Degrees of progress, winter 2017, v.2 no.1

              Supporting our higher education institutions and
providing adequate resources for them is a priority
that Americans can agree on. Higher education is the
backbone for American ingenuity and innovation,
and Oklahoma is home to many colleges and
universities committed to quality education. Along
with groundbreaking research and enhanced learning
opportunities, we must recognize that it takes a
dedicated team to establish solid programs. From the
security officers that keep our campuses safe to the
academic advisers that improve student success,
each role is crucial to the vitality of our colleges
and universities.
Critics continue to refer to “administrative bloat” in
higher education, yet in reality, state system campuses
have invested significantly more in academics than
in administration over the last nine years. Oklahoma
public higher education institutions have increased
investment in academic services from 75 to 78
percent of total budgeted revenue while decreasing
administration costs from 6.6 to 5.7 percent.
Recent criticism has focused on the number of non-instructional
staff in higher education, as though these
positions contribute less to overall student success. In
reality, these positions manage the very systems that
support the academic enterprise.
The expansion of in-state healthcare services provided
by the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
and the Oklahoma State University Center for Health
Sciences resulted in a combined 67 percent increase
in non-instructional staff over the last 15 years,
including physicians, clinicians, and researchers. In fact,
approximately 74 percent of employee growth during
that time period is directly tied to healthcare services
and research, both of which are largely supported
by non-appropriated dollars, including revenue from
medical practice plans, health research grants and
private donations.
Growth in non-instructional staff also reflects specific
requirements to meet federal and state regulations,
such as provisions of the Americans with Disabilities
Act and Title IX compliance, and other essential
functions, including financial aid, academic advising,
campus safety and security, and student mental health
services. In the wake of budget cuts to higher education
exceeding $153 million for FY 2017, higher education
institutions have made every effort to protect these
academic and student support services, which are
critical to continue reaching our college degree and
certificate completion goals through Complete
College America.
The value of Oklahoma’s state system of higher
education cannot be overstated. Our 25 public colleges
and universities are projected to bring $666 million in
sponsored and federal funding into our state in FY 2017.
Funding from out-of-state sources cycles into
our economy and bolsters state revenues with dollars
that could not be generated without our higher
education system. Simply put, no other entity in state
government strengthens economic and workforce
development as directly and comprehensively as public
higher education.
Higher Education Research Drives Advancement, Innovation
The Honorable Tom Cole, U.S. House of Representatives
Chancellor Glen D. Johnson, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
Contents
Guest Commentary:
Maximizing Cost Efficiencies in Higher Education ........2
2016-17 Distinguished Service Awards.........................3
OKMM & Oklahoma Colleges Bring Financial
Education to Students...................................................3
2017 Legislative Agenda...............................................4
2017 Public Agenda ......................................................6
Concurrent Enrollment Funding Restored.....................6
OneNet & Internet2 Facilitate Oklahoma
Research Initiatives through 100Gbps Connectivity .....7
2017 Higher Education Day at the State Capitol...........7
655 Research Parkway, Suite 200, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 | 405.225.9100 | www.okhighered.org
Chancellor Glen D. Johnson
Degrees of Progress
News from the State Regents for Higher Education
Volume 2, Issue 1 | Winter 2017
Representative Tom Cole