The Arkansas State University System has again earned the top national award in government financial reporting, an honor that covers the books at Arkansas State University-Mountain Home along with the rest of the system.
The Government Finance Officers Association awarded the system its Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2025. It is the 14th year the system has received the award. The ASU System is the only higher education institution in Arkansas to earn it.
An independent panel reviews each report and looks for more than basic compliance with accounting rules. Judges weigh whether a report tells the public a clear financial story and gives readers what they need to judge an organization’s financial health. The association calls the certificate the highest form of recognition in government accounting.
The system’s annual comprehensive financial report is overseen by Landen Crancer, associate vice president for finance and administration, and prepared by the Office of Finance in Jonesboro. Each campus finance office contributes, including ASUMH’s, which is led by Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Waynna Dockins.
Dr. Russ Hannah, chief financial officer at Arkansas State University, credited staff across the system’s campuses. He said the award is “an important external validation” of a shared commitment to transparency and accuracy in the system’s financial reporting.
The Government Finance Officers Association has run the certificate program since 1945 to push state and local governments to go beyond the minimum accounting standards. The group serves more than 25,000 members in the United States and Canada.
ASUMH is a two-year college serving Baxter and Marion counties and nearby areas of southern Missouri. It joined the ASU System in 1995 and is led by Chancellor Dr. Bentley Wallace.
