Faculty Handbook Chapters
Section Topics
Mission and Role
Included in this section are the mission statement of the University of Arkansas System, and mission statements and role and scope statements for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UA Little Rock) developed at three levels: the University of Arkansas System, the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, adopted by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and the campus. Although not identical, the statements are similar and consistent in content, each reflecting a different perspective from a different level of responsibility.
The University of Arkansas System is a comprehensive, multi-campus, publicly-aided institution dedicated to the improvement of the mind and spirit through the development and dissemination of knowledge. The System embraces and expands the historic trust inherent in the land-grant philosophy by providing access to academic and professional education, by developing intellectual growth and cultural awareness in its students, and by applying knowledge and research skills to an ever-changing human condition. (Adopted by the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees, 1988)
Vision Statement
UA Little Rock is dedicated to improving students’ lives and enhancing our communities. We will be a leading urban and metropolitan university that engages the city, the region and beyond through excellent teaching, research and partnerships. (Adopted by the UA Little Rock Faculty Senate, 2/22/2019)
Mission Statement
The mission of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock is to develop the intellect of students; to discover and disseminate knowledge; to serve and strengthen society by enhancing awareness in scientific, technical, and cultural arenas; and to promote humane sensitivities and understanding of interdependence. Within this broad mission are the responsibilities to use quality instruction to instill in students a lifelong desire to learn; to use knowledge in ways that will contribute to society; and to apply the resources and research skills of the University community to the service of the city, the state, the nation, and the world in ways that will benefit humanity. (Adopted by the UA Little Rock Faculty Senate, 1988)
Objectives
The University, through its various programs, works toward six mission objectives:
Excellence in Instruction: The University has a responsibility to provide excellence in instruction to ensure high quality education for our students. This responsibility includes developing faculty teaching skills, awareness of the ways students learn, and enhancement of resources to support effective instruction.
Scholarly Inquiry: The University has a responsibility to use scholarly inquiry to advance the discovery, preservation, and dissemination of knowledge. This responsibility includes the creation of a University environment that supports diverse research activities by faculty, staff, and students.and staff.resources.
Service to Society: The University has a responsibility to serve society through the application of knowledge and research skills. This responsibility includes applying the University’s resources to local, state, national, and international needs in order to improve the human condition.
Community of Learning: The University has a responsibility to provide a community of learning through the creation of an academic environment that stimulates students, faculty, and staff to become lifelong learners. This environment should heighten the intellectual, cultural, and humane sensitivities of students, faculty, and staff.
Accessibility: The University has a responsibility to serve the needs of a heterogeneous student population and make its resources accessible to the general public and local, state, national, and international groups. This responsibility includes creating opportunities for access to the University’s academic and other resources.
Responsiveness: The University has a responsibility to remain responsive to a changing environment and society. This responsibility includes a continuous assessment of the University’s strengths and weaknesses in planning for and meeting internal and external needs. It also includes developing the faculty, staff, and students’ desire and capacity in order to create an academic community that is open to change and ready to meet the demands of a dynamic environment and student body. (Adopted by the UA Little Rock Faculty Senate and Chancellor, 1988)
Developed by the UA Little Rock Faculty Senate
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock offers certificates and degree programs at the associate, baccalaureate, master’s, specialist, and doctoral levels. Disciplines in which degrees are offered include applied science, the arts; business, health, and public administration; communication; education; engineering technology; the humanities; law; social, physical, and life sciences; and social work.
The institution emphasizes the liberal education of undergraduate students and offers more focused professional study, particularly at graduate levels.
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock, taking advantage of its metropolitan location, offers programs and services that respond to the special needs and interests of individuals, organizations, institutions, businesses, and governmental units. Academic programs, student services, research activities, public service projects, and institutional policies reflect the University’s commitment to a diverse student body composed of recent high school graduates, students returning to school after other experiences, retirees, international students, disabled students, and professionals seeking a career change or enrichment. A significant percentage of these students attend school part-time and work full or part-time. As a result, many UA Little Rock students bring experience and a high level of motivation into the classroom.
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock strives to make higher education accessible to all who can benefit. The institution’s academic courses are offered in flexible and varied time periods and learning formats, at off-campus locations as well as in traditional classrooms, and by radio, telecommunication, and newspaper. In all of these forms, the quality of instruction is of paramount importance. The University has a nationally recognized scholars program and curriculum, honors courses, and other programs for superior students.
Specialized programs and assistance are offered to educationally disadvantaged students. The University is committed to international education, supporting programs and courses that attract international students and offer opportunities for all students to explore and experience other cultures.
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock recognizes its responsibility to contribute to bodies of knowledge through research as well as to disseminate ideas through instruction. The University fosters both basic and applied research appropriate to its programs and faculty. The University supports grant applications and other attempts to gain sponsorship for research. Many research activities address the problems of Arkansas as it interacts with an increasingly complex and interdependent world.
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock shares its resources with the larger community through public service. Activities include noncredit educational offerings ranging from college preparatory classes to courses for personal enrichment and awareness; special programs for precollegiate students; programs for professional advancement; and institutes and centers to focus research and study on such areas as teaching and learning, technology, government, management, and urban affairs. The University serves the State of Arkansas in economic development through assistance from businesses, seminars for managers and workers, and support for entrepreneurial ventures. The University provides leadership in cultural enrichment and makes its resources available to the community. Relationships with local, state, and national governments and with business and industry strengthen the curriculum and provide students and faculty opportunities to apply theory and research.
The University anticipates continued growth in the number of students and in the number and size of academic programs. The primary aim of the University in all of its varied activities will continue to be maintaining and improving the quality of education for all its students. (Adopted by the UA Little Rock Faculty Senate, 1988)
UA Little Rock Role and Scope Developed by the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UA Little Rock) is a Carnegie “Doctoral/Research University” offering a comprehensive range of undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs, and a first professional degree in law. Due to its location in the state’s capital city and largest, most complex metropolitan area, the demand for UA Little Rock to offer graduate, professional, and doctoral education continues to increase, and, thus, post-baccalaureate offerings will become a larger part of the institution’s instructional program. Because of its metropolitan location, UA Little Rock assumes a special role in relation to the needs of urban areas in modern society in its instruction, research, and public service programs. UA Little Rock recognizes and accepts that in the 21st Century universities are critical to regional and state economic development. UA Little Rock serves a diverse student body.
While it serves traditional students as do most other universities, UA Little Rock also serves large numbers of nontraditional students who enroll part-time, commute to campus, have job and family responsibilities, and maybe older. The university also enrolls international students from more than 50 countries. Honors courses and a nationally recognized undergraduate scholars program respond to the needs of superior students while students with developmental needs are afforded organized assistance in meeting their educational goals.
UA Little Rock emphasizes excellence in teaching by all faculty. Developing technological competence in students receives particular attention. UA Little Rock is strongly committed to research and public service. Faculty engage in applied and basic research appropriate to their academic disciplines and in response to economic development needs and other state and regional needs. The university is committed to supporting research and development, often in cooperative relationships, leading to intellectual property and commercialization. UA Little Rock’s public service mission is reflected in numerous outreach activities by individual faculty members, academic units, and a number of specialized units established to provide assistance and expertise to organizations and groups in the community and across the state. Partnerships are very important to UA Little Rock for they enable the university to extend its reach, increase effectiveness, and leverage its resources.
UA Little Rock works with other institutions of higher education particularly the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, and Pulaski Technical College to coordinate instructional programs. UA Little Rock partners with and complements the research activities of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. UA Little Rock gives and receives benefit from partnerships with businesses, schools, governmental offices, neighborhood groups, cultural organizations, and nonprofit organizations. (Adopted by the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees, 1978; revised 1982, 1989, 1991, 2006)
UA Little Rock Role and Scope Developed by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board Audiences
As the state’s metropolitan university, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UA Little Rock) has the responsibility for serving:
- Residents of Arkansas and the Little Rock metropolitan area who have completed a high school education and are seeking either a college degree or continuing professional education. As a metropolitan university, the institution serves adult, part-time students in particular.
- Employers across the state, particularly in the region, both public and private, seeking well-educated employees, technical assistance and applied research
- Economic development interests and entrepreneurs in the region and across the state.
- The research community.
- The community and area by providing a broad range of academic and cultural activities and public events.
- Area K-12 schools seeking college general education courses for advanced students.
- Two-year college transfer students.
Array Of Programs And Services
UA Little Rock serves these audiences by providing:
- Baccalaureate programs in arts and humanities, the natural sciences, and social sciences appropriate to a teaching institution with a predominantly undergraduate student body.
- Associate, baccalaureate and masters programs in the professional fields of particular importance in the region, including journalism and communications, public administration and community services, computer and information science, nursing, human services (including social work and criminal justice), education, engineering, and business.
- Doctoral programs most needed by regional and state employers, most importantly, programs in education and applied science.
- Services specifically designed to meet the needs of statewide and regional economic development, continuing professional education, technical and professional services, support of small businesses and entrepreneurs, and technology transfer.
A significant percentage of these students attend school part-time and work full-or part-time. As a result, many UA Little Rock students bring experience and a high level of motivation into the classroom. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock strives to make higher education accessible to all those who can benefit. The institution’s academic courses are offered in flexible and varied time periods and learning formats, at off-campus locations as well as in traditional classrooms, and by radio, telecommunication, and newspaper. In all of these forms, the quality of instruction is of paramount importance. The University has a nationally recognized scholars program and curriculum, honors courses, and other programs for superior students.
Specialized programs and assistance are offered to educationally disadvantaged students. The University is committed to international education, supporting programs and courses that attract international students and offer opportunities for all students to explore and experience other cultures. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock recognizes its responsibility to contribute to bodies of knowledge through research as well as to disseminate ideas through instruction.
The University fosters both basic and applied research appropriate to its programs and faculty. The University supports grant applications and other attempts to gain sponsorship for research. Many research activities address the problems of Arkansas as it interacts with an increasingly complex and interdependent world. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock shares its resources with the larger community through public service. Activities include noncredit educational offerings ranging from college preparatory classes to courses for personal enrichment and awareness; special programs for pre-collegiate students; programs for professional advancement; and institutes and centers to focus research and study on such areas as teaching and learning, technology, government, management, and urban affairs.
The University serves the State of Arkansas in economic development through assistance from businesses, seminars for managers and workers, and support for entrepreneurial ventures. The University provides leadership in cultural enrichment and makes its resources available to the community. Relationships with local, state, and national governments and with business and industry strengthen the curriculum and provide students and faculty opportunities to apply theory and research. The University anticipates continued growth in the number of students and in the number and size of academic programs.
The primary aim of the University in all of its varied activities will continue to be maintaining and improving the quality of education for all its students. A significant percentage of these students attend school part-time and work full-or part-time. As a result, many UA Little Rock students bring experience and a high level of motivation into the classroom. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock strives to make higher education accessible to all those who can benefit. The institution’s academic courses are offered in flexible and varied time periods and learning formats, at off-campus locations as well as in traditional classrooms, and by radio, telecommunication, and newspaper. In all of these forms, the quality of instruction is of paramount importance. The University has a nationally recognized scholars program and curriculum, honors courses, and other programs for superior students. Specialized programs and assistance are offered to educationally disadvantaged students.
The University is committed to international education, supporting programs and courses that attract international students and offer opportunities for all students t explore and experience other cultures. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock recognizes its responsibility to contribute to bodies of knowledge through research as well as to disseminate ideas through instruction. The University fosters both basic and applied research appropriate to its programs and faculty. The University supports grant applications and other attempts to gain sponsorship for research. Many research activities address the problems of Arkansas as it interacts with an increasingly complex and interdependent world. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock shares its resources with the larger community through public service. Activities include noncredit educational offerings ranging from college preparatory classes to courses for personal enrichment and awareness; special programs for pre-collegiate students; programs for professional advancement; and institutes and centers to focus research and study on such areas as teaching and learning, technology, government, management, and urban affairs. The University serves the State of Arkansas in economic development through assistance from businesses, seminars for managers and workers, and support for entrepreneurial ventures. The University provides leadership in cultural enrichment and makes its resources available to the community. Relationships with local, state, and national governments and with business and industry strengthen the curriculum and provide students and faculty opportunities to apply theory and research.
The University anticipates continued growth in the number of students and in the number and size of academic programs. The primary aim of the University in all of its varied activities will continue to be maintaining and improving the quality of education for all its students.
(Adopted by the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board, July 2008)
The following federal laws and executive orders pertaining to nondiscrimination apply to the operation of all units of the University:
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin by educational programs receiving federal funds.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972, prohibits discrimination in employment (including hiring, upgrading, salaries, fringe benefits, training, and other conditions of employment) on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex.
Executive Order 11246, as amended by Executive Order 11375, prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex by institutions with federal contracts of more than $10,000.
Equal Pay Act of 1963, as amended by Education Amendments of 1972 (Higher Education Act), prohibits discrimination in salaries on the basis of sex.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Higher Education Act) prohibits discrimination against students or others in educational programs or activities on the basis of sex.
Title VII (Section 799A) and Title VII (Section 845) of the Public Health Service Act, as amended by the Comprehensive Health Manpower Training Act and the Nurse Training Amendment Act of 1971, prohibits discriminatory admission of students to federally assisted health personnel training programs and discriminatory employment practices in these programs based on sex.
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act applies to people age 40 and over and forbids discrimination on the basis of age unless age is a bona fide occupational qualification. The University may not advertise to indicate a preference or limitation on age, discriminate in hiring on the basis of age, or deny career opportunities on the basis of age.
Title VII and Title VIII of the Public Health Service Act, as amended, prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in admitting students and against employees who work directly with students in health personnel training programs.
The Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Act of 1974 requires all institutions with federal contracts of $10,000 or more for procurement of personal property and nonpersonal services (including construction) to take affirmative action to employ and promote qualified disabled veterans and veterans of the Vietnam era. That period is defined as the time between August 5, 1964, through May 7, 1975.
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 503/504) prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in educational programs, activities, and employment when the institution receives federal funding.
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 requires employers to verify the citizenship status of all new employees.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 prohibits discrimination against and requires accommodations for persons with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, public services, transportation, and telecommunications.
For inquiries concerning the application of any federal law or regulation, contact ualr.edu/humanresources.
A 10-member Board of Trustees, each member appointed by the governor to a 10-year term, makes policy for the 18 principal campus units, divisions, and administrative units of the University of Arkansas System.
In the event of a discrepancy or inconsistency between UA Little Rock policies and Board of Trustees or UA Systemwide Policies and Procedures, Board of Trustees or Systemwide Policies and Procedures take precedence.
University of Arkansas Board of Trustees Policies
Board of Trustees Policies are established by the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas and applicable to the campuses, divisions, and units of the UA System. These policies are referenced throughout this handbook, using the acronym “BP.” For access to these documents, see www.uasys.edu/policies/board-policies.
University of Arkansas Systemwide Policies and Procedures
UA Systemwide Policies and Procedures are instituted by the President’s Office of the University of Arkansas with the purpose of providing guidance and direction to campuses regarding certain administrative subjects. This may include guidance related to existing Board of Trustees policies and other guidance that cannot be appropriately addressed in Board policy. Throughout this handbook, the acronym “UASP” is used to reference current systemwide policies and procedures. For access to these documents, see www.uasys.edu/policies/ua-system-policies.
UA Little Rock Policies
Every attempt is made to ensure that policies and procedures in this Faculty Handbook reflect current, approved policies and procedures for the campus within guidelines of the University of Arkansas System (BP, UASP) and those approved on campus. Throughout this handbook, the acronym “UP” is used to reference approved UA Little Rock policies.
UA Little Rock Faculty Senate Actions
Faculty Senate legislation and policies are indicated according to the date approved and listed using the acronym “FS.” In some instances, these actions are also coded as UP.
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