University of Arkansas – Fort Smith’s Ambitious Announcement

Last Wednesday, April 2nd, the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith gathered staff, students, parents, and other members of the community to disclose an "ambitious announcement." The event began advertising in March, through mailed cards to parents, almost daily emails to students, and even a countdown on the university's public website, all leading up to a reveal that was marketed to have been 100 years in the making.

That, along with its intended secrecy, there was much talk concerning the contents of the release as the day of the announcement advanced. I spoke to some who supposed the university would be getting its own football team, while others expected that UAFS would depart from the title of the University of Arkansas branch. There was even speculation that the event involved financial aid or awarded finances. Unfortunately, all assumptions were mistaken.

Sometime around 11:30 a.m., the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith's chancellor, Terisa Riley, walked onto stage to reveal that the long-awaited "Ambitious Announcement" was an $85 million fundraising campaign called Intrepid Ambition. Of that desired goal, the university has already raised $65,518,340 "through gifts from more than 6,400 donors and over 14,000 contributors" (UAFS).

In an article posted later to the university's website, it is further explained that the program "is designed to reshape access to education, elevate academic excellence, and power economic development across the River Valley" (UAFS). The campaign is "structured around students, people, and community [and] aims to remove financial barriers, invest in faculty and staff development, and strengthen regional partnerships" (UAFS). It is later added that the university has already begun to carry out that promise by "deepening [their] healthcare pipeline, equipping future teachers with real-world experience, and investing in the arts" (UAFS).

Though the announcement was met with a generally positive immediate response, it seemed to face some scrutiny behind the scenes. As I spoke with students afterwards, they expressed their true feelings on the matter if I guaranteed their anonymity. Bewildered, one student commented that "it's weird inviting parents and students to fundraise since we already pay tuition." Another student raised a valid point, as they couldn't understand "why [UAFS] is requesting money if majors were already cut last year." In March of 2024, the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith cut many concentrations (some of which include Bachelor of Arts degrees in Rhetoric and Writing, Spanish, and Theater which prompted some retaliation, as UAFS is a liberal arts institution).

Personally, though I think fundraising is great and necessary for the progression of any university, my thoughts lie somewhere in between the criticism and the commendation. Either way, I am interested to see if the $85 million will actually benefit the university and the River Valley in the future.