University of Central Arkansas

UCA Bears mascot logo.

Historic postcard view of Wingo Hall.

The University of Central Arkansas (UCA) is a comprehensive public higher education institution located in Conway.

The University of Central Arkansas was founded by the General Assembly in 1907 as the Arkansas State Normal School. The purpose of the school in those days was to train professional teachers. The first class of 107 students enrolled in 1908. The Normal School originally had seven professors and nine academic departments. The school changed its name to Arkansas State Teachers College in 1925. The school became known as the State College of Arkansas (SCA) in January 1967 to better reflect its new mission to provide training in the liberal arts and healthcare. The State Department of Higher Education changed the name again to the University of Central Arkansas in 1975.

Degree Programs and Academics

UCA offers a number of degree programs including the associate of arts, associate of applied science, bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, bachelor of science in education, bachelor of fine arts, bachelor of business administration, bachelor of music education, master of arts, master of business administration, master of music, master of music education, master of science in education, master of science in nursing, and specialist in education.

• College of Business Administration
• College of Education
• College of Fine Arts and Communication
• College of Health and Behavioral Sciences
• College of Liberal Arts
• College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

McAlister Hall, home of the Honors College.

Honors College

The UCA Honors College was founded by president Jefferson Davis Farris Jr. and professor Norbert Oscar Schedler in 1982. Students in the program pursue their general education course of study in the first two years with other honors students in large groups and small groups. Students who matriculate into the junior year pursue a minor degree in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies. Regular co-curricular activities sponsored by the Honors College include Challenge Week, Issues in the Public Square, High Tables, and Soapboxes.

Residential Colleges

• Hughes
• Minton
• State

Student Government Association (SGA)

The Student Government Association (SGA) represents the student body in allocating and administrating student activity funds, advising the administration in regard to student-related policies, cooperating with faculty in determining student obligations and honors, considering all student petitions to SGA, planning and supervising all SGA elections, and approving charters or cancellations of Registered Student Organizations.

The SGA is composed of total of forty senators divided into an Executive Board consisting of a Executive President, Executive Vice-President, Vice-President of Operations, and Vice-President of Finance. SGA representation from each class is as follows: President, Vice-President, Five (5) Representatives. Additional Members: Five (5) Senators at Large, Three (3) Graduate Senators.

The full Senate meets every Monday at 5 pm in Student Center 208. All students are invited to attend. This is the time when all the classes and committees come together, under the direction of the Executive Board, to report on goals and projects that are being carried out by the body. Any student can be appointed to a committee.

History of UCA

UCA was founded as the Arkansas State Normal School in 1907 under Arkansas Act 317. Five communities in the state were considered as sites for the new school: Benton, Conway, Fort Smith, Quitman, and Russellville. Conway's winning bid included a cash payment of $50,000 plus land and infrastructure improvements. The city's location in a "dry" county also recommended it. The first building for the college's eight faculty members was completed in September 1908. It was later called the E.E. Cordrey Science Building. Early students received a two-year Licentiate of Instruction degree.

A dormitory for women, Doyne Hall, was finished in 1913. (Women moved into McAlister Hall in 1934, and men were placed in Doyne.) To facilitate the teaching of teachers in context the school established a Model School where grade school students could be educated and master teachers could be observed. The Administration Building, now known as Main Hall, was constructed in 1919. Many students also participated in the agricultural education programs of the school, reflecting the economic paradigm of the state in the first decades of the twentieth century. Agriculture disappeared from the curriculum in 1948.

The campus began to take its modern shape under the federal works programs undertaken during the New Deal. Ten buildings were erected in the 1930s, including McAlister Hall, Wingo Hall, Ida Waldran Auditorium, the Prince Center, Doyne Annex (Meadors Hall), the President's Home, Commons (McCastlain Hall), Bernard Hall, the National Youth Administration Building (Baridon Hall), the Home Management House, and a Heating Plant.

Athletics

Since 2006 UCA has been a Division I school and a member of the Southland Conference.

Enrollment figures

• 1908 - 100 (est.)
• 1909 - 200 (est.)
• 1913 - 312
• 1916 - 441
• 1917 - 328
• 1918 - 302
• 1919 - 446
• 1921 - 679
• 1925 - 871
• 1930 - 528
• 1931 - 503
• 1932 - 502
• 1933 - 478
• 1934 - 565
• 1935 - 649
• 1936 - 614
• 1937 - 602
• 1938 - 713
• 1939 - 745
• Fall 1999 - 8,739
• Fall 2000 - 8,481
• Fall 2001 - 8,486
• Fall 2002 - 8,553
• Fall 2003 - 9,516
• Fall 2004 - 10,069
• Fall 2005 - 11,375
• Fall 2006 - 12,330
• Fall 2007 - 12,619
• Fall 2008 - 12,974

UCA Presidents

The University of Central Arkansas has had eight presidents and at least one interim president:

• John James Doyne (1908-1917)
• Burr Walter Torreyson (1917-1930)
• Heber L. McAlister (1930-1941)
• Nolen M. Irby (1941-1953)
• Silas D. Snow (1953-1975)
• Jefferson D. Farris (1975-1986)
• Winfred L. Thompson (1988-2001)
• Lu Hardin (2002-2008)
• Tom Courtway (interim, 2008-2009)
• Allen C. Meadors (2009-present)

Campus Buildings

• Baridon Hall
• Bernard Hall
• Brewer-Hegeman Conference Center
• Buffalo Alumni Hall
• Burdick Business Administration
• Carmichael Hall
• Christian Cafeteria
• Denney Hall
• Doyne Health Science Center
• Estes Stadium
• Farris Center
• Farris Hall
• Ferguson Chapel
• Harrin Hall
• Hughes Hall
• Irby Hall
• Laney Hall
• Lewis Science Center
• Mashburn Hall
• McAlister Hall
• McCastlain Hall
• Meadors Hall
• Minton Hall
• New Hall
• President's Home
• Reynolds Performance Hall
• Stanley Russ Hall
• Schichtl
• Short Hall
• Snow Fine Arts Center
• Student Center
• Thompson Hall
• Torreyson Library
• Ida Waldran Auditorium
• Wingo Hall

Registered Student Organizations

• Addictions Studies Association
• Alabaster Dance
• All Greek Council
• Alpha Kappa Alpha
• Alpha Phi Alpha
• Alpha Psi Omega
• Alpha Sigma Alpha
• Alpha Sigma Tau
• American Association Family & Consumer Science
• American Chemical Society Student Affiliates
• American Institute of Graphic Design
• American Society of Interior Design
• AMSA Premedical Chapter
• Anime & Manga Society
• Apostolic Students for Christ
• Arkansas Hall Council
• Art Education Association
• Art History Association
• Association of Muslim Students
• Baptist Collegiate Ministry
• Baridon Hall Council
• Bernard Hall Council
• Beta Alpha Psi
• Bike Club
• Black Graduate Association
• Black Men United
• Business & Information Technologies (form. The Computer Club)
• Carmichael Hall Council
• Catholic Campus Ministry
• Central Arkansas Student Athletic Training Association
• Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship
• Church of Christ Student Union
• Circle K International
• COLAO
• College Republicans
• Collegiate Middle Level Association
• Computer Science Club
• Conway Hall Council
• Corps of Cadets
• Delta Zeta
• Diamonds
• Ebony Models
• Environmental Alliance
• Fellowship of Christian Athletes
• Friends of Christ Uniting Students (FOCUS)
• Gamma Beta Phi
• German Club
• Graduate Association for Student Personnel
• Graduate Association of Counseling & Psychology Students
• Griot Society
• Hispanic Pride
• Honors Center Society
• Horn Club of the International Horn Society
• Hughes Hall Council
• Humane Society
• ICC
• Insurance Society
• Interdenominational Christian Council
• Interfraternity Council
• International Trade Association
• International Tuba Euphonium Association
• Iota Phi Theta
• Judah Chorale Collegiate Choir
• Kappa Alpha Psi
• Kappa Delta Pi
• Kappa Kappa Psi
• Kappa Sigma Colony
• K-Life Ministry
• Ladies of Black and Gold
• Lambda Pi Eta
• Leadership Council
• Local Harvest
• Lutheran Student Fellowship
• Minority Mentorship Council
• Missionary Baptist Student Fellowship
• Model United Nations
• National Pan-Hellenic Council
• National Science Teachers Association
• National Society of Collegiate Scholars
• New Hall Council
• North American Saxophone Alliance
• Omega Psi Phi
• Panhellenic Council
• Phi Beta Lambda
• Phi Beta Sigma
• Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
• Phi Sigma Kappa
• Phi Upsilon Omicron
• Physical Therapy Club
• Pi Kappa Alpha
• Pi Sigma Epsilon
• Pre-Physical Therapy Club
• Prism Alliance
• Psi Chi/Psychology Club
• Public Administration Club
• Public Relations Club
• Residence Hall Association
• Rotaract Club
• Serving Central Arkansas Together
• Sigma Alpha Lambda
• Sigma Kappa
• Sigma Nu
• Sigma Phi Epsilon
• Sigma Sigma Sigma
• Sigma Tau Gamma
• Speech Language Hearing Association
• Stadium Park Apartment Council
• State Hall Council
• Student Activities Board
• Student Dietetic Association
• Student Government Association
• Student Nurse's Association
• Student Occupational Therapy Association
• Student Support Staff
• Students for Creative Anachronism
• Students for Life
• Students for Pre-Occupational Therapy
• Students for the Propagation of Black Culture
• Students In Free Enterprise
• Tau Beta Sigma
• Teachers United
• The Bear Den
• Track Club
• Ultimate Frisbee Club
• Umoja Wa Afrika
• United Leftist Front
• Up 'Til Dawn
• Words of Wisdom
• Writing Club
• Young Democrats
• Young Life Fellowship
• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority

Notable former students and graduates

• Gil Gerard - actor best known for role as Buck Rogers
• Hiroyuki Nishimura - founder of 2chan, the largest bulletin board system in the world
• Scottie Pippen - former six-time NBA championship player

References

• Jimmy Bryant, The Centennial History of the University of Central Arkansas (Virginia Beach, VA: Donning Company, 2008), 9-19, 42-53.
• Debra Hale-Shelton, "Dip Seen in UCA Student Numbers," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, August 9, 2009.