FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. —An educated workforce has been identified as critical if Arkansas is to attract and retain high-tech industries. To help meet this need, the University of Arkansas College of Engineering and the University Center at Westark College in Ft. Smith have joined forces to offer undergraduate degrees in electrical and mechanical engineering on the Westark campus.

The impetus for this program began when Baldor Electric began to look for ways to improve the educational level of its work force. Baldor has its home office and a major manufacturing facility in Ft. Smith. R.S. Boreham, CEO of Baldor, approached Westark to explore ways to allow students to pursue engineering degrees while continuing to live and work in the Ft. Smith area.

A survey of area industries indicated a need for electrical and mechanical engineers and negotiations began to bring these programs to the Westark campus. The formal agreement will be signed today and students will begin freshman-level classes in August.

"Baldor has committed to enroll a number of Baldor employees in the courses provided," said Sid Connor, associate vice president for curriculum development and University Center operations at Westark. "So, in addition to the interest of recent high school graduates who want bachelor’s degrees in engineering, we already have this commitment from industry toward the program."

College of Engineering faculty will teach the junior- and senior-level courses leading to the two degrees on the Westark campus and Westark faculty will teach most of the freshman- and sophomore-level classes. The programs will be phased in with courses added each semester until the full complement of courses is available in four years. Westark will be adding 14 new classes and labs over the next two years to round out the freshman and sophomore requirements for the engineering degrees.

The program will be offered through the University Center at Westark. Bachelor’s degrees in electrical and mechanical engineering will be awarded by the University of Arkansas College of Engineering, which is fully accredited by ABET, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. The University Center offers other four-year degree programs through similar arrangements with the University of Arkansas and other four-year universities.

"We are pleased to have this opportunity to offer our electrical engineering and mechanical engineering degree programs to students in the Fort Smith area," said Otto Loewer, dean of the U of A College of Engineering. "We feel strongly that relationships like the one we have with Westark are key to enhancing the development and growth of the state’s technology-based economy."

Initially, Robert Wardlow, program liaison, will be assigned to the Westark campus to assist with recruitment, advising and campus coordination. By fall 2002, an institutional representative for the U of A will be on board to teach and direct the engineering degree programs. Westark’s academic calendar will also be used for courses offered by Westark, with the U of A calendar used for courses offered by that institution.

Although Westark become the University of Arkansas, Fort Smith on January 1, 2002, programs like engineering, which are highly specialized and require specialized accreditation, will continue to be offered through the University Center.