OU Board of Regents will consider tuition increases, $420 million in construction project bonds and revisions to academic integrity policies during its meeting Tuesday.
Tuition, fee increases
The news: Regents will consider increased costs for tuition and mandatory fees, housing and meal plans and parking. Proposed increases are as follows:
• 3% housing rate increase.
•3% meal plan rate increase.
• 5% parking rate increase.
Tuition and mandatory fees would see a 3% increase for undergraduate and graduate students. According to the agenda, these costs have increased by 2.5% per year for in-state undergraduate students and 3.2% per year for out-of-state undergraduate students over the past five years.
Undergraduate students: Proposed increases for in-state undergraduate students are as follows:
• In-state tuition increase from $179 to $184 per credit hour.
• Out-of-state tuition increase from $604 to $622 per credit hour.
• In-state full-time flat rate tuition and mandatory fees increase from $5,090.25 to $5,242.50.
• Out-of-state full-time flat rate tuition and mandatory fees increase from $14,150.25 to $14,581.50.
Graduate students: Proposed increases for graduate students are as follows:
• In-state tuition increase from $393.75 to $405.75 per credit hour.
• Out-of-state tuition increase from $719 to $740.50 per credit hour.
Post-Tenure review
The news: Regents will consider revising its post-tenure review policy to align with a recent executive order from Gov. Kevin Stitt removing tenure at public universities.
The executive order, issued by Stitt in early February, directs regional universities and community colleges to phase out lifetime tenure, shifting instead toward renewable contracts based on performance and student outcomes.
The policy revisions would include modifications to timelines for committee feedback and development plan processes.
Academic policies, codes
The news: Regents will consider revisions to the university’s academic integrity code, Academic Appeals Board Policy and free-speech related policies with Student Rights and Responsibilities Code.
If approved, revisions to OU’s academic integrity code would include updates to language surrounding existing processes carried out by the Office of Academic Integrity.
The revised code would also reiterate professor authority over grade decisions and include recommendations of qualifications for advisors.
The Academic Appeals Board Policy would see revisions in compliance with House Bill 3700, which requires Oklahoma colleges and universities to adopt a policy ensuring student grades are evaluated solely on an academic basis.
The bill comes after the university received national attention when psychology student Samantha Fulnecky publicly contested a grade for religious discrimination on a Bible-based essay.
Regents will consider changes to the Student Rights and Responsibilities Code regarding free-speech related policies to improve clarity and ensure the policy “reflects a balanced approach to maintaining campus order while protecting expressive rights,” according to the agenda.
Freshman housing master plan
The news: Regents will consider a $295 million total project budget for the second phase of the Freshman Housing Master Plan, which includes the $23 million approved in March to fund the demolition of Walker Center and Cate Center 3.
Regents will also consider designs for building A, one of three new buildings outlined in phase two of the university’s housing master plan. The university will open a new residence hall, the South Building, completing phase one of its plan this fall.
Merit-based raises, Harroz compensation
The news: Regents will consider a $15 million merit-based raise program as part of the proposed 2027 fiscal year budget. The program is intended to support employee recruitment and retention, and would include faculty, staff, graduate assistants and postdoctoral studies, according to the agenda.
Regents will also consider OU President Joseph Harroz Jr.’s salary and “make any necessary adjustments,” according to the agenda. A dollar amount is not listed.
In June 2025, Harroz received a salary increase of $75,000, which brought his salary to $575,000. He also received a one-time lump sum payment of $200,000.
$420M in project bonds
The news: Regents will consider issuing approximately $420 million in bonds to fund various unspecified projects, including student housing construction, additional parking and athletics projects.
Posthumous degrees
The news: Regents will consider awarding two posthumous Bachelor of Sciences degrees to two deceased students.
The board will review awarding Diego Dorantes Sanchez a posthumous bachelor’s degree in anthropology following his disappearance last summer while snorkeling off the coast of Taiwan.
The board will review awarding Freya Cordelia Winters a posthumous bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering following her death in February.