OSU/A&M Regents approve creation of University College to coordinate services that support student success; OSU provides update on freshmen retention, adds Petroleum Engineering degree
Friday, December 5, 2014
The OSU/A&M Board of Regents today approved the creation of the University College
at Oklahoma State University, which will coordinate university-level services which
support undergraduate level student success.
The University College, which is not an academic college, will consist of four units:
University College Advising, which includes the Student Lasso Center; Transfer and
Veterans Academic Services; P-12 Academic Partnerships; and Scholar Development and
Undergraduate Research.
“Our goal is to help each of our students develop as a person, a scholar and a professional.
In order to accomplish this goal we must find ways to address and support each students’
needs,” said OSU Provost and Senior Vice President Gary Sandefur. “The best way to
do this is to bring together individuals that work with students from various levels
of academic performance across the campus.”
Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education Pam Fry will serve as the administrator
of the University College, which will include a council made up of associate deans
for instruction from each academic college, directors of academic student services
and an undergraduate student representative.
In addition to announcing the launch of the University College, Fry also provided
the Board with an update on the university’s effort to improve retention and graduation
rates.
The most recent numbers show the retention rate for freshmen improved from 78.6 percent
in 2012 to 81.3 percent in 2013.
Fry discussed a number of initiatives to improve student success, including incorporating
wellness as a core concept of the undergraduate experience; academic, financial and
engagement plans for each OSU freshmen, including Finish in Four degree maps; and
improved advisement that includes tutoring, success coaches and fewer students per
advisor.
In other action, the Board approved a new Petroleum Engineering MS degree that will
help address the significant need for engineers in the energy industry, which has
been transformed by horizontal drilling technology. Students will be prepared for
successful careers in the oil and gas industry, governmental agencies, or other related
fields. The program will go to the State Regents for Higher Education for final approval.
Located in OSU’s College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology, the new program
will offer students advanced technical knowledge and engineering skills that will
help employers improve profitability, efficiency, safety and environmental stewardship.
“The program will provide students with the opportunity to perform independent research
and to contribute to the development of new knowledge and technology for the petroleum
industry,” said Paul Tikalsky, dean of the College of Engineering, Architecture, and
Technology.
View other OSU/A&M Regents actions: