Arkansas Blog

That's quite a lofty goal for a fourth tier college, but I like it. Transforming a commuter school that only has one dorm to a "world class" university will take quite an effort.

With superior leadership, good funding, good recruiting, etc...it will be possible. I'm sure they'll get Little Rock's support, which is one of the few cities without really a "major" university.

At the very least they have the vision...that's the first step.

Please tell me that the title "Selected Planing Implications" on the "What kind of University" page isn't meant to be "Selected Planning Implications."

Oh lordy. Well, they spelled it right everywhere else.

UALR is a commuter school -- people always say that like its a horrible thing. Most cities have large, urban "commuter" universities: Chicago (Univ. of Illinois-Chicago) Kansas City (Univ. of Missouri-KC), that's the nature of those schools. I hate it when people say that about UALR like it's a negative.

What'd they say about their basketball team? Any talk about fielding football for the first time in school history? How can they can "world class" without jocks? Has it ever produced a Mitch Mustain?

"JD" Fourth tier? Who said? One of those stupid college "ranking" sections put out by magazines? The ones that have many schools jumping through hoops trying to impress the rankers. Yes it will take a lot of effort to achieve "world class" but isn't it great that it's being attempted?

Yes it will take a lot of effort to achieve "world class" but isn't it great that it's being attempted?

Uh, yes. It is great. In fact, that's exactly what I said: "That's quite a lofty goal for a fourth tier college, but I like it." and "At the very least they have the vision...that's the first step."

Commuter schools are rarely "world-class." Unless UCLA or something is considered a commuter school. Even then, they have a sizable residential population.

Ignore the college rankings all you want, but they're still reliably accurate in ranking a college relative to another academically. Sure, a person can be just as happy at UALR as another can be at MIT, but the schools aren't in the same league academically. But don't get me wrong, a person can be successful anywhere. I'm just comparing UALR to "world class" universities.

UALR will probably never be a MIT, or a Stanford, or a Rice but it's on its way to achieving the stature of a fine urban university. The original post, mentioning the ranking by U.S. News & World Report, was a put down. But you're right about one thing a person can be successful anywhere. And by the same token a person can be a graduate of two so-called world class colleges and still be a fool.

Univeristy of Absolute Last Resort

University for All the Loaded Rednecks

We are fortunate in Central Arkansas to have an emerging university. An emerging university grows the economy and the region.

"Chris"
Judging by your spelling you needed some time at
"Univeristy" of Absolute Last Resort

You're probably too young to remember
LRJC as Pine Tree Tech or
LRU as Last Resort University

I love UALR for its neo-Stalinist architecture.

Thanks for pointing out the error in the web posting. Mistakes can happen when you're trying to enter html in a hurry. The typo is not in the hard copy of the plan and we're correcting the online version.

Joan I. Duffy
UALR Office of Communications

No problem.

The original post, mentioning the ranking by U.S. News & World Report, was a put down.

LAJ, mentioning ranking is not a put down. When trying to improve Arkansas' education, healthcare, etc, is it not all right to mention rankings? Please get a grip. Do not comfort yourself with the thought that UALR can be "world class" and still be in its present state and, yes, ranking (which, by the way, are based on ACTs, professors, research, etc.)

JD Here's the thing about ranking, a number of schools have quit participating in USN&WR's survey. The situation is similar to the "teaching to the test" problem in public schools. College administrators in many cases try to game the system which distorts the results. I am not "comforting myself", as I said in my original post, the fact that UALR is attempting to be world class is the point. A realistic goal for UALR is to be a superior urban school. It has a responsibility to admit many beginning students who don't have a good educational background and may not be college material. Factors such as this will always impact "rankings" that include ACT scores.

Your original post and your "fourth tier" remark is like telling a woman that she sure is ugly but you like her anyway.

Now I'm going to "get a grip" on my steering wheel and head to Champaign, Illinois for my child's MFA/graduate art show.

The rankings are also based on peer assessments, that is what they've accomplished according to faculty, academia, etc.

True, the 4th tier ranking might not be completely accurate because UALR chooses not to participate; however, USNews would never knock down a school to 4th tier from 1st tier just because they choose not to particpate. Reed College, a liberal arts college (where Apple CEO Steve Jobs went temporarily) chose not to submit data to the rankings, and they did lose a few position.

What I'm saying is that the rankings at the very least give a general "vicinity" of UALR's performance relative to other colleges.