Arkansas State University
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P. O. Box 1570
State University, AR 72467
http://www.astate.edu

Arkansas State University enjoys a reputation as a quality regional institution of higher education and is recognized for offering special services to the people of the Arkansas Delta. It is the only comprehensive public university located in this region. Dedicated to teaching, research and service, the university provides students with the broad educational foundations that help develop critical thinking and analytical skills, decision-making capabilities, and communication skills. Dr. Les Wyatt has been president of Arkansas State University since July 1, 1995.

This institution was founded in Jonesboro in 1909 by the Arkansas Legislature as a regional agricultural training school. It began offering a two-year college program in 1918, then became "First District Agricultural and Mechanical College" in 1925. A four-year degree program was begun in 1930, then A & M College became "Arkansas State College" in 1933. The Arkansas Legislature elevated the college to university status and changed the name to Arkansas State University in 1967. Today, the institution has more than 55,000 alumni.

Degree Programs
Master's degree graduate programs were initiated in 1955, and ASU began offering its first doctoral degree, in educational leadership, in the fall of 1992. A second doctoral program, in environmental science, was begun in the fall of 1997, and the doctoral program in heritage studies began in the fall of 2001. The doctoral program in molecular biosciences began in the spring of 2006. Programs at the specialist's, master's, bachelor's and associate's degree levels are available through the various colleges: Agriculture, Business, Communications, Education, Engineering, Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Nursing and Health Professions, Sciences and Mathematics, and University College. Classes also are offered through The Honors College and the independent Department of Military Science. More information about the various colleges and academic departments is available through the Office of Research and Academic Affairs.

Accreditation
Arkansas State University's commitment to excellence in higher education is demonstrated by its accreditation by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association, as well as 18 specialized accrediting organizations. In addition, the university holds membership in several national organizations which support the highest educational standards.

The ASU System
The ASU system includes campuses Jonesboro (Craighead County), which offers degree programs through the doctoral level; Beebe (White County), Mountain Home (Baxter County), and Newport (Jackson County), where associate degree programs are offered; and at Heber Springs, Marked Tree and Searcy. Arkansas State University-Beebe became part of the ASU system in 1955. It associated with White River Vo-Tech at Newport in 1992; that campus has attained stand-alone status and is now Arkansas State University-Newport. The Mountain Home campus officially became ASU-Mountain Home on July 1, 1995. Delta Technical Institute at Marked Tree merged with ASU and became Arkansas State University Technical Center on July 1, 2001. A new campus is being built for ASU-Heber Springs, which operates as a sister campus of ASU-Beebe. Foothills Technical Institute at Searcy was merged with ASU-Beebe on July 1, 2003, and is now ASU-Searcy, a technical institute of ASU-Beebe.

ASU offers bachelor's degree programs, master's degree programs and upper level courses through ASU degree centers at ASU-Beebe, ASU-Mountain Home, and three other cities -- Blytheville, Forrest City and West Memphis -- where partnership agreements have been established in cooperation with the local community colleges. ASU also operates an instructional site at nearby Paragould, in Greene County.

Enrollment Growth
ASU has grown significantly over the past 20 years; the Jonesboro campus enrollment in the fall of 1981 was 7,448; five years later it was 8,526, and by 1991 it had grown to 9,717. Five years ago the fall enrollment at Jonesboro stood at 10,309. Today, because of the close partnerships between the campuses, ASU reports a combined enrollment for its system of campuses. Total system enrollment in the fall of 2005 was 16,937.