University of Central Arkansas
Motto:	The Center of Learning
Established:	1907, as Arkansas State Normal School
Type:	Public University
President:	Lu Hardin
Students:	12,619 (Fall 2007)
Location:	Conway, Arkansas, USA
Campus:	Co-educational; residential
Nickname:	UCA Bears & Sugar Bears [1]
Website:	www.uca.edu

The University of Central Arkansas is a state-run institution located in the city of Conway, the seat of Faulkner County, north of Little Rock. The school is most respected for its programs in Education, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy. It is also the home of the UCA Honors College as well as four Residential Colleges. Image File history File links University of Central Arkansas logo File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... For other uses, see Motto (disambiguation). ... The date of establishment or date of founding of an institution is the date on which that institution chooses to claim as its starting point. ... The term public school has three distinct meanings: In the USA and Canada, elementary or secondary school supported and administered by state and local officials. ... For the community in Florida, see University, Florida. ... University President is the title of the highest ranking officer within a university, within university systems that prefer that appellation over other variations such as Chancellor or rector. ... For other uses, see Student (disambiguation). ... Conway is the largest city and county seat of Faulkner CountyGR6, Arkansas. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... The athletic nickname, or equivalently athletic moniker, of a university or college within the United States of America is the name officially adopted by that institution for at least the members of its athletic teams. ... A website (alternatively, Web site or web site) is a collection of Web pages, images, videos or other digital assets that is hosted on one or several Web server(s), usually accessible via the Internet, cell phone or a LAN. A Web page is a document, typically written in HTML... Conway is the largest city and county seat of Faulkner CountyGR6, Arkansas. ... Faulkner County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. ... Little Rock redirects here. ... Occupational therapy refers to the use of meaningful occupation to assist people who have difficulty in achieving healthy and balanced life; and to enable an inclusive society so that all people can participate to their potential in daily occupations of life. ... Physical therapy (or physiotherapy[1]) is the provision of services to people and populations to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout the lifespan. ... The UCA Honors College is an interdisciplinary program at the University of Central Arkansas. ...

History and Mission

The University of Central Arkansas is a public four-year institution founded in 1907 as the Arkansas State Normal School, changed to Arkansas State Teachers College in 1925, to State College of Arkansas in 1967 and finally to the University of Central Arkansas in 1975. The mission of the University of Central Arkansas is to maintain quality and to ensure that its programs remain current and responsive to the diverse needs of those it serves. The University is committed to the intellectual, social, and personal development of its students; the advancement of knowledge through excellence in teaching and research; and service to the community. The University of Central Arkansas is further dedicated to intellectual vitality, diversity, and integrity. Year 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Year 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Enrollment

In the September 19, 2007 edition of The Echo (campus newspaper), the fall 2007 enrollment was listed at 12,619. [2] In fall 2006, 12,330 students were enrolled at UCA. [3] UCA's enrollment has increased by over 30% in the past five years and 46% over the past four years. In fall 2002, UCA had an enrollment of approximately 8,500. [4] In fall 2005, students come from 38 states and 55 countries. Full fall 2005 enrollment statistics can be found here.

Academics

The University has 6 distinct colleges offering over 75 majors.[5] These colleges are: The College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Fine Arts and Communications, the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, the College of Liberal Arts, and the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

The university is famous for its innovative Honors College, which has received national recognition for its excellence. Small classes, distinguished faculty, TAG and URGE grants for students, high ACT and SAT scores, and outstanding medical and graduate school admission rates are hallmarks of the College. The Carnegie Foundation said the UCA Honors College was "One of the most widely imitated programs in the country," and former U.S. Secretary of Education Terrell Bell described the Honors College as being "An Ivy League education at a bargain basement price."[6]

In 2006, U.S. News & World Report ranked UCA 61st in the South in academic excellence. This marks the first year that UCA has been ranked. UCA was the only public Arkansas university in that category. [7]

Drama and Theater Arts

The University of Central Arkansas is Arkansas's premiere dramatic school. The program promotes active student involvement in all areas of production including acting, stage management, scenery, costumes, lights, sound, props, and management. The theater program participates annually in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival and has walked away with numerous awards. UCA also holds the annual Arkansas High School Audition Day which is a chance for any High School senior interested in majoring in theater to audition before most of the theater programs in the state of Arkansas. Also, UCA Theatre is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre. This accreditation assures students and parents that the UCA Theatre program meets professional standards of quality in theater education and training as set forth by the Association. www.uca.edu/theatre

Public Appearances

UCA Public Appearances is a division of the University’s College of Fine Arts & Communication. Its primary responsibilities are to manage the Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall--a 1200-seat, state-of-the-art theater--and to develop and present performing arts programming in the hall.

The Reynolds Performance Hall opened on September 15, 2000, with a sold-out concert by the late Ray Charles. Since then, the theater has hosted numerous celebrities, including the Temptations, Ms. Gladys Knight, the Irish tenor Ronan Tynan, Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, and many national and international touring companies.

A three-person full-time staff, two part-time staff, and numerous student workers are employed by Public Appearances.

In 2004, UCA Public Appearances created UCA Ticket Central, which provides ticketing services for all ticketed events on the campus. UCA Ticket Central serves Public Appearances, Athletics (football & basketball), UCA Theatre, the Conway Symphony Orchestra, Student Activities events, and events sponsored by organizations within and outside the University.

UCA Public Appearances is supported by State funds, funds generated by the UCA Performing Arts fees, grants, ticket sales, and donations.

www.uca.edu/publicappearances

Athletics

Central Arkansas Bears logo

The University of Central Arkansas participates in 14 NCAA Division I Varsity Sports and one I-AA (football), supported by the efforts of a diverse group of over 300 male and female student-athletes. Its men's teams are called the Bears and the women's are the Sugar Bears. Image File history File links UCABEARS.JPG‎ Summary http://www. ... Image File history File links UCABEARS.JPG‎ Summary http://www. ...

UCA presently competes in seven men's sports (American football, basketball, baseball, soccer, golf, cross country and track) and eight women's sports (basketball, softball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, golf, cross country and track). United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... This article is about the sport. ... This article is about the sport. ... Soccer redirects here. ... This article is about the sport. ... The Minnesota State Highschool Cross Country Meet A cross country race in Seaside, Oregon. ... A womens 400 m hurdles race on a typical outdoor red rubber track in the Helsinki Olympic Stadium in Finland. ... Soft ball is also a sugar stage Softball is a team sport popular around the world but especially in the United States. ... For the ball used in this sport, see Volleyball (ball). ... For other uses, see Tennis (disambiguation). ...

From 1993 to 2006, UCA competed in the West Division of the Gulf South Conference. In 2005-2006, UCA's men's athletic teams won the conference's All Sports Trophy. However, on July 1, 2006, UCA moved to the Southland Conference, which is Division I-AA in football and Division I in all other sports. UCA plans to be a full Division I member by September 10, 2010. The Gulf South Conference (GSC) is a College Athletic Conference which operates in the southeastern United States. ... The Southland Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the south central United States. ...

Prior to moving to Division II, UCA competed in NAIA Division I for most sports, winning the national football championship three times (1984 {co-champs}, 1985 {co-champs} and 1991) and finishing runner-up once (1976). Between 1979 and 1992, UCA won or shared 13 out of 14 Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference championships (AIC) and went to the playoffs 12 times in that span. A number of former Bears have found success in the NFL, including Landon Trusty, Willie Davis, Tyree Davis, Dave Burnette, Curtis Burrow, Andre Collins, David Evans, and most notably Monte Coleman. NAIA is an acronym (or an initialism) that can refer to the following: National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics in the United States. ... Landon Trusty (born October 9, 1981, in Hot Springs, Arkansas) is an American football player who currently plays tight end for the Denver Broncos of the NFL. Landon has been placed on IR when he tore his ACL in spring minicamp. ... Willie Davis (born October 10, 1967 in Little Rock, Arkansas) is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for eight seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Oilers, and Tennessee Titans. ... Monte Coleman (born November 4, 1957 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas), is a former American football linebacker who played for sixteen seasons with the Washington Redskins from 1979 to 1994. ...

The most famous athlete in school history is unquestionably Scottie Pippen. Pippin was a 6'2" walk-on his first year at UCA. But by the time his sophomore year rolled around, he had grown to 6'7", and would be a starter for the next three seasons. Scottie was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics with the 5th pick in the 1987 NBA draft, and then traded to the Chicago Bulls for Olden Polynice. Polynice was never a major factor in the NBA, but Scottie won 6 world championships (1991 - 1993 & 1996 - 1998) while playing for the Bulls (1987 - 1998) alongside Michael Jordan. Not long after his retirement, Pippin was voted as one of the NBA's Top 50 Players of All-Time, and the Chicago Bulls retired his jersey number (#33). His jersey at UCA is also retired, and hangs in the rafters. Scottie also played for the Houston Rockets (1998 - 1999) and the Portland Trailblazers (1999 - 2003). Scottie is retired, and lives with his family in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Scottie Maurice Pippen (born September 25, 1965 in Hamburg, Arkansas) is a former American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and is most remembered for leading the Chicago Bulls together with Michael Jordan to six championships and being one of the best all-around players...

Fight Song

UCA Fight Song

Go-Go-Fight Bears

You will lead us on to victory

Hey, go-fight-win team

Bears will charge the field and never yield

So, GO BEARS, GO!

We've got the spir-it, and we'll show our colors

Here tonight-so let's cheer

The Purple and the Gray Team

The Mighty BEARS will win the FIGHT!

Greek Life

Approximately 10% of UCA's students are members of one of the 20 Greek organizations hosted by the campus. Greek life was established on 1915. The organizations also devote thousands of man-hours and dollars to local charities each year. The terms fraternity and sorority (from the Latin words and , meaning brother and sister respectively) may be used to describe many social and charitable organizations, for example the Lions Club, Epsilon Sigma Alpha, Rotary International, Optimist International, or the Shriners. ...

List of Greek Organizations at UCA

Interfraternity Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Sigma Kappa, Sigma Tau Gamma, Kappa Sigma, Sigma Nu, Sigma Phi Epsilon, and Phi Lambda Chi

Panhellenic Council Alpha Sigma Alpha, Delta Zeta, Alpha Sigma Tau, Sigma Kappa, Sigma Sigma Sigma

National Pan-Hellenic Council Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, Iota Phi Theta, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Zeta Phi Beta

Registered Student Organizations

The University is home to more than 200 registered student organizations, with more forming every year.

Notable other RSO's include Young Democrats, College Libertarians, College Republicans, Student Council for Exceptional Children, PRISM, Business and Information Technology (BIT), Model UN, Campus Dialogue, Pre-Med Society, and a myriad of religious organizations.

Also, there are minority-focused organizations such as Griot Society, Minority Mentorship, Students for the Propagation of Black Culture (SPBC), S.U.A.A.W., Black Men United (BMU)

External links

Administration & programs

• University of Central Arkansas
• UCA Sports
• UCA Honors College
• The Echo, the official UCA student newspaper
• UCA Bear Marching Band
• UCA Bookstore

Student organizations & outreach

• UCAfans.com, Where to talk about the Bears & Sugar Bears
• Nu Kappa Chapter of Kappa Sigma
• Epsilon Mu Chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity
• Lambda Phi Chapter of Sigma Nu Fraternity
• AR Zeta Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon
• Theta Psi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity
• Epsilon Xi Chapter of Delta Zeta Sorority
• Epsilon Phi Chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha
• Baptist Collegiate Ministry
• UCA PRISM Gay-Straight Alliance
• Epsilon Beta Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi Fraternity
• Gamma Tau Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma Sorority

• University of Central Arkansas is at coordinates 35°04′38″N 92°27′33″W / 35.077169, -92.459103 (University of Central Arkansas)Coordinates: 35°04′38″N 92°27′33″W / 35.077169, -92.459103 (University of Central Arkansas)