FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Dr. Charles Robinson is the first black chancellor at the University of Arkansas, and on Wednesday night he gave a speech entitled "Land-Grant Excellence; this moment in time.
"We felt strongly that this would be a good place for him to come and speak, especially during black history month, as he is the first African American to be Chancellor of the University of Arkansas," said Maylon Rice with the Washington County Historical Society.
Dr. Robinson leads the university’s land-grant mission which provides research-based programs and resources for residents across the state.
"If the mission is service, then we have to make sure we're doing everything we can to maximize our serving," Robinson explained.
In his speech, he talked about improvements in freshman enrollment, parking issues, and notably the creation of a plan to keep costs under control so the university can strengthen the attendance of students who come from lower-income households.
"No student who has demonstrated success in high school should be denied the opportunity to attend because they can't afford it. That's something we need to work on, and there are lots of ways that we intend to approach it," said Robinson.
Although the chancellor made history at the U of A, he wants to make his mark in a different way
"The history that matters to me is the history that changes lives. I think we are going to create that history, though I do think it says something about the University of Arkansas when a person of color can rise to the highest position. It says that we're an institution that values people who work hard and are willing to do what they need to be successful," Robinson said.
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