▁to ▁West ark ▁Community ▁College , ▁indicating ▁the ▁larger ▁area ▁to ▁be ▁served ▁and ▁reflect ing ▁the ▁more ▁compreh ensive ▁mission . ▁ ▁Through out ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁and ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁the ▁college ▁developed ▁and ▁made ▁changes ▁within ▁the ▁context ▁of ▁its ▁mission ▁as ▁a ▁two - year ▁institution . ▁A ▁significant ▁development ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁was ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁a ▁University ▁Center . ▁Five ▁state ▁univers ities ▁partner ed ▁with ▁the ▁institution ▁to ▁offer ▁six ▁b ach elor ' s ▁and ▁seven ▁master ' s ▁degree ▁programs ▁on ▁campus . ▁Between ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁ 1 , 7 8 8 ▁students ▁graduated ▁with ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degrees ▁through ▁the ▁University ▁Center . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁the ▁Ark ansas ▁Legisl ature ▁passed ▁an ▁act ▁grant ing ▁West ark ▁the ▁authority ▁to ▁offer ▁in ▁its ▁own ▁right ▁up ▁to ▁nine ▁applied ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degrees , ▁developed ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁identified ▁needs ▁of ▁the ▁indust ries ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁served . ▁ ▁The ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁college ▁was ▁changed ▁yet ▁again ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁to ▁West ark ▁College , ▁more ▁accur ately ▁port ray ing ▁the ▁role ▁and ▁scope ▁of ▁the ▁institution . ▁ ▁On ▁December ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Trust ees ▁of ▁West ark ▁College ▁entered ▁into ▁an ▁agreement