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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
SENATE BILL 267 By: Daniels
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to higher education; establishing the
School of American Civic Thought and Leadership at
the University of Oklahoma; pro viding purpose;
authorizing the school to take certain actions to
carry out its purpose; providing for location of the
school; directing the school to operate as certain
academic unit; creating an advisory board; providing
for membership; providing for cha ir of advisory
board; directing members to be appointed by certain
date; directing the advisory board or its appointed
committee to conduct certain search by certain date;
directing the Provost of the University of Oklahoma
to appoint certain director from certain list;
providing for filling of vacancy; allowing for
appointment of interim director; providing for
removal of director; providing duties of 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; making an
appropriation; providing for codification; providing
an effective date; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKL AHOMA:
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 follows:
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A. There is hereby established the School of American Civic
Thought and Leadership at the University of Oklahoma. The purp ose
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 t he fields of political thought and
science, American history and government, f ree 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 citizenship, fundamental
democratic principles and mores, and the ways in which those
principles and mores are expressed in and through mediating
institutions at the federal, state, and local levels;
5. Provide viewpoint and ideol ogically diverse resources to
students, faculty, state government agencies and actors, educators,
and the general public regarding civic affairs; and
6. Assist in ensuring that the University of Oklahoma serve as
a robust marketplace of ideas for all stud ents and faculty.
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B. To carry out the purposes 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 onl ine instruction
in new graduate and undergraduate major and minor programs;
4. Develop an undergraduate American institutions and civic
knowledge course in anticipation of a future mandate requiring all
University of Oklahoma students to complete such a c ourse to
graduate;
5. Offer general education and honors courses including courses
intended for incoming freshman students;
6. Offer concurrent enrollment;
7. Provide and facilitate internships 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 Provost
of the University of Oklahoma.
C. Upon its establishment , the School of American Civic Thoug ht
and Leadership may be physically housed on the University of
Oklahoma’s Norman campus.
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D. The School of American Civic Thought and Leadership shall
operate as an academic unit within the University of Oklahoma.
E. The School of American Civic Thought and Leadership and its
director shall be advised by an advisory board on matte rs related to
the school including, but not limited to, staffing, curriculum,
policy, and programming in accordance with the policies and
procedures of the University of Oklahoma . The advisory board shall
be comprised of six (6) members of the Board of Regents of the
University of Oklahoma , to be appointed by the chair of the Board of
Regents. The Provost of the University of Oklahoma shall serve as
chair of the advisory board. Members shall be appointed by December
31, 2025.
F. By March 31, 2026, the a dvisory board, or a committee
appointed by the board, shall conduct a national search and transmit
to the Provost of the University of Oklahoma a list of finalists for
the position of director of the school. The Provost of the
University of Oklahoma shall provide all necessary administrative
support for the search. The Provost of the University of Oklahoma
shall appoint the director from the list of finalists provided by
the 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 Provost of the
University of Oklahoma may designate a member of the school ’s
faculty to serve as interim director until the vacancy is filled.
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The Provost 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 Provost of the University of Oklahoma ;
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, 2027, and by each March 1 thereafter, develop
and provide an annual strategic plan for the school to the Provost
of the University of Oklahoma and the advisory board.
G. Faculty of the school may be awarded tenure subject to the
tenure policies of the Un iversity of Oklahoma as adopted by the
Board of Regents of the University of O klahoma 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 dissolv es, 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 don ations to fund the school. Allocated
and donated funds shall only be used for the direct operation of the
school.
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I. By September 1, 2027, and by each September 1 thereafter,
the Provost of the University of Oklahoma, in consultation with the
director of the school and the school’s advisory board, shall
electronically submit a report to the Governor, the President Pro
Tempore 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.
SECTION 2. There is hereby appropriated to the Oklahoma State
Regents for Higher Education from any monies not otherwise
appropriated from the General Revenue Fund of the State Treasury for
the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, the sum of Five Million
Dollars ($5,000,000.00) or so much thereof as may be necessary for
the purpose of implementing the provisions of Section 1 of this act.
SECTION 3. This act shall become effe ctive July 1, 2025.
SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
60-1-737 EB 12/30/2024 7:53:42 PM