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University of Arkansas

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University of Arkansas

University of Arkansas Seal

MottoVeritate Duce Progredi
(Latin, "To Advance with Truth as our Guide")
Established 1871
School type Public University
Chancellor John White
Location Fayetteville, AR, USA
Enrollment 14,873 undergraduate,
2,948 graduate
Faculty 847
Endowment US$626.5 million
Campus Fayetteville, 345 acres (1.396 km²)
Sports teams University of Arkansas Razorbacks, NCAA Division IA, Southeastern Conference. 8 men's varsity teams, 11 women's. UA Men's Athletics UA Women's Athletics
Website www.uark.edu

The University of Arkansas, also known as the U. of A., or simply The Hill, is a public coeducational land-grant university system, and the main campus is located in Fayetteville in the state of Arkansas, USA. Founded as Arkansas Industrial University in 1871 (Arkansas is renowned for its robust programs in agriculture and business), its present name was adopted in 1899.

Enrollment for the fall semester of 2005 was 17,821[1], and of this, 2,948[2] (17%) were graduate students. The University campus is represented by 130 buildings on 345 acres, and academic programs are in excess of 200, which is more than is offered by some much larger universities. The ratio of students to faculty is 17:1.

Chancellor of the University is John White, and the University President is B. Alan Sugg.


Campuses and Academic Divisions

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Plaque on University of Arkansas campus
File:OldMainArkansas.jpg
Old Main Building on the campus of the University of Arkansas.

Altogether, there are eleven branches and three other units in the University system, including the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. Other branch campuses are in Pine Bluff, Monticello, Little Rock, and Fort Smith. Additionally, the system is comprised of community college campuses in Hope, Batesville, De Queen, Morrilton, and the Phillips Community College in Helena. Other units coming under the University include the Criminal Justice Institute, the Arkansas Archeological survey, and the Division of Agriculture.

The following degree-granting academic divisions are located on the Fayetteville campus:


History and Founding

The University of Arkansas rests on a former hilltop farm overlooking the Ozark Mountains to the south. At the University’s founding in 1871, the site in Fayetteville was described as "second to none in the state of Arkansas."

The University is both the major land-grant university for Arkansas and the state university. The University came into being under the Morrill Land-Grant College Act of 1862, through which federal land sales provided funds for new colleges devoted to "agriculture and the mechanic arts," "scientific and classical studies," and "military tactics" for the "liberal and practical education of the industrial classes." The University’s founding satisfied the provision in the Arkansas Constitution of 1868 that the General Assembly "establish and maintain a State University."

Citizens in Fayetteville, Arkansas and surrounding Washington County raised $130,000 to secure the University in a statewide competition sparked by the General Assembly’s Organic Act of 1871, providing for the "location, organization and maintenance of the Arkansas Industrial University with a normal department [i.e., teacher education] therein."


Sports

File:Arkansasrazorback.jpg
The Arkansas Razorbacks are the mascot of the University of Arkansas

See main article for more info: Arkansas Athletics


The sports teams and fans for the University of Arkansas are called Razorbacks (a razorback is a type of wild boar) or Hogs (shortened version of Razorbacks). The school competes in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in Division I of the NCAA. Arkansas enjoys athletic success in many different sports.

Football

The school's men's football team is currently led by Coach Houston Nutt. The team plays its home games either at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, located on the University of Arkansas campus, or at War Memorial Stadium, located in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Basketball

The men's basketball team is coached by Stan Heath and plays home games in Bud Walton Arena on the University of Arkansas campus. The team won the 1994 National Championship under previous coach Nolan Richardson, who left the University in a very controversial move in which he claimed to have been racially discriminated against and the University claimed he had resigned. This came after Nolan Richardson announced that they could have his job during a press conference.

Baseball

The baseball team, under Dave van Horn reached the 2004 College World Series. The team plays home games in Baum Stadium, which finished several major renovations in 2004.

Track and Field

Likely one of the most successful programs in NCAA history, the Arkansas track and field teams, led by head coach John McDonnell are the most decorated teams in the athletics departments. The program has won over 41 national titles in Cross Country and Track & Field. One of its most famous stars is recent graduate Alistair Cragg who competed for Ireland at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Greece.

Women's Athletics

The women's teams at the University of Arkansas are referred to as "Ladybacks". These include (but are not limited to) basketball, track, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, and volleyball. The Ladyback teams have won a combined 16 SEC championships.

Unusual traditions

File:SeniorWalkArkansas.jpg
Senior Walk begins in front of Old Main.

Every graduating student at the University of Arkansas has their name carved into one of the concrete walkways or sidewalks on campus. This tradition was started by the first graduating class, who chisled their names into the walkway in front of Old Main, the oldest building on campus. As the campus has grown, and the graduating classes have gotten bigger, various years with the names listed afterwards can be found on almost every walkway on campus. The physical plant at the school has developed a special machine to etch the thousands of names required each year.

Also, during sporting events, fans stand and do a "hog call" or "call the hogs" ("Wooooooooooooo pig sooie") due to the fact that their team mascot is the Razorback, a type of wild hog.

Buildings and Structures on Campus

Old Main, the University’s signature building, designed in Second Empire architectural style, has come to symbolize higher education in Arkansas. Old Main is one of 11 campus buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Chi Omega Greek Theater is an amphitheater built to resemble the theaters of ancient Greece. However, it lacks heavily in authenticity. The theater hosts a variety of events year-round including musical concerts, theatrical productions, pep rallies, and lectures.

Mullins Library, located in the center of campus, is the largest library in the state of Arkansas and contains 4 floors of information in almost every kind of modern medium.

The Arkansas Union, (sometimes referred to simply as the union) is at the center of campus and student life. It contains a large computer lab with over 70 computers, coffee shop (RZ's) that also hosts various cultural events, movie theater, auditorium, ball room, food court, text book & regular book store, Razorback paraphernalia shop, bus station, post office, student run radio station (KXUA), and several other small stores and offices. The entire building has wireless internet access and a student technology center that loans laptops out to students, free of charge.

Donald W. Reynolds stadium is the home of the Arkansas Razorbacks football team. It has the largest LCD screen in the world built into the scoreboard.

The Bev Lewis Center for Women's Athletics is the first major training facility constructed from the ground up for the exclusive use of female student-athletes.

The Inn at Carnall Hall and Ella’s Restaurant are the University’s own on-campus 50-room historic inn and five-star restaurant. This facility serves the Hospitality and Restaurant Management academic program. Carnall Hall was built in 1905 as the University’s first women’s residence hall. The building was named after Ella Carnall, a noted teacher and role model for young women, and one of the campus’ first female faculty members. It has been recently renovated to take on the task of being an inn and restaurant.

Monuments and Statues

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Fulbright Statue in the court yard of Old Main.

A bronze statue of Senator J. William Fulbright is located in the courtyard of Old Main, which is also the location of the James William Fulbright School of Arts and Science.

Spoofer's Stone, according to legend, was to be a piece of the foundation for the oldest building on campus, Old Main. One of the oxcarts hauling the limestone to the construction site broke, depositing this large limestone piece onto the ground in front of the site and, it was left there after cleanup. In the early days of the university it was a location for lovers to leave notes for one another (when fraternization between the sexes was forbidden). Later it became a popular location for men to propose marriage to women.

Interesting Facts

The University of Arkansas Press is known for publishing works on local and Southern history, including several by the former president Jimmy Carter.

The university is also home to two radio stations: KUAF, a public radio station and NPR affiliate, and KXUA, an eclectic student-run station.

Several buildings on campus, including the art building and the on campus apartment complex, Carlson Terrace, were designed by Fayettville native Edward Durrell Stone, who also designed the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The buildings are indicative of Stone's idiosyncratic modern style which included patterns of ornament.

Five buildings of Carlson Terrace have been razed on west side of the College Creek Branch. A new park is being built at the old site with grasspave for tailgating prior to Arkansas Razorback home football games. The park will be open as a pedestrian park all year round for students and the public. Plans also include revitalizing College Creek Branch.

All computers with internet access on the University's campus have IP adresses beginning with 130.184.

Donald W. Reynolds stadium and other parts of campus appear in the movie The Legend of Boggy Creek 2

There are 272 registered student organizations including special interest, religious, international and cultural organizations, honorary and professional service groups, and more.

Notable students

Notable faculty

Notes

  1. ^ "University of Arkansas - Daily Headlines". November 23. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  2. ^ "University of Arkansas - Daily Headlines (See above)". November 23. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)


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