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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 59th Legislature (2024)
SENATE BILL 1946 By: Pugh
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to higher education; establishing the
School of American Civic Thought and Leadership at
the University of Oklahoma; provi ding purpose;
authorizing the school to perform certain duties;
providing for location of the school; directing the
school to operate as certain academic unit; creating
an advisory board; providing for appointment of
members, terms of office, expiration of initial
appointments, and filling of vacancies ; providing for
appointment of a vice president of civic thought and
leadership by certain date; providing duties of vice
president; authorizing the vice president to p erform
certain duties; prov iding for filling of vacancy;
directing the advisory board or its appointed
committee to conduct certain search by certain date;
directing the president of the University of Oklahoma
to appoint certain director from certain list;
providing for filling of vacancy; establishing duties
of the director; allowing award of tenure to certain
faculty; authorizing use of certain funds for school;
requiring submission of certain annual report by
certain date; providing contents of report; providing
for severability; providing for codification;
providing an effective date; and declaring an
emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3319 of Title 70, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as fol lows:
A. There is hereby established the School of American Civic
Thought and Leadership at the University of Oklahoma. The purpose
of the school shall be to:
1. Educate students in the principles, ideals, and institutions
of the American political order including the character traits and
durable habits necessary to sustain that order;
2. Educate students in the philosophical foundations of
responsible leadership and informed citizenship;
3. Promote and provide programming related to civic education,
engagement, and discourse;
4. Enhance education in the fields of political thought and
science, American history and government, free market economics, and
other related fields as appropriate, with a focus on the foundations
of Western and American civilization including its great books , the
rights and responsibilities of American citiz enship, fundamental
democratic principles an d mores, and the ways in which those
principles and mores are expressed in and through mediating
institutions at the federal, stat e, and local levels;
5. Provide viewpoint and ideologi cally diverse resources to
students, faculty, state government a gencies and actors, educators,
and the general public rega rding civic affairs; and
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6. Assist in ensuring that the University of Oklahoma serve as
a robust marketplace of ideas for all students and faculty.
B. To carry out the p urposes set forth in subsection A of this
section, the school is authorized to :
1. Enroll students;
2. Hire tenure-track and non-tenured faculty and supporting
staff;
3. Develop and offer in-person courses and online instruction
in new graduate and undergraduate major and minor programs;
4. Develop an undergrad uate American institution s and civic
knowledge course in anticipation of a future mandate requiring all
University of Oklahoma students to complete such a course to
graduate;
5. Offer general education and honors courses includin g courses
intended for incoming freshman students;
6. Offer concurrent enrollment;
7. Provide and facilitate internship s and other relevant
experiences for students and the general public;
8. Hold events; and
9. Take other actions as appropriate subject to the supervision
of the school’s director and the general supervision of the
president of the University of Oklahoma.
C. Upon its establishment, the school may be physically housed
on the University of Oklahoma’s Norman campus.
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D. The school shall operate as an academic unit within the
University of Oklahoma.
E. The school and its director shall be advised by an advisory
board on matters related to the school including, but not limited
to, staffing, curriculum, poli cy, and programming in accordance with
the policies and procedures of the University o f Oklahoma.
1. The advisory board shall be comprised of nine (9) members to
be appointed as follows:
a. three members, one of whom shall be an active or
retired academic or administrative employee of an
institution of higher education accredited by an
accrediting agency that is recogni zed by the Secretary
of the United States Department of Education,
appointed by the Governor,
b. three members, one of whom shall be an active or
retired academic or administrative employee of an
institution of higher educati on accredited by an
accrediting agency that is recogni zed by the Secretary
of the United States Department of Education,
appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate,
and
c. three members, one of whom shall be an active or
retired academic or administrative employee of an
institution of higher education accredited by an
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accrediting agency that is recogni zed by the Secretary
of the United States Department of Education,
appointed by the Speaker of the H ouse of
Representatives.
2. Initial appointments shall be made by December 31, 2024.
The terms of office of initial members shall be:
a. one member appointed pursuant to subparagraphs a, b,
and c of paragraph 1 of this subsection shall serve an
initial term of two (2) years,
b. one member appointed pu rsuant to subparagraphs a, b,
and c of paragraph 1 of this subsection shall serve an
initial term of four (4) ye ars, and
c. one member appointed pursuant to subparagraphs a, b,
and c of paragraph 1 of this subsection shall serve an
initial term of six (6) years.
3. Initial appointments made purs uant to this subsection shall
expire on May 31 of the final year of the term of office . Terms of
office for subsequent appo intments shall be six (6) years. Members
shall serve until their successors are duly appoi nted. Members
shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. Vacancies
shall be filled by the appointing authority.
4. a. The president of the University of Oklahoma shall
appoint a vice president of civic thought and
leadership by December 31, 2024, who shall serve at
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the pleasure of the president. The vice president
shall serve as chair of the advisory board created
pursuant to this subsection, convene an initial
meeting of the advisory board, receive appointment
notifications, and serve as a n ex officio member of
the advisory board.
b. If a vacancy in the position of v ice president of
civic thought and leadership occurs, it s hall be
filled by the president of the University of Oklahoma.
During the term of the vacancy, the advisory board may
elect from its membership an interim chair to serve
until the vacancy is filled.
F. By March 31, 2025, the advisory board created pursuant to
subsection E of this s ection, or a committee appointed by the board,
shall conduct a national search and transmit to the president of the
University of Oklahoma a list of finalists for the pos ition of
director of the school. The president of the University of Oklahoma
shall provide all neces sary administrative support for the search.
The president of the University of Oklahoma shall appoint the
director from the list of finalists provided by th e advisory board.
If the position of director becomes vacant, the provisions of this
subsection shall govern appointment of a new director. During the
term of the vacancy, the president of the University of Oklahoma may
designate a member of the school’s faculty to serve as interim
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director until the vacancy is filled. The president of the
University of Oklahoma may remove the director of the school in
accordance with policies and procedures of the University of
Oklahoma. The director shall:
1. Report to the vice president of civic thought and
leadership;
2. Except for his or her own appointment, make all faculty and
staff hiring decisions for the school;
3. Operate the school in accordance with policies and
procedures of the University of Oklahoma ; and
4. By March 1, 2026, and by each March 1 thereafter, develop
and provide an annual strategic plan for the school to the president
of the University of O klahoma, the vice president of civic thought
and leadership, and the advisory board .
G. Faculty of the school may be awarded tenure subject to the
tenure policies of the University of Oklahoma as adopted by the
Board of Regents of the University of Oklahom a and shall not be
required to gain joint appointment in another division of the
University of Oklahoma. If a faculty member is awarded tenure and
the school later dissolves, the faculty member shall be relocated
within another academic unit of the University of Oklahoma.
H. The Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma may use
funds allocated to it by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
Education and charitable donations to fund the school. Funds
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allocated pursuant to this subsection shall not su pplant any
existing state funding or charitable donations to the University of
Oklahoma. Allocated and donated funds shall only be used for the
direct operation of the school.
I. By September 1, 2026 , and by each September 1 thereafter,
the president of the University of Oklahoma, in consultation with
the director of the school, the school’s advisory board, and the
vice president of civic thought and leadership , shall submit a
report to the Governor, the President Pro T empore of the Senate, the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the chairs of the
Senate Appropriations Committee and the House of Representatives
Appropriations and Budget Committee. The initial report shall
contain all relevant data from the founding of the school through
September 1, 2026, including the following:
1. The total amount of funding received by the schoo l in the
previous fiscal year;
2. A description of the current faculty positions and the names
and qualifications of the faculty members holding such positions;
3. The names and titles of the members of the advisory board
created pursuant to s ubsection E of this section;
4. The number of students enrolled in the school’s graduate and
undergraduate degree programs and in concurrent enrollment ;
5. A description of the courses and degree s offered by the
school;
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6. A description of significant community events, initiatives,
and publications provided by the school during the previous fiscal
year;
7. A description of programs at the University of Oklahoma
supported by the school; and
8. A copy of the school’s most recently approved strategic
plan.
J. The provisions of this section are severable and if any part
or provision shall be held void , the decision of the court so
holding shall not affect or impair any of the remaining parts or
provisions of this section.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2024.
SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health , or safety, an emergency is her eby
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
59-2-2429 EB 1/18/2024 12:53:00 PM