New Chancellor Comes Home
An Oklahoma native with an extensive background in administration and research will be the new chancellor for Oklahoma’s public higher education system beginning January 6.

Dr. Paul Risser, president of Oregon State University in Corvallis, Ore., accepted the chancellor’s post during a special meeting of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Nov. 11. He will succeed Hans Brisch, who will retire on Jan 5. Read more on the new chancellor.

No Room for Kismet in HAZMAT Design
Oklahoma State University's Donna Branson is well on the way to creating a “chilled liquid circulating garment” that will give HAZMAT workers a new lease on life under those bulky suits. But she’s not satisfied with enabling emergency personnel to work cooler, longer and safer, she wants them happier too. Read more on the HAZMAT suit design.

Meeting Mandatory Cost Increases Tops Higher Education’s FY2004 Budget Request
Providing health insurance for faculty, staff and other support personnel is a priority next year for Oklahoma’s public colleges and universities, especially at a time when health insurance and other mandatory costs are rising dramatically with no let up in sight. In addition, officials expect funding for several of the state’s scholarship programs to climb next year as more students become eligible. Read more on the State System budget needs request.

Northern Oklahoma College MMDC Fast Track Program
In Fall 1999 Northern Oklahoma College accomplished a major milestone in the fast-growing multimedia and digital communications industry by creating the Multi-Media and Digital Communications (MMDC) program and establishing the world’s largest Media 100 iFinish laboratory, featuring state of the art hardware and software.

The interest of the business world in the program sparked the development of a fast track curriculum on the Tonkawa campus in which students undergo 16 weeks of intensive training in 3D animation and modeling, gaming, visual effects, broadcast design and digital video editing. Read more about the MMDC Fast Trace Program.