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Q: ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ recently published a press release describing upwards of $12M in infrastructure investments across all three campuses. Which projects/improvements will be implemented?

Installation of new chillers for cooling in four academic buildings on the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Campus to include Moore Hall, Sanford Hall, Jones Hall, and our Library

• These buildings are among the most heavily used on our ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ campus for coursework
• We hired a professional engineering firm to design the project, assess the electrical and structural components, and to ensure that the new equipment was sized appropriately
• The new chillers are already on order and are set to arrive sometime in September
• We have deployed temporary chillers to each building in an effort to provide cooling in the interim while we await the arrival and installation of new equipment
• This project is approximately $1.5 million and is funded through our Title III federal grant.

HVAC Conversion in Residential Housing Communities: Centennial Court and Cimarron Gardens Apartments

• In partnership with both an engineering firm and a construction firm, we have converted the HVAC systems within Buildings 1-5 of Centennial Court and throughout the Cimarron Gardens Apartments (3 buildings).
• Both communities will have modernized heating and cooling systems and upgraded equipment and thermostats for better climate and energy control, air filtration, heating and cooling.
• Through this project, we have introduced thermostat-controlled central air to Cimarron Gardens for the very first time since their construction in the 1960s.
• This project costs $4.9 million and is funded through our HEERF federal grant to optimize air filtration within our housing communities.

HVAC Upgrades in Scholars’ Inn and Commons Apartments which will begin this semester and be completed before December 30, 2025.

• We hired an engineering firm to design this project, which calls for the replacement of HVAC equipment and refrigerant lines in both Scholars’ Inn Apartments and Commons Apartments.
• Both communities will have modernized heating and cooling systems and upgraded equipment and thermostats for better climate and energy control, air filtration, heating and cooling.
• This project is approximately $4 million and is funded through our HEERF federal grant to optimize air filtration within our housing communities.

Modernization of Sanford Hall Elevator

• We worked with Otis Elevator company on a turnkey project to modernize the elevator in Sanford Hall
• This project has taken approximately 11 months from start to finish and required cooperation from a number of trades
• This project is approximately $200,000 and is funded through our OCAMP from FY25

HVAC overhaul in C.F. Gayles Gymnasium/Atrium/John Montgomery Multipurpose Building

• We hired an engineering firm to design a project for full replacement of HVAC equipment and electrical infrastructure within our gymnasium, our atrium event space, and our multipurpose building on the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Campus
• All three of these spaces are heavily used by students, employees, and by our community
• We have just completed the design phase of the project and will issue the specifications for competitive bid to select a vendor to lead the project
• We estimate the project could cost upwards of $2 million but the final costs will not be known until the project is fully bid and a contract awarded
• We plan to launch the competitive bid this semester and completion will be contingent upon a number of factors including supply chain for materials and labor

HVAC upgrade for the Allied Health building on our ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Campus

• We hired an engineering firm to design a project for replacement of the antiquated split chiller serving our Allied Health building on the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Campus which houses our School of Nursing and Health Professions
• The replacement will be a single dedicated chiller which is easier to maintain and provides optimal cooling
• The design phase is just getting started and we do not yet have a timeline for the project, but have made it a priority
• We have rented a temporary chiller to serve the building
• We anticipate this project will cost approximately $500,000 and will be funded through our FY26 allocation of OCAMP

Q: How is the university able to make these updates without passing the cost along to students?

We leveraged federal grants and the appropriation of OCAMP funding through the state of Oklahoma for these projects. And yes, we are so happy that these costs are not being  passed along to students. It is really important to us that we keep ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ as affordable as possible, and we remain the leader in affordability among 4-year institutions not only within Oklahoma but also regionally.

Q: How did the University receive funding from Oklahoma Capital Asset Management and Protection funds (OCAMP) and Higher Education Emergency Relief funds (HEERF)? What did the process entail?

We have been able to tap into multiple federal grants to support these projects along with the state-appropriated funding through OCAMP. Our teams in Academic Affairs and in Operations prepared compelling project narratives which were submitted and approved by the federal agencies overseeing these grants.

The state appropriated funding through OCAMP has come about through the commitment of our Oklahoma legislators to invest in higher education and our campuses. The legislature accelerated the disbursement of their investment to all public institutions of higher education. We expect to receive another $10.1 million in OCAMP funding this September, which will support the HVAC project in our gymnasium complex as well as other projects throughout our three campuses.

Q: Which lawmakers expressed support in making these funds available?

We have been having conversations with state legislators regarding our deferred maintenance needs for several years now, and we aren’t the only campus with needs. Our recent Carnegie designation as a Research College or University allowed us to be set apart from other regional institutions. We appreciate that our legislature recognizes our unique role within the state coupled with our land-grant mission. Senator Chuck Hall, who represents our ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ campus, has been instrumental in making this happen. We appreciate his support, the support of Governor Stitt, and that of the legislature as a whole to provide funding for deferred maintenance needs.

Q: How will these improvements impact students and staff and their experiences/environment throughout the school years going forward?

The investments we are making and those that we will make with future OCAMP funds are intended to directly enhance the student experience. We are investing in the spaces and buildings that our students use the most. With a historic campus like ours in ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½, our deferred maintenance needs will likely always outpace available funding, but we are very grateful to make these large investments.

The HVAC projects in housing and our chiller project for the academic buildings are already underway. The additional projects are contingent upon completion of a thorough design phase and Title 61 competitive bid to select a vendor. All of the projects noted in our release remain a priority.

Q: Will it affect any move-in or classroom operations this upcoming semester?

We have made an investment in temporary chillers to cool our academic buildings while we wait for the permanent chillers to arrive and be installed. We are finishing up the HVAC projects in two of the five buildings within Centennial Court Apartments, and students will be moving into the newly renovated buildings once the project is complete in the coming weeks.

Q: When do you estimate all projects to be completed?

We hope to have all of the projects described within our release complete by August 2026. We are working hard to expedite as much as possible.

Q: As this is part of a long-term plan to modernize and improve campuses across the state, what does the future entail? Is there anything else the university hopes to accomplish? Or any more improvements you’d like to see happen?

Yes, we envision holistic upgrades to our campus utilities such as electrical and water to support more modernized systems. We also hope to pursue additional HVAC and energy management projects throughout other buildings to modernize our infrastructure in the coming years as funding allows.