Southern Arkansas University Tech

Southern Arkansas University Tech (SAU Tech) is a public community college, located in Camden, Arkansas.

History

SAU Tech was created on April 5, 1967, as Southwest Technical Institute by Act 534 of the Arkansas Legislature. The purpose of the institute was to provide a technically trained workforce for the growing Highland Industrial Park where it was located. Seventy acres of land and six buildings at the Park were donated by the Brown Foundation of Houston, Texas which had purchased the former Schumacher Naval Ammunition Depot for redevelopment. Financing for renovation and equipping the facility was made possible by a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

The Arkansas State Board of Education operated the school until 1975 when, by an Act of the Arkansas Legislature, Southwest Technical Institute became SAU Tech, under the governance of the Board of Trustees of Southern Arkansas University. With this change, the college came under the jurisdiction of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education to grant the associate of arts and associate of science degrees as well as the associate of applied science degree.

Today, SAU Tech is a two-year college specializing in technical training and offers the first two years of a university transfer program in General Education and Business Administration. Technical programs are offered in Computer Information Technology, Multimedia Technology (Film & Video Production, Graphic Design, Web Design degrees), Industrial Technologies (Maintenance, Manufacturing, and Electronic degrees), and Office Systems Technology. In addition to offering traditional classroom courses, SAU Tech offers a number of internet courses and on-line degrees. The college has a large enrollment in its high school dual credit program. The college also operates the SAU Tech Career Academy, the Ouachita County Adult Education Center, the Arkansas Fire Academy, and the Arkansas Environmental Academy.

Governance

SAU Tech is governed by the Board of Trustees of Southern Arkansas University in nearby Magnolia. The SAU Tech Chancellor reports directly to the SAU Board of Trustees. SAU Tech's overall and individual program accreditations are independent of SAU's accreditations.

Accreditation

SAU Tech is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. SAU Tech's overall accreditation, and those of its individual programs, are independent of SAU's accreditations.

The following programs have received additional accreditation or approval as shown below:

External links

* [http://www.sautech.edu/ Southern Arkansas University Tech]