STUDENT ACTIVITIES

An integral part of a University education is what can be gained through the worthwhile use of leisure time. Students are encouraged to balance involvement with their academic pursuits and interests. There are organizations, intramural sports, spectator sports, lectures, concerts, theatrical offerings, and other activities in which the student is encouraged to participate. The Northwest Arkansas area represents one of the prime recreational resources in the nation.

Organizations

Student organizations vary from those in professional fields to those representing extracurricular activities. They include religious organizations, community-oriented outreach programs, political interest groups, student publications, minority groups, departmental and professional organizations, social/fraternal organizations, and various honorary and recognition societies.

Phi Kappa Phi is a national honor society whose primary objective is the recognition and encouragement of superior scholarship in all academic disciplines. Junior and senior undergraduate students who have a minimum GPA of 3.85 are eligible for membership. Also eligible are graduate students, registered for one year, who have a 3.85 minimum GPA.

Students are taking an increasingly active role in University governance, and the U of A has a long tradition of effective student participation. Opportunities for service to the University community through student government begin in the living groups and extend to the Student Senate and the executive offices of the Associated Student Government, as well as to the Campus Council and University committees.

Fifteen or more religious organizations conduct programs of spiritual guidance and social activity at the University of Arkansas and ten of these have student centers on campus.

Sports and Recreation

The University is presently a member of the Southeast Conference with competition for men in football, basketball, cross-country, baseball, golf, swimming, tennis, and track. The winning tradition is a way of life for the nationally known Razorbacks. Intercollegiate athletic competition for women is available in basketball, soccer, volleyball, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track, and cross country.

The intramural/recreational sports at the University of Arkansas involve more students than any other single program on the campus. The program consists of more than 100 activities including flag football, tennis, golf, badminton, table tennis, racquetball, bowling, swimming, frisbee, pool, cross-country, volleyball, basketball, handball, waterpolo, softball, track, horseshoes, and free-throw shooting.

The sport club program offers a variety of clubs. Some of these--soccer, rugby and judo, for instance--compete on an intercollegiate basis.

The Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (HPER) Building is the center of recreational activity on campus and contains four gyms, an indoor jogging track, two ultra-modern dance studios, ten racquetball courts, a fitness-weight training center, and a uniquely-designed Olympic-sized swimming pool. The Outdoor Recreation Center, located on the first floor, provides camping and sporting equipment, trip and outdoor recreation information, and seminars on various outdoor sports and activities.

Other recreational facilities include an outdoor track; 18 outdoor tennis courts; multi-purpose fields for softball, soccer, and football; and game rooms in the Union and residence halls.

Fayetteville is in the heart of one of the best outdoor recreational areas in the nation. The Buffalo National River, recreation areas in the Ozark National Forest, lakes, and state parks are all near Fayetteville, and they offer opportunities for canoeing, backpacking, hiking, fishing, camping, boating, and water skiing.