University of the Ozarks

Infobox University
name = University of the Ozarks
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established = 1834
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type = Private
affiliation = Presbyterian Church
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students = 643
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city = Clarksville
state = Arkansas
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country = US
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The University of the Ozarks is a private, four-year, comprehensive university located in Clarksville, Arkansas, a rural community of approximately 8,000 people and the county seat of Johnson County. U of O is located at the foot of the Ozark Mountains, about 100 miles west of Little Rock. The university’s enrollment averages around 650 students, and the student body is represented by more than 25 states and 20 foreign countries. U of O is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church.

University of the Ozarks has been ranked as a “top tier” college in the South Region by "U.S. News & World Report" for the past nine years and has been ranked in the magazine’s “Great Schools, Great Prices” for five consecutive years. In the 2008 edition of "U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges", Ozarks was ranked No. 1 in the South in the “Great Schools, Great Prices” category. The university’s 30-acre, tree-shaded campus sits atop College Hill, about two blocks north of downtown Clarksville. The university is accredited by the North Central Association.

History

University of the Ozarks traces its roots back to 1834, making it the oldest university in Arkansas and one of the oldest institutions of higher education west of the Mississippi River. It was founded by Cumberland Presbyterians in 1834 as Cane Hill College in Cane Hill, Arkansas in Washington County. Its successor, Arkansas Cumberland College, opened in Clarksville in September of 1891. The name was changed to College of the Ozarks in 1920. The name was changed to University of the Ozarks in 1987.

Raymond Munger Memorial Chapel

One of the main landmarks of the university is the Raymond Munger Memorial Chapel, erected in 1933. The chapel was built with one of the single largest donations ever received by the college at the time, a $75,000 gift from Miss Jesse Munger of Planfield, N.J. Munger donated the money to build the chapel in memory of her father, Raymond Munger, a New York businessman who was known for his interest in religion and education. College students were paid to provide much of the labor for excavation, laying of the foundation and hauling of materials. Munger Chapel, which is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places, was designed by A.O. Clark of Rogers, Ark. Built of limestone trimmed with Nu-Carth stone, it is of Gothic design and follows general plans used in large cathedrals. The stained glass windows were designed and installed by The Willet Studios of Philadelphia. The university holds weekly services for the campus community in the chapel. It is also a popular wedding venue. The university celebrated the 75th anniversary of the chapel during a special ceremony during the 2008 Alumni Weekend in April.

President Dr. Rick Niece

Dr. Rick D. Niece was inaugurated as the 24th president of U of O during an inauguration ceremony on November 1, 1997. A native of Ohio, Niece attended Ohio State University where he earned his bachelor's degree. He earned his master's degree and Ph.D. from Kent State University. Before joining Ozarks, Niece held several administrative positions at Walsh University, including interim president. From 1997 to 2007, Niece helped U of O increase its enrollment more than 20 percent (525 to 643), increase the number of full-time faculty 50 percent (32 to 48), and increase its endowment 284 percent (from $25 million to $96 million). During that span, he also led a university fund-raising effort that raised more than $100 million for academic programs, scholarships, faculty and staff benefits, and facilities, including the $7 million Willard and Pat Walker Teacher Education and Communications building, completed in 2003.

tatistics

As of 2007
*Size—640 Students
*Student/Faculty Ratio—14:1
*Faculty with Highest Degree—over 90%
*Average Class Size—13
*Average Freshman ACT score—22.9
*Average Freshman SAT score—1035
*Average Freshman HS GPA—3.33
*States Represented—25
*Countries Represented—20

Athletics

The Ozarks Eagles participate in NCAA Division III American Southwest Conference against schools from the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The university offers competition in baseball, men's and women's basketball, cross country, men's and women's soccer, softball, and men's and women's tennis.

External links

* [http://www.ozarks.edu/ University of the Ozarks]