Save OUUDS Info Session - April 3

On April 3 community members and alumni met to hear from program and university staff and advisory board members on how to keep this vital program in place. Below are videos and summaries from the meeting.

Part One - Status Update

Summary

Shawn Schaefer:

  • Highlights the historical underservice of public higher education in Tulsa and the UDS's role in addressing this since its founding in 1988 as part of UCAT.

  • Emphasizes the UDS as the only urban design program in Oklahoma, utilizing community-engaged service learning.

  • Notes the program's significant impact with hundreds of projects in and around Tulsa and Oklahoma, and approximately 180 graduates from 30 countries, many of whom remain in Northeast Oklahoma.

  • Announces his retirement effective May 31st.

  • States that Dean Butzer announced the suspension of the UDS program on February 28th, meaning no new students will be admitted and his position will not be replaced.

  • Expresses concern for the remaining five students and assures efforts are being made for them to complete their degrees, with Professor John Harris involved.

  • Appeals to the community for internship and employment opportunities for these remaining students.

  • Expresses gratitude to the university, community partners, employers, and students for their support.

  • Supports any effort to continue the urban design program in Tulsa in some form, believing it is needed by both Tulsa and the college.

John Griffin:

  • Introduces himself as the current chair of the advisory board.

  • Explains the board's threefold purpose: advocating for the school, advising on curriculum and student development, and making financial commitments.

  • Highlights the significant influence of the UDS in Oklahoma.

  • Expresses surprise and disappointment at the program's suspension, which was communicated at the same time as Shawn's retirement announcement.

  • Affirms the board's commitment to meeting and seeking ideas for the program's future.

  • States the board's full support for continuing the program in Tulsa in some form.

Dr. Thomas Costner:

  • Thanks everyone for their efforts to save the UDS.

  • Provides details from the advisory board meeting with Dean Butzer:

    • Suspension can last up to three years before potential reinstatement or deletion.

    • Reinstatement would require demonstrating demand for 20 students per year.

    • Options for urban design coursework in Norman or online have been considered, but there are no current plans to continue in Tulsa.

    • The college plans to involve interior design and landscape architecture students in projects at OU Tulsa.

    • The suspension is primarily a revenue-based decision due to enrollment levels not justifying the program's cost and a new faculty hire.

Part Two - Question and Answer

Summary

Key points discussed:

  • Cost Breakdown and the "20 Student" Requirement:

    • The current annual budget for the UDS is around $248,000 (possibly excluding some costs like scholarships).

    • Dividing this by 20 students equates to approximately $12,400 per student.

    • However, funding doesn't solely rely on tuition; it also includes state funding, grants, contracts, and endowment funds.

    • The "20 student" target isn't necessarily a break-even point financially but rather a number that the university believes justifies the program's expense and stops financial losses.

    • Graduate-only programs are inherently expensive due to the need for smaller class sizes for effective learning.

  • In-State vs. Out-of-State Tuition:

    • Out-of-state students generate more revenue.

    • Shawn Schaefer expresses a preference against making the program primarily tuition-driven, advocating for supporting graduate students.

  • Fundraising as an Option:

    • The possibility of fundraising to offset the cost of the program was raised.

Recruitment Efforts:

  • Past recruitment has been somewhat limited and ad hoc, relying on referrals, community engagement events, inviting prospective students to reviews and activities, and attending recruiting events at other institutions.

  • The UDS recently created an accelerated program to attract Environmental Design students from Norman.

  • International student recruitment is successful, but these students often require graduate assistantships and scholarships.

  • An endowment for scholarships and assistantships could significantly boost enrollment.

  • Continuing Education:

    • The idea of offering continuing education courses for professionals seeking certifications (like AICP and CMU) was discussed as a potential way to keep the program active and relevant.

    • The Institute for Quality Communities is exploring broadening its placemaking conference into smaller, more frequent offerings for professional development credits.

    • A Graduate Certificate in Design Entrepreneurship and Real Estate was previously created but faced challenges due to university admission requirements for professionals.

    • Real estate classes offered by the UDS have seen significant interest from Norman students.

  • Marketing:

    • Marketing efforts have been limited, primarily through the college and OU Tulsa websites, which can create confusion with multiple entry points.

    • There is no dedicated marketing budget, with most efforts being informal.

    • A past Facebook ad indicates some prior investment in this area.

  • Recruiting for a Suspended Program and the Logistics of Reinstatement

    • Recruiting students for a suspended program is not feasible or ethical.

    • Reinstatement would require a period of re-evaluation, rebranding, and significant lead time to build the program, gain university approval, and recruit students.

    • Even with a strong new vision, it would likely take at least a year after the idea's conception to relaunch the program.

Part Three - Discussion

Summary

Key points discussed:

  • Alumni as Recruiters: Markquis Yirsa emphasizes that the program's alumni network is a significant strength and a powerful recruitment tool due to their quality, practical experience, and industry presence. He suggests alumni and current students could proactively engage in recruitment.

  • Marketing Focus: The conversation highlights the need to showcase the measurable impact and value of the UDS, potentially focusing on its unique community-based project approach to attract potential students.

  • NYU Partnership: Jamie Pierson mentions a potential recruitment partnership with NYU's Tulsa presence, as their urban design program views Tulsa as a unique urban environment for study.

  • Municipal Support: Tracie Chandler suggests seeking financial support from cities that benefit from the program's expertise.

  • Challenges with Municipal Internships: Shawn Schaefer notes past difficulties in establishing formal, paid internship programs with municipalities like Tulsa, despite the mutual benefits.

  • Mayor's Office Interest: The Mayor of Tulsa's office has been informed and is open to exploring potential support.

  • Local Government Internships: Representatives from Tulsa Planning Office (Paulina Baeza) and INCOG (John Tankard) acknowledge their agencies often hire interns from the UDS and are open to formalizing this pipeline, although funding for paid internships can vary.

Private Sector Internships: The discussion touches on the possibility of private firms creating more formal internship relationships with the UDS.

  • Internships and Tuition Waivers: John Harris explains a significant opportunity: OU Tulsa allows internship funding (around $18,000-$19,000 for nine months) to be converted into a graduate assistantship, which includes a tuition waiver and university health insurance for the student for 12 months (including summer).

  • Funding Internship-Based Assistantships: This funding could come directly from the hiring company or be donated by a third party to support internships at organizations that might not have the resources. This creates a pathway for both providing valuable experience to students and potentially offsetting program costs.

  • Academic Calendar Alignment: Internship schedules ideally align with the academic calendar (August to May).

In summary, the discussion explores leveraging the strong alumni network for recruitment, enhancing marketing efforts to highlight the program's value, potential partnerships with other institutions like NYU, and crucially, the possibility of securing financial support through paid internships with municipalities, private firms, and even through third-party donations that could be structured to provide tuition waivers for students.