The OU Board of Regents will discuss housing and food rates, dean searches and master plan updates on Monday.
The public meeting will be at 2 p.m. Monday in the Scholars Room at the Oklahoma Memorial Union.
OU Students for Justice in Palestine announced it will protest the meeting and advocate for the university’s divestment from Israel. The protest will be held at noon Monday outside of the Bizzell Memorial Library.
Strategic plan refresh
The board will consider the approval of OU’s strategic plan refresh.
In April 2024, an Executive Steering Committee chaired by OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. began the process of refreshing the university’s “Lead On, University,” a strategic plan that includes five pillars representing goals set by the university.
According to the agenda, a 24-member cross-campus working group composed of students, faculty and staff representatives from the Norman campus, OU Health Sciences Center and OU-Tulsa campus examined the strategic plan and input to inform recommendations to the committee on the plans’ next phase, which would go from 2025 to 2030.
The refresh process for the strategic plan will incorporate the OU Health Sciences Center’s strategic plan and the development of a new five-year strategic plan for OU-Tulsa, according to a November meeting.
Housing and Food rates
The board will hear the 2025-26 room and board rates for Norman and Health Sciences Center residential colleges, residence halls, apartments and meal plans.
According to the agenda, the standard meal plan, which is currently at $3,075, is proposed to increase $90 to $3,165.
For Walker and Couch centers, the new rates for the two-bedroom suite for four people will have a $110 increase to $3,850 per semester, and a two bedroom suite for two people will have a $175 increase to $6,055 per semester. A two-bedroom connected suite for four people will have a $110 increase to $3,850 per semester, a two bedroom connected suite for three people will have a $145 increase to $5,065 per semester and a two-bedroom connected suited for two will have a $180 increase to $6,125 per semester.
For David L. Boren Hall, a standard room for two will see a $90 increase to $3,125 per semester. A standard room for one will increase $135 to $4,610 per semester.
For Headington Hall, a two-bedroom, two-bathroom suite for two people will increase $450 to $7,950 per semester; a two-bedroom, two-bathroom suite for four people will increase $350 to $5,550 per semester; a two-bedroom, one-bathroom suite for two will increase $400 to $6,750 per semester; and a four bedroom, two-bathroom suite for four people will increase $550 to $6,100 per semester.
For residential colleges, a standard room for two people will increase $115 to $3,915 per semester, and a standard room for one will increase $190 to $6,625 per semester A one bedroom suite will increase $235 to $8,040 per semester, and a three bedroom suite will increase $210 to $7,155 per semester. The two standard room for two people will not increase and remain $6,700 per semester.
For Cross Village, four bedroom suite will increase $170 to $6,100 per semester, the two bedroom suite for four people will increase $130 to $4,530 per semester, the two bedroom suite for two people will increase $200 to $6,750 per semester and the one bedroom suite will increase $255 to $8,715 per semester.
For Traditions Square, a two bedroom, two bathroom single room will increase $120 to $4,170 per semester; a two bedroom, one bathroom single room will increase $105 to $3,615 per semester; and a four bedroom, two bathroom single room will increase $100 to $3,375 per semester.
For Kraettli Apartments, a two bed furnished apartment will increase $30 to $965 per month, and a two bed unfurnished apartment will increase $25 to $850 per month.
For McCasland Hall, a new first-year residence building set to open in August, a two bedroom suite for four people will be $4,400 per semester, a one bedroom suite for two people will be $6,200 per semester, and a one bedroom suite for one person will be $8,000 per semester.
According to the agenda, all increases were within a range of 3%-6%. It also listed a comparison chart to Oklahoma State University and other colleges in the Southeastern Conference. In the chart, OU ranks as No. 11 with a $13,565 housing rate for the 2025-26 fiscal year. Vanderbilt University is No. 1 with $22,424 while Auburn University is No. 17 with $11,431.
Dean searches
The Board of Regents will consider the approval of a dean search for the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences and Michael F. Price College of Business.
According to the agenda, current interim dean for the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences, Petra Klein, who has been in the position since December following the death of former dean Berrien Moore III, is not eligible to become a candidate.
The agenda states the current interim dean for the Price College of Business, Laku Chidambaram, is eligible for the position. Chidambaram has served in the position since July 13 after former dean Corey Phelps stepped down to become the dean of the Smeal College of Business at Penn State University.
André-Denis Wright, senior vice president and provost, is set to chair the committee for the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences dean search, while OU College of Law Dean Anna Carpenter is set to chair the Price College search.
Master plan updates
The board will consider approving several updates to the Campus Master Plan of Capital Improvements Projects.
According to the agenda, updates to the Gallogly College of Engineering have estimated costs of $105 million, $80 million of which will be funded from state appropriations. The remaining amount will be funded through the university and private funds.
The updates are meant to address critical space needs for the college and review potential expansion or renovation to several existing buildings. The agenda states that the goal of the master plan is to optimize space usage, consolidate programs and enhance educational experience for all students.
According to the agenda, the board will consider approving $22 million to renovate the Chemistry Annex Building. The renovations would reconfigure the space, upgrade building systems and improve accessibility. A study to support each of these needs will be required, the agenda reads.
The board will also consider approving $6.75 million in the construction of an Infrastructure Transportation Building. According to the agenda, the building will be an office and laboratory located on the OU Research Campus with the intention to offer space for the engineering college to support transportation research.
The facility will include unmanned vehicles, battery testing, fuel cell testing and an open dry lab. The project will also include an office space for up to 12 faculty members and 40 graduate students. Funding for construction will be divided by the state, donor funds and university sources.
Suicide prevention
The board will consider approving the Suicide Prevention Resource Center to contract with the Education Development Center for their professional services.
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center is funded through a five-year grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration with a total of around $37.9 million.
According to the agenda, the Education Development Center was chosen because it was the only entity besides OU Health Sciences Center to receive the Suicide Prevention Resource Center award, which they received 17 years before the Health Sciences Center.
The agenda states the Education Development Center possesses significant staffing resources and expertise relevant to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center project and would provide consulting hours to support four of its goals:
Increase capacity of health, behavioral health systems and clinical workforces to screen, assess, treat and transition care effectively to reduce suicide deaths and attempts among those at risk who are in care.
Increase capacity among state, tribal and community systems, and their workforces to implement what works to reduce rates of suicide deaths and attempts in populations they serve.
Develop strong national public-private partnerships among key stakeholders from multiple sectors to advance the 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, and develop policy and practice.
Increase the availability of effective, appropriate resources to support suicide prevention among individuals at highest risk, survivors and their families to improve crisis response, help loved ones reach care and increase access to community supports for mental wellness.
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center is funded through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminitration and has its own line in the federal budget, according to the agenda.
Airplane purchases
According to the agenda, the board will consider a proposal to compete, negotiate and award contracts and place orders of up to $2.2 million for the purchase of five airplanes for the School of Aviation.
The new airplanes are meant to expand the fleet in order to meet increasing student enrollment. According to the agenda, in November 2022, the School of Aviation was approved to expand its fleet by nine aircrafts, which arrived in February 2024. This purchase allowed enrollment to increase by 79% in comparison to fall 2022, according to the agenda.
The school, with the consultation of the Office of Budget and Financial Planning, developed a multi-year budget to increase freshman by another 60 students and expand the airplane fleet with five modern state-of-the-art airplanes.
According to the agenda, the funding necessary for the expansion has been identified as available within the School of Aviation's operating account and other accounts set aside for aviation.
Morris sculpture
The board will consider the donation of a bust of former OU Provost J. R. Morris.
Morris was a faculty member and top academic official at OU for four decades. During his time at OU, he was an academic counselor and taught graduate psychology classes. He served as associate dean of University College, vice president of University Community and provost and senior vice president of the Norman campus for nine years. He also served as interim president of the university from 1982 to 1994.
Upon retirement, Morris received the title of provost emeritus and Regents professor emeritus and was inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame in 1996. He died on Sept. 28.
The bust was created by OU artist Sohail Shehada and is expected to be placed in the Bizzell Memorial Library, according to the agenda. Shehada received a master’s degree in ceramics and a bachelor’s in architecture from OU.
Street acquisition
The board will consider authorizing the university to negotiate the acquisition of a single family home located on 425 Page Circle upon consultation with general counsel.
According to the agenda, the university wishes to purchase for strategic purchases due to the home’s proximity to campus and location near other single-family homes already owned by the university.
The board will also consider entering into any agreements and execute and acquire any deeds, or instruments that may be necessary to transfer any titles for the transaction.
This story was edited by Anusha Fathepure. Sophie Hemker copy edited this story.
