Ferritor Awarded UA Chancellor's Medal, UA Biological Laboratory Building Named In His

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Daniel E. Ferritor, chancellor of the University of Arkansas from 1986 to 1997, received the 2000 University of Arkansas’ Chancellor’s Medal. The presentation was made by Chancellor John A.White and UA System President B. Alan Sugg during the Chancellor’s Society dinner Saturday night at the Springdale Holiday Inn.

In a surprise announcement at the ceremony, Tommy May, chairman of the UA Board of Trustees, said that the board had approved the naming of the new Biological Laboratory Building the Daniel E. Ferritor Biological Laboratory Building in his honor.

White said, "Dan’s unbending focus on students created a strong foundation for the University’s growth in the 21^st century. During his remarkable tenure, he planted the seeds that are now bearing fruit in the form of increased academic excellence at the University."

As chancellor, Ferritor was a respected and spirited spokesperson for the Fayetteville campus. Dubbed by many as one of the University’s best cheerleaders, he inspired students, faculty, alumni and friends to take great pride in the institution’s traditions of excellence and to feel a sense of shared responsibility. In the University’s 129-year history, he is the third longest serving leader.

Ferritor has been with the University for 25 years, and before being named chancellor, he served as professor and chair of the Department of Sociology and as vice chancellor for academic affairs.

He has represented faculty as chair of Campus Council and, in 1984, received the Arkansas Alumni Association’s Distinguished Achievement Award for Teaching and Research. In 1991, the Alumni Association named him an honorary alumnus. One of Ferritor’s most important accomplishments as chancellor was his leadership role in raising funds for and completing the $13 million renovation of Old Main, an icon for higher education across the state of Arkansas. He developed an affinity for the building when, as a professor, he had an office there.

Sugg said, "During the building boom that took place during Dan’s reign, about two million square feet in library, classroom and laboratory space were constructed. This represents about $225 million for new facilities and renovations for the University and is a significant accomplishment."

He also led the successful conclusion of the University’s first capital campaign, which raised $175 million for student scholarships, facilities and programs. At a time when the University’s reputation lay in sports, Ferritor, a dynamic personality, cultivated a love for the University among the alumni and recruited good people to work for the institution. He was noted during his tenure for keeping teaching, research and service in balance.

His efforts as the chancellor focused primarily on the 14,000 students and the quality of education available to them. That concern led him to establish the University Teaching Academy, which fostered excellence in the higher education classroom. He also concentrated on improving the freshman year experience for UA students and joined UA Distinguished Professors in teaching freshman-level classes. He established the Teaching and Faculty Support Center to aid faculty members in strengthening teaching methods. Freshman scholarships increased under his leadership as he established the highly competitive Arkansas Scholars program for recruiting and keeping scholastically superior students on the Fayetteville campus. The program, now known as the Chancellor’s Scholars, was a first step in an ongoing effort to recruit Arkansas’ most talented students.

Now as Chancellor Emeritus, he continues his interest in students, mentoring and teaching as a University Professor in the Department of Sociology. He has also assumed a very active leadership role in the community of Northwest Arkansas, serving as the chairman of the United Way Campaign and a strong advocate for the Harvey and Bernice Jones Center for Families and the families it serves.

Ferritor is a native of Kansas City, Missouri, where he received his B.A. from Rockhurst College. He holds both a master’s degree and a doctorate in sociology from Washington University in St. Louis. His wife Patsy received her degree from the University of Arkansas in 1992. They have three children: Sean, Kim Wood and Kris King and two grandchildren.

(Note: A photograph is available on the web at http://pigtrail.uark.edu/news/ )