NEWS

October 24, 2002

OU Regents To Meet at RSU in Claremore Oct. 28

The University of Oklahoma Board of Regents will meet on Monday, Oct. 28, at Rogers State University in Claremore.

The public is invited to attend a reception to meet the regents at 4:30 p.m. at RSU's Post Hall.

The regents also will participate in a rededication ceremony commemorating the completion of renovations of the historic Markham Hall at 2 p.m.

Members of the Board of Regents will begin their day with committee meetings at various locations on the RSU campus. The Board of Regents meeting will be held at approximately 3 p.m. in the Oklahoma Room of Post Hall. Regents will discuss items pertaining to RSU and Cameron University, and will meet to discuss OU business on Oct. 29 in Tulsa.

The regents will discuss the following RSU agenda items:

• The regents will vote on authorizing RSU to initiate the process of selecting an architectural firm to develop preliminary plans for a performing arts center on the RSU campus in Claremore. Community leaders in Claremore have approached RSU about the need for such a facility, which would be funded by private and public grants.

• The regents will vote on ratifying a Public Television Facilities Program grant of $389,444 for RSU-TV from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The grant will fund the first of three phases of converting RSU-TV to digital format, as mandated by the Federal Communication Commission. The first phase will allow RSU to purchase a transmitter, antenna and test monitoring equipment.

• The regents will vote on ratifying a grant of $139,841 from Founders and Associates of Tulsa to renovate a chemistry laboratory in Loshbaugh Hall. During the last few years, Founders and Associates has provided similar grants to fund the renovation of microbiology and molecular biology laboratories in Loshbaugh Hall, as well as providing funds for instructional equipment. Since 1990, Founders and Associates has provided RSU with grants totaling $1,065,111.

• The regents also will vote on a revised educational and general budget for RSU for the 2002-2003 academic year, which includes a reduction of 4.34 percent in state appropriations. The total amount of the reduction is $535,294. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education recently notified all colleges and universities in the state about the budget cuts. Most of the proposed reductions were made by implementing a hiring freeze, limiting out-of-state travel and delaying most capital expenditures, unless they are deemed to be "mission critical" by the university president.