UCA reports strong enrollment, minimal insurance increases, energy efficiency plans at September board meeting

The University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees heard updates on enrollment, employee health insurance and major campus infrastructure projects – each reflecting the overall well-being and forward momentum of the university – during its regular October meeting held Friday, Oct. 3.

The enrollment report showed fall enrollment of 9,962 students, including 2,079 freshmen, marking the second consecutive year – for the first time in more than a decade – that the university has welcomed over 2,000 first-year students. Additionally, the fall to fall retention rate topped 74%, one of the university’s three highest retention rates in the last 20 years.

“With two consecutive freshman classes of more than 2,000 students and the addition of another 1,000 new transfer and graduate students this fall, UCA is maintaining a strong overall enrollment of nearly 10,000 students,” Davis said. “We are especially encouraged by the more than 5% growth among our continuing undergraduates, which highlights our commitment to student success and to supporting every Bear on the path to graduation.”

Davis added that the UCA Commitment program, a landmark initiative that provides a debt-free tuition pathway to qualifying Arkansas students, is inspiring more full-time, degree-seeking freshmen to take the next step in higher education. The enrollment report highlighted that the first cohort achieved a strong retention rate of 78%. In its first two years, UCA Commitment has already supported over 1,300 Arkansas families from 95% of counties statewide.

Following an update on UCA’s health insurance coverage, the board voted in favor of changes to the UCA Health Plan. While reviewing insurance rates for the 2026 calendar year, consultants reported that many peer institutions and public sector plans could expect 20+% increases to employer health insurance premiums, due in part to rising pharmaceutical costs. To lessen the impact on employees, UCA has adopted a pharmacy savings program now in its second year and will adjust prescription drug tiers and deductibles to trim the employees’ premium increase to a minimal 7%. Of the $890,032 projected increase to operate the self-funded plan, which is in its 10th year, UCA will fund $645,406, or 75% of all new plan costs, and maintain a 25% cost share with employees.

“We are very proud of our work to manage increases in health insurance rates,” Davis said. “Keeping our increase well below the statewide average is a reflection of multiple years of careful planning and a strong commitment to supporting our faculty and staff.”

In other business, the board approved a request to issue bonds for a $10.5 million bond issue to support the Campus District Loop & Hydronics Refresh Project. This project will expand the university’s chilled water distribution system by constructing a new north-side chiller plant, refreshing the South Plant Central Chiller Facility, and installing new underground district chilled water lines to connect with existing district cooling piping and buildings. The upgrades will enhance energy efficiency, reliability and long-term cost savings while reducing the campus’s overall energy consumption.

“These upgrades represent a key piece of UCA’s long-term infrastructure strategy,” Davis said. “We are positioning the university to improve energy efficiency across campus – while also lowering maintenance needs and improving system reliability – for years to come.”

Also of note were updates to the university’s policy on academic clemency, reducing the required separation period from any college or university from five years to a more accessible two years and renaming the policy “Academic Fresh Start.” Students applying and approved for Academic Fresh Start will begin their studies anew in good academic standing.

Other action items approved by the board included:

• Acquisition of property located at 366 Donaghey Avenue, Conway.
• Updates to the university policy related to undergraduate admission, permanently establishing a dual-pathway to undergraduate admission that includes both the traditional test-based standard and a test-optional standard requiring a minimum 3.0 high school GPA. Test scores will still be required for top-tier scholarships.
• Authorization for the university to enter into an initial four-year contract with D2L Corporation to replace the existing learning management system.

UCA’s Theta Lambda Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi was recognized as the October Bear C.L.A.W.S. (Celebrating the Lofty Achievements of our Wonderful Students) recipient. Most recently, the chapter earned national recognition at the 2025 Beta Alpha Psi Annual Meeting where UCA’s team won first place in the Best Practices competition, Impacting Your Profession division, and was honored as a Gold Chapter for exceptional leadership, service and professional development activities.

The board will meet for a work session Oct. 23, and the next regular meeting will be Friday, Dec. 5.