'''Allen Coats Meadors''' (born May 17, 1947) is an American professor and university administrator. Meadors has served as dean of the College of Public Health at the [[University of Oklahoma]] and of the College of Health, Social and Public Services at [[Eastern Washington University]], chief executive at [[Penn State Altoona]], chancellor at the [[University of North Carolina at Pembroke]] and president of the [[University of Central Arkansas]] (UCA). In September 2011, Meadors resigned from UCA following a controversy about his actions regarding renovation of his official university residence. Subsequently, he served as executive director of the [[United Arab Emirates Higher Education Coordination Council]] and president of [[St. John International University]].

Allen Meadors was born in [[Van Buren, Arkansas]] and attended Van Buren Senior High School, from where he graduated in 1965. He enrolled at the [[University of Arkansas at Fayetteville]] before transferring to the University of Central Arkansas,<ref name=Sharp>{{cite news|url=http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2009/jul/19/frontampcenter-allen-coats-meadors-20090719/|title=Front & center: Allen Coats Meadors|first=Elizabeth|last=Sharp|work=Arkansas Democrat-Gazette|date=July 19, 2009|accessdate=November 27, 2016}}</ref> from where he graduated with a Bachelor in Business Administration in 1969.<ref name="PastPresidents">{{cite web|title=Past Presidents|url=http://uca.edu/president/past-presidents/|publisher=University of Central Arkansas|accessdate=November 27, 2016}}</ref> After graduating, he returned to the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville to study for an [[MBA]], but again left after one semester to join the [[United States Air Force]].<ref name=Sharp/>

Meadors subsequently obtained a master's in business administration from the [[University of Northern Colorado]] and a master's in public administration from the [[University of Kansas]]. He also holds master's degrees in psychology and human relations and in health services management from [[Webster University]]. Meadors was awarded his PhD in administration and education by [[Southern Illinois University]] in 1981.<ref name="PastPresidents"/> He also has an associate degree in computer science from [[Saddleback College]],<ref name=UNCP>{{cite news|url=http://www.uncp.edu/news/allen-c-meadors-named-uncps-chancellor|title=Allen C. Meadors is Named UNCP's Chancellor|publisher=University of North Carolina at Pembroke|date=April 10, 1999|accessdate=November 27, 2016}}</ref> and certificates in health services administration from [[Trinity University (Texas)|Trinity University]] and in health systems management from [[MIT]].<ref name=Sharp/>

Meadors was discharged from the US Air Force in September 1973. He subsequently started work for Blue Cross Blue Shield in Topeka, Kansas. In 1976, he was appointed assistant director for public health in Kansas City. He subsequently worked as a health consultant, and as an assistant professor at Southern Illinois University, administering degree programmes on military installations. In 1982, he became associate director of the Division of Health Administration at the [[University of Texas]].<ref name=Sharp/> Meadors served as the executive director of the Northwest Arkansas Radiation Therapy Institute between 1984 and 1987. In 1987, Meadors was appointed as a professor and served as chair of the Department of Health Administration at the [[University of Oklahoma]]. Between 1989 and 1990, he was dean of the College of Public Health at Oklahoma.<ref name=Gresham>{{cite news|url=http://www.houmatoday.com/news/20030213/nsu-president-candidates-offer-varied-experience|title=NSU president candidates offer varied experience|work=The Houma Courier|first=Matt|last=Gresham|date=February 13, 2003|accessdate=November 27, 2016}}</ref>

Meadors subsequently worked as dean of the College of Health, Social and Public Services at [[Eastern Washington University]] between 1990 and 1994, after which he served as chief executive at [[Penn State Altoona]] from 1994 to 1999.<ref name=Gresham/> Meadors moved to North Carolina to become the new chancellor at the [[University of North Carolina at Pembroke]] (UNCP) in 1999.<ref name=UNCP/> During ten years at UNCP, Meadors oversaw a significant expansion in the number of staff and students at the university.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://robesonian.com/archive/47546/view-full_story-2766978-article-meadors_roundly_applauded|title=Meadors roundly applauded|work=The Robesonian|date=June 20, 2009|accessdate=November 27, 2016}}</ref> In January 2009, in response to criticism that UNCP (which was founded with a mission to train Native American school teachers)<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nihrecord.nih.gov/newsletters/2009/06_12_2009/story2.htm|title=Successful Outreach Draws From Cross-Section of NIH|first=Carla|last=Garnett|work=NIH Record|publisher=National Institutes of Health|date=June 12, 2009|accessdate=December 23, 2016}}</ref> was not doing enough to recruit [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] students, Meadors addressed the [[Lumbee]] Tribal Council, outlining a number of initiatives targeting Native American recruits. He reported that the number of Native American students at UNCP had risen from 686 in 1999 to 941 in 2009.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://robesonian.com/archive/73535/view-full_story-1630693-article-meadors_defend_efforts_to_lure_indians_to_uncp|title=Meadors defend efforts to lure Indians to UNCP|work=The Robesonian|date=January 15, 2009|accessdate=December 23, 2016}}</ref> In February 2009, Meadors was appointed president of the [[University of Central Arkansas]].<ref name=Brantley/>

Between 2012 and 2014, Meadors was executive director of the [[United Arab Emirates Higher Education Coordination Council]]. He has also served as the president of [[St. John International University]]. He is a senior consultant with the Global Leadership Group.<ref name=EMR>{{cite web|url=http://www.enrollmentmanagementreport.com/meet-us.aspx|title=Meet the Experts|work=Enrollment Management Report|accessdate=November 27, 2016}}</ref> He is an advisory board member for Edu Alliance<ref name=AAR>{{cite web|url=http://www.edualliancegroup.com/index.php/advisors/|title=Advisory Council|publisher=Edu Alliance|accessdate=July 28, 2017}}</ref> and a search consultant with Academic Keys Executive Search.<ref name=AKES>{{cite web|url=http://executivesearch.academickeys.com/about_us.php?dothis=our_team|title=Meet our Team|publisher=Academic Keys|accessdate=July 28, 2017}}</ref> Meadors has served on the board of trustees of the Southeastern Regional Medical Center, a hospital in [[Lumberton, North Carolina]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://robesonian.com/archive/47546/view-full_story-2766978-article-meadors_roundly_applauded|title=Meadors roundly applauded|work=The Robesonian|date=June 20, 2009|accessdate=December 23, 2016}}</ref>

In September 2011, it was reported that the University of Central Arkansas board had bought out Meadors's contract, accepted his resignation in return, and replaced him with an interim president, Tom Courtway.<ref name=Brantley>{{cite news|url=http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2011/09/02/uca-board-schedules-special-meeting|title=UCA Board buying out Meadors' contract for $525,000|first=Max|last=Brantley|work=Arkansas Times|date=September 2, 2011|accessdate=November 27, 2016}}</ref> The board's actions followed a controversy about renovations and expansion of the university president's house. The university campus food service contractor [[Aramark]] had offered to contribute $700,000 to the cost of the renovation.<ref name=Brantley2>{{cite news|url=http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2011/09/01/uca-board-meets-on-aramark-payment|title=UCA president rejects Aramark money UPDATE III |first=Max|last=Brantley|work=Arkansas Times|date=September 1, 2011|accessdate=November 27, 2016}}</ref> Meadors and board chair Scott Roussel reportedly did not inform the board that the deal involved granting Aramark a new service contract.<ref name=Brantley/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2012/aug/30/meadors-charged-uca-food-vendor-case-20120830/|title=Meadors charged in UCA food-vendor case|first=Debra|last=Hale-Shelton|work=Arkansas Democrat-Gazette|date=August 30, 2012|accessdate=December 31, 2016}}</ref><ref name=Sims>{{cite news|url=http://thecabin.net/news/local/2012-08-30/former-uca-president-charged|title=Former UCA president charged|first=Scarlet|last=Sims|work=Log Cabin Democrat|date=August 30, 2012|accessdate=December 31, 2016}}</ref> In January 2013, while working in the United Arab Emirates, Meadors pleaded guilty to violating the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act during his time as the UCA president, after he was "accused of urging a vice president to destroy a letter that said the offer would be in exchange for renewing Aramark's contract".<ref>{{cite news|title=Former UCA president faces tampering charge|url=http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2012/aug/29/former-uca-president-faces-tampering-charge/|publisher=Arkansas Online|accessdate=December 2, 2016|work=Arkansas Democrat-Gazette|date=August 29, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ex-UCA president pleads guilty to misdemeanor|url=http://www.couriernews.com/view/full_story/21407915/article--Ex-UCA-president-pleads-guilty-to-misdemeanor-?instance=search_results|accessdate=December 2, 2016|work=The Courier|agency=Associated Press|date=January 14, 2013}}</ref> Meadors had originally been charged with tampering with a public document, but reached a negotiated plea bargain for the Arkansas FOIA violation.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://ucaecho.net/news/meadors-pleads-guilty-to-violating-information-act/|title=Meadors pleads guilty to violating Freedom of Information Act|first=Marisa|last=Ketchum|work=The Echo|date=January 23, 2013|accessdate=November 27, 2016}}</ref> Roussel also resigned in May 2012, but was not charged with any offense.<ref name=Sims/>

== Honors and awards ==

Meadors has received awards including an outstanding professional service award from the University of Texas and the Ben Lane Award for outstanding contributions to student affairs at Penn State.<ref name=UNCP/> He was a senior fellow of the [[American Association of State Colleges and Universities]] in 2011-12.<ref name=EMR/> UNCP has established endowed chairs, the Allen C. Meadors Distinguished Professorship in Mathematics<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.uncp.edu/news/mathematics-educator-uncp-readies-search-allen-c-meadors-distinguished-professor|title=Mathematics Educator: UNCP readies search for Allen C. Meadors Distinguished Professor|publisher=University of North Carolina at Pembroke|date=December 15, 2009|accessdate=November 27, 2016}}</ref> and the Allen C. Meadors Endowed Chair in Computer Science, in his honour.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://chroniclevitae.com/jobs/0000345347-01|title=Allen C. Meadors Endowed Chair in Computer Science|publisher=Vitae|date=December 1, 2016|accessdate=December 2, 2016}}</ref>