FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The U.S. News & World Report’s "America’s Best Colleges" 2004 has rated the Supply Chain Management/Logistics specialty in the Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas, 15th among the approximately 100 schools offering such specialties.

"We are very excited about being included for the first time in this U.S. News ranking," said Jim Crowell, managing director of the Supply Chain Management Research Center. "The Center connects us with transportation and logistics organizations in some of the nation’s largest corporations. Its board of directors is comprised of 31 key logistics executives from 16 national and international companies. This support enables us to greatly enhance the quality of our bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in transportation and logistics."

Tom Jensen, Wal-Mart Lecturer in Retailing and chair of the department of marketing and logistics, added, "The Center’s board of directors has helped us build programs to educate our students and better prepare them for tomorrow’s job market. As well, these relationships have created more opportunities for real world research that in turn benefits the member companies."

The Supply Chain Management Research Center in the Walton College, established in 1996, supports transportation and logistics faculty, student career fairs and internships, and research with business and industry.

Other top-rated public universities with supply chain management/logistics specialties include: Michigan State University (Broad), Ohio State University (Fisher), Pennsylvania State University (Smeal), Arizona State University (Carey), University of Tennessee, University of Michigan, University of Maryland (Smith), Purdue University (Krannert), University of Texas (McCombs), University of Wisconsin, Indiana University (Kelley), and University of California-Berkeley (Haas).

In addition, the Walton College moved up in its academic reputation score for the third straight year in a row. In the 2002 report, the Walton College scored 3.0 out of a possible 5.0; in 2003, it scored 3.1; and in 2004, it scored 3.2. In addition, this year the Walton College continues to hold a tie for 28th place among the nation’s top 30 public undergraduate business schools. In the 2003 report, the College moved up from a tie for 40th place to a tie for 28th place. In that report, the College also moved into the top 50 public and private undergraduate business schools, a position it has retained in the 2004 survey.

The rankings were determined through a U.S. News survey, which each year asks business school deans and senior faculty to rate the 393 public and private undergraduate business programs accredited by the AACSB International - the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

"This rise in academic rankings can be attributed to the collective efforts of our faculty, staff and students, alumni and friends," said Doyle Z. Williams, dean of the Walton College. "In addition, this national recognition of our efforts in supply chain management and logistics indicates the increasing quality of our faculty, students and relationships with business and industry in this critical area."

The Walton College tied for 28th place this year with the following public business schools: College of William and Mary, Florida State University, University of Missouri, and University of Tennessee.

"These rankings validate all the steps we’ve taken in the last six years to position the Walton College among the nation’s most reputable and competitive business schools. If you look at the universities ranked above us, only two public schools saw such a dramatic rise in academic reputation from the 2002 to the 2004 reports," Williams added.

In April 2003, the College announced that the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation will provide $8 million to construct Willard J. Walker Hall at the Sam M. Walton College of Business to house its Graduate School of Business and several research centers, including the Supply Chain Management Research Center.

The building will be named for the late Willard Walker, in honor of his success in retail management and contribution to the creation and development of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Walker was the first manager of Sam Walton’s Five and Dime on the Fayetteville Square. He retired from Wal-Mart in 1972.