One record was shattered on Sunday at the University of Central Arkansas; another is expected to fall when the total enrollment is officially announced in early September.
Welcome Week kicked off Sunday morning as administrators, faculty and staff, including President Lu Hardin, assisted new students in moving into residence halls.The university announced that 4,200 students will be in campus housing this fall. That shatters last year?s record of 3,800 students.
Hardin said the university expects 12,000 students for fall classes. That is up from the 8,500 when Hardin became president only four years ago.
?The campus housing record, combined with our expected record enrollment, shows again that students and their parents are recognizing and wanting to be a part of the academic excellence at the University of Central Arkansas,? Hardin said. ?The opening of the Jefferson D. Farris Honors Hall, the beginning of construction of the new Student Health Services Center and the additional parking areas are certainly evidence of the ongoing growth at UCA. In addition, this fall is exciting for students, alumni and fans with our move to Division 1 and the Southland Conference.?
Also the university has been notified it is 61st in national rankings for The Top Tier of Best Universities -Masters (South) in the 2007 ?America?s Best Colleges? issue of the U.S. News & World Report. UCA is the only public university in Arkansas to be ranked in that category. ?For us to be compared with these other outstanding universities across the South is truly an honor,? Hardin said. ?I offer my sincere thanks and congratulations to our outstanding faculty.?
Welcome Week activities continue thru Wednesday with classes beginning on Thursday.
