The Bear Ledger

Women’s basketball began the same year Arkansas State Normal School (now UCA) began operations – 1908. During that first year, the women’s team played six games against three opponents: Central College, Little Rock St. Mary’s High School and Little Rock High School. In those days it was not unusual for the schedule to be made up primarily of high school opponents.

The women’s games during the first year were very low scoring affairs. Their first year record was (1-5) and three of their games were against Central College of Conway. In their first game with Central College, UCA lost by a score of 4 to 14. In their second game, they scored half as many points and lost 2 to 12. In the third game with Central College, UCA scored twice as many points as it did in the second game but still lost 4 to 7.

During the 1910-1911 basketball season the women’s team played eleven games, with nine of those games played against high school teams. It wasn’t until the 1930-1931 season that all opponents of the UCA women’s basketball team were colleges. The high schools that provided contests for UCA during the early years were Little Rock Mount St. Mary’s, Little Rock High School, Morrilton, Dardanelle, Conway, Plumerville, Jacksonville, Russellville, Searcy, Lake Village, North Little Rock, England, Pottsville and Sparkman. In addition to the high school opponents, the women’s team also played the YWCA teams from Little Rock and Memphis.

UCA’s college opponents for women’s basketball from 1908 to 1932 included Central College of Conway, University of the Cumberlands, Hendrix College, Arkansas Tech University, University of Memphis, Arkansas State University, Southern Arkansas University, Henderson State University, Crescent College, University of Arkansas at Monticello, Southeastern Oklahoma State University and College of the Ozarks. During this period the women’s basketball schedule was somewhat erratic in terms of opponents and number of games played. They might play only three games one year, but the next year play seven games or more.

Until 1920, the women’s team, like the men’s, had no mascot. Sports writers usually referred to the women’s team as the Normal Sextet. During the early years the women played three on three half-court basketball, therefore, the term “sextet.” When the men became known as the “Bears” in 1920, the women’s team was then called the “Bearettes.” As a rule, from 1908 to 1932, the “Bearettes” played anywhere from four to seven games a season. Two exceptions to this rule were the 1910-1911 season when 11 games were played, and the 1915-1916 season when they engaged in 10 basketball contests.

Following the 1931-1932 season, UCA abruptly ended women’s basketball and did not resume the sport again until 1976. The reason(s) for this cessation of play has been somewhat of a mystery. This author has found no UCA documents explaining why women’s basketball was stopped. According to Mrs. Mary Ferguson who attended UCA in the late 1930s, “It was believed at the time that basketball was a rough sport and was not good for the health of the young women who played the game.” Mrs. Ferguson’s comments were supported by a national movement in the late 1920s that sought to ban women’s basketball.

Others who were interviewed by this author and are somewhat contemporary with Mrs. Ferguson echoed her comments. During the late 1920s and early 1930s, it was widely believed that basketball was too rigorous a sport for women to engage in and could be injurious to their health. That belief was supported by the fact that the Women’s Division of the National Amateur Athletic Federation (WDNAAF) pronounced that basketball was unhealthy and inappropriate for women, and in 1925 the WDNAAF passed a resolution outlawing extramural competition. The WDNAAF was very influential and in 1927 was successful in its efforts to cancel the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) National Women’s Basketball Tournament.

According to womensbasketballonline.com/history/timeline1900_29.html, which is a timeline of women’s basketball, “The WDNAAF holds its first conference (1923). It attacks competitive athletics, especially basketball as being unhealthy and inappropriate. Concern that women’s scholastic athletics will begin to resemble men’s (quasi-professional, corrupt, promoting betting) they promote a “Sports for Sports sake” philosophy.”

In 1925, the WDNAAF begins to receive widespread support and according to WomensBasketballOnline.com, “WDNAAF passes a resolution outlawing extramural competition, opposing gate receipts at women’s games, all travel for women’s games, and all publicity of women’s sports. The National Association of Secondary School Principals supports the resolution. They pressure high school sports associations to disband tournaments and are most successful in Eastern states and large city schools, less so in rural states.”

In 1929, the State of Colorado banned all female athletics. According to WomensBasketballOnline.com, “Girls’ athletics came to an abrupt halt in 1928-1929, when Arvada High School’s Superintendent Clifton B. Raybourn determined that “it was hazardous to their health” and stopped girls’ athletics. The Colorado Medical Association agreed with the health concern and the State of Colorado lost girls’ competitive athletics.”

Although this author cannot be adamant in stating the reason(s) for the cessation of women’s basketball at UCA, the preponderance of evidence suggests that it was cancelled due to the belief that it was dangerous to the health and well being of the female athletes. UCA women were allowed to participate in other sports (all intramural), including volleyball, ping-pong, shuffle-board, archery, tennis, darts and softball. Of these sports, volleyball was by far the most popular. In 1936, five teams were created and they competed with each other on an intramural basis.

Once UCA stopped its women’s basketball program in 1932, it did not begin again until 44 years later, in 1976. When women’s basketball did return to UCA, the women did not play in the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference (AIC) as the men’s team did, but played in the Arkansas Women’s Intercollegiate Sports Association (AWISA). UCA women’s teams competed in AWISA until they entered the AIC during the 1983-1984 season.

There were many differences between the team of 1931-1932 and the team of 1976-1977. They were no longer called the “Bearettes” but were known as the “Sugar Bears.” They also played many more games than the early teams. The 1976-1977 team played 23 games, earned a 15-8 record their first year back on the court, and scored many more points than the early teams. The 1976-1977 team played 14 games in which they scored 70 points or more – a far cry from the 26 points scored in their highest scoring game during the 1931-1932 season.

The “Sugar Bears” won the AIC Championship in 1984 and 1985. They also won three NAIA District 17 Tournaments in 1984, 1985 and 1991, and a Gulf South Conference title in 2005. From 1995 to 2005, the Sugar Bears played in five NCAA Tournaments in Division II and made the Elite Eight in 2003 and 2005.

In 2006, UCA moved to NCAA Division I and into the Southland Conference, becoming eligible for conference titles or post season play with the 2010-2011 season. During the 2010-2011 season the “Sugar Bears” under Coach Matt Daniel were 21-12 overall and 11-5 in the Southland Conference.

Author’s Note: Sources for this article include The Echo, The Scroll, the record book for women’s basketball at ucasports.com maintained by Steve East, Dr. H.B. Hardy, Jr., Mary Ferguson, “The Centennial History of the University of Central Arkansas” by Jimmy Bryant and http://womensbasketballonline.com/history/timeline1900_29.html

Jimmy Bryant, director of UCA Archives

The College of Education will receive a $2.3 million Transition to Teaching federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education to prepare math and science teachers for North Little Rock and Little Rock school districts. UCA is one of 30 schools in the country and the only university in the state selected for the teacher training project for the 2011-12 academic year.

The university will receive the $2.3 million grant over a five-year period.

The five-year program supports efforts to recruit mid-career professionals and recent graduates with degrees outside of education and then help these recruits become teachers through alternative certification routes. The university and school districts will work together to recruit, prepare, place, and retain mathematics and science teachers to work in the partner high-need schools that have documented the need for teachers in these subjects.

Teacher candidates are required to teach in high-need schools for at least three years. UCA is expected to recruit 120 new teachers to be certified by the end of the five-year grant period.

Dr. Carolyn Williams, College of Education faculty, wrote the grant proposal. Dr. Williams and Dr. Diana Pounder, Dean of the College of Education, will serve as co-project investigators.

“We are excited to have this opportunity to enhance the quantity and quality of STEM school educators in central Arkansas,” said Dr. Pounder.

The College of Education is fortunate to receive this grant that builds on the strength of its existing Master of Arts in Teaching program, said Dr. Williams.

“These funds will support our efforts to recruit talented mathematics and science teachers to UCA and to enhance their desire and abilities to work with students in our urban school districts,” she said. “We started working on this grant in 2006, the same year the College of Education received approval for our Master of Arts in Teaching program. This grant will encourage more interested professionals to transition to teaching and increase our cadre of teachers for schools that need them the most.”

The participating teachers will earn preliminary teaching licensure and credentials in one year while working as university intern teachers in the targeted partnership school districts. Candidates will engage in high quality, innovative science, technology, engineering and mathematics workshops educational opportunities and professional development activities through the UCA STEM Institute. These activities will be aligned with state and national initiatives to include common core standards in mathematics. The partnership program is an ongoing collaboration among the school districts, the College of Education and the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at UCA.

Acxiom Corporation has pledged $200,000 over the next five years in support of the university’s Department of Computer Science. The company’s gift will help underwrite the hiring of a new, tenure-track faculty member in the Computer Science Department. The department will conduct a national search this fall to hire an outstanding individual to fill the Acxiom Professorship in Computer Science. The successful candidate will begin working at UCA next fall.

“Acxiom wants the best and brightest workforce to fuel and lead our initiatives around the world,” said Scott Howe, Acxiom CEO and President. “UCA’s computer science program is top-notch and its graduates have been a substantial part of our success. We believe our investment in UCA will continue to pay off – not just for Acxiom, but also for world-class education – over the years to come.”

The UCA Computer Science Department has experienced tremendous growth this academic year with a 23 percent increase in enrollment over last fall.
“This growth has created positive challenges in terms of meeting the classroom instructional needs of our students,” said Dr. Steve Runge, Dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. “The Department of Computer Science envisions itself as a leader in undergraduate computer science education in this region and we are building a national reputation for excellence in education and research. To continue on this positive trajectory requires that we recruit and retain the highest-quality faculty members.”

Earlier this year, UCA’s computer science students’ software design team placed third nationally in the 2011 Microsoft Imagine Cup competition; 100 percent of the manuscripts co-authored by 12 students and their faculty mentors were published by the 2011 International Conference on Bioinformatics (overall acceptance rate was less than 23 percent); and a paper authored by Victor Sheng, a UCA Computer Science faculty member, won the best paper award at the 2011 Industrial Conference of Data Mining, a very prestigious international conference.

UCA’s Computer Science Department also has been selected by the National Science Foundation as a host site for a Research Experience for Undergraduates program from 2011-2013. This program is the first of its kind in the computer science field for the state of Arkansas.
Past financial contributions from Acxiom starting in 2002 have been instrumental in helping the Department of Computer Science hire and retain seven high-quality tenure-track faculty members, recruit the highest-quality students and purchase equipment that serves both our teaching and research missions and objectives. Importantly, these contributions have also supported joint activities with Acxiom such as ALAR (Acxiom Laboratory for Applied Research) conferences, programming contests and IT Academy for high school students.

“When we are able to bring the finest faculty members to UCA, we are able to, in turn, recruit the most promising students. We sincerely thank Acxiom for being a strong partner and advocate for UCA and for our students,” said Interim UCA President Tom Courtway.

Interim President Tom Courtway and members of the executive staff hosted the first “Campus Talk” on Oct. 11 in the Student Center Ballroom. “Campus Talk” provides faculty, staff and students an opportunity to ask the administration questions in an informal setting.

The next “Campus Talk” is scheduled for Nov. 3 at 3 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom. Individuals can submit questions for the forum at uca.edu/answers. The questions will be asked at the next “Campus Talk.”

During the Oct. 11 forum, faculty and staff asked various questions ranging from the university’s marketing campaign to the search for a new president.  

Courtway told the group that the marketing slogan, “You Belong,” has been discussed with the university’s advertising agency and that “everything is on the table.”

“There are so many success stories on the academic side, and we’re all proud of them,” Courtway said. “… The slogan doesn’t convey that, so I think that certainly is up for discussion.”

Jeff Pitchford, vice president for university and government relations, added that “You Belong” is the marketing campaign for recruiting high school students and not the motto for the university.

As far as the presidential search, Courtway informed the group that the process has not started.

Courtway also was asked whether he will assist in raising funds for the university in his role as interim president.

“I will go anywhere and do anything if I think it helps UCA,” he said.

When asked if there are plans to change the university’s commencement ceremony, Courtway said there are several logistical problems with moving commencement outdoors and that the ceremony will remain the same.

One person asked Courtway:  In light of recent events over the past few years and the fact that enrollment is down, will there be any research seeing if the public thinks UCA is a good place to send their kids?

Enrollment management personnel may look at reasons why some parents and students chose other institutions as part of the division’s enrollment management plan, Courtway responded.

“I think the students who are here and parents who are sending their loved ones here know this is a great place to go to school,” he added.

UCA’s fall enrollment is 11,163. In 2008, enrollment was at 12,974. About 1,100 of those students were concurrent students. This semester, there are about 350 concurrent students. There also was a slight decline in graduate enrollment.  However, the last two freshman classes have grown.

“We have bounced back because of the two large freshman classes and it is because of the faculty, staff and other students who are here,” Courtway said.

Dr. Robert Parent Parrent, vice president for enrollment management, told the group the ACT average was 23.2 for the freshman class compared to the state average of 19.9. The national average is 21.1.

The Division of Enrollment Management recently completed Bears Care program, a calling campaign that reached parents of almost 1,000 new freshmen.  This effort sought to connect with parents so university officials could determine how well their students were transitioning to UCA, to uncover issues or concerns requiring follow-up within 24 hours, and to ensure that the university was doing all it can to make their student’s experience successful and productive. 

“Feedback was extremely positive and parents were very appreciative that UCA was reaching out to them.” Parrent said. “There was never one word or reference to any of the recent issues or concerns. It was all about their sons and daughters. It was all about the wonderful things the University of Central Arkansas has done, is doing, and will be doing in the future.”

The division also started “Calling New Cubs,” a phone campaign targeting UCA’s freshmen. Currently enrolled students known as “Cub Connect” along with other volunteers contacted new students to see how their experience has been thus far and to ensure that they are working with their advisors to prepare for registration for the spring semester.

 In closing, Courtway reminded the group the forum will be held each month.

“We want your input,” he said. “If you know of things that needs to be done or things that we need to do different, things that we can put on the web page that will help you know about what is going on at  UCA, we will certainly entertain those ideas. We are all in this together.”

UCA was selected to become one of four universities from Arkansas to participate in a national project Complete College America.  The grant awarded $1 million to Arkansas, which will be shared among four universities and seven community colleges across the state. The project, which originated through the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, proposes to transform remedial education at universities and colleges.

The grant will focus on more efficient options for providing remediation in literacy and mathematics for students allowed to enter the university having ACT scores below the required 19. The premise of the grant is that campuses – both two year and four year – across the state will seek to develop options for the required remediation while enrolled in credit-bearing courses.

Dean Steve Runge, Dr. Ramesh Garimella, Dr. Charles Watson, and Dr. Uma Garimella represent the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics on this project. Dr. Julia Winden Fey and Ms. Lisa Christman represent mathematics faculty from the University College. Funding for the CCA grant for UCA is expected to be between $75,000 and $100,000 over an 18-month period.

Responsible UCA is seeking comments from the campus community on ways  to save money and conserve energy.

The committee, formed in 2010, is charged with examining the policies and practices of the campus in order to identify cost savings. The committee  also will look for ways the campus can be more responsible in terms of environmental responsibility and sustainability. These can range from litter control to LEED certified buildings and beyond.

Some of the projects implemented so far include installing solar panels on Christian Cafeteria; installing the green roof on Laney Hall; switching from paper bills to E-Bills, a $20,000 annual savings; installing high efficiency washing machines in the residence halls; which will save $22,500 annually; and replacing grass with turf on the softball, baseball and football fields, a $101,000 annual savings.

“These projects are already in the works, and they are the steps in the right direction,” said Jack Gillean, UCA chief of staff and co-chair of the committee. “This committee helps the university save money without removing positions and leaving people without jobs.”

The university could save additional money by employees doing a few things differently, he added.

“We encourage people to change the way they do things daily, like turning off lights when they leave their office or shutting off the computers when they leave at the end of the day,” Gillean said.

To submit ideas or to learn more about Responsible UCA, visit https://uca.edu/ru.  – Lisa Burnett