College of the Ouachitas
| Type | Community college |
|---|---|
| Established | 1969 |
| President | Dr. Steve Rook |
| Students | 1,200 |
| Location |
Malvern, Arkansas, USA 34°22′43″N 92°49′18″W / 34.3786°N 92.8218°WCoordinates: 34°22′43″N 92°49′18″W / 34.3786°N 92.8218°W |
| Website |
www |
College of the Ouachitas (COTO) is a public community college serving central Arkansas. Its campus is located in the city of Malvern. The school is named for the Ouachita Mountains, which cross through this portion of the state, and Ouachita River, which is flows through the area.
COTO has approximately 1,500 students annually through its degree programs, technical courses, and community educational offerings.
History
COTO was established in 1969 as Ouachita Vocational Technical School. The inaugural classes took place in January 1972, with 292 students enrolled in the certificate programs, such as automotive repair, food service, and cosmetology. In 1991, Governor Bill Clinton signed legislation that reorganized the state's vo-tech institutions into two-year accredited colleges. The newly renamed Ouachita Technical College subsequently offered a broader degree of associate programs, such as nursing, business administration, manufacturing technology, and criminal justice. As the number of programs began to expand, the school changed its name in 2011 to College of the Ouachitas to better reflect its comprehensive mission.
Governance
COTO is governed by a seven-member Board of Trustees, appointed by the Governor. Each trustee serves a seven-year term which ends on June 30 of the final year.
Campus
The COTO campus was originally located in a former segregated high school building in Hot Springs that was shuttered in the 1960s. Following the accreditation of the school, the City of Malvern adopted a 1 cent sales tax to exclusively fund the college. New campus buildings were constructed in the 1990s and early 2000s, including a library in 1999.
Accreditation
COTO is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and its programs have been approved by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education and the Arkansas State Board of Vocational Education.