In a briefing by BT天堂President Houston Davis, he presented current statistics indicating a freshman class that will top 2,100 students for a second consecutive year. Additionally, it was noted that early registrations for fall semester are robust and that overall enrollment for all levels is approximately 3.2% ahead of this same time last year.听

Registration for聽 Summer Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR) sessions is on track with last year鈥檚 record numbers, and while the sessions have already begun, those interested in attending some of the remaining, open sessions may still apply at SOAR.

During the meeting, board members voted to approve several campus projects, including updates to Arkansas Hall, a residential facility for female freshman students. Also approved was the buildout of the BT天堂Aviation Academy Hangar, which encompasses furniture, flight simulators and other equipment. With the board鈥檚 approval of the 2025-26 budget, BT天堂faculty and staff will receive a 2% cost-of-living adjustment effective July 1, 2025.听

鈥淔acility upgrades and maintenance, faculty and staff salary increases, and a growth outlook for our overall enrollment are all indicative of the positive momentum at UCA. These are all signs of a healthy institution with a bright future,鈥� Davis said.听

In other business, the Board of Trustees voted to increase mandatory tuition and fees by 3.96% for undergraduate and graduate students. This increase will result in undergraduate students taking 15 hours per semester, paying an additional $417 for the year; graduate students taking 12 hours would pay an additional $390 for the year.听

鈥淭his change in tuition and fees will help to support the campus and our initiatives beyond all of the other cost-effectiveness measures we have taken,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淚ncreasing educational costs for students is never a decision taken lightly or without careful consideration of our stewardship of existing resources. We have worked to position the university to be able to invest in our people, facilities and programs through our Resource Optimization Initiative and other reallocation means and will continue to do so to provide the best possible educational experience for our students.鈥�

Other board agenda items included:

• The 2028-29 academic calendar
• A new Bachelor of Science in Education in Science and Technology
• A new Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language

Those wishing to view the meeting virtually may do so using the link provided:

A printable copy of the agenda may be found at /botagenda

The Audit and Finance Committee will meet at 9 a.m., prior to the board meeting, in Wingo Hall, room 210.听

Board of Trustees members will also attend the unveiling ceremony for the renaming of the Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Center at 1:40 p.m. The facility is being renamed to honor former BT天堂President Tom Courtway, who served from 2011-2016.听

Former BT天堂President Tom Courtway

WHAT: Unveiling new name for current BT天堂HPER Center

WHEN: 1:40聽 p.m., Thursday, May 29

WHERE: University of Central Arkansas HPER Center

DETAILS:
The University of Central Arkansas will rename the Health and Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Center on campus in an unveiling ceremony on Thursday, May 29, at 1:40 p.m.

The new name will honor former BT天堂President Tom Courtway, who served from 2011 to 2016.听

MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:
The following individuals will be available for interviews after the event:

• BT天堂President Houston Davis
• Former BT天堂President Tom Courtway
• Vice President for Student Affairs Robin Williamson

Media are invited to attend the ceremony. Those wanting to attend may contact Fredricka Sharkey, (501) 852-2659 or fsharkey@uca.edu.听

Patricia Poulter

A space in the Student Success and Veterans Resource Center at the University of Central Arkansas will now be known as the Poulter Commons, named in honor of former provost and executive vice president Patricia Poulter.

A dedication ceremony was held Tuesday, March 18, before a crowd of at least 100 well-wishers.听

During her remarks, Poulter thanked everyone for attending, but she also recognized the significance of the space to students visiting the building.听

鈥淵our name matters. Your name matters, and being seen matters, and that’s what a place like this does. It tells every student that comes in that you are welcome here,鈥� Poulter said.听

Poulter served from 2018 until her retirement in 2024. The plaque that will be placed in the Poulter Commons includes this excerpt: 鈥淯nder her leadership, BT天堂expanded innovative academic programs, broke down barriers for students, and strengthened institutional accreditation efforts. She played a pivotal role in advancing student success initiatives, ensuring that BT天堂remained a leader in higher education within Arkansas and beyond. Her advocacy for faculty and staff development contributed to a culture of excellence, collaboration, and innovation. The renovation of this facility into the Student Success and Veterans Resource Center is a staple of her vision, leadership, and impact on this campus.鈥�

By Dr. Fredricka Sharkey

BT天堂President Houston Davis and Cooper Horton

BT天堂President Houston Davis and Dylan Silverman-Barnes

Cooper Horton and Dylan Silverman-Barnes were recognized as Bear CLAWS recipients at the University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees February meeting.

CLAWS, an acronym for Celebrating the Lofty Achievements of our Wonderful Students, is awarded to one or more exceptional students or recognized student organizations during regularly scheduled board meetings.听

Cooper is a senior double major in international studies and linguistics from Conway. He served on the Honors Council from 2023 to 2024 and has been an Honors Ambassador since August 2023. He is also the treasurer for the UCA鈥檚 Model U-N. Horton is a three-time study abroad participant, a recipient of the Critical Language Scholarship and a semi-finalist for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. He has been an intern and volunteer manager at the Syrian Emergency Task Force and a participant in the Washington Center Internship Program as a policy intern at the Charles Group LLC.

Dylan Silverman-Barnes is a senior dietetics major from Conway. In 2024 Dylan received the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences Outstanding Student Award. He was also inducted into the Purple Society. He has been Greek Rookie of the Year and Greek Man of the Year. Additionally, Silverman-Barnes has been the Undergraduate Representative for the Pi Kappa Alpha International Recruitment Commission and is a member of the Order of Omega. He was crowned 2024 BT天堂Homecoming King last fall. He also coordinated a raised garden bed project for Bethlehem House in Conway in 2023 as part of his Honors capstone project and was recognized by Congressman French Hill on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives last July.

A fun fact about both CLAWS recipients is that they have known each other since they were toddlers in preschool together and have maintained a friendship since then.

The University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees will hold its February meeting at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 28, in the Board of Trustees Conference Room.

Those wishing to view the meeting virtually may do so using the link provided:

A printable copy of the agenda may be found at /botagenda

The Audit and Finance Committee will meet at 9 a.m., prior to the board meeting, in Wingo Hall, room 210.听

For more information, contact聽Fredricka Sharkey at (501) 852-2659 or fsharkey@uca.edu

Tim Bisping

The University of Central Arkansas has announced Tim Bisping as the new dean of the BT天堂College of Business. Bisping will begin on July 1, 2025.

In this role, Bisping will oversee the College of Business, which offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across four academic departments and three centers and serves as the home of the Arkansas Insurance Hall of Fame.

Bisping brings extensive leadership experience and a strong commitment to student success to this new role. He currently serves as the dean of the Nelson Rusche College of Business at Stephen F. Austin State University, where he has led initiatives to enhance academic excellence, foster faculty and staff development and support student achievement.

With more than 30 years of experience in higher education, Bisping has held key administrative and faculty positions at multiple institutions, including serving as interim dean and associate dean of graduate programs and research at Louisiana Tech University. Notably, he is returning to UCA, where he previously served as associate professor of economics and chair of the Department of Economics, Finance, and Insurance & Risk Management from 2006 to 2011.

Bisping鈥檚 research focuses on demographic issues in the labor market, particularly as they relate to monetary policy. His work has been published in leading academic journals, including Economic Inquiry, The Journal of Labor Research and The Journal of Economic Education.

鈥淒r. Bisping is an accomplished leader who brings a strong vision for business education and student success,鈥� said BT天堂Executive Vice President and Provost Michael Hargis. 鈥淗is extensive experience in higher education, coupled with his familiarity with BT天堂and the College of Business, makes him an excellent choice to lead the college into the future.鈥�

Bisping earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Arts in economics from Wichita State University. He later earned a Doctor of Economics from Oklahoma State University.

Throughout his career, Bisping has been dedicated to academic and professional excellence, striving to support students in achieving their educational and career goals. He has also been actively involved in community service, having served as a board member of the Nacogdoches Rotary Club and board president of the Nacogdoches Area United Way.

Bisping is married to his wife, Michelle, an elementary school teacher. They have one son, Chandler, who resides in Alabama with his family.

By: Dr. Fredricka Sharkey

According to our latest updates from the National Weather Service, our area will continue to be in a winter storm warning through 6 a.m. Wednesday with icy road conditions expected for most of the day tomorrow. In anticipation of those hazardous travel conditions throughout the region, all classes on Wednesday, February 19, will use the university鈥檚 remote instruction plan. Students should monitor their BT天堂email accounts for information from faculty regarding course activities, assignments, and expectations, as well as syllabus adjustments to the overall course schedule.

Business offices will also continue remote operations for Wednesday, February 19. Weather-essential personnel should report to campus. Supervisors, in coordination with division vice presidents, should communicate with employees regarding on-site staffing. All other BT天堂employees should follow their remote work plan.听

The modified hours for essential campus services for Wednesday, February 19, are as follows:聽

Dining Options

• Christian Cafeteria will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Chick-fil-A, Pizza Hut and the C-Store in the Student Center will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• The C-Store at Bear Village will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Check the BT天堂Campus Dining Instagram account @UCADining for the most updated information.

Other Services

• The HPER Center will be open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Torreyson Library will be open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., after which virtual services will continue to be available via the website.
• The Ronnie Williams Student Center will be open from 11 a.m. to聽 2 p.m.
• The Student Health Clinic will be available for telehealth appointments from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Limited shuttle service between Bear Village and campus will be provided by calling (501) 269-5903. This shuttle is contingent upon there being safe and acceptable driving conditions.听
• The IT Help Desk is currently operating on a normal schedule, however, there may be limited staff available to answer the phone. You can leave a message and a member of the Help Desk staff will be in touch, or for faster response and resolution you can submit an online help ticket.听

Another email communication will be sent on Wednesday in the early afternoon with information on the operational mode and hours for Thursday, February 20.听

As a reminder, any further changes to university operations will be communicated through your university email, as well as the and our official social media channels. In addition, we will also send an alert out via the Safe@UCA app.听

The University of Central Arkansas was included in the Research Colleges and Universities (RCU) category. This new designation identifies research happening at colleges and universities that historically have not been recognized for their research activity, including institutions that do not offer many or any doctoral degrees. This new designation includes any non-R1 or R2 institution that spends more than $2.5 million on research annually.

Michael Hargis

鈥淲e are proud to be recognized in the updated Carnegie Classification for Higher Education as a Research University. This designation affirms our commitment to delivering a world-class educational experience while expanding our research and scholarship to serve our state and region. We look forward to building on this momentum, fostering innovation and strengthening our academic and research portfolio to meet the evolving needs of our students and communities,鈥� said Executive Vice President and Provost Michael Hargis.

The two remaining categories for Research Activity Designations include the following:

• Research 1: Very High Spending and Doctorate Production, now defined by a clear threshold of $50 million in total research spending and 70 research doctorates awarded annually. In 2025, 187 institutions have been given a designation of R1.
• Research 2: High Spending and Doctorate Production, which continues the previous requirement of $5 million in research spending and 20 research doctorates awarded annually. This year, 139 institutions received a designation of R2.

These changes are part of a series of updates to make the Carnegie Classifications more reflective of the wide range of higher education institutions across America and how they serve their students.

In April 2025, ACE and the Carnegie Foundation will publish the This is an update to the historic Basic Classification and will group institutions by characteristics including the types of degrees they award, the fields of study in which students receive their degree, and the size of the institution. Previously, the Research Activity Designations were part of the Basic Classification; however, the new Institutional Classification will not incorporate research in its methodology. For that reason, the 2025 Research Activity Designations have been published separately.

Until the new Institutional Classifications are published, the 2021 Basic Classifications are still applicable alongside the newly released 2025 Research Activity Designations.

Additionally, a new centering students鈥� access to higher education and their long-term economic success will also be published in April 2025.

To learn more about the updates to the Carnegie Classifications and the data methodology used for the 2025 Research Activity Designations, please visit our .

About the American Council on Education
ACE unites and leads higher education institutions toward a shared vision for the future. With more than 1,600 member colleges, universities, and associations, ACE designs solutions for today鈥檚 challenges and advances public policy to support a diverse and dynamic higher education sector. Learn more at or follow ACE on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn .

About the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
The mission of the Carnegie Foundation is to catalyze transformational change in education so that every student has the opportunity to live a healthy, dignified, and fulfilling life. Enacted by an act of Congress in 1906, the Foundation has a rich history of driving transformational change in the education sector, including the establishment of TIAA-CREF and the creation of the Education Testing Service, the GRE, Pell Grants, and the Carnegie Classifications for Higher Education.

Business offices will also move to remote operations for Tuesday, February 18. Weather-essential personnel should report to campus. Supervisors, in coordination with division vice presidents, should communicate with employees regarding on-site staffing. All other BT天堂employees should follow their remote work plan.听

The modified hours for essential campus services for Tuesday, February 18, are as follows:聽

Dining Options

• Christian Cafeteria will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Chick-fil-A, Pizza Hut and the C-Store in the Student Center will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• The C-Store at Bear Village will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Check the BT天堂Campus Dining Instagram account @UCADining for the most updated information.

Other Services

• The HPER Center will be open from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Torreyson Library will be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., after which virtual services will continue to be available via the website.
• The Ronnie Williams Student Center will be open from 7 a.m. to聽 2 p.m.
• The Student Health Center will be available for in-person appointments from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Telehealth appointments will be available between 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Limited shuttle service between Bear Village and campus will be provided by calling (501) 269-5903. This shuttle is contingent upon there being safe and acceptable driving conditions.听
• The IT Help Desk is currently operating on a normal schedule, however, there may be limited staff available to answer the phone. You can leave a message and a member of the Help Desk staff will be in touch, or for faster response and resolution you can submit an online help ticket.

Another email communication will be sent on Tuesday in the early afternoon with information on the operational mode and hours for essential campus services for Wednesday, February 19.听

As a reminder, any further changes to university operations will be communicated through your university email, as well as the and our official social media channels. In addition, we will also send an alert out via the Safe@UCA app.听