2006 Legislative Agenda
The 2006 Legislative Agenda for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (PDF, 557k)
The 2006 Legislative Agenda for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
The $1,212 Funding Gap
There are exceptional students on every campus across our state. Many are brilliant scholars; others have special talents in the arts, literature, research or athletics. Some have overcome tremendous obstacles in their lives to obtain a college education. Yet each one of these students is faced with a significant financial disadvantage—namely, Oklahoma college students are not funded as well as their peers in other states.
Oklahoma's college students receive less state support than the national average. This creates a major per-student funding gap in our state compared with the U.S. average of state appropriations and tuition. It would take an additional $1,212 in funding per student from the state of Oklahoma to attain the national average without significantly raising tuition.*
Student funding below the national average means our campuses face a constant struggle to provide the quality of education that our citizens need to compete in the global marketplace. With limited funding, institutions often cannot offer the salaries necessary to retain or recruit the faculty they need. Lab supplies, library resources, technology upgrades and other needs can be out of reach for institutions faced with cost increases beyond their control and continued high enrollment.
It would take about $161 million in new appropriations for Oklahoma to be at the national average in per student funding. $80 million in being requested in FY07 as an important first step of achieving this funding threshold.
FY07 New Funds Request = $123.1 million
Total FY07 Funding Request = $1.01 billion
Percent Increase From FY06 = 13.8 percent
*This figure is based on State Higher Education Funding Report (2004) and is adjusted for cost of living diferential and enrollment rate.
Increase per-student funding closer to national parity - $80 million
- College and University Mandatory Costs - $36.4 million
Such as utilities, employee health insurance, risk management premiums and annualization of partial-year salaries.
- Student-Based Priorities - $29.0 million
Improvements necessary for colleges and universities to increase the quality of education for students and the higher education system, such as additional full-time faculty, additional researchers, adjunct faculty, professional staff in academic support/student services, library services, graduate assistants and student employees.
- Targeted Needs - $14.6 million
1. Base adjustments for institutions with unfunded enrollment growth
2. Nursing/allied health program expansions to address workforce needs
3. Other institutional needs
Graduate Oklahoma! - $2.8 million
- Brain Gain/Programs of Excellence Expansion - $2.0 million
- Adult Degree Completion Program Start Up - $0.5 million
- Summer Academies Partial Restoration of FY04 Budget Reductions - $0.3 million
Student Financial Aid - $18.6 million
- Oklahoma’s Promise - Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP) - $10.0 million
- Concurrent Enrollment Tuition Waiver - $2.5 million
- Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (OTAG) - $4.8 million
- Other Scholarships - $1.3 million
Oklahoma’s Promise (OHLAP) – Funding Source
Dedicated funding source for Oklahoma’s Promise. To meet the increasing success of the Oklahoma’s Promise program with an anticipated growth of 36.9 percent this year alone, the State Regents request that the Legislature designates a dedicated funding source for scholarship awards.
Other System Needs - $21.7 million
- Annualize $475 Million Capital Bond Debt Service - $15.1 million
- Endowed Chairs - $3.5 million
- Other Needs - $3.1 million
2006 Legislative Agenda - fast facts
- $123.1m in new funding
— $29m student priorities
— $36.4m mandatory costs
— $14.6m nursing and other programs
— $18.6m Oklahoma's Promise (OHLAP) & other student financial aid
— $21.7m capital bond debt service & other system needs
— $2.8m Graduate Oklahoma! programs
- Dedicated funding source for Oklahoma's Promise (OHLAP)
