um I'm not I'm not uh under overstating this when I say it's been a life-changing move for me to change careers and join the University of Central Arkansas. I think I said it uh when the first time I'm I met you and we had a conversation as a as a native Arkansan born and raised here. Um I did not go to the University of Central Arkansas, but I know that UCA is a brand name in Arkansas the same way that um you know Baptist Health is a brand name or Nabholt's or Rvest or Walmart. I think UCA is a known uh factor. However, there was an opportunity to build more relationships and foster existing relationships and just create more visibility in this part of the state uh where a lot of people have moved and now lived who are not from this part of the not from Arkansas, period. So that to me is where there is a great opportunity uh to put our brand and our offerings and everything UCA in front of uh parents or potential supporters or civic leaders who uh did not grow up here. Like, you know, I grew up here, so I might take it for granted. Um but there's it's been a lot of fun. Um, you know, I started for people who may be listening and aren't aware, started in July 2024 after a long career at the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal, and was so pleased to be um connected with this opportunity to um uh uh to work with President Davis and and uh my my boss, the Vice President of Advancement, Dr. Mary Lackey, uh, and everyone that I work with uh remotely, but uh when I when I do uh travel to Conway, just an incredible team at UCA. And and I've heard you say more than once, and I've started saying it myself, uh we don't want to be a best kept secret in any regard about what we're doing uh as far as our our academic success and our recruiting success and our fundraising success and enrollment success and and all that stuff. So uh I appreciate you saying that. Uh that wasn't part of the wasn't part of the conversation I was expecting, but I really do appreciate you you saying that. Um so so let's let's let's take the best case scenario then um you know in in maybe three to five years from now. You know, what what does what does full alignment uh between the University of Central Arkansas and Northwest Arkansas uh you know look like? Well is it is it more uh students, is it philanthropy, is it uh more partnerships, or I mean, the I'm I'm sure a combination of all of those things. Yes, yes, and yes. Uh right.

SPEAKER_03 27:40

I mean yeah, I I think that you know there's um there's obviously, and and you're you're exactly right about you've got all these of you folks and maybe they've got their families, they've got their their sons and daughters, your grandsons and their daughters that um are going to be looking for um the right fit for them. And and we want to make certain that you you are right that UCA has a very, very strong granular. We need to make certain we with all these interests into uh uh being labeled Arkansas, new uh members of our state by family, um that we're uh continuing stuff what's going on here.

SPEAKER_04 28:22

Um the common way, but also we uh uh beyond the reach and that basically in online education, some of those things that we uh made may do in the uh course uh Moody Mets are ever easy. But I think the biggest thing that I've already given you three or five years uh we are talking about um in in some of the syndicate plain boy.

SPEAKER_03 28:49

Uh uh we won a bit uh it's not not semantic yet, but we get three first time is for UCA to be known as a campus and a sh and and what you know that's not necessarily just here, uh but because our campus can extend all sorts of asset are our greatest asset RP for grace asset or the perkings that they recognize, but to be a place that that our our public and especially those individuals that think about economic network choice and innovation of contribution that we're a place that they know and as I think about which we already have that reputation in a simple part to say. Um we need to make certain news video for three, five years from now. We're only sensible out of time when people are thinking about what people can find us when it's kind of gathered when it's kind of around pain, but it's time to think about what are the assets to say what besides you in the global region on that might be consistently. I would hope that um we have a lot more

Alumni Power And Regional Partnerships

SPEAKER_03 30:05

people in Salberia that would immediately have us on the shortlist that you know what ECA did X with uh Bruce Devocal that did Y um what company took me. I saw what they related that makes a difference. Um we should of course uh if we can get to that fate, then you're not the best depth seeker. Um you're a well-known, trusted. Um and and I think that to me. Um I think that um again it it it shouldn't be a secret that we you know have have students from all 75 counties and have alone guide go back to all 75 counties. We should think about uh sort of the extension services of what we do for the state also has the ability um focus. You can't be all things to all people, but in a focus sort of way. Well then we should all 75 counties and it's our working um sort of theory that it's in Northwest, Arkansas, that we can extend what we already leave in this region uh to be other tests and white. And then you go out 1015, yeah. I would do various that president then. Um I don't know if you've got that much trail in the fire. Um, but I would hope that the story would be that yes, I mean, you UCA would environ my reputation the same day it has the simple part of the state.

SPEAKER_00 31:26

And uh I love that you said uh when you described UCA as as a can't, you know, an innovation campus of innovation, not just here. Um because I still get that question a lot. People ask me what my job is and what are you doing, and they'll say, is UCA gonna open a satellite campus up here? Are you guys opening a campus? Are you doing this up here? And um I think my answer has has evolved into just a shoulder shrug and say, you never know. You never know what we're gonna do up here, do you?

SPEAKER_02 31:52

Yeah, let's do that. You like that answer? Let the rumor mill run.

SPEAKER_03 31:54

Let's let's let them imagine. Uh, you know, I I I can tell everybody that there's the switching in on this or watching. Um, you know, when when Paul and I had the opportunity to sit down and talk about what we were trying to do, and like talking about a little uh sort of a list of of uh what we imagine to be the dolls, but totally new mad interview. I said, I hope that once we get to the 36 marks mark of your work that we'll pull out that list. And I hope that we laugh at how limited our the works and how basic we were because we'll realize that wow, we'll be there so enough so short, we've made so much harder on the conversation. So you know I still got that list. Um I do have that list, absolutely something piled off that desk behind me. Um but um yeah, I'll I'll I'll look forward to I I think that you know you you don't know until you're there, you don't know until you're in the room, and that'll be a bringing happens. I mean, you've got to embed yourself, you've got to, and it's not just you, it's who of our dean, who of our chairs, who of our outreach folks, who of our uh enrollment service, still your economic development full of government relations, but these people need to be there, Justin Khan's sort of work, and and from those conversations to from that work will I put the company say is that in three or five years, well that you know what? We never would imagine it's starting to look what we've got.

SPEAKER_00 33:19

I I I have no doubt that we far exceeded uh maybe I'm yeah, it it is exciting to think about, and um a lot of things are exciting to think about up here in the Northwest Arkansas lens, and I've I've learned to never discount any idea or any thought or any rumor that I hear, so that kind of plays into that narrative uh where we fit in as well. I I don't discount anything. So uh I want to go back to what you mentioned um a little bit ago that you teach. I mean, you're one of the few university presidents who um actually teaches a class while running an institution. Why why is that important to you? What do you get out of that?

SPEAKER_03 34:01

Well, one thing is it's it's what I got with the industry to begin with, to do. I mean, to do my research and my teaching. I mean, it really is.

SPEAKER_00 34:09

Yeah, you don't just give it up when you move into the into the big office, right?

SPEAKER_03 34:13

Yeah, I I think it's it's kind of my happy place anyway. Um I I thoroughly enjoy, and and I and it is it is rare. I mean, that a president, teacher of record, not co-teaching, not not having a bunch of people come in and do your teaching. Uh, but yeah, I've I've uh I've caught a class every term that I've been here except for that very first semester in the spring of 17. Um I I teach at least one class um that's in our PhD and leadership um program. That's always in fall, or because I always fall. And then I've always taught a class that's medications for policy papers class uh for uh for students here and now super. I mean I love being able to do that. There's in both of those cases. A lot of those rooms are won't get continued higher education, and or there are individuals that may be in healthcare and maybe in nonprofit and get some of their second education. They're all the attributes are now the standard how they uh their views, they're in for still like influencing quality of life to use and basic. So it's really it's it's it's an honor to get to work with, and and yeah, I I probably teach it something, but they keep you know teaching. Uh it really is. Uh it's and that's why I being conscious. Um I think the other thing is, and I do encourage all of my holidays to get presents. And it's and it's not to co-teach, it's not to do it to somebody, it's teach. I mean, take a class on because that to me, um my dad used to pop out and say, boy, every once in a while you need to do your own doctor. Um, I think everybody

Teaching As A President And Why It Matters

SPEAKER_03 36:00

um that is president of the university should, you know, be you know, they need to teach on that learning management system. They need to be reminded. Um, that putting together a class from scratch, they need to be reminded that, I mean, although it's a different kind of work, I mean, grading papers and keeping track of, I can promise you I've got a bunch of papers from Wednesday of this week that I've got to get turned around to my students uh before I get Sunday night. And it doesn't matter that it's homecoming week. I've got to get that done. Um so they've got them before they wake up on Monday. Um, I think that's good for the institutions. And they want to be at Everett Smith for that's just my personal prevalence. But I think it's very important. But that is, it's it's the greatest way that I get reminded about um default of varieties. It's almost like I've got a focus group on you all times. I mean, I know how are our students fearing the things that will come down from the administration or things that come up from their college or their part. Um they're not shy. They certainly think they could care less on probably data. They just know the Houston notes speech in the crowd. Um and I think them having that kind of access to me is an interesting thing to uh for them to be able to almost feel like they can get decent feedback, and then hopefully I think that in my unique role.

SPEAKER_00 37:19

Yeah, it is it is unique, at least uh in my experience with higher education. I thought it was very unique when I first heard that. Would you would your students say that Dr. Davis grades on a curve?

SPEAKER_03 37:30

You know, I think well, here's what they would report. I am a stickler for Boon Light. Uh it doesn't matter whether it's an undergraduate class or a graduate class. I think that uh that they would, if there's, I don't think it would be a complaint. I would, I think they would say, okay, um conceptually, whatever the framework is for the the the theory, the principle, whatever we're talking about, if you don't write it up well, he's gonna get you. So I I th I think that's if there be any complaint, but um above all else, one thing about I I'm a process lawyer person. I mean, I understand. I mean, I bel I believe in process, and I I mean that's true in a lot of facets of my life. Uh when I am teaching and teaching concepts, me process, it's it's trying us and going as you're about toolbox. How are you utilizing this tool to be taken? But if you learn it, I apply it. Um so as long as students are able to supply that knowledge or father's that conceptual toolkit they're giving. I generally prove fair on what's great, but I want them to go through that process and don't just call out and claw and state your head, state your plane. What's going to be the solution? Come on. Um they're doing that, they're gonna be fine. As long as they're writing it well. I think that's my uh my mom was an English teacher, Jenny is a English teacher. Uh I think I couldn't get be far away from all of my writing as they corrected, pretty much my whole life.

SPEAKER_00 38:58

Right. Our mothers are are in common. My mother was uh is an English teacher as well, retired school teacher and a proud graduate of uh University of Central Arkansas in 1968, whatever it was called. Then state college. Yeah, she did it right. Yeah, she was. So well that you you said the the university classroom is your happy place, and you've been you've been in this um higher education realm for a long time and you like process. Well, well, right now there's a lot, there's a lot of processes in the higher education world that are um you know uh noisy, let's say. There's a lot of noise around higher education, you know, the uh the cost of of attendance, is is uh is going to college worth it? Is that somewhere I need to be? All of those things from where you sit, you know, what what is what's overblown about all of those narratives and and what is uh maybe uh has some truth to those narratives, separate the fact from the fiction?

SPEAKER_03 39:52

Yeah, well, um I think that one of the biggest barriers, and I think this would be true any president in any IV situation might be interviewing, is the the the myths and misconceptions about the cost um of of post-secondary education are f far overblinding compared to where it actually is. Um I think that it's very easy, and then YouTube high WD's you know, stories of people that have hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt totally stories are usually heavily influenced by an elite private school that yes does have a you know $100,000 a year um all in cost of attendance. Um and if then somebody chose to borrow um with that, yeah, they're probably already brand up a little bit. Yeah, but that's not. I mean, I I think about sending my health with Arkansas and actually my colleagues in these campuses. Anybody in the region, if if they if they attend an NY, if UCA or they attend uh University of

Cost, Debt Myths, And UCA Commitment

SPEAKER_03 41:00

Arkansas, it is a very important task to a high quality. Um in that paper you can buy. Um I think that you know we love to be at the look at the measurements um of of of where death is. You know, somebody grab quick from the university of Central Arkansas. Um we're thrilled that we're almost $14,000 evolution average for a stool of our type, which is considerably less uh than than any of those horror stories, the Germanese, rumscamely buys and notch. Um and the reality is that by sound that's fun money. And it is if you're full of $1,000 and selling London. Um so when we get to that second, though, how we'll try to change the nerve around that. But I think that a lot of folks hear those multiple hundred thousand dollar stories that scene. Um I would output that thousand there, a lot of people with you. And that person may unblock a car on a car like you give away. And most people will be like, yeah, that's just what you do. Well, that's a declining asset time to work. We know that if someone gets a degree on the Sunday Arkansas, their return on invested goes positive by the sixth year in form. Every year seven, they're great. That's what accumulates a million dollars. Um that means that's uh not invest investment making yourself. So that we know to mean all those facts. When we go back to what we didn't call it for a family that might still say, okay, fine, UCA, that's what the average debt for somebody after you did. What are you doing? Um we started our UCA for that triple purpose. Um two cycles. We're already there. Her key turned on household in the first two years of that. But they leave say not to the lead. Any Parkinson High School graduate last two years.

SPEAKER_04 42:58

If their family makes $100,000 below, they come to UCA on the debt-free app, then what we'd do is we'll work in the next or we are part of the reason choose to work on NetMex program is you were making a commitment as well that we were going to help them to be at Clainwolves RD.

SPEAKER_03 43:18

We were amazed at how many students that phone people see in a go to a bunch of other higher tissue institutions. It was very confusing trying to get access to just filling up the FAFSA, getting a screen view of that process, and no wonder they get that. Um and if they were first-generation college students and household every nutmag, they probably didn't even click a button beyond that. These couldn't choose. Same sort of thing with the Arkansas chat window. A lot of support from the state of Arkansas through um the Lotus Doctor program. The students here and in other Kansas weren't going to brew and understand the process we do that. So our commitment, some of the signal didn't do hard music program. We helped them to make certain that they're able to, and whatever that and that be we have to have done that, we're gonna bridge that gap. We've got credit cards like those needs for she fees for we feel like and it's a part of what we do in this call, even our broader kind of quality brew card here, dark eaters. We see that as like start pulling at Abby's yeah, of future Ragid Xbox and I I look up what that was like foundation now. I look forgot and say, you know what, he pulled that back up if he said he finds you squidy.

SPEAKER_05 44:44

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 44:45

That's that's the bill. Uh yeah, somewhat academically, and we don't admit everybody. I mean, last couple years, you've had two balances students and above, both in my last year in the fresh classes. That's been significant. Um, but we also have record numbers too. So we're not um you know, we're not going to walk away from Fallity. Um academic, somebody see UCA is to like fit for their academic notice and their restoration and do the findings or get diversion. So uh UCA commitment has not changed, but narrative um perceptions are I can't afford this, well, I can find anything on that. What was that like you do say coming? Yeah, over 1,300 households have done a thing out in the first two years. That's gonna be really exciting. So we five years, how many families we live just in that first half decade?

SPEAKER_00 45:51

Yeah, there's there is so many good things to talk about at UCA, and from my perspective up here, I talk about three things a lot. And one is our aviation academy. Uh, two, as you mentioned, our our freshman enrollment year after year is the second largest among universities in Arkansas. And then the UCA commitment. It's a life-changing program. And when we announced it, it was before I joined UCA. But when we announced it, um I think there are several uh debt-free pathway programs in Arkansas now, but I don't think there were any uh two years ago when this was announced. I mean, this was UCA. This was this was our program, this was our program that we developed uh as an industry-leading program. And so very, very proud of that. And then also when we, you know, recently we formed our Northwest Arkansas Advisory Council, and you you came up for that inaugural meeting, and and all of those members um were aware of the UCA commitment program and proud of it, and proud when their friends asked them about you went to UCA, right? Did you see this UCA commitment program? And um it's a it's a big point of pride. I mean, it's uh obviously life-changing for those families, uh, but it's a big point of pride for people who work at UCA and for people who have a degree from UCA, I think.

SPEAKER_03 47:07

Yeah, yeah, and and I always start my

Aviation, Enrollment, And Financial Stewardship

SPEAKER_03 47:10

my grandmother always say this good pride and bad pride, son. It's good pride, what we're and and I um in particular, and um, I mean, a lot of friends have presents in change work, but a lot of them, you know, they they'll they'll appear to do them now out of just some resources and they'll be fun backs like our actual scholarships that we'll all learn the last year, many years ago. So we're just utilizing your knowledge and find a way and to to basically tell them in process that we've do that work over seven or eight years. Most of my friends that are present at the chancer are saying, yeah, but I can do that, that's too much work. I I'm I'm proud of the fact that we built them to A's getting the parking to meeting the E's families, but I'm also really proud of the fact that he haven't made it a meeting who buys a lot of e-digit whiskey, and she's familiar with the major needs. Moody's has now, uh, for the last three years of the rain mattress and UCA kept a stable uh positive outlet. A lot of that uh they pointed to um they pointed to our stewardship work. They've also talked about things like UCA can make a programs in the march that they've still allowed in the next future media instead of allowing it to the resources program by the aviation capture and some we're doing college of science and engineering. Um I think movies see it would mean really we'll get stewards of what we've been given to the end of the best that and have multiple effect on that. As opposed to the back my dad used to say, don't eat your seed porn. Um, you know, we we certainly don't need to do anything speeding themselves in the death. So proud of the fact grandma prize give fine. Um you see a commitment maybe a huge difference, but we've really put hard position university audience on just an outline audience off. Among regional comprehensive universities in the southeastern part of the U.S., um, we know the work position.

SPEAKER_04 49:20

You know that for the big agencies.

SPEAKER_03 49:22

In a very, very, very complex transaction. It's usually and again, it's taking a lot of work to get there, and I think a lot of work to stay there.

SPEAKER_00 49:30

All right. Um we've talked about UCA, we've talked about Northwest Arkansas, we've talked about higher education, and we're going to talk about Houston Davis for one minute here. I've got I've got my questions here that I think people are dying to know.

SPEAKER_02 49:42

Right there. Right there. You just you just lost all of your viewers in there.

SPEAKER_00 49:48

We'll see. We'll let the analytics, we'll let the analytics decide what people uh tune into or tune out. All right, coffee or sweet tea?

SPEAKER_03 49:56

Oh goodness. Uh you know, sweet tea. I, you know, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 50:03

You're a music guy. What's the best concert you've ever been to?

SPEAKER_03 50:07

Oh, wow. Best concert I've ever been to? Uh well, all right. Prob probably best, and it was one of my earliest. Um Guns N' Roses Pyramid in Memphis, but that wasn't the kicker. Uh although, I mean, they covered a great show. It quite about two and a half hours, and that was near a time where Axel was even stage early life. He collected the foot on the show. But Soundgarden Open for Okay.

SPEAKER_00 50:30

I was gonna ask you if this is with Metallica or not, but so no Metallica.

SPEAKER_03 50:34

Soundgarden Open, um, G and R outer. It was first of all revelation in the Christian Soundgarden that I wasn't I'll be not familiar with them um that night. They were amazing when you're used to that show. So many things, Bonaroo, and the cell and that. Yeah, we we we love when we use the customers just anything that's anything that's odd music is flight for to be uh us to lead there and say, that's the best we've ever seen. And I don't know how you ever bet for that. You're always still in the moment, but probably my favorite memorable convert.

SPEAKER_00 51:11

Most underrated Arkansas town.

SPEAKER_03 51:14

Oh wow. Boy, I could offend a lot. Let me tell you one year we saw, and it rolled over a revelation. Um, Jenny and I had an opportunity to go over and just hike and bring you in beer. Meetup, this answer. We were really impressed. That that town's really cool.

Lightning Round And Personal Side

SPEAKER_03 51:30

That's strong, it's uh kind of a cool vibe. We rub, uh we love hiking and trekking. That's that's that's another ways that we spend a lot of our time. Um distance hikes, you're ready to uh Lushita Trail um to Humboldtman, all the way out up on the Mean Bat, uh big Poscot River uh trail. Um with the Mina, we were kind of that was our our hug, but that trib on Mina really interested us. So that was probably first come to mind because that was just curious and uh really enjoyed it. Can't wait to get back there.

SPEAKER_00 52:01

That was that was the first time I didn't mean if you were to give a TED talk tomorrow, what is something you could do a presentation on with zero preparation?

SPEAKER_03 52:12

Wow. Um probably um higher education and the economy. It might not be the most exciting topic, but to uh especially to talk about to be able to talk about the need for any degree beyond a high school diploma and how that gives you utilities and possibilities. Um I as a university president, I don't ever tell um a high school graduate that they have to come to the university. What I tells them is you've got these something beyond a high school diploma. Um of them that's gonna be vocational, some of them from that from university, some of that's gonna be the military path where they're gonna pick up a lot of great creatures and certification skills. Either way, every something uh beyond that high school polygamy, because what that does is it just opens up possibilities. Um you don't just have to go to the flow, you can start to get that floor. So probably if someone said, Hey, Houston, you need to give X number of minutes of TED talk in the few minutes, I would kick that and I would think about one of my three best points in my book.

SPEAKER_00 53:16

Perfect. All right, well, listen, um President Davis, I've I've been looking forward to this uh conversation with you for a while. So um really appreciate your time. I want to end with this uh because we do have a lot of alumni who are listening and a lot of alumni from Northwest Arkansas who are listening. You've got a direct um a direct uh voice to those those people right now. What do you want them to know about their alma mater, the University of Central Arkansas?

SPEAKER_03 53:42

Yeah, well, well, first of all, I I want to be very proud of the universe. Um I think that that they already know that our university of reputation, they know that our university has made a difference in their life. I guarantee you that as they're hearing talk about this, it's not it wasn't a transactional relationship that they'll describe, it's not just that they got a degree from UCA, it's that they developed great friendships and great um relationships that continued, and it's probably influenced who they are as a young professional that they're through seed and professionally. I hope that they would be encouraged to know. They already know that uh UCA is pretty special. I hope they would be encouraged to know that we're not just uh I just put on a reception uh up in Northwest Arkansas and then all back home, that we're really thinking about what is it that we're gonna do across the weird year in five days and um how can we be of service to them? I think that our Northwest Arkansas Council, right, that was not just asking about what the university needs to do there, but but how could we help them and what they were steering at them in that for a influence? How how could we start some dialogue about is there any way a university we need assist? It's not just that you you you were educated by us because you aren't due to know that we're gonna be uh committed to again via and the service can have um of what's gonna be in the ecosystem. Yeah, yeah. So think big thoughts about how we might get them up. So I again pride, I hope that they would they would feel that, they know that. Um I think that uh a a gratefulness uh that we're thinking about how we can extend that repeat, send that message, um, and then know that this this despite

A Message To UCA Alumni

SPEAKER_03 55:20

the thing that we're like certain that we are moved to where that earlier question about three to five years from now. Yeah, a lot of people out there think of UCA as an asset. Um that yeah, we can fall home. They deliver, they are good at what they do, Steve. Um I mean it's a it's a fall-free, it's safe. Uh and that to me is for peace.

SPEAKER_00 55:41

Fantastic. All right, great place to end it again. President Davis, uh uh the University of Central Arkansas. Always enjoy visiting with you. Really appreciate your time. Uh hope you have a great rest of the day. Appreciate you, sir. Go bears. All right, great. All right, well, all right. That's been the latest edition of Central to NWA, a UCA podcast. I'm Paul Gatling. Until next time, Bill Bears. That's it for this episode of Central to NWA, a UCA podcast. I'm Paul Gatling, Senior Director of Northwest Arkansas Engagement for the University of Central Arkansas. Be sure to subscribe to the show and follow UCA on all the appropriate social media. I'll see you next time on Central to NWA.