The OU Board of Regents will consider a three percent tuition increase to start fall 2022, the ratification of the proposed Tulsa polytechnic institute, renovations to Jacobson Hall and the Physical Sciences Center and a three percent raise for faculty and staff during its public meeting at 4:30 p.m. on June 21 in the Bird Library Auditorium of the OU Health Sciences Center.
The agenda detailed the request for a three percent tuition and mandatory fees increase for undergraduate and graduate students at OU’s Norman Campus. The regents approved a 2.75 percent tuition increase in 2021, with Regent Rick Nagel being the only dissenting vote.
The OU Student Government Association held a webinar with the Division of Student Affairs to discuss the possible three percent tuition increase back in February. Senior Vice President and Provost André-Denis Wright said at the time this increase would allow the university to help students further their education despite any financial restrictions.
The increase would be mirrored in changes to the 15 credit hour flat tuition undergraduate rates and per credit hour graduate rates. Resident tuition would increase from $4,655.70 to $4,797.30 and nonresident tuition from $12,557.70 to $12,939.30. The resident per credit hour graduate rates would increase from $334.75 to $344.80 and the nonresident per credit hour graduate rates would increase from $627.60 to $646.50, as outlined in the agenda.
OU College of Law also is seeking a three percent tuition and fees increase, with resident per credit hour rates jumping from $550.00 to $566.50 and nonresident per credit hour rates jumping from $414.50 to $427, according to the agenda.
Also during the February webinar, Associate Vice President of Budget and Finance Stewart Berkinshaw said the fee increases may help go toward faculty and staff raises.
The agenda also outlined in its fiscal budget a three percent raise for faculty and staff. The budget included $5 million of new funding for deferred maintenance and potential funds for the first year of new strategic faculty hires that were authorized last year.
Also in the agenda, OU President Joe Harroz is asking the board to ratify plans for the creation of a new polytechnic institute at the Schusterman Campus at OU-Tulsa. Harroz announced his plans to create this institute during the May 2022 regents meeting, saying these educational opportunities will align with the workforce needs in Tulsa.
The agenda included details about renovations to Jacobson Hall and the Physical Sciences Center. For Jacobson Hall, OU is searching for an architectural consultant to add in the renovations and addition of an OU Welcome Center, also to be named during the regents meeting on Tuesday. For the Physical Sciences Center renovations, the regents will need to approve a construction management firm to aid in the renovations of laboratory spaces and roof replacements in the building.
The agenda also included more details and the request to hire an architectural firm to aid in the creation and renovation of the Oklahoma Aerospace and Defense Innovations Institute. The institute is planned to house defense-related research projects.
The budget outlined in the agenda also said it does not include the contemplation of the sale of Traditions East and West due to the timing of the potential sale.
Also in the agenda are plans to join the City of Norman in widening Jenkins Avenue from Imhoff Road to Lindsey Street. The widening is planned to expand Jenkins to be four lanes with a designated turning lane, and the hopeful start of this project is the fall of 2023. If approved by the regents, the university would use no more than $4,000,000 to construct, design and relocate important electrical and natural gas lines.
In addition, the regents will possibly authorize an estimate of $42,000,000 budget for the improvements and expansion of the softball facility. The proposed improvements and expansion will include locker rooms, training and recovery facilities, parking and game day facilities and amenities.
Harroz is also asking the regents to approve his list of honorary degree recipients for the May 2023 university commencement. The agenda did not list the people potentially receiving these degrees as the university wants to keep them confidential until their approval and plans for attendance are in place.
Finally, the agenda also outlined the request to name the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences Department of Mathematics, the Oklahoma Stratigraphy Area of the Sarkeys Energy Center's O’Brien Plaza, and the campus welcome center being constructed in Jacobson Hall. The agenda did not give these proposed names but did say these names will be given a formal announcement if approved.
The regents’ public meeting is at 4:30 p.m. on June 21 in the Bird Library Auditorium of the OU Health Sciences Center. The first executive session meets in the same room at 8 a.m. on June 21 and 8 a.m. on June 22.
