A University of the Ozarks campaign to raise $55 million kicked off its public phase Friday, with endowed scholarships one of three funding priorities for the private, Presbyterian-affiliated school in Clarksville.
"We've set a pretty lofty goal, to make private, faith-based higher education as affordable as possible," said Richard Dunsworth, the university's president.
An expansion of the school's science building and upgraded ball fields are also goals for the school's fundraising effort, called Climb Higher: A Campaign for Students, set to continue through 2020.
Donors have already contributed $29.9 million in the campaign's silent phase, which began in July 2014. In October, the school announced a $10 million Walton Family Foundation gift to create scholarships for students from low- and middle-income families.
The school was founded in 1834. It's weathered some financial struggles in modern times, with a 1998 gift of $39.5 million from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation providing a boost. Helen Walton, wife of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, served for decades on the university's board and in 2006, a year before her death, gave the school $20 million.
Dunsworth will complete his fourth year as the school's leader this summer, he said. In his tenure, he listed enrollment growth as a major accomplishment.
The school's fall enrollment was 686 students, its largest student body since 2003, when 731 students enrolled, according to the university.
"We project that we will continue to grow another 5 percent a year for the next couple of years," Dunsworth said.
Lori McBee, the school's vice president for advancement, said the school hopes to raise money for scholarship awards for students with learning disabilities.
The school is one of the few in the state to have a program for autistic students. The program typically enrolls between three to five students, McBee said. About 65 students at the school have a learning disability, McBee said.
Dunsworth said the school's science programs prepare students for graduate school opportunities.
"As we think about the role of math and science in Arkansas, we want to improve on what we already have," Dunsworth said of plans to add more than 20,000 square feet to the school's Smith-Broyles Science Building.
He said the school has no plans to expand degree offerings.
Tennis courts will be built, Dunsworth said, with fundraising started for new baseball and softball fields. The university fields NCAA Division III teams in various sports, including both men's and women's basketball.
Fundraising for athletic facilities is "primarily important because a student who is a great scholar who is also undertaking high-level competition is better prepared for the workforce," Dunsworth said, adding that the school has no plans to increase the number of sports.
He said the school has been working to hold the line on tuition costs.
Fifty-two percent of full-time, first-time, degree-seeking students receive Pell grants, according to 2014-15 federal data, the most recent available. Pell grants are awarded to low-income students.
Federal data show tuition and fees have increased from $23,250 yearly in 2012-13 to $24,440 in 2015-16. The school's website lists a yearly tuition of $23,750 for the current school year.
He said the goal is for students who might be considering a private university to avoid making decisions based solely on affordability.
"When we start making our decisions primarily on price, we find students at institutions that maybe aren't the right institution for that student," Dunsworth said.
Metro on 04/29/2017