The University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UA Little Rock, formerly UALR) is a metropolitan public research university located in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States. Established as Little Rock Junior College by the Little Rock School District in 1927, the institution became a private four-year university under the name Little Rock University in 1957. It returned to public status in 1969 when it merged with the University of Arkansas System under its present name.
Located on 250 acres, the UALR campus encompasses more than 56 buildings, including the Center for Nanotechnology Integrative Sciences, the Emerging Analytics Center, and the Sequoyah Research Center, and the Ottenheimer Library Additionally, UALR houses special learning facilities that include a learning resource center, art galleries, KUAR public radio station, University Television, cyber café, speech and hearing clinic, and a campus-wide wireless network.
Academics
The university features more than 100 undergraduate degrees and 60 graduate degrees, including graduate certificates, master's degrees, and doctorates, through both traditional and online courses. Students attend classes in one of the university's six colleges and a law school:
- College of Arts, Letters and Sciences
- College of Business
- College of Education and Health Professions
- George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology
- College of Social Sciences and Communication
- William H. Bowen School of Law
Campus life
The student life at UALR is typical of public universities in the United States. It is characterized by student-run organizations and affiliation groups that support social, academic, athletic and religious activities and interests. Some of the services offered by the UALR Office of Campus Life are intramural sports and fitness programs, diversity programs, leadership development, peer tutoring, student government association, student support programs including groups for non-traditional and first generation students, a student-run newspaper, and fraternity and sorority life. The proximity of the UALR campus to downtown Little Rock enables students to take advantage of a wide array of recreational, entertainment, educational, internship and employment opportunities that are not available anywhere else in Arkansas.
Campus living
UALR provides a variety of on-campus living options for students ranging from traditional resident rooms to multiple bedroom apartments. The university has four residence halls on the eastern side of the campus and the University Village Apartment Complex on the southern side of campus. Six learning communities focusing on criminal justice, arts and culture, majors and careers, future business innovators, nursing careers, and STEM are available to students.
Athletics
UALR's 14 athletic teams are known as the Little Rock Trojans, with almost all teams participating in the Sun Belt Conference. Little Rock is one of two Sun Belt members that do not sponsor football (UT Arlington being the other); UALR last fielded a football team in 1955 when it was known as Little Rock Junior College. Little Rock's main athletic offices are located in the Jack Stephens Center. UALR offers the following sports:
The only Little Rock team that does not compete in the Sun Belt is the women's swimming and diving team; the Sun Belt does not sponsor the sport. That team instead competes in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Collections and archives
On July 1, 2014, the UALR Collections and Archives division was created. The division encompasses:
- Ottenheimer Library
- Center for Arkansas History and Culture
- Sequoyah National Research Center
Weekend programs
The Japanese School of Little Rock (リトルãƒãƒƒã‚¯æ—¥æœ¬èªžè£œç¿'æ ¡ Ritoru Rokku Nihongo HoshÅ«kÅ), a weekend Japanese education program, holds its classes at the University Plaza.
Notable students and alumni
Government
- Camille Bennett â€" Democratic member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Lonoke, with service since 2015
- Karilyn Brown â€" Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Pulaski County since 2015; former justice of the peace; graduated from UALR in Technical Writing
- James Richard Cheek (1957) â€" U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador (1979â€"1981), Ethiopia (1985â€"1988), Sudan (1989â€"1992) and Argentina (1993â€"1996)
- Charlie Daniels (attended) â€" Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands (1985â€"2001), Arkansas Secretary of State (2002â€"2010), Arkansas State Auditor (2001â€"present)
- Vivian Flowers (B.S. in Political Science) â€" Democratic member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Pine Bluff since 2015; diversity officer at the UAMS Medical Center
- Kenneth Henderson - Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives since 2015 for Pope County; real estate developer in Russellville
- Douglas House (1976) - Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives since 2013
- Allen Kerr (attended) â€" Arkansas Insurance Commissioner (2015â€"present) and Republican former member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
- Mike Ross (1987) â€" U.S. House of Representatives, 2001-â€"2013
- Bill Sample (attended) â€" Arkansas House of Representatives, 2005â€"2010; Arkansas Senate 2011â€"present
- Robert William Schroeder III (1989) - U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas, Nominated June 2014
- Vic Snyder (1988) â€" member of U.S. House of Representatives for Arkansas's 2nd congressional district, 1997â€"2011
- James Sturch â€" (B.S., Political Science) â€" Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Independence County since 2015
Education
- James E. Cofer, Ed.D from UALR; UALR professor, on faculty of Missouri State University
Entertainment
- Julie Adams (1946) â€" Actress (film & television)
Athletics
- Derek Fisher â€" Former Los Angeles Lakers player and New York Knicks head coach
References
External links
- Official website