Chancellor hit over UCO funding

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Apr 11, 2001

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The University of Central Oklahoma gets less money than several other universities elsewhere in the state, and that has one legislator calling for the firing of the higher education chancellor.

Figures released Tuesday by Rep. Leonard Sullivan, R-Oklahoma City, said UCO per student funding is about $500 less than these other schools. He said he couldn't get a good explanation for the disparity from Hans Brisch, higher education chancellor.

"Hans hasn't done what he's supposed to and it's time for him to go," Sullivan said.

Brisch said he was surprised by Sullivan's comments "because I haven't seen that legislator beating the drums" for increased funding for higher education.

He said Oklahoma's colleges are funded at 66 cents on the dollar when compared with their peers, but had made great strides in recent years in retaining qualified faculty, increasing funding from outside sources and keeping their best students.

As far as UCO's per student funding, Brisch said it was "somewhat historical" and partly tied to the types of courses different colleges offer.

Joe Mayer, vice chairman of the Regents for Higher Education, said UCO fell behind in per student funding when it beefed up its enrollment when college budgets were being cut after the collapse of the 1980s oil boom.

"We recognize that UCO and about six or seven other colleges in the system are underfunded," Mayer said. He said regents have tried to adjust those schools' base budgets in recent years and would do so again if any money is available.

Sullivan said UCO's $3,780 funding compares with $5,745 per student at the University of Oklahoma, $5,990 per student at Oklahoma State University, $4,128 at East Central University, $4,181 at Northeastern State University, $4,414 at Southeastern Oklahoma State University; $4,270 at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, and $4,278 at Cameron University.