Oklahoma State System of Higher Education

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The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the state of Oklahoma. The State System consists of all institutions of higher education in Oklahoma that are supported (wholly or in part) by direct legislative appropriations from the Oklahoma Legislature. The State Regents for Higher Education are the statewide coordinating board of control for the state’s twenty-five colleges and universities, ten constituent agencies, and two higher education programs.

[edit] History

[edit] Pre-statehood

The first public universities in Oklahoma date back before Oklahoma's statehood in 1907. The first territorial legislature of Oklahoma Territory, in accordance with the Oklahoma Territory Organic Act, enacted laws creating three institutions of higher education in 1890. The United States Congress mandated that the Territory have access to three differennt types of colleges: a liberal arts and professional education college, an agriculture and mechanical arts college to meet the provisions of the Morrill Act of 1862, and a normal school college

On December 19 of 1890, the first Governor of Oklahoma Territory George Washington Steele signed the bill that created the Oklahoma Territorial Univeristy at Norman (now the University of Oklahoma), the institution designated to provide the liberal arts and professional education, as the first university in Oklahoma. Six days later, on Christmas Day, 1890, Governor Steele signed the bills creating the Oklahoma Territorial Agricultural and Mechanical College at Stillwater as a land grant institution (now Oklahoma State University) and the Oklahoma Territorial Normal School at Edmond (now University of Central Oklahoma) to provide training for public school teachers in the new territory.

The Territorial Normal School opened on November 1, 1891. Six weeks later, on December 14, Territorial A&M College opened. The Territorial University would not open until August of 1892 with Dr. David Ross Boyd as the University’s first president.

Later, the Territorial Legislature established four more higher education institutions: the Colored Agricultural and Normal University at Langston (now Langston University) and the Normal School for Teachers at Alva (now Northwestern Oklahoma State University) in 1897. and the Normal School for Teachers at Weatherford (now Southwestern Oklahoma State University) and the Oklahoma University Preparatory School at Tonkawa (now Northern Oklahoma College) in 1901.

[edit] Statehood

As Oklahoma and Indian Territories moved towards statehood as the State of Oklahoma, talks began to establish higher education institutions in the former Indian Terrority. The former Oklahoma Territory already had seven established institutions while there were no such institution in the Indian Territory. State leader immediately set out to increase access to the new state's public higher education colleges and universities.

Under the leadership of the first Governor of Oklahoma Charles N. Haskell, the first Oklahoma Legislature created two collegiate-level schools in the former Indian Territory: the Industrial Institute and College for Girls at Chickasha (now the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma) and the School of Mines and Metallurgy at Wilburton (now Eastern Oklahoma State College). The Legislature intended for the school at Wilburton to become the eastern duplicate of the now University of Oklahoma at Norman.

Within two years, nine more colleges had been established throughout the state. Although no more state institutions were created for nearly 50 years, the names, functions or governing structures of the public colleges and universities was in almost constant change.

[edit] Early coordination

As the number of institutions grew so did the competition for legislative funding. Combinded with considerable political activity throughout institutional governance, many called for a state system to coordinate the various colleges and universities. As early as 1913, the second Governor of Oklahoma, Lee Cruce, pleaded with the Legislature for consolidation of institutional functions and the abolition of some of the smaller schools.

In 1929, Governor William J. Holloway recommended to that the Legislature reduce the number of institutional governing bodies and called for a central coordinating agency. The Legislature passed a bill providing for a board to consist of the Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction, two members to be appointed by the Governor, and the presidents of five state institutions. Unfortunately, the two gubernatorial appointees were never named and the ex-officio members never met.

Early in 1933, Governor William H. Murray, by executive order, created a nine-member committee to coordinate public higher education. Soon thereafter, the Legislature passed a bill the statutoraly created a fifteen-member central board. Although Governor Murray signed the bill and appointed the board members, the board never received any legislative funding. Despite this, the board still met and adopted a set of guiding principles for the coordinating work of the board. However, by the time Governor Murray left office, the terms of all the board members ended. Governor E.W. Marland, Murry's successor, left the positions until and never made any new appointments during his four-year term of office.

[edit] State system formed

In 1939, new Governor Leon C. Phillips named new members and the coordinating board rsumed operations. The board recommended that the board be given constitutional authority to ensure it would continue to function. Working off the board's recommendation, the 1941 Legislature proposed an amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution establishing Article XIII-A. Following legislative approval of the proposed amendment, a special election was held on March 11, 1941, at which the amendment was adopted. The amendment created the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education as the system's governing body.

[edit] Schools

The System is a composition of the following 25 universities in Oklahoma:

• University of Oklahoma
• Oklahoma State University
• Cameron University
• East Central University
• Langston University
• Northeastern State University
• Northwestern Oklahoma State University
• Oklahoma Panhandle State University
• Rogers State University
• Southeastern Oklahoma State University
• Southwestern Oklahoma State University
• University of Central Oklahoma
• University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
• Carl Albert State College
• Connors State College
• Eastern Oklahoma State College
• Murray State College
• Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College
• Northern Oklahoma College
• Oklahoma City Community College
• Redlands Community College
• Rose State College
• Seminole State College
• Tulsa Community College
• Western Oklahoma State College

[edit] Mission

As established by the Constutional amendment, missions of the State System of Higher Education are:

[edit] Governance

A nine-member board of State Regents is the governing body of the State System. The members are appointed by the Governor with approval of the Oklahoma Senate.

[edit] State Regents

The current State Regents for Higher Education are:

• Bill W. Burgess Jr., Attorney from Lawton - Chairman
• Ronald H. White, M.D., Medical Doctor for Oklahoma City - Vice Chairman
• William Stuart Price, Businessman from Tulsa - Secretary
• Joseph L. Parker Jr., Businessman from Tulsa - Assistant Secretary
• Julie Carson, Attorney from Claremore
• Marlin "Ike" Glass, Businessman from Newkirk
• James D. "Jimmy" Harrel, Banker from Newkirk
• Cheryl P. Hunter, Attorney from Oklahoma City
• John Massey, Banker from Durnat

The current Chancellor of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education is Dr. Glen D. Johnson Jr. The Chancellor is the chief executive officer of the State System and is appointed by the State Regents.

[edit] Role of the State Regents

The State Regents prescribe academic standards of higher education, determine functions and courses of study at state colleges and universities, grant degrees, recommend to the Oklahoma Legislature budget allocations for each college and university, and recommend proposed fees within limits set by the Legislature. The State Regents also manage twentyseven scholarship and special programs. In addition, in cooperation with the Oklahoma Office of State Finance, the State Regents operate OneNet, the state’s information and telecommunications network for education and government. The regents also oversee the Oklahoma Guaranteed Student Loan Program, which guarantees loans made to students by the private sector.

[edit] Cooperative Alliances

The State Regents have a partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education where students enrolled in certain technical courses at a local technology center can earn transcripted college credit.

[edit] References

1. ^ OSRHE : Overview of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education : Part Two: History of the State System

[edit] External links

• Oklahoma State Regents of Higher Education official website

v • d • e   State education agencies of Oklahoma Governor of Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction Secretary of Education Anatomical Board • Arts Council • Board of Private Vocational Schools • Commission for Teacher Preparation • Department of Career and Technology Education • Department of Education • Department of Libraries • OETA • Medical Technology and Research Authority • Student Loan Authority • OSSM • State System for Higher Education

v • d • e   Public universities in Oklahoma Oklahoma State System of Higher Education Cameron University • Carl Albert State College • Connors State College • East Central University • Eastern Oklahoma State College • Langston University • Murray State College • Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College • Northeastern State University • Northern Oklahoma College • Northwestern Oklahoma State University • Oklahoma City Community College • Oklahoma Panhandle State University • Oklahoma State University • Redlands Community College • Rogers State University • Rose State College • Seminole State College • Southeastern Oklahoma State University • Southwestern Oklahoma State University • Tulsa Community College • University of Central Oklahoma • University of Oklahoma • University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma • Western Oklahoma State College