Editor's note: This story was updated 11:40 a.m. Feb. 3 to reflect the correct number of the postcards Jonathan Stalling sent to prospective students.
OU Board of Regents met Thursday to discuss and approve a vice presidential search committee, moving the Polytechnic Institute and support for student athletes’ name, image and likeness rights.
Harroz remarks
The news: OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. gave updates and made remarks concerning OU.
What they’re saying: Harroz spoke about OU’s growth over the past few years amid national declines.
“We know most places have shrunk and, last year alone, at the University of Oklahoma at large, including the Health Sciences Center campus and (OU) Tulsa, we grew more as a university in the face of a national decline than we have at any point since 1975,” Harroz said.
Harroz said all key performance indicators for the university show positive outcomes for future employment across multiple career fields.
Harroz specifically referred to the progress the university has made in health care, commending the College of Nursing for becoming the largest provider of nurses in the state amid a national nursing shortage. From 2020 to 2021, the number of registered nurses in the workforce decreased by over 100,000, the most significant decline in the last forty years.
Harroz said during this legislative session the university will be pushing to invest into higher education.
“When you think about what actually changes lives, what actually makes lives better, from the perspective of the state, so much of that is around, can you give them an education? Education, we know, is the greatest ladder to improving their lives. Can you improve the economy of the state? Can you improve the health of the state?” Harroz said.
Harroz presented two videos during his remarks. One video highlighted Jordan Zimmerman, a third-year medical student in the OU College of Medicine. The second video highlighted the legacy of Berrien Moore III, dean of the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences and the director of the National Weather Center in Norman, who died on Dec. 17.
Harroz welcomed three OU deans to speak about their respective colleges to the regents.
Mary Margaret Holt, dean of the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts, gave updates about the College of Fine Arts, which celebrated its centennial in 2024.
“(Weitzenhoffer Family) College of Fine Arts is the only college of fine arts in the U.S., including all (Association of American Universities) and SEC schools, with five distinct schools within that college,” Holt said.
Holt said the College of Fine Arts is using artificial intelligence to educate students in a new and dynamic way.
“We are actively addressing questions of authorship and authenticity, ensuring that AI integration respects artistic integrity and fosters meaningful discussions,” Holt said.
John Antonio, dean of the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy, gave updates about the College of Earth and Energy.
Antonio said the vision of the college is to educate scientists and engineers to navigate a future that meets societal needs for energy. He said this vision is aligned with OU’s Lead On, University, a strategic plan that includes five pillars representing goals set by the university.
Antonio said the college is slowly increasing student recruitment and retention since reaching an all time low in fall 2022.
Jonathan Stalling, interim dean of the David L. Boren College of International Studies, gave updates about the College of International Studies.
Stalling spoke about the restructuring of the college, including International Student Services’ move to the Provost's office.
Stalling spoke about the challenges of growing enrollment following COVID-19, but despite the college’s small size, the college had strong degree conferral due to the popularity of its online programs.
Stalling also spoke about his efforts to grow enrollment by personally connecting with prospective students.
“We're going out there and we're saying, “OU is the place for you.” 1,500 postcards and 250 phone calls, and yes, I made those phone calls and I did it … I wanted to understand … to talk to the students,” Stalling said.
Name, image and likeness
The news: The regents discussed allowing the university to negotiate and enter into contracts and agreements with entities who wish to financially support a student-athlete based on their name, image and likeness.
On Jan. 9, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed an executive order that would allow institutions to direct payments to athletes for the use of their name, image and likeness without using taxpayer dollars.
What they’re saying: Harroz thanked Stitt for the executive order. He said he hopes the settlement will take hold in July and allow for direct payments to student athletes.
“We thought it was unforeseeable several years ago, now it is a reality in the intercollegiate athletics world,” Harroz said.
The vote: The board approved the proposal.
Search committee
The news: The board discussed and approved ratifying the search committee for the senior vice president and chief operating officer.
The proposal recommends Stewart Berkinshaw, associate vice president for Budget and Finance, to chair the committee. The committee would also include faculty representation, administrators who routinely work with the vice president and members of the public with specialized knowledge.
What they’re saying: Harroz said the university already began the process and received over 100 applications.
The vote: The board approved the proposal.
Polytechnic Institute
The news: The board discussed moving the Polytechnic Institute to Gallogly College of Engineering.
The institute, launched in 2023 at OU-Tulsa, provides new opportunities in northeastern Oklahoma in various STEM fields.
What they’re saying: Harroz said the market is looking for engineering programs and theoretical engineering courses. He said the Polytechnic Institute degree is important but it’s important to market it correctly and make it accessible to the right body of students.
“This is the case of innovation finding its right spot,” Harroz said.
Harroz said this proposal would better serve the university’s education and research capabilities.
“This degree is all about making people know about it, making sure it fits and is available for students, and it’s a stunning degree that I truly believe is going to take off,” Harroz said.
Regent Natalie Shirley asked Harroz what are the marketing resources for the institute, which Harroz said the OU-Tulsa President Susan Bynum is working to identify the right market. Harroz said the university “went small” by focusing on one school and that it requires a much bigger region.
“By putting it inside our College of Engineering, we have a lot of gravitas, and people can really recognize it’s part of a real university system,” Regent Rick Nagel said.
The vote: The board approved the move.
Program modifications
The news: The regents discussed removing the Graduate Record Examination from the admission requirements to nine graduate degree programs, including doctoral degrees in nursing, physiology and pharmaceutical sciences.
The modification falls in line with a national move of graduate programs to remove their examination requirements in applications instead focusing on a candidate’s resume, grades and recommendation letters.
The vote: The board approved the proposal.
Gaylord stadium master plans
The news: The regents discussed an update to the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium master plan update.
A committee of university officials from various departments conducted a detailed review and interview of two firms and ranked Manhattan Construction Company as the number one prospective firm and Flintco LLC as the second highest option. Both firms are based out of Oklahoma City.
The regents were recommended to make payments to the firms that are decided upon for architectural and construction services to the latest projects with a cost of $12 million and the option to raise the amount to $15 million pending the approval of the chair of the board, Harroz and Joe Castiglione, OU athletics director.
This comes after the board of regents set the maximum amount for the projects to $7 million at the Sept. 24 meeting.
What they’re saying: Harroz said the money would cover modifications of the entire west side of the stadium, including the press box and lower bowl.
“This step needs to be taken for us to move forward,” Harroz said.
The vote: The board approved the proposal.
Posthumous degree
The news: The regents discussed granting a posthumous bachelor’s of science in dental hygiene to Carley Ann Tatum.
According to the agenda, Tatum was pursuing the degree at the time of her death in early August. Tatum was on track to graduate in May 2025.
Senior Vice President and Provost Gary E. Raskob, Dean Paul M. Mullasseril of the College of Dentistry, and Donna Wood, dental hygiene program director, support the awarding of the degree.
What they’re saying: Harroz said the item was the most difficult part of the job.
“Student Affairs does an incredible job reaching out to these families,” Harroz said. “It is every family’s worst nightmare, and it is our request that you pass this so we can grant this degree in some small way.”
The vote: The board approved the proposal.
