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Higher Education Drives Economy, Workforce DevelopmentBy Chancellor Glen D. JohnsonThe Georgetown Center for Education andthe Workforce tells us that by next year, 67%of job vacancies in Oklahoma will require anassociate degree or additional postsecondaryeducation and training, and 37% will requirean associate degree, bachelor’s degree, orhigher. Clearly, Oklahoma’s economic growthinto the future requires a well-educatedworkforce. However, while approximately33% of Americans older than age 25 holda bachelor’s degree or higher, only 26% ofOklahomans hold at least a bachelor’s degree.The State Regents remain focused on initiativesthat improve college readiness and increasedegree completion in our state. Strategiesdeveloped by the Task Force on the Futureof Higher Education focus on concurrentenrollment, expanding scholarships andfinancial aid opportunities, and strengtheningadult degree completion efforts.ContentsGuest Commentary: Innovative HigherEducation Partnerships.2Five Oklahoma Higher Education InstitutionsAwarded State Opioid Response Grants.3State Regents Launch New Reach Higher Website.3State Regents and Partners Host SexualAssault Prevention and Response Workshop.4Reach Higher: RECONNECT Week.42019 Student Leadership Retreat.52019 Reading Conference.5OneNet Fast Facts.6College Application Week 2019.7UCanGo2’s College Planning, FAFSACompletion Outreach.7@okhigheredConcurrent enrollment allows eligiblehigh school juniors and seniors to earncollege credit while still in high school,which strengthens student preparation,reduces family college costs, anddecreases the time required to completea degree. The 7.5 million in additionalappropriations for concurrent enrollmentprovided in FY19 moved the needle tocover approximately 87% of the cost toour campuses. The additional 3.3 millionprovided by Gov. Stitt and the Legislaturein the 2019 legislative session allowed forfull funding of the concurrent enrollmentprogram for high school seniors in FY20.The Oklahoma’s Promise scholarshipprogram encourages more students toaspire for college, prepare academicallyin high school and earn college degrees.Oklahoma’s Promise students are morelikely to enroll in college full-time, persistthrough college, earn a degree, get a jobin Oklahoma, and stay in our state thancomparable peers. More than 85,000 eligiblestudents have earned the Oklahoma’sPromise scholarship since 1992. Protectingthe dedicated funding source for Oklahoma’sPromise remains a state system priority.Our adult degree completion initiative,Reach Higher, offers academic programsand support services through the FlexFinishand DirectComplete programs that arespecifically designed to meet the needsof working adults who have some collegecredit, but have not completed an associateor bachelor’s degree. The FlexFinishprogram offers flexible class options andenrollment for working adults pursuinga Reach Higher associate or bachelor’sdegree. Reach Higher DirectComplete,funded by a grant from Lumina Foundationand delivered in partnership with businesses,tribes, workforce agencies and nonprofits,offers comprehensive services and supportto adult students returning to pursuedegree programs that lead to employmentin Oklahoma’s critical occupations.Students, families, and the business communitybenefit from Oklahoma’s investment inconcurrent enrollment, Oklahoma’s Promise,Reach Higher, and the many other essentialprograms developed and delivered byour state system of higher education. Astudy from the State Chamber ResearchFoundation shows that for every dollar ofstate appropriations invested, the statesystem of higher education generates 9.40in economic output. There is no better returnon investment than the investment ourpolicy leaders make in higher education.655 Research Parkway, Suite 200, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 405.225.9100 www.okhighered.org
Innovative Higher Education PartnershipsSeminole State College, East CentralUniversity Hire Shared English InstructorKatricia Pierson, President, East Central UniversityLana Reynolds, President, Seminole State CollegeSeminole State College (SSC) and East Central University (ECU) recentlybegan a partnership to share the employment of a full-time English instructor.Sharing this employee is an example of a unique partnership betweenour institutions to better utilize resources allocated by the OklahomaState Regents for Higher Education and the Oklahoma Legislature.In an effort to focus on cost-saving services, we reviewed possible positionsthat could be shared. The English position was a great fit – filling a need wehad at both institutions. The shared position will devote approximately 40%of service time to ECU and 60% to SSC, and will teach 15 hours of languagearts courses each year for SSC and hold office hours on campus.President Katricia PiersonEast Central UniversityPresident Lana ReynoldsSeminole State CollegeSSC and ECU have a long history of working together to provide academicand cultural programs for our students and communities. Our campuseshave previously worked together to create a smooth transition for studentsseeking an education degree, and the shared faculty member for ourEnglish programs shows our continued desire to share resources, growour partnerships and, most importantly, better serve our students.Connors State College Forms Nursing Program PartnershipDr. Ron Ramming, President, Connors State CollegeConnors State College is excited to work with the Cherokee Nation, Northeastern Health System andNortheastern State University to extend our nursing program into Cherokee County. It is our beliefthat this partnership will prove to be an excellent example of how public, private and tribal sectorscan work together to meet workforce needs in our state. Recognizing the critical need for nurses,especially in rural Oklahoma, we are thrilled to be a part of a program that addresses this need.The Cherokee Nation and Northeastern Health System have each agreed to fund a faculty position forthe new satellite nursing program. We are incredibly grateful for all they have done to help us get thisprogram up and running. We also thank our dedicated faculty and staff who are invested in the successof the program, and in our students. We enthusiastically look forward to the success of this programas it not only helps address the nursing shortage, but also builds bright futures for our graduates.2@okhigheredPresident Ron RammingConnors State College655 Research Parkway, Suite 200, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 405.225.9100 www.okhighered.org
Five Oklahoma Higher Education Institutions AwardedState Opioid Response GrantsFive Oklahoma colleges and universitiesand the State Regents are the recipients ofa 250,000 State Opioid Response – HigherEducation Community Outreach Grantfrom the Oklahoma Department of MentalHealth and Substance Abuse Services(ODMHSAS) for 2019-20. The State Regentswill serve as the grant administrator.Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College,Northern Oklahoma College, NorthwesternOklahoma State University, Oklahoma StateUniversity and the University of Oklahomawill each receive a share of the grantmoney, which will fund campus efforts toprevent opioid misuse and provide referralservices for those needing treatment.“We appreciate this funding opportunityprovided by our partners at the OklahomaDepartment of Mental Health and SubstanceAbuse Services,” said Chancellor Glen D.Johnson. “The collaboration of state systemcampuses, the State Regents and ODMHSASfacilitated through this grant will provide theseinstitutions with the resources they need toexpand opioid misuse and overdose educationefforts in their service areas across the state.”Campuses will provide outreach, engagementand evidence-based prevention services,including health education, promotion andcommunity consultation. Efforts will focuson the general student population, as wellas students at risk for opioid misuse, opioiddisorder and opioid overdose. Institutions willalso develop and maintain online resourcesfor opioid abuse prevention and treatment,including materials from the ODMHSASPrescription for Change campaign.Additionally, grant funds will be used to supporttraining for faculty, staff and students in theprevention and treatment of opioid misuse andoverdose, including naloxone administration,access to treatment services, how to recognizeand respond to an opioid overdose, andsafe storage and disposal of opioids.Peer health educators will provide campusbased student training on opioid misuseand prevention. Tribal connections are alsoa part of the institutions’ plans to utilize andextend access to community resources.State Regents Launch New Reach Higher WebsiteThe State Regents recently launched thenewly designed Reach Higher website,targeting working adults with somecollege credit who wish to completean associate or bachelor’s degree.The new site consolidates the multipleoptions available to adult studentsand provides simpler site navigation,a refreshed visual look and feel, and aresponsive design that is flexible betweenworkstations and mobile devices.Reach Higher, Oklahoma’s adult degreecompletion initiative, offers two strandsof degree completion for adult learnerswho have successfully completed somecollege coursework. Reach Higher:FlexFinish offers flexible enrollment andonline options to working adults who wishto pursue an associate degree in enterprisedevelopment or a bachelor’s degree inorganizational leadership at one of 21participating colleges and universities inOklahoma. Reach Higher: DirectCompleteoffers adult students the opportunity tocomplete a degree in programs connectedwith workforce development needsthat align with Oklahoma’s 100 CriticalOccupations list. Learn more about ReachHigher at www.reachhigherok.org.Oklahoma remains a leader in engagingadult students to return and completehigher education degrees. The redesignedReach Higher website provides workingadults with the tools they need to returnto college. The improvements to thissite support the State Regents’ efforts toexpand access to flexible, affordable degreeoptions for adult learners around the state,while providing an educated workforce forOklahoma’s businesses and industries.655 Research Parkway, Suite 200, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 405.225.9100 www.okhighered.org@okhighered3
State Regents and Partners HostSexual Assault Prevention and Response WorkshopOn September 17, 2019, the State Regents’Campus Safety and Security Task Forceand Council on Student Affairs hosteda workshop focused on sexual assaultprevention, education and response atOklahoma City Community College (OCCC).Entitled “Sexual Assault Prevention: It Takesa Campus,” the workshop was taught byDr. Kimberly Dickman, U.S. Air Force.The workshop was sponsored by theOklahoma Office of Homeland Security,Oklahoma Women in Higher Education,OCCC, and the State Regents and accreditedby the Council on Law Enforcement Educationand Training (CLEET). Dr. Dickman, who alsoprovided the keynote address at the CampusSafety & Security Summit in November 2018,has worked for the U.S. Air Force’s SexualAssault Prevention and Response programfor 12 years at both the base level as a firstresponder and at the headquarters level atthe Pentagon. She currently works at the U.S.Air Force Academy, where she focuses onprevention of sexual violence and evaluation.Featuring a combination of instruction andinteractive learning activities that reflectedelements of behavioral psychology andmental health counseling, workshop contentaddressed building awareness of sexualassault as a safety and security issue,risk reduction, strengthening preventionpractices, and improving immediateand ongoing response to incidents ofsexual violence. Participants includedcampus emergency management and lawenforcement personnel, student affairsadministrators, campus housing staff, TitleIX coordinators, advisors, and counselors.Oklahomans Explore Opportunities to Return to CollegeDuring Reach Higher: RECONNECT WeekDuring the week of July 27-Aug 1, approximately420 Oklahomans — who have successfullycompleted some college coursework but not yetfinished a college degree — had the opportunityto submit college admission applications, receiveadvisement and financial aid counseling, andenroll in college classes with support fromknowledgeable staff members during theState Regents’ Reach Higher: RECONNECTWeek. Of the 420 prospective students whoattended, 204 enrolled in 1,949 hours.Reach Higher: RECONNECT Week included aseries of coordinated student recruitment eventsheld at 19 participating Reach Higher campusesacross the state. Participating campuses4@okhigheredprovided activities for the whole family, as wellas giveaways such as RECONNECT Weekswag, free food, door prizes and scholarships.The primary goals of Reach Higher:RECONNECT were to increase awareness of theadult-friendly degree completion options availablethrough the Reach Higher initiative, encourageadults who have completed some college creditto complete their degrees, increase awarenessof the value of completing a college degree,and help adult learners establish relationshipswith colleges and universities that will leadto enrollment. Reach Higher: RECONNECTwas supported by the State Regentsthrough a grant from Lumina Foundation.Reach Higher, the State Regents’ adultdegree completion initiative, offers two distinctdegree completion program strands foradult learners — Reach Higher: FlexFinishand Reach Higher: DirectComplete.Learn more at ReachHigherOK.org.655 Research Parkway, Suite 200, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 405.225.9100 www.okhighered.org
2019 Student Leadership RetreatOne hundred and eighty student leadersand student affairs administrators from 21different campuses, including a privateinstitution of higher education and atribal college, attended the 2019 StudentLeadership Retreat at the University ofCentral Oklahoma in September. For thepast 19 years, this annual event has beenplanned and hosted by the Council on StudentAffairs (COSA), together with the StudentAdvisory Board, the Oklahoma StudentGovernment Association, and State Regents.Six different breakout sessions aboutleadership skills were conducted by studentadministrators and faculty from around thestate. The subjects of the sessions focusedon bystander intervention, communication,cultural competence, the intersection ofcareer interest with leadership, online identity,and resilience. The retreat also included astructured networking session, one of the mostoften-requested functions for the students.Student administrators gathered for severalhours of professional development centered onlegal issues of freedom of speech on campusprovided by State Regent Andy Lester.Chancellor Glen D. Johnson welcomed thestudents at lunch and encouraged them tomake the most of this opportunity to meet theircounterparts from other campuses, forge linesof communication and develop leadershipskills. The retreat closed with a lively keynotetalk and interactive dialogue from Dr. DavidSurratt, vice president for student affairsand dean of students at the University ofOklahoma. Dr. Surratt opened with key linesfrom the musical Hamilton, and spoke aboutthe benefit of centering one’s self on one’sown values while fully listening to others.The Student Leadership Retreat is an eventthat enables the best student leaders fromacross the state to participate in leadershiptraining, meet their counterparts from othercampuses, establish common interestsand forge lines of communication.2019 Reading ConferenceOklahoma Teacher Connection was honoredto host the 12th annual Reading Conference,titled Joy, Power, Possibilities — ThroughDiverse Literature, on September 20 atOklahoma City University. The conferencewas attended by higher education faculty,teachers, administrators and otherstakeholders throughout Oklahoma.Each year the State Regents, in conjunctionwith other higher education institutions, offeran annual reading conference. The purposeof the conference is to offer substantivereading professional development andcurriculum alignment with a variety ofcrucial and timely topics that affect bothconventional and emergent readers.Keynote speakers Dr. Suzii Parsons,Associate Professor from Oklahoma StateUniversity and Dr. Liz Willner, Professorand Director of Teacher Education fromOklahoma City University, led the conferencewith The Moral Life of Children’s Literatureand Exploring the BIG Questions ThroughDiverse Children’s Literature, respectively.During the afternoon participants were ableto choose between four literacy breakoutsessions. Claudia Swisher, a retired nationalboard-certified teacher, led the first sessiontitled, Mighty Girls History Forgot. Thesecond session, Engaging Diverse Readersthrough Rich and Powerful Literature,included two presentations. Dr. Kimberly J.Stormer from Langston University presentedCultural Modeling: Effective Measures forEngaging Black and Brown Readers. TreyHays, an elementary music, art, giftedand talented teacher, led, IncorporatingCulture and Creativity with Literature.Oklahoma, Dr. Ira Harris from SouthwesternChristian University, and Dr. Kathren Stehnofrom Southwestern Christian University.This session focused on the current realityof Oklahoma students in poverty and thenegative effects on academic achievement.The presenters suggested specific strategiescoupled with diverse literature as a healingbalm that inspires hope for poverty’s children.The third session, Literacy for Students whoare Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or Blind, includedpresentations from Kristen Akerman fromOklahoma Department of RehabilitationServices, Oklahoma School for the Deaf, whospoke about strategies and tips for teachingreading to deaf and hard of hearing students,and Samantha Charles and Cassie Sheltonfrom Oklahoma School for the Blind, whospoke about how literacy is learned and taughtin these very important, high-need areas.The final breakout session, Overcoming theEffects of Poverty through Literature RichReading Instruction, was presented by Dr.Lea Ann Garcia from the University of Central655 Research Parkway, Suite 200, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 405.225.9100 www.okhighered.org@okhighered5
BY THE 2,057 miles of high-speed fiberNUMBERSMore than 300 Gbps to the rest of the world300 million gigabytes of data transported annually1.7 petabytes of available archive storage in data centerMore than 1,400 connections spanning the stateCreated 6.3 million annual savings for state agenciesCUSTOMERSSERVED79155286GovernmentAgency SitesCollege & UniversityCampuses53K-12 SchoolDistrictsCareer TechnologyCenters70LibrariesAgencySites9 TribalNonprofit,31 Research,Other Agencies49 Hospitals& ClinicsData as of 11/18SERVICESPROVIDEDFASTFACTSInternetData StorageVirtualMachinesCybersecurityColocationWeb & Email HostingVideoConferencingMPLS NetworkVirtualizationManaged FirewallQuality ofService Division of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Operates 24/7/365 customer support to provide the highest possible level of service to customersMission is to advance technology across OklahomaEnhances economic growth by meeting the mission-critical needs of the state’s education, research,health care and public service communitiesOperates and maintains the Oklahoma Community Anchor Network, a 10Gbps optical connectionspanning more than 1,000 miles across the stateFor more information, contact OneNet at 888-5-OneNet (888-566-3638) or visit www.OneNet.net6@okhighered655 Research Parkway, Suite 200, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 405.225.9100 www.okhighered.org
College Application Week 2019Oklahoma College Application Week (CAW)is an annual opportunity for high schoolseniors to receive hands-on assistance fromknowledgeable volunteers in completingtheir college applications. Ninety-two schoolsand organizations in Oklahoma haveregistered for CAW 2019, representing over9,000 high school seniors in our state.“While these events are designed to help allstudents,” said Oklahoma College AssistanceProgram (OCAP) outreach specialist andOklahoma College Access Network (OKCAN) member Letha Huddleston, “they’reespecially beneficial for those who’venever considered going to college or willbe the first in their family to attend.”Ninety-one Oklahoma high schoolsparticipated in CAW 2018, with 6,281 studentscompleting applications to 134 differentcolleges in 34 states and six countries. “Inthe exit surveys that we have received,”said Huddleston, “99% of the CAW eventcoordinators indicate that they will hold aCollege Application Week again the next year.They all see this as an important event.”Oklahoma GEAR UP piloted CAW in its 24school districts in 2012 and 2013. In 2014,all high schools across the state were invitedto participate. In 2015, OCAP and OK-CANjoined GEAR UP in promoting CAW, whichofficially took place the week of Sept. 23-27.This year, school events can be held as lateas the end of November. GEAR UP and OCAPoffer free promotional materials and have usedwebinars and conference calls to introduceCAW to event coordinators and walk themthrough the program materials and resources.College Application Week is part of anational initiative sponsored by The KresgeFoundation, the Lumina Foundation and theBill and Melinda Gates Foundation for theAmerican Council on Education. At the statelevel, the project is endorsed by ChancellorGlen D. Johnson of the State Regents, theOklahoma State Department of Educationand the Oklahoma State Chamber.UCanGo2’s College Planning, FAFSA Completion OutreachWith the fall semester in full-swing andthe Oct. 1 release of the 2020-21 FreeApplication for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA),the outreach team at the Oklahoma CollegeAssistance Program (OCAP) has been inschools and the community in full force. Itstwo largest objectives in the fall are promotingcollege preparedness and completion of theFAFSA. OCAP’s outreach team has mailedover 1,000 college prep and FAFSA kits tohigh school counselors and has presentedmany college preparedness and FAFSApresentations around the state so far this fall.College PreparednessThe fall semester has always been thebusiest time for UCanGo2, OCAP’s collegeaccess initiative. Through UCanGo2, OCAP’soutreach team helps counselors, teachers andadministrators create a college-going culturein schools by offering on-site presentationsand providing a full range of college planningresources. This includes information aboutacademic requirements and finding theright institutional fit, career explorationtools, financial aid educational materials,scholarship guidance and much more. Inaddition to presentations for students and theirfamilies, UCanGo2 also provides customizedtrain-the-trainer sessions for educators andadministrators, and UCanGo2’s CollegePlanning Toolkit empowers counselors to helpstudents reach their higher education goals.FAFSA CompletionThe new FAFSA became availableOct. 1, but OCAP’s FAFSA awarenesscampaign began in August. Families areencouraged to complete the applicationas early as possible, while federal andstate funding is available. FAFSA resultsare also sometimes required for state and655 Research Parkway, Suite 200, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 405.225.9100 www.okhighered.orgother scholarship applications, so timelycompletion serves multiple purposes.“Our presentations and publications aredesigned to show students and families thatthe FAFSA can be completed easily,” saidKelli Kelnar, OCAP Assistant Director ofOutreach Services, “and everyone planning toattend college or a career technology centershould apply.” These grassroots efforts arealso supported by a targeted digital mediacampaign designed to raise FAFSA awarenessamong Oklahoma students and families.For additional information, like UCanGo2 onFacebook and join OCAP’s mailing lists atocap.org/News/subscribe. To learn moreabout the FAFSA, visit StartWithFAFSA.org.@okhighered7
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher EducationChairmanJoseph L. Parker Jr.TulsaSecretaryJeffrey W. HickmanFairviewGeneral Toney StricklinLawtonVice ChairAnn HollowayArdmoreAssistant SecretaryMichael C. TurpenOklahoma CityJustice Steven W. TaylorMcAlesterJay HelmTulsaDr. Ronald H. WhiteOklahoma CityChancellorGlen D. JohnsonOklahoma CityOklahoma State Regents for Higher Education655 Research Parkway, Suite 200Oklahoma City, OK 73104Phone: 800-858-1840 or edThe Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, in compliance with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, Title IX of theEducation Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and other federal laws and regulations, do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, nationalorigin, sex, age, religion, handicap or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes, but is not limited to, admissions, employment,financial aid and educational services. This publication, printed by OSRHE Central Services, is issued by the State Regents as authorized by 70 O.S. 2001, Section 3206. 25copies have been printed at a cost of approximately 10. Copies have been deposited with the Publications Clearinghouse of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries. Thispublication was produced in October 2019.
Connors State College is excited to work with the Cherokee Nation, Northeastern Health System and Northeastern State University to extend our nursing program into Cherokee County. It is our belief . that this partnership will prove to be an excellent example of how public, private and tribal sectors can work together to meet workforce needs in .
