STILLWATER, Okla. (OBV) – The Oklahoma House of Representatives approved an $80-million allocation to build a new Oklahoma State University science facility which will benefit the state’s science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) industries and workforce.
House Bill 2893 was written by Rep. John Talley, R-Stillwater, to fund the construction of a new life and physical science building which would serve as a dedicated classroom home facility for all OSU undergraduate science students. It also seeks to grow the number of STEM graduates, enhance the recruitment of top researchers and bolster the state’s STEM-focused industry, according to a House news release.
The bill passed the House with an 83–9 vote.
“This is a significant win for OSU and represents a major step forward in the university’s statewide impact,” Talley said. “The state-of-the-art facilities will not only enhance access to STEM education but also address the pressing need for skilled professionals in Oklahoma’s workforce.”
The current life sciences building was built between 1938 and 1960. It lacks the scientific advances of the decades that followed.
HB 2893 moves to the Oklahoma Senate for approval.
The building – if approved by the Senate and Gov. Kevin Stitt – will be 220,000 square feet and cater to more than 90,000 undergraduate and graduate students over the next 20 years.
The legislation covers half of the required funding. OSU administrators will rely upon private donations for the remaining $80 million.
Funding for the building will ultimately address healthcare practitioner shortages across multiple professions, including physicians, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, dental, veterinary medicine and other critical areas, according to the news release.
The new science facility will help OSU become a leading national research institution, promoting collaboration and innovation through resource sharing across academic disciplines, according to Talley.
A Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) report on workforce readiness in Oklahoma stated that workforce projections from all major sources agree that future jobs will require more education, especially bachelor’s degrees in STEM, managerial and professional fields.
LOFT also found that STEM programs are essential for meeting Oklahoma’s workforce needs since those skills are required in many jobs in the state’s top industries, including energy and aerospace.
Although university enrollment has been on the decline over the past decade, the total number of STEM discipline degrees granted by Oklahoma institutions have increased by 24 percent, with most earned at OSU and OU, according to LOFT.
“STEM academic programs are vital to the State’s workforce needs as they are required for many occupations within Oklahoma’s top industries, such as energy and aerospace,” the LOFT report states. “Among those earning a STEM degree from one of Oklahoma’s public universities, more than 84 percent remain working in the State after one year, and more than 70 percent are still working in the State after five years.”
