Supply Chain Management Specialty in Graduate School Ranked 9th in Nation by U.S. News

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Matthew A. Waller

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The U.S. News & World Report's “2012 America’s Best
Graduate Schools” guide has rated the supply chain management and logistics specialty at the University of Arkansas in a tie for ninth place among all public graduate business schools and in a tie for 14th place among all universities. This is a huge jump from the 2011 report, in which the specialty was ranked 23^rd overall and 15^th among public universities.

Responding to market demands, the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the university has established a supply chain management department to strengthen its educational and research resources in this financially critical field of business, effective July 1.

“As the United States moves toward a more competitive global economy, there will be an increasing demand for more efficient logistics systems and highly qualified people to manage them,” said Dean Dan Worrell of the Walton College. “Logistics costs continue to rise, even as attention to the need for sharper cost reductions increases for business.”

“We are very excited this year to be ranked among public institutions in the U.S. News & World Report’s rankings of supply chain management and logistics programs,” said Matt Waller, chair of the Walton College department of supply chain management. “It is a great honor and recognition for our faculty who have developed the programs and taught the students — and to our students who have performed in the classroom and on the job. Our academic programs have grown in quality over the past few years.”

Jim Crowell, director of the Walton College Supply Chain Management Research Center, said: “This move is great news for the department of supply chain management and our center.” The research center connects us with transportation and logistics organizations in some of the nation’s largest corporations. The center’s board of directors comprises 52 key logistics executives from 29 national and international companies. This support enables us to greatly enhance the quality of our undergraduate and graduate programs in transportation and logistics.”

Waller added: “Our Supply Chain Management Research Center has also been a big asset in our growth. The center’s board of directors has helped us build improved educational programs for our students and better prepare them for tomorrow’s job market. These relationships have also created research opportunities for our business faculty that in turn benefit the member companies.”

The Supply Chain Management Research Center has co-sponsored International Graduate Logistics Case competitions for the past six years, which has enabled Walton College faculty and students to connect with logistics academics from around the world.