Hughes Provides Structure Through Student Affairs Office

Editor-in-Chief

Photo by Douglas Boultinghouse

Jay Hughes

   Before the semester began, Chancellor Jack Lassiter looked at the University of Arkansas-Monticello administrative staff and felt some positions could be rearranged, putting “the best skilled individuals in better positions to serve the institution.”

   One of the positions reassigned was vice chancellor for Student Affairs, previously held by Clay Brown for the past five years. As Brown became vice chancellor for Advancement, Jay Hughes was the “natural choice” for the Student Affairs position, according to Lassiter.

   Hughes previously held the title of dean of students which gave him the experience of working with students on UAM’s campus. Lassiter said he observed Hughes’ ability to carry out tasks and felt the experience gained from working with Residence Life would carry over to the Student Affairs office.

   Hughes said Lassiter approached him with the offer of assuming the role as vice chancellor for Student Affairs, for which he says he is “very gracious that he thought that much of me.”

   He said he plans to maintain what has been established with Student Affairs by Brown and looks to evaluate tasks to see if any improvements could be made.

   According to Janelle Martin, administrative specialist III, who serves as Hughes’ assistant, he is very interested in how things are done, eagerly jumping in full-force.

   “He’s doing a great job,” Martin said. “He’s here early and he’s here late, getting it done.”

   Martin said Hughes wants to be involved as much as possible. He attends meetings and student events. “He’s very supportive of our directors, events and students,” she said.

   Hughes says he enjoys the relationships built with students, being able to provide support and services to assist students accomplish their goals.

   “It’s providing that structure,” he said. “I think that’s what Student Affairs is all about. It’s about trying to provide those support mechanisms.”

   Hughes said with student health, intramurals, food services, residence life and more, students may not tap into everything, but they tap into portions, but in the big picture, “it’s about helping people.”

   Martin said she appreciates his enthusiasm about the campus as a whole, calling him professional and respectful as she recalled a student worker, Jodi Hargis, telling her how impressed she was that Hughes remembered her name after meeting her once before on a visit to the office.

   Before taking an administrative position at UAM, the same university he obtained a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in history and social studies from in 1983, Hughes taught history at schools in Crossett, Monticello and Blytheville.

   Of his 24 years in public education, he says his professional career has provided him with the opportunity to work with students on several levels. Hughes also obtained a Master’s of Arts degree in general counseling from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, La., in 1992, which led to his first administrative job of Assistant Principal at Monticello Junior High School in 1994. He later served as principal at Monticello Middle School.

   Outside of school, he and his wife, Laura, own a small peach orchard. He said the orchard originally had three acres with 327 trees, but when his workforce (his children Ashley and Jacob) left, it became hard to manage the orchard. He said he plans on replanting trees and reducing the size of the orchard to something smaller he and his wife can manage.

   With all of Hughes’ experience on UAM’s campus and off, Lassiter said he “looks to have very positive results,” as Hughes brings a little zest to his new position of vice chancellor for Student Affairs.

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