Regents ask legislature for targeted FY27 investments in workforce programs, campus repairs and student success

Chancellor Burridge of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education asked legislators on Education Day to consider a set of FY27 requests aimed at aligning state higher education funding with workforce needs, shoring up campus infrastructure and expanding student success programs. The presentation emphasized enrollment gains since 2023, workforce‑aligned degree growth and long‑term campus repair needs.

Burridge said the system has seen a 6% enrollment increase since 2023 and a 3.6% headcount rise in fall 2025, the highest in eight years. He cited a University of Cincinnati Economics Center study estimating that Oklahoma’s public colleges contributed about $14.6 billion to the state economy last year and said the system returns roughly $17.48 in economic output for every state appropriation dollar.

The Regents’ request includes a $57,000,000 target for strategic operational funding, $21,500,000 to support legislatively authorized initiatives, and $348,000,000 in institution‑specific, one‑time allocations designed to address deferred maintenance, workforce investments and capital needs. Burridge described specific components of the package: $13,500,000 in strategic initiative investments (including $11,500,000 to expand capacity in high‑demand fields and $2,000,000 for adult learner scholarships), $25,000,000 in performance‑based allocations for core instruction and operations, $10,000,000 for student success activities (FAFSA completion, remediation, career navigation), $2,000,000 to incentivize shared services, and $6,500,000 for physical and cyber security enhancements.

Burridge also requested $56,300,000 for the next phase of deferred maintenance, noting institutions have identified more than $1.9 billion in deferred maintenance needs statewide and warning that delaying repairs increases long‑term costs. On institutional breakdowns, he listed $136,000,000 for research universities, $60,000,000 for regional universities, $20,000,000 for two‑year colleges and $70,000,000 for other constituent agencies as examples of proposed one‑time allocations.

Burridge framed the package as workforce‑driven: "Higher education is workforce development. Period," he told the committee, arguing that aligning funding with programs that produce graduates in critical occupations will strengthen the state's economy. He said the Regents are developing a new performance funding formula and expect to share a draft with regents and presidents soon.

The presentation included requests to fund legislatively mandated programs: $5,500,000 to implement the Strong Readers Act across teacher education programs, $6,000,000 to reimburse institutions for concurrent enrollment tuition waivers, $8,000,000 to expand the Oklahoma Rising Scholars award, and $2,000,000 to grow the National Guard educational assistance program.

Members asked about the distribution and use of institutional allocations, and Burridge said allocation decisions are made by individual institutions (for example, research universities may use funds to recruit research faculty or complete capital projects). The chancellor described the majority of the institutional specific dollars as one‑time start‑up or capital support rather than recurring operating funds, though he acknowledged some programs that begin with one‑time support could later request recurring operating dollars.

The Regents’ presentation closed with an offer to provide additional details on specific items and to furnish the committee with the list of programs flagged in the program review. The committee proceeded to a question period before adjourning.