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Pillar 1

Pillar 1:
Become a Top-Tier Public Research University

Strategy 1:

Meet Association of American Universities-quality benchmarks to position OU among the top public universities in the U.S. The Association of American Universities represents the top 65 public and private universities in the U.S. and Canada.


Tactic 1:

Hire 150 net new faculty in areas consistent with our Strategic Plan through a new annual investment of $35 million recurring, phased in over seven years. Invest an additional $10-15 million per year, over seven years, in start-up packages providing industry-standard funding for necessary research tools for faculty success.


Tactic 2:

Expand Ph.D. programs to the level of aspirational peer institutions by investing an additional $6 million recurring, phased in over seven years, and create incentives for research faculty to secure additional external funding.


Tactic 3:

Ensuring staffing levels are appropriately proportioned to the increase in the faculty and student needs.


Tactic 4:

On a quarterly basis track progress toward becoming a top public university using Association of American Universities-quality benchmarks. Additional details provided below in Pillar 5.


Strategy 2:

Hire leading faculty who will help take OU’s reputation to the next level.

Tactic 1:

Establish a best-in-class recruiting program, including concierge-like services and a spousal/partner accommodation program.


Tactic 2:

Streamline and accelerate hiring practices for new faculty and staff to be competitive with the market.


Tactic 3:

Hire top-tier talent in strategic areas by channeling new investments through an internally competitive process.


Tactic 4:

Develop measures to ensure outstanding faculty hires, using a faculty committee to provide feedback toward standards of excellence.


Tactic 5:

Honor the value of tenure while increasing flexibility to hire teaching-intensive faculty as we grow research and expand professional and online programs.


Strategy 3:

Develop and retain an outstanding and diverse faculty and staff.


Tactic 1:

Provide best-in-class professional development for our faculty through OU’s Center for Faculty Excellence.


Tactic 2:

Establish an Associate Provost for Inclusive Faculty Excellence position with responsibility related to faculty development, teaching and learning, curriculum development and review, and new faculty orientation.


Tactic 3:

Establish college-specific teaching plans, benchmarked to research and teaching goals, tailored to the performance and capabilities of each faculty member.


Tactic 4:

Forge new standards of performance evaluation for faculty and staff to ensure consistency and rigor, in alignment with the Strategic Plan.


Tactic 5:

Implement compensation plans that meaningfully reward excellence and provide salary increases for performing faculty and staff.


Tactic 6:

Enhance professional development and career opportunities for staff.


Tactic 7:

Reduce the administrative burden and increase the effectiveness and efficiency of post-tenure review to ensure a high level of productivity for all tenured faculty members.


Tactic 8:

Provide robust professional development and training of supervisors and administrators and conduct yearly evaluations of administrators and administrative offices.


Tactic 9:

Identify, understand, and address retention issues.


Tactic 10:

Ensure that there are mechanisms to address faculty and staff who are not meeting expectations consistent with the Strategic Plan.


Strategy 4:

Enhance the OU brand through new investment in marketing and communications to improve recruitment, alumni engagement, and institutional reputation across the state, region, and country.


Tactic 1:

Develop a targeted university-wide marketing plan and brand identity that reflects OU’s distinct value. Eliminate inconsistent, confusing, and poorly constructed branding within the University.


Tactic 2:

Recognize the value of the OU Athletics brand for the entire institution and purposefully capitalize on the enthusiasm and affinity for OU Athletics to benefit the broader institution.


Tactic 3:

Achieve and continually track earned media and other relevant key performance indicators benchmarked against public Association of American Universities standards.


Tactic 4:

Develop a best-in-class social media presence and institutional identity benchmarked against public Association of American Universities standards.