Enrollment
reaches all-time high
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President
Boren announces 31,134 enrolled, 24,569 in Norman
Transcript
Staff Writer
More students than ever are attending the University of Oklahoma, on the Norman campus and elsewhere.
OU President David Boren told the OU Board of Regents that 31,134 people are enrolled this fall, including 24,569 on the Norman campus. Both are all-time highs. The figures eclipsed last year’s fall records of 24,500 in Norman and 30,799 overall.
The Board of Regents met at Rogers State University, which also falls under the OU board’s jurisdiction.
The president also was proud to announce OU’s 3,614 first-time students had an average ACT score of 25.8. The average is nearly two points higher than any other public university in Oklahoma.
Those new students should be around to see new housing. On September 14, 2004, the regents authorized the university to sign an architectural firm to handle residence hall improvements that will total $76 million.
OU is refurbishing, renovating, reroofing and updating safety equipment at its dormitories. Workers are improving the buildings one at a time and during summers so students each year will continue to live in most dorms.
“With the university achieving excellence in so many areas, including enrolling the academically highest ranked student body in the history of Oklahoma public higher education, it is very important that student living facilities keep pace,” the president said.
The university also is building apartment complexes. The OU Traditions Square apartment complex is being built south of the College of Law to be occupied next year, and one to replace Yorkshire Apartments at Imhoff Road and Chautauqua Avenue is expected to be ready by fall 2006. Both complexes will house up to 576 students.
The record enrollment, along with future students, can look forward to a new $12 million learning center for one-stop academic shopping. The regents gave OU the go-ahead to select an architectural firm to design the building that will replace aging Savoie Lottinville Hall on Asp Avenue and Brooks Street, presently used for OU printing.
The center will house undergraduate assessment and advising programs, computer labs, tutoring facilities, the Center for Student Advancement and University College offices. Boren estimated the 35,000-to40,000-square-foot building will be completed within two to three years.
“We hope to have plans ready to turn in by the passage of a bond issue,” Boren told the regents. “Plus, we’ll solicit some private funds.”
The president is counting on most of the funds to come from OU’s share of a proposed $500 million higher education capital bonds issue. If the state legislature passes it, OU would get about $120 million.
Boren said the student learning center will look like a small version of Ellison hall in the Cherokee Gothic style. He said “it will be really big for retention” because so many academic services currently scattered throughout campus will come under one roof.