By Braiden Burton 

And Kay King

Two incumbent members of the NWACC Board of Trustees won re-election in Tuesday’s general election balloting.

Mark Scott, the incumbent representing Zone 6, and Joe Spivey, the incumbent representing Zone 9, turned back challenges in the races’ complete, but unofficial returns.

NWACC is governed by a local board of trustees composed of nine members who are residents and qualified electors of the NWACC taxing district, the Rogers and Bentonville public school districts. Trustees are elected on a nonpartisan basis, meaning they are not affiliated  with a specific political party. This year there are three NWACC board seats up for election.

Trustees are elected by zones for terms of up to six years by the qualified electors of each particular NWACC zone at the general election. All nine trustee positions were elected in 2022 due to the decennial census, and trustees drew by lot for two-, four- and six-year terms.

At the time of filing the statement of candidacy, the candidates file a petition containing the signatures of at least twenty-five (25) qualified electors from their own particular zone.

Scott turned back a challenge from Margaret Mouser. Scott was appointed to the board in 2016 by Gov. Asa Hutchinson. After beginning his career as a journalist at the Morning News of Northwest Arkansas covering Fayetteville city government, Scott later led media relations at Hendrix College in Conway and public relations at NWACC in addition to other higher education, nonprofit and corporate roles. 

Scott told the Democrat Gazette, “NWACC is a dynamic community college, and I’ve worked with my fellow trustees and the college’s leadership to make it as accessible as possible by creating more opportunities for access and student success,”

For Zone 7, Mary M.W. Schneider ran unopposed. 

Spivey defeated challenger Candice Bright. Spivey has served on the Board for 17 years. Spivey is the former director of UARK’s College of Business and Engineering and Student Life program and founded the Student Government Association of NWACC. Spivey dedicates considerable amounts of time to improving campus life and creating opportunities for students.

         Spivey said he is supportive of fees where merited but has said that he is uncomfortable with a recent millage increase proposal that was rejected and that then resulted in tuition increases. Spivey also believes that there should be an increase in funding for schools of technology and nursing, as well as supporting increases in faculty pay and benefits, believing that employees should have the best chance possible at leading a healthy balance between work and their personal lives. However, Spivey has expressed opposition to increases in funding for the Athletics Department. “We don’t need sports to grow,” said Spivey.