| University of Arkansas - Fort Smith | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1928 |
| Type | Public university |
| Endowment | $38.8 million[1] |
| Chancellor | Paul B. Beran |
| Academic staff | 220 |
| Students | 7,719 |
| Location | Fort Smith, Arkansas, USA |
| Campus | 168 acres (0.68 km2) |
| Athletics | Heartland Conference (NCAA DII) |
| Nickname | Lions |
| Website | uafs.edu |
The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, also known as UAFS, is a public, co-educational, four-year university. Located in Fort Smith, Arkansas, UAFS is one of eleven campuses that constitute the University of Arkansas System. UAFS is the fifth largest university in Arkansas, with a fall 2010 credit enrollment of approximately 7,700. UAFS offers in-state tuition rates not only to Arkansas residents, but also those from Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.
The university campus occupies 168 acres (0.68 km2) of an award-winning, nationally recognized arboretum that boasts 1,182 GPS-inventoried trees representing 81 species. In 2003 the campus was named the "Best Maintained Landscape in the Nation".[2]
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The University of Arkansas - Fort Smith was established in 1928 as an extension of the public school system in Fort Smith, Arkansas, with the superintendent, James William Ramsey, acting as the college president and the high school principal as dean. Known originally as Fort Smith Junior College, the institution operated within the Fort Smith public school system until 1950, when the school was incorporated as a private, nonprofit institution with its own governing board. In September 1952, the College moved from borrowed facilities in the high school to its current site, initially occupying 15 acres (61,000 m2).
During the private college era, enrollment increased, as did course offerings, the number of faculty, and facilities. A vocational-technical division was added in 1960. During this period, the college began developing the programs and character of a comprehensive community college — a new concept in Arkansas and across the nation.
In the fall of 1965, the Sebastian County electorate approved the creation of the Sebastian County Community Junior College District, along with a tax levy on the real and personal property of the county. The governor appointed a Board of Trustees, and the school again became a public institution.
In 1966, the institution’s name was changed from Fort Smith Junior College to Westark Junior College, and in 1972, to Westark Community College, indicating the larger area to be served and reflecting the more comprehensive mission.
Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, the college developed and made changes within the context of its mission as a two-year institution. A significant development in 1989 was the establishment of a University Center. Five state universities partnered with the institution to offer six bachelor’s and seven master’s degree programs on campus. Between 1989 and 2002, 1,788 students graduated with bachelor’s degrees through the University Center.
In 1997, the Arkansas Legislature passed an act granting Westark the authority to offer in its own right up to nine applied bachelor’s degrees, developed in response to identified needs of the industries in the area served.
The name of the college was changed yet again in February 1998 to Westark College, more accurately portraying the role and scope of the institution.
On December 15, 2000, the Board of Trustees of Westark College entered into an agreement with the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas to merge with the University of Arkansas System as a four-year institution. In 2001, the Sebastian County electorate voted to support the merger. A formal request to change affiliation status to that of a bachelor’s degree-granting institution under the name of the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith was submitted to the Higher Learning Commission in August 2001 and approved by the Institutional Actions Council on November 19, 2001.
The merger, which became official on January 1, 2002, endorsed the concept of UAFS as a unique university, one that offers applied and traditional baccalaureate degree programs, one- and two-year associate and technical programs, and noncredit business and industry training programs.
Two core missions mark the institution today — a commitment to serving the greater Fort Smith region’s business and industry with quality training and education, and a commitment to become a full-service regional university that is a destination of choice for students.
In 2006 Arkansas state senator David Bisbee attempted to review the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith's legal status. Bisbee claimed he wanted to make sure the institution was in good legal standing. [3]
In 2008 the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith raised tuition rates and service fees by more than 8%. Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Mark Horn said the raise was justified by the changing economic environment. University leaders stressed that UAFS is still one of the most inexpensive institutions in the region. [4]
Through its seven colleges, UAFS provides certificates of proficiency, technical certificates, associate of arts degrees, associate of general studies, associate of applied science degrees, and bachelor's degrees, as well as work-based learning and community education. The seven colleges are:
The University houses three art galleries that are free and open to the public. The Mary Tinnin Jaye Gallery and the Sally Boreham Gallery are permanent displays that include works rendered in traditional media as well as digital prints and photographs. The Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center's Traveling Art Gallery features rotating exhibits.
In cooperation with the Arkansas Forestry Commission, UAFS strives for excellence in "tree preservation, care, and planting, while at the same time developing an educational urban forestry awareness program and arboretum master plan." To this end, the University has made the entire campus an arboretum, with more than 69 species of trees mapped out by GPS technology.
The campus grounds have won numerous awards for landscaping and horticulture.
The Donald W. Reynolds Bell Tower was commissioned on May 21, 1993 and dedicated on September 22, 1995. The tower itself stands 108 feet 10 inches (33.17 m) tall and is a full seven stories. It is the largest free-standing belfry in the South Central United States and houses the largest installation of cast bronze bells on a college campus between Texas A & M and the University of Nebraska. At specific hours throughout the day, prerecorded and live carols are played throughout campus by the giant brass carillon of the tower. The Reynolds Bell Tower stands at the head of an expansive open space of green grass in the middle of campus known simply as "The Green". The area is often occupied by students studying, playing pick up sports games, or just lounging in the grass.
In front of the Stubblefield Center, home of the Lions basketball and volleyball teams, is the newly-erected Numa statue. The statue is a 15-foot (4.6 m) long, bronze rendition of the University's mascot. The sculpture was unveiled on April 28, 2010, and is the largest statue of a leaping lion in the world.
Beginning in the Fall of 2011, the University's Boreham Library will undergo a 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m2) expansion to the already existing 29,000-square-foot (2,700 m2) structure. The expansion will include seating for nearly 600 more students, 214 new computer stations, space for nearly 52,000 new volumes, and a 24-hour study lab for students.
The addition will also house the Business and Entrepreneurship Research Center, a complex of high-tech teleconferencing spaces, conference rooms, online research facilities, mentoring and instructional rooms, team work rooms, and interactive presentation venues available for university and community use and devoted to advancing economic development in the region[5].
UAFS athletic teams are known as the Lions. The University competes in a variety of collegiate athletics as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level.[6] The university is a member of the Heartland Conference and sponsors men's sports, including: , baseball, basketball, cross country, golf and tennis; women's sports, including: basketball, cross country, golf, tennis, and volleyball.[7] UAFS announced the addition of women's soccer for the 2012-13 academic year.[7]
In the fall of 2009, UAFS formally entered provisional NCAA Division II status. The “provisional” status was scheduled to be removed in 2010. However, on July 9, 2010, the University's membership application was rejected by the NCAA Division II Membership Committee, which led to the University filing an appeal[8]. On July 8, 2011, the Univerisity was granted full NCAA Division II membership.[9] Previously, the University competed in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
The volleyball program also holds the distinction of being named an NJCAA Academic All-American Team seven years in a row (1999-2005).
The Sebastian Commons Apartments provide upperclassmen with a gated, on-campus housing community. The Commons has a 480-bed occupancy. The rooms are fully furnished and Wi-Fi equipped. A traditional dorm-style residence hall with on-site dining, the Lion's Den, opened in August 2010 . In the fall of 2011, the University set aside two buildings in the Sebastian Commons for Greek Housing.
Greek Life at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith began in the Spring of 2007. The university now boasts seven Greek Organizations including three IFC Fraternities, two National Panhellinic Sororities, and two Multi-Cultural Sororities[10]. Students in Greek Organizations are highly involved on campus boards and are noted leaders in campus activities. The All Greek GPA average has consistently been higher than the All Campus GPA since the appearance of Greek Life on campus. To date, students have participated in three annual "Greek Week" festivities and competitions. Kappa Alpha Order has won the overall award every year since its inception.
Fraternities:
Sororities:
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