Senior Walk
Tradition
Senior Walk is the University of Arkansas' longest tradition in miles as well as years. The University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville is the only college with a Senior Walk.
Beginning
Stories of the origin of Senior Walk vary, but the most common is that it was begun by the class of 1905. A few years later, the class of 1904 added their names on the sidewalk. Each graduating class since then has had their names engraved in the walk. In 1930, slabs were placed for all of the graduating classes prior to 1904. Originally, the names were stamped by hand, but that changed in 1986 when University Physical Plant employees invented the Sand Hog, a machine designed specifically for the purpose of etching the names in Senior Walk. More than 170,000 graduates are now listed on Senior Walk and counting.
Maintenance
Generally, names of graduates are etched in Senior Walk one year after graduation. For instance, the 2016 Senior Walk should be completed in late Spring of 2017. Corrections to names on Senior Walk are made for administrative errors only. The names etched into Senior Walk are the names at the time the degree is awarded. Updates are not made for name changes that occur after graduation.
Click here for a map showing where the current Senior Walk years are located. Repairs are sometimes needed to correct or include a name on Senior Walk. Corrections or additions are processed by the Office of the Registrar. If you need to notify us of any errors, please email us at registra@uark.edu.
The weather plays a large part in our ability to inscribe new Senior Walks as well as completing needed corrections. The list for this years graduates will be inscribed typically in late spring to early summer of the following year. After the new Senior Walk is completed we go to work on the list of corrections or additions for as long as the weather permits. Those submitting a correction may check back periodically with our office to see if their request has been completed.
There is no additional cost to graduates to be included in the Senior Walk. Consent must be given to the University of Arkansas to have your name etched. Starting in Fall of 2010 this consent is included in your application process.
There is no additional cost to graduates to be included in the Senior Walk. Consent must be given to the University of Arkansas to have your name etched. Starting in Fall of 2010 this consent is included in your application process.
| Year | Includes these Graduation Terms | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Before 2010 |  |
Graduates of Summer 1998 would actually find their names listed on the 1999 Senior Walk |
| 2010 | Summer & Fall 2009 - Spring & Summer 2010 | Graduates of Summer 2010 will be on the 2010 Senior Walk |
| After 2010 |  |
Graduates of Fall 2010 will be on the 2011 Senior Walk |
Senior Walk assignment is relative to the spring term for each academic year.
Names requested for the diploma and the sidewalk are generally the same. However, you should keep in mind there is a space limitation for the sidewalk. The sidewalk name, including degree and appropriate spaces, cannot exceed 22 characters.
Due to the equipment used to sandblast names into the concrete, there are limits as to how many characters are permitted per name. The Senior Walk name field on the graduation application is limited to 22 characters, including spaces, and with no punctuation (other than a hyphenated last name), permitted. The 22 characters are allotted for the students name and do not include the graduate level degree abbreviation following the students name. Bachelor recipients are listed by name only; the degree is not engraved following the name but is implied. If a future graduate degree is earned on our campus by a former undergraduate then that persons name will appear again on the Senior Walk year they receive their graduate degree. There is no limit to how many Senior Walk years a person’s name may be included, but is dependent only upon the receipt of a degree on our campus.
Degree recipients are listed on Senior Walk as long as permission is granted by the student during the graduation application process. Graduate or Post-Master Certificate recipients are not included on Senior Walk. If the student enrolled in a certificate program graduates from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville with a Masters, EDD, or PhD they will be on the Senior Walk for those degrees. The degree will be listed following their name on the Senior Walk, however their certificate will not be listed.
Senior Walk provides a historical record of students who graduated from the University. The name that appears on Senior Walk is intended to be the student’s actual name at graduation. Students are allowed to submit a name preference for Senior Walk when they apply for graduation provided that it is a form of their legal name on record. For instance, students can choose to include or exclude their middle name/initial, or abbreviate their first name (such as “Liz” rather than “Elizabeth”), which in some cases is necessary for the name to fit within the character limit for Senior Walk. However, the last name or surname should be the name on record.
If a student changes their legal name while a student at the University, and the student furnishes documentation of the legal name change prior to the submission of the class list for preparation of Senior Walk, the updated legal name may be utilized on Senior Walk.
In some limited circumstances, a student may have changed the name that they go by, but have not completed the legal process for a name change by the date the class list will be submitted. In that event, the student may submit a request to the University Registrar to utilize the updated name on Senior Walk when the class list is submitted. The student shall certify in writing that 1) they have instituted a legal name change process, but the process remains pending; 2) they intend to submit a legal name change request, but have not yet done so; or 3) they prefer not to submit a legal name change request, but affirm that the requested name is the name that they go by regularly. The certification will require the student to verify the accuracy of all information furnished. Students may be asked for clarifying information, and, in making a determination on the request, the University Registrar may review University records where the student’s name is recorded.
In the event that the University Registrar rejects a proposed name listing, a student may appeal to the Provost. The appeal must be made in writing within five business days of the date notification of the denial is issued to the student, and must provide a discussion of why the University Registrar has not correctly applied this policy to the request.
Name change requests for Senior Walk will not be accepted for students whose names change after the list has been finalized by the University Registrar and submitted for production unless there is a documented error by the University.