University of Arkansas notebook

5,100 freshmen to set UA record

FAYETTEVILLE -- The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville is on track to have approximately 5,100 incoming freshmen arrive this fall, according to an estimate from the university's top admissions officer.

"That is our goal," said Suzanne McCray, UA's vice provost for enrollment and dean of admissions, speaking Wednesday at the university's faculty senate meeting. About half are projected to be from Arkansas, she said.

The total would top last fall's first-time, full-time freshman class of 4,938, as reported by the state Department of Higher Education to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The freshman class entering UA in fall 2016 was the school's largest ever.

Sponsor: Hide IDs of armed faculty

FAYETTEVILLE -- If lawmakers agree that public colleges and universities must allow concealed handguns for faculty and staff licensed to carry, "no way, no way" should supervisors know which employees have a weapon on campus, said state Rep. Charlie Collins, R-Fayetteville, on Friday.

"The only people I'm in favor of having that information are law enforcement," Collins told a crowd of about 50 at the University of Arkansas School of Law.

Speaking at the invitation of the University of Arkansas Law Republicans, a student group, Collins explained his concern that bosses may have opinions that clash with the idea of concealed carry by employees.

"No way, no way am I going to put those people in harm's way in their careers," said Collins, sponsor of a bill that would eliminate the option under current law for public colleges to disallow concealed carry.

No university has chosen to allow campus carry. Public university leaders have spoken out against Collins' bill, which passed in the state House and is pending in the state Senate.

Collins said he "wouldn't bet all my money on it," but that he thinks the "popular forces are so strong right now that even the senators will feel like they cannot go against the will of the state."

UA's fall degrees decline from '15

FAYETTEVILLE -- Fewer degrees were awarded last fall than a year earlier at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

The university awarded 1,114 undergraduate degrees in fall 2016 compared with 1,125 undergraduate degrees a year earlier, according to the UA registrar's office.

Many more degrees are awarded in the spring than the fall at UA, with 2,851 undergraduate degrees conferred in spring 2016, up from 2,676 in spring 2015.

The university began holding a December commencement ceremony in 2011 after not offering such a ceremony for several decades.

Total degrees, including graduate degrees, also decreased in fall 2016 compared to a year earlier, dropping to 1,461 from 1,468 in fall 2015.

Parking system cameras sought

FAYETTEVILLE -- After securing final approvals, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville is negotiating with a Texas company to bring license-plate recognition technology to campus, said Gary Smith, UA's director of transit and parking.

A camera-based system is to be used for parking enforcement, replacing the vehicle stickers used as parking permits.

Cameras mounted on UA parking department vehicles will record plate information. The system will check for any vehicles parked without permission.

NuPark, based in Cedar Park, Texas, was selected over bids from Denver-based PCS Mobile and Indianapolis-based T2 Systems, according to a Jan. 19 letter from UA announcing its intent to award a contract.

Smith, speaking Thursday at a meeting of the university's staff senate, said the university's information technology department on Wednesday approved moving forward with the license-plate recognition system.

"We want to have it operational July 1. That's our goal," Smith told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

UA director gets award for service

FAYETTEVILLE -- Janie Simms Hipp, director of a University of Arkansas School of Law effort supporting food and health in American Indian communities, has received an honor signed by President Barack Obama for her volunteer work.

Hipp won the President's Volunteer Service Award for Lifetime Achievement, an award given out by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency. Honorees have contributed more than 4,000 hours of service.

"Janie has dedicated her life to expanding opportunities for [American Indians] around the country," said Max Finberg, former director of AmeriCorps Volunteers In Service To America, in a statement released by UA. "She has lived a life of service to others and is extremely deserving of the Presidential Lifetime Volunteer Service Award."

Hipp is director of the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative.

Professor to lead research efforts

FAYETTEVILLE -- A new University of Arkansas initiative to promote undergraduate research is being led by a longtime biology professor.

Frederick Spiegel, who joined UA in 1982, has been named director of UA's new Office of Undergraduate Research.

"I would like to see the university, through this office, develop undergraduate research as one track along which students can complete their curricula," Spiegel said in a statement released by UA. He earns $114,139 in his new role and began Jan. 1.

Metro on 02/12/2017

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