FORT SMITH -- Not as many students overall are expected to graduate from the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith this semester compared with last year, but the school has seen an increase in expected graduates in its baccalaureate program, the provost said Wednesday.
Georgia Hale, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, told the school's board of visitors during a meeting Wednesday that 610 students will be eligible for graduation this year, assuming they pass their finals.
Hale said UAFS is down from last year in terms of students graduating with certificates and associate degrees. However, the university is up 17% in baccalaureate degrees compared with the fall of 2018, and six students are expected to graduate with master's of science degrees in health care administration.
Twenty-nine candidates are expected to graduate this fall with technical certificates, according to information supplied by Rachel Rodemann Putman, the university's interim public information director. Forty-seven are expected to graduate with certificates of proficiency, 109 with associate degrees, 419 with bachelor's degrees and six with master's degrees.
"Compared to last fall, we're down 7% overall, but again, the big thing is we have 17% more baccalaureate students graduating this year, so it shows a trend toward more bachelor's degree programs for us," Hale said.
Hale told the board that UAFS has a pathway for students to go from earning certificates to earning associate degrees and then baccalaureate degrees, and that she believes more students are taking advantage of that opportunity.
UAFS' fall commencement will be 10 a.m. Dec. 14 at the Stubblefield Center on campus.
State Desk on 12/06/2019