University of Arkansas Rich Mountain

University of Arkansas Rich Mountain
Former names	Rich Mountain Vocational-Technical School, Rich Mountain Community College
Type	Public community college
Established	1973
President	Phillip Wilson
Academic staff	55
Undergraduates	1,004
Location	Mena, Arkansas, United States; 34°35′29″N 94°13′13″W / 34.59131°N 94.22020°W
Website	http://www.uarichmountain.edu

University of Arkansas Rich Mountain (UARM) is a public community college in Mena, Arkansas. It has satellite campuses in Waldron, Wickes, Oden, and Mount Ida that serve Polk, Scott, and Montgomery counties. The college serves the citizens of the Ouachita Mountain Region.^[2]

History

UARM was founded in 1973 as the Rich Mountain Vocational-Technical School, where it would serve as an affiliate of the Arkansas Department of Vocational Education. Accepting its first students in 1975, the school enrolled an entering class of approximately 250 students.^[3] In 1983, the school was merged with Henderson State University's off-campus program to form Rich Mountain Community College, as part of the establishment of the Polk County community college district.^[4] In 1990, it was accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools following 6 years in candidate status and was re-accredited in 2005 with the North Central Association noting it was a "model rural community college".^[4]^[5]

The forty-acre main campus in Mena includes the new Machine Tool Maintenance Building, St. John's Library, the KRMN-LP 101.1 FM radio station, and the RMCC TV broadcasting studio among the various classroom and administrative offices.^[6] Most students major in liberal arts, with business being the second largest concentration.^[1]

In February 2017, the college was acquired by the University of Arkansas System and renamed to University of Arkansas Rich Mountain.^[7]

Presidents

1973-1987 Mary Louise Spencer
1987-2000 Bill Abernathy
2000-2008 Janet Smith^[8]
2008–2011 Wayne Hatcher
2011–present Phillip M. Wilson

References

^ ^a ^b "College Search". CollegeBoard. 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
^ "Rich Mountain Community College". www.VisionMena.com. Vision Realty in Mena Arkansas. 2008-11-06. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
^ Roberts, Chris (2008-02-22). "Rich Mountain Community College". The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. The Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
^ ^a ^b "History of RMCC". RMCC. 2008. Archived from the original on 2010-12-30. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
^ "Self Study Report" (PDF). RMCC. 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-30. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
^ "College Overview". educationUSA. 2007-12-15. Retrieved 2008-11-28. ^{[dead link‍]}
^ Hinkel, Nate (February 16, 2017). "UA System Adds UA-Rich Mountain in Merger". UA System. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
^ Columbia State news, accessed 29 November 2008 Archived August 7, 2008, at the Wayback Machine