EACC has received national recognition for being one of the best colleges to work for in the nation. The college received honor roll recognition in the Great Colleges to Work For® program, a status granted to only 42 colleges each year who score the highest across the recognition categories.

The results were released on September 20 in a special insert of The Chronicle of Higher Education. Results are reported for small, medium, and large institutions, with East Arkansas Community College included among the small colleges category with 500 to 2,999 students.

East Arkansas Community College won honors in five categories this year:

* Job Satisfaction & Support

* Compensation & Benefits

* Professional Development

* Supervisor/Department Chair Effectiveness

* Faculty & Staff Well-being

"This is a very satisfying affirmation, but our real goal is not recognition - it's being a community that values the needs and contributions of every individual. Everyone at this institution helps make it a great place to work," said EACC's President Dr. Cathie Cline. 

"We have moved from being two different institutions to being unified as a great place to work. This recognition shows just how far we have come since 2018," said Dr. Cline.  East Arkansas Community College merged with Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute in 2018.

"Student success, operating efficiently and having outstanding people in place to support its campus's goals and mission are all things that stood out to the UA System when the decision was made to bring EACC under the high-quality umbrella of the state's premiere higher education system," said Chris Thomason, vice president for planning and development at the UA System.

"These recognitions are not what we set out to receive, but they come as no surprise and they reconfirm the strength of EACC's leadership and their entire team. The UA System is honored that such an exceptional campus family is joining forces with our dedicated statewide team to better serve Arkansas," he added.

EACC received accolades in five of the distinguished categories this year.  The Job Satisfaction & Support recognition category is based on satisfaction with job fit, autonomy and resources. High degrees of job satisfaction are essential to an engaged workforce. 

The Compensation & Benefits category measures the perception that one is compensated fairly and that benefits are adequate plays an important role in employees feeling valued and respected. This recognition category is based on survey items capturing satisfaction with the benefits offered and compensation.

The Professional Development category evaluates the importance of support for faculty/staff professional development in terms of building organizational capacity and supporting individual development needs. This recognition category is based on survey items related to onboarding processes, professional development opportunities, and support for career development.

Supervisor/Department Chair Effectiveness is widely regarded that the experience of one's immediate supervisor is among the most important factors influencing whether an employee is truly engaged. This recognition category is based on the survey items providing insight into critical managerial competencies such as providing clear direction and constructive feedback and ensuring effective communication and equitable treatment.

The Faculty & Staff Well-being recognition category is based on the impact of one's employment experience on their well-being (e.g., the opportunity to do meaningful work, the support for work/life balance and the experience of a safe working environment).

The survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institution questionnaire that captures employment data and workplace policies from each institution, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators, and professional support staff. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition is employee feedback.

The Great Colleges to Work For® program is one of the largest and most respected workplace-recognition programs in the country. For more information and to view all current and previous recognized institutions, visit the Great Colleges program website at GreatCollegesProgram.com and GreatCollegesList.com. ModernThink, a strategic human capital consulting firm, administered the survey and analyzed the results.

East Arkansas Community College serves a 6-county service area including Cross, Lee, Monroe, Poinsett, St. Francis, and Woodruff counties. It is currently in the process of working toward becoming the 8th community college in the University of Arkansas system.