The OU Board of Regents will discuss tuition and fee increases, changes to the student alcohol policy and changes to room rates and arrangements at Cross Village during its meeting Friday in Ardmore.
OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. recommended the board to approve a 3% increase in tuition and mandatory fees for both undergraduate and graduate students on the Norman campus and College of Law, according to the agenda.
The annual flat rate tuition and mandatory fees for students carrying 12 or more credit hours would be $4,943.24 for an undergraduate state resident and $13,733.25 for an out-of-state resident. Last year, the rates were $4,797.45 for an undergraduate state resident and $13,332.45 for an out-of-state resident.
The agenda states that tuition waivers, scholarships and grants have increased significantly to enhance affordability, lowering the actual costs for students.
For graduate students, the tuition charged by credit hour would be $382.25 for a resident and $698 for a nonresident. For law students, the tuition charged by credit hour would be $583.50 for state residents and $475.50 for out-of-state nonresidents, compared to last year’s $566.50 for state residents and $461.50 for out-of-state nonresidents.
If approved, the increase would be effective fall 2024.
Over the past five years, tuition and fees have risen by 5.8% for resident undergraduates and 8.8% for nonresident undergraduates. According to the agenda, resident freshmen have seen a 28% reduction in their net tuition and fees, saving them $1,516 annually, while nonresident freshmen have benefited from a 4% reduction, saving $627 annually.
Other items that would see an increase include housing rates by 3-6% and meal plan rates by 8%. The proposed 2025 fiscal year budget would total $84,000 in housing and food service revenues seeing an $8,000 increase from last year’s budget.
On June 14, the Oklahoma State University Board of Regents approved holding flat costs of tuition and mandatory fees for the third consecutive year.
Harroz recommended the board to approve a new room type for the Cross Village residence hall.
Because of student demand to live in Cross Village, OU Housing would replace some of the full-size beds in the two-bed and one-bath rooms with two extra large twin beds in each room, creating a four-bed and one-bath room. Storage would also be added to each space.
According to the agenda, the university obtained interim approval for the new room type and rate on April 23.
Including the new room arrangement, Cross Village would have a total bed count of 1,429. The room would cost $4,400. The change would be effective Fall 2024.
Harroz recommended the board to approve revisions of the university’s prevention of alcohol abuse and drug use policy.
According to the agenda, the Norman campus Student Alcohol Policy review committee began evaluating specific components of the policy with applicable offices of oversight and the OU community and to compare it to other SEC institutions.
Among the changes on the Policy and Procedure Manual is removing “Norman campus” to generalize to all students and organizations, on and off-campus, who are enrolled and/or pre-enrolled for subsequent semesters at OU.
The revised policy would cut details on the three strike policy implemented at OU as well as other alcohol-related sanctions. References to alcohol at fraternities, sororities and residence halls would also be cut.
Harroz also recommended the approval of the contracts for several new deans.
Anna Carpenter, new dean of the College of Law, would have a $400,000 contract for 12 months while Andrea Miller, new dean of Gaylord College, would have a $300,000 contract for 12 months.
Carpenter and Miller are set to start their respective positions on July 15.
John Antonio, new dean for Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy, would see an approximate $15,000 increase in salary, totaling $332,750 for 12 months after being promoted from interim to permanent dean of the college. He is set to start his position on July 1.
Dean of Graduate College Randall Hewes would see an additional $70,941 to his salary for serving as the interim dean of the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences. He is set to start in his position on Aug. 1.
Senior Vice President and Provost André-Denis Wright would see a $47,897 increase to his salary, totaling $526,873 for 12 months.
Harroz’s salary would be up for consideration and to make any necessary adjustments.
Harroz recommended the board to authorize the university to negotiate an agreement and execute the consultant contract for the development of the Max Westheimer Airport Hangar project, which is part of the 2024 Campus Master Plan of Capital Improvements Projects for the Norman campus.
The agenda states that architectural consultancy is needed to assist the university in improvements for the development of the project.
The improvements at Max Westheimer Airport would support continued maintenance and development, including the construction of a new taxiway, rehabilitation and improvement of all runways, taxiways and ramp areas, construction of a new air traffic control tower, expansion of parking and several security measures.
A committee was formed to evaluate responses from architectural firms and, according to the agenda, four firms were selected for further evaluation.
The firms are Parkhill, Garver, MA+ and Miller Architects. According to the agenda, Parkhill was ranked highest while Miller Architects ranked as the lowest.
The board will also discuss the renaming of Honors College to remove the names of Joe C and Carole Kerr McClendon from the title. If approved, the name of the college would go back to being OU Honors College.
The board will meet at 9 a.m. Friday at the Noble Research Institute Conference Center in Ardmore.
