The editors of the Arkansas Times issued their verdict in this week’s “Best of the Best” in the category of Best University.

“After years of trying, the campus has begun to resemble a college. It may not be Princeton-style university gothic, but the unity of building projects, fencing and landscaping has begun to produce a recognizable identity,” the editors said. “There’s a premier program cranking out graduates for high-paying, high-tech jobs; a fine art department; great opera, even, and, if sport is your thing, a cozy on-campus venue for Division I basketball (drinks included). They’re trying to lift the surrounding neighborhood and Chancellor Joel Anderson’s quiet dependability is a welcome contrast to some of the drama other campuses have experienced.”