Higher Education

A public letter to President Boren and President Betz

June 22, 2017

Jonathan Small

Today, OCPA President Jonathan Small sent the following letter to OU President David Boren and UCO President Don Betz.

Dear Sirs:

A recent news story claimed Oklahoma is “dead last in the nation when it comes to state tax support for higher education,” and quoted Mr. Betz saying, “We’ve been flirting with that ranking for some time.”

A subsequent story quoted Mr. Boren: “Now we’re officially dead last (nationally) in what we spend as a state in higher education.”

As you’re perhaps aware by now—The Oklahoman printed a “clarification” today—our state is not “dead last” or at “the very bottom” when it comes to funding higher education. Your statements, if reported accurately, are a departure from the facts.

An examination of the study cited in these reports shows the following:

Oklahoma ranks 31st in raw dollars of state support for higher education. Put simply, Oklahoma provides more support than 19 states.

The study ranks Oklahoma 38th on a per capita basis and 34th based on income for state support to higher education.

None of this data considers differences between the states in cost of living. On that basis, Oklahoma would rank right near the middle of the pack at 28th for total state support to higher education.

No matter how you look at the data, your claims that Oklahoma is “dead last in what we spend as a state in higher education” are simply false. With this information now available to you, I respectfully ask that you issue a correction.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Small
President