����vlog���� has been ranked the No. 2 Best Value and No. 6 overall in the South in the latest U.S. News & World Report’s annual college rankings.

In the 2023 edition of Best Colleges, released this week, U of O ranked second in the “Best Value Schools” category among the nearly 100 regional colleges that were listed in the South Region. The value rankings evaluate the cost of attending a university relative to the quality of the institution and takes into account such things as the percentage of students receiving need-based financial aid and the average institutional aid those students receive.

The magazine’s annual late summer publication that analyzes institutions of higher education also had Ozarks sixth in overall rankings among South Regional Colleges — the 24th consecutive year Ozarks has been ranked in the “top tier” among regional colleges in the South.

U of O has been ranked in the top five in the Best Value category in the South in each of the past five years.

Ozarks has also been ranked overall among the top 10 in the 12-state South Region in each of the past 10 years. The overall rankings examine such criteria as academic reputation, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving.

In addition, Ozarks was ranked No. 1 in the South Region for Most International Students and 36th in the South Region in the category of “Social Mobility.” This category represents those colleges that are most successful “at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants. The vast majority of these federal grants are awarded to students whose adjusted gross family incomes are under $50,000,” according to the magazine.

The publication’s South Region consists of primarily undergraduate colleges and universities in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Virginia.

The post U.S. News Ranks Ozarks No. 2 Best Value in South appeared first on ����vlog����.

The ����vlog���� Board of Trustees has voted to freeze tuition for the 2022-23 academic year, the eighth time in the past decade that the University has not raised tuition from the previous year.

The Board chose to hold the annual cost of tuition to $24,950 for the third consecutive year. Since 2013, tuition at Ozarks has risen just 5 percent, compared to a nearly 30 percent national average increase in tuition at four-year colleges over the past decade.

In the latest U.S. News & World Report’s annual college rankings, released in the fall, U of O was ranked as the No. 1 “Best Value” in the 12-state South Region. The value rankings evaluate the cost of attending a university relative to the quality of the institution and takes into account such things as the percentage of students receiving need-based financial aid and the average institutional aid those students receive.

“As we have for the last decade, we remain committed to ensuring that an Ozarks education is as affordable and accessible as possible and to reducing the amount of debt our students incur,” said U of O President Richard Dunsworth. “Even as our economy recovers, we know that many financial challenges remain for our students and their families. Our Board wants to ensure that the door to opportunity remains open for both our current students and our incoming students.”

There were also no changes to the University’s learning material fees. There will be a 2.8 percent increase in room fees and a 6 percent increase in board fees for the 2022-23 academic year. Dunsworth said the rising cost of food precipitated the increase in board fees.

“Our food costs are going up 12 to 14 percent next year and we’re absorbing half of that increase,” Dunsworth said. “While we are not able to control costs impacted by inflation such as our dining expenses, I commend our Board and our finance administrators and staff for managing the budget in a way that we are able to once again hold steady on our tuition rate while still maintaining the exceptional academic experience our students and families expect from ����vlog����.”

The University awarded approximately 200 privately funded scholarships, worth nearly $12 million, to Ozarks students this year. The scholarships are funded by the University’s alumni and friends. U of O’s tuition of $24,950 is 35 percent less than the national average of $38,070 for a private, four-year university, according to The College Board’s Trends in College Pricing 2021.

The post U of O Continues Tuition Freeze for 2022-23 appeared first on ����vlog����.

Numerous ����vlog���� alumni as well as family and friends of Joe Hoing have created an endowed scholarship in memory of the long-time dean of students.

Hoing, who died in 2019, served Ozarks as an administrator and instructor from 1984 until his retirement in 2014. He was dean of students at the University for 29 years, where he had a positive and enduring impact on hundreds of students.

Nearly 40 alumni and friends have donated to the scholarship. Donors met the $20,000 threshold to establish a named endowment earlier this year.

The University held an endowment agreement signing on Feb. 27 that was attended by Hoing’s son, Montana, his wife, Samantha, and their son, Carson. Samantha is an academic support coordinator in the Jones Learning Center at Ozarks.

Dr. Pat Farmer, former Walton Professor of Theatre at Ozarks, and George Pittenger, a 1991 Ozarks graduate, represented the supporters of the scholarship by signing the endowment agreement.

“Joe Hoing embodied the spirit of Ozarks,” Farmer said. “His love and concern for students were palpable. With publicity limited to social media and word of mouth, the fact that many individuals contributed to the scholarship is testament to his campus legacy.”

Among the requirements to receive the scholarship is that a student must have completed at least 30 earned credits with a 3.0 GPA or higher. The recipient should also be active in student life and be involved with community service in Johnson County, Arkansas.

A native of Coal Hill, Ark., Hoing was a collegiate All-American football player before pursuing a career in education. He was a two-time recipient of the University’s Broyles Outstanding Staff Award.

“I’m grateful for Joe’s friendship,” Pittenger said. “He regularly showed his first priority was to the students with knowing the right thing to say whether it was a laugh or words of support. I’m glad that Loraine and I are able to help support the Joe Hoing Scholarship and that he will continue to help students as he always has.”

For those who would like to contribute to the Joe Hoing Scholarship, please contact the Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement at 479-979-1234.

Those pictured include (front row, from left) University President Richard Dunsworth, George Pittenger, Samantha Hoing, Carson Hoing, Montana Hoing, Dr. Pat Farmer and (back row) Brian Henderson, director of annual giving and alumni engagement.

The post Alumni, Friends Establish Joe Hoing Scholarship appeared first on ����vlog����.

����vlog����’ Board of Trustees has voted to freeze tuition for the upcoming academic year, the seventh time in the last nine years that Ozarks has not raised tuition from the previous year. Since 2013, tuition at Ozarks has risen just 5 percent, compared to a nearly 30 percent national average increase in tuition at four-year colleges over the past decade.

The Board voted on Feb. 5 to hold the annual cost of tuition for the 2021-22 academic year amid the uncertainty brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We know that many families continue to struggle in our current economic conditions and the University and the Board felt it was imperative to freeze tuition during these difficult times,” said U of O President Richard Dunsworth. “Our students and their families have had to face many challenges in recent months and a tuition increase for next year shouldn’t have to be one of them. We remain committed to ensuring that an Ozarks education is as affordable and accessible as possible and to reducing the amount of debt our students incur.”  

There were also no changes to the University’s learning material fees. There will be a $100 increase to both room and board for the 2021-22 academic year.

Dunsworth commended the University’s alumni and friends for their support of student scholarships, pointing out that the current Climb Higher Campaign has raised more than $30 million in scholarship support.

“Our amazing alumni and friends continue to faithfully and generously support the mission of the University by financially supporting out students’ education,” Dunsworth said. “We are extremely blessed to alumni and friends who understand the value and importance of an Ozarks education and who want to help our students experience that.”

There are approximately 200 privately funded scholarships available for Ozarks students from alumni and friends and the University awarded nearly $12 million in institutional scholarships to students last year.

U of O’s tuition of $24,950 is nearly 35 percent less than the national average of $37,650 for a private, four-year university, according to The College Board’s Trends in College Pricing 2020. Not raising tuition also runs counter to national trends in higher education. According to The College Board, the national average tuition increase has been 28 percent for four-year private and public universities since 2011.

The post University Announces Tuition Freeze for 2021-22 appeared first on ����vlog����.

����vlog���� has been ranked in multiple categories in the latest U.S. News & World Report’s annual college rankings.

In the 2021 edition of Best Colleges, released this week, U of O ranked in a tie for fifth overall among more than 80 regional colleges in the South — the 22nd consecutive year Ozarks has been ranked in the “top tier” among regional colleges in the South.

Ozarks has been ranked among the top 10 in the 12-state South Region in each of the past 10 years. The overall rankings examine such criteria as academic reputation, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving.

The magazine’s annual late summer publication that analyzes institutions of higher education also had U of O ranked second in the “Best Value Schools” in the South, trailing only Kentucky State University. The value rankings evaluate the cost of attending a university relative to the quality of the institution and takes into account such things as the percentage of students receiving need-based financial aid and the average institutional aid those students receive.

In addition, Ozarks was ranked third in the South Region in the category of “Most Innovative,” a new ranking based on “making the most innovative improvements in terms of curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities. The schools that received the most nominations for making promising changes on campus are listed here,” according to the publication.

In the category of “Undergraduate Teaching,” for colleges that put a focus on undergraduate teaching, Ozarks was ranked ninth in the South.

In the area of “Social Mobility,” Ozarks was ranked No. 27 in the South. This category represents those colleges that are most successful “at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants. The vast majority of these federal grants are awarded to students whose adjusted gross family incomes are under $50,000,” according to the magazine.

The publication’s South Region consists of primarily undergraduate colleges and universities in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Virginia.

The post Ozarks Ranked in Multiple Categories by U.S. News appeared first on ����vlog����.

The ����vlog���� Board of Trustees on April 25 voted to freeze tuition for the 2020-21 academic year amid the uncertainty brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic

It is the sixth time in the last eight years that the University has not raised tuition. Since 2013, tuition at Ozarks has risen just 5 percent.

University President Richard Dunsworth said the Board took into consideration the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on students and their families in the decision to keep tuition flat.

“Now, more than ever, our decisions need to be mission-driven and focused on accessibility and affordability,” Dunsworth said. “We understand that families are struggling and that there is a lot of uncertainty regarding the future. One of our primary goals has been to reduce the amount of debt for students through controlling the cost of tuition and allocating existing resources, including scholarships, grants and other financial assistance. Our efforts to control costs and improve quality are consistent with the mission and values of the University and are more paramount than ever.”

There were also no changes to the University’s learning material fees and a slight $100 average increase to room and board for the upcoming academic year. In addition, the board approved a revamped model of the Jones Learning Center that will allow the program to reduce its fees by 48 percent, beginning the 2020-21 academic year.

Dunsworth commended the University’s alumni and friends for their support of student scholarships, pointing out that the current Climb Higher Campaign has already raised more than $32 million in scholarship endowment support.

“Our alumni and friends continue to faithfully and generously support the mission of the University by financially supporting out students’ education,” Dunsworth said. “We are extremely blessed to have such caring and engaged alumni and friends who understand the value and importance of an Ozarks education and who want to help our students experience that.”

There are approximately 200 privately funded scholarships available for Ozarks students from alumni and friends and the University awarded nearly $12 million in financial aid to Ozarks students in 2019-20.

U of O’s tuition of $24,950 is more than 30 percent less than the national average of $36,880 for a private, four-year university, according to The College Board’s Trends in College Pricing 2019. Not raising tuition also runs counter to national trends in higher education. According to The College Board, the national average tuition increase was 3.4 percent for private nonprofit universities in 2019-20.

The post Board Votes No Tuition Increase for 2020-21 appeared first on ����vlog����.

The ����vlog���� Alumni Association Board of Directors has decided to name one of its most prestigious student grants in memory of Joe Hoing, the University’s beloved long-time dean of students.

At its annual winter meeting on Feb.22, the board voted to establish the Joe Hoing Student Involvement Grant. Formerly known as the Alumni Connections Student Involvement Grant, it is awarded for projects and initiatives that enrich connections between alumni and current students.

Hoing, who died in August at the age of 71, served as dean of students at Ozarks for 29 years, until his retirement in 2014. The former college All-American football player also taught fitness and weight training classes at Ozarks for many years.

“The Alumni Board members wanted a way to recognize Joe Hoing and the positive impact he left on so many students at Ozarks,” said Justin McCormick, associate director of alumni engagement. “In his honor, the board felt that by renaming a pre-existing grant serving student involvement would capture this dedication and allow students for generations to continue to work toward the legacy he left at Ozarks.”

The post Alumni Board Names Grant in Honor of Hoing appeared first on ����vlog����.

Monica Frizzell has been named the new registrar at ����vlog����, effective Jan. 2.

A 2002 graduate of Ozarks, Frizzell has served in the Registrar’s Office for more than 15 years, including 11 years as assistant registrar.

“I am very excited about Monica stepping into the role of registrar,” said Jeff Scaccia, vice president for finance and administration. “She brings considerable experience working in the Registrar’s Office and is very familiar with the requirements and responsibilities of the position.  Her background will also give her insight into where improvements may be made to better the student experience and to continue improving operational efficiency for the office and how it interacts with the rest of the campus.”

Frizzell worked in the Registrar’s Office from 2001 to 2005 and served as assistant registrar from 2005 to 2014 before leaving the University in 2014. She returned in 2017 as assistant registrar. She also previously worked as the office manager in the Division of Humanities and Fine Arts from 2000 to 2001.

She replaces Wilma Harris, who retired in December.

“I have had the pleasure of serving students, faculty and staff at Ozarks for many years in the Registrar’s Office and I’m excited for the opportunity to continue to serve the campus as registrar,” Frizzell said. “I look forward to continuing to help students achieve their degrees and to see them succeed.”

The Registrar’s Office maintains the official repository of student enrollment, registration and academic records of current and formerly enrolled students. It is responsible for registering U of O students, reporting grade information and maintaining academic records. The office is responsible for maintaining an accurate schedule of courses and provides assistance to students with name and address changes, enrollment certifications, registration, schedule adjustments after the drop/add period and graduation.

Frizzell and her husband, Jeff, live in Clarksville and have one daughter, Abby.

The post Frizzell Named Registrar appeared first on ����vlog����.

����vlog���� alumna Edna Elkins Patterson ’67 and her husband, John, have created a new scholarship endowment at Ozarks to assist elementary education students from Johnson County.

The long-time Clarksville residents established The Edna Elkins Patterson and John S. Patterson Education Scholarship recently with a gift commitment of $100,000. The first preference for the scholarship is to assist students from Johnson County who are majoring in elementary education.

“The loyalty of our alumni and their desire to help students is one of the University’s strongest qualities and the Pattersons exemplify that commitment,” said Lori McBee, vice president for advancement. “We are grateful that the Patterson Scholarship will make it possible for many more students to excel at Ozarks, in their careers and in their communities.”

After graduating from Ozarks in 1967 with a degree in elementary education, Edna served more than 35 years as a teacher and media specialist, including 32 years in Clarksville elementary schools. She also taught in Van Buren, Ark.,, and Springdale, Ark.

Edna, whose family moved to Clarksville when she was 5, said that while she was a student at Clarksville High School she served as an aide to school librarian Lois Smith, wife of long-time Ozarks biology professor T.L. “Prof” Smith. Lois Smith encouraged Edna to attend then College of the Ozarks.

“Since there was no library degree available at C of O, I majored in elementary education,” she said. “Children’s literature, taught by Ruby Villines, was a class I especially enjoyed. She instilled in me a desire to teach. This gift is an expression of appreciation for all the wonderful teachers I had at C of O, now ����vlog����.”

Edna said attending Ozarks was one of the best decisions she ever made.

“My dad had been diagnosed with cancer so I knew I wanted to go college as close as possible so that I could be there with him,” she said. “I lived on campus for three years and had so much fun and met so many wonderful friends. My father died during my senior year, so I always felt blessed that I could be close to him in his final years and also receive a great education.”

The Pattersons, who will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in June, said the scholarship endowment stands as testimony to the faith journey they have had through their worship and service at First Presbyterian Church of Clarksville. The Patterson have two children, Page Patterson Hardin and Penny Patterson Coffman, and three grandchildren, Abigail, Regan and Graham.

John, a fourth generation Clarksville resident who retired in 2007 after serving as a circuit court judge in Franklin, Johnson and Pope counties, said he and his wife feel blessed to be able to help Ozarks students.

“Being able to establish a scholarship at this stage of our lives rather than through a will or estate gift makes this very special,” he said. “We will be able to see the scholarship benefit students in our lifetime and perhaps even be able to sit down and have coffee with some of the recipients in the future. That’s a true blessing.”

The post Pattersons Establish Education Scholarship appeared first on ����vlog����.

For the first time in almost 30 years ����vlog���� students will have the opportunity to participate in the U.S. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program.

The University has re-established its ROTC program for the Spring 2018 Semester in collaboration with the University of Central Arkansas’ (UCA) ROTC program. Ozarks last had ROTC on campus in the late 1980s.

According to U of O Assistant Vice President for Advancement Reggie Hill, approximately a dozen current Ozarks students have shown interest in being part of the new program that prepares selected students to serve as commissioned officers in the active or reserve components of the Army.

“We are excited about providing our students with another pathway to long-term success and with additional career options,” Hill said. “ROTC is a first-class leadership and management program that offers an unparalleled opportunity for personal development. ROTC is also one of the nation’s leading sources of college scholarships, which is another great benefit to our current students as well as prospective students.”

U of O’s new program will fall under the administration of UCA’s program, which includes eight Arkansas colleges and universities and forms the Bayonet Battalion, headquartered at UCA.

Ozarks is planning to add a minor in military science to its academic curriculum for the Fall 2018 Semester, according to Hill. Until the minor is established, U of O students enrolled in the ROTC program will take military science classes and leadership labs as well as conduct physical training through the Arkansas Tech University affiliate program in Russellville.

According to CPT Matthew Sweeney, assistant professor of military science and officer in charge at ATU, there are 35 students enrolled in the ROTC program at Tech.

“I am honored to be a part of helping re-establish the program at Ozarks and to help attract, motivate and develop good young officers for either the U.S. Army’s reserve components or active duty,” Sweeney said. “I’m well aware of the great academic reputation of Ozarks and I know it has high-quality students. We’re here to give those students who might have an interest in the military another option and to continue to expand the pipeline for top-quality officers as much as we can.”

Army ROTC offers two, three and four-year scholarships, awarded strictly on merit. The scholarship covers full tuition and fees. Additionally, they receive a stipend of $300 a month as a freshman, $350 a month as a sophomore, $450 a month as a junior, and $500 a month as a senior, as well as a stipend for books.

The Army ROTC Program is of modular construction and is composed of a basic and an advanced course. Enrollment in the basic course is open to all full-time students, and it carries with it no obligation for military service. Completion of the basic course is a prerequisite for application to the advanced course. Upon successful completion of the program and graduation from college, young men and women become an Army Lieutenant in either the active Army, Army National Guard, or the U.S. Army Reserve.

For more information on the ROTC program, please contact the U of O Office of Admission at 479-979-1227.

The post ROTC Program Is Re-established at Ozarks appeared first on ����vlog����.