About Professor Cloyd

J. TIMOTHY CLOYD, Ph.D.

Professor of Politics and International Relations Hendrix College 2001-Present

President Hendrix College (2001-2013)

I became the 10th president of Hendrix College, a tier-one national liberal arts college, in 2001. From 1997-2001 I served at Hendrix as Vice President of Development and College Relations and taught in the Politics Department. From 2001-2013, I served as president and as a member of the board of trustees. After a sabbatical I returned to the faculty in fall 2014. I am a tenured Professor of Politics and International Relations. After 12 successful years, taking a pause from the academic presidency and returning to the classroom have been reinvigorating and eye opening experiences for me.

Form 1997-2013, I led two consecutive comprehensive capital campaigns for Hendrix that raised over $170 million for endowment, scholarships and financial aid, academic programs, and capital projects – including 17 new and renovated buildings. This included: two new science buildings; smaller scale living learning “houses” in a quad format; the conversion of all residence halls to geo-thermal; the construction of a Gold LEED certified Student Life and Technology Center; new art center; a Wellness and Athletic Center and all new related athletic facilities; the building of new student apartment housing and a living learning residence hall; a Center for the Hendrix-Murphy Foundation; and the development of a mixed use new urbanism village on 100 acres owned by the college.

I worked with national consultants to position and brand the college as the national leader in engaged hands-on undergraduate research based liberal arts and sciences through a nationally recognized program and institutional ethos: “Your Hendrix Odyssey: Engaging in Active Learning.”

Out of this distinctive program we were able to raise our price by 24% and increase the first year class by 43% in the same year. We even raised our price, slightly increased discount, grew enrollment, and increased new revenue through the 2008-2009 recession! Over my last five years as president we grew total enrollment by over 52% (950 to 1,495), the tenure track faculty by 35%, and student net revenue over five years by 60%. Discount did grow, but less than half the amount of the new price strategy. Notwithstanding strains on the endowment during 2001-2013, we grew the endowment from $120 million to $185 million. We added a dozen new majors, doubled international enrollment, grew out of state enrollment by 60%, and added four new sports. Our coherent branding and differentiating strategy made Hendrix compelling in the market in ways that increased prestige and “lengthened the shadow of the college” on a national level.

I consistently produced positive visibility for Hendrix College resulting in coverage in all major United States’ media and being ranked the top up and coming college in America by U.S. News and World Report for seven consecutive years. The college’s successes and stories about my innovative, entrepreneurial, and our shared leadership were featured on the cover of the New York Times (above the fold) three times in one year and on the cover of the Education Section of the New York Times. We also successfully transformed our use of information technology and our social media presence.

I lead the extensive expansion of international programs creating the internationally know Rwandan Presidential Scholars Program with an NGO B2R.

I led the college to create for-profit, entrepreneurial ventures that have added value and new sources of auxiliary net revenue to the college. In 2004, we created “The Village at Hendrix, LLC.” This for-profit mixed-use development allowed us to develop 100 acres adjacent to the college in a new-urbanism format. The mixed-use development has a commercial core, mixed-use buildings, student housing, and residential homes. Our market share accounts for 25% of the new housing starts in Conway. A famous planner designed the Village – Andres Duany and DPZ, Inc. who had done similar projects at Seaside and Watercolor in Florida, across the United States, and around the world.

In addition, stories about my leadership successes and potential, and my leadership team achievements all received national awards and recognition – featured in numerous publications for example: Leading Change: How Board’s and President’s Build Exceptional Academic Institutions by Terrence MacTargaart, The Association of Governing Boards of Colleges and Universities Press; and No Time for Timidity: A ‘Buffett’ Approach to Weathering an Economic Crisis and Coming Out Ahead by Richard A. Hesel, David W. Strauss, and Benjamin G. Edwards, May/June Art and Science Publication.

I am a national consultant to higher education institutions, boards, leaders, not-for-profits, local and state government agencies, and hospitals. The focus of my practice is leadership development, team problem solving and team building, institutional positioning, and advancement and development consulting. Working with boards, leaders, and leadership teams, I add value by cultivating aptitude, attitude, and altitude among boards, leaders, and teams.

Before joining Hendrix, I was on the political science faculty at Vanderbilt University. I also served as Program Coordinator and Senior Lecturer in the College of Arts and Sciences Program in Social and Political Thought from 1991 to 1994, coordinating programs for nine of Vanderbilt’s colleges. In 1990, I completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Europe with the Institute for the Study of World Politics. My research and work, focused on the liberalization of security controls on high technology trade with Eastern Europe and the Near East, involved research with government and European community officials, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers military and intelligence officials, and NATO.

I graduated magna cum laude with a double major in philosophy and political science in 1985 from Emory and Henry College in Virginia. I earned an MA degree in 1990 and a Ph.D. in 1991 in political science from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and studied corporate finance and management in the MBA program at The Isenberg School of Management, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

I received continuing education in Education Management at Harvard University and Oxford University. Nationally, I served on the boards of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, on the American Council on Education’s Commission on International Education, and on the International Student Exchange Program Board.

My recent scholarly presentations include “The Economic Crisis and Higher Education: A Neo-Traditional Organizational Solution”, “The Case for El Dorado being the Destination City for the Celebration of Southern Arts and Culture,” “Making the Case for Liberal Arts Education,” the Council of Independent Colleges, and “Marketing, Branding, and Positioning in Higher Education,” the American Association of Governing Boards.

Among my academic publications are “Torture, Human Rights, and the Body,” in Politics and the Human Body, a book I edited with political theorist Jean Bethke Elshtain (Vanderbilt University Press), and I edited The Gulf War and Just War: A Study Guide on the Persian Gulf War (Vanderbilt University). In addition in 2014, from the Journal Process Philosophy: Getting Ebola in Perspective: Transmuting Fear into Tikkun Olam, Against Resumes: Learning from Reinhold Niebuhr
 and Appreciating Vaclav Havel: Salvation Begins in the Heart
. I am currently at work on a book about leadership and resilience entitled: The Roadrunner, the Coyote, the Cloud, and the Skin Walker: A Story about Leadership Stuff!

My wife and I have three sons. One is a student at University in New Zealand and the other two are in high school. I grew up in New Mexico on the Navajo United Methodist Mission School and in Nashville, Tennessee. Both of my parents and my sister are United Methodist Ministers.