Greater than 20 folks traveled to the Oklahoma State Capitol to symbolize East Central College at Greater Schooling Day Tuesday, Feb. 15. The scholars, school and administration gathered with tons of of individuals from different Oklahoma universities and schools to display the worth and significance of upper training in Oklahoma.

ECU college students had the chance to go to with Senate Majority Flooring Chief Greg McCortney and State Consultant Ronny Johns amongst others. Oklahoma Supreme Court docket Justices Norma Gurich and Dustin Rowe joined the scholars for lunch.

“College students, school and workers from Oklahoma’s public schools and universities got here collectively at this time at our State Capitol to spotlight the worth of a school diploma,” stated Regional College System of Oklahoma Chancellor Allison D. Garrett.

The audio system on the Greater Schooling Session within the afternoon included Governor Kevin Stitt, Secretary Ryan Walters, Speaker Charles McCall, Senator Roger Thompson, Consultant Kevin Wallace, Senator Adam Pugh, State Regents Chair Jeffrey W. Hickman, and Chancellor Garrett.

“Amongst our state’s vital occupations,” Garrett stated, “47 of the highest 50 highest paying jobs require a school diploma. U.S. Census Bureau knowledge present that people with an affiliate diploma earn virtually $1,000 extra per thirty days than these with only a highschool diploma, and people with a bachelor’s diploma earn over $2,000 extra per thirty days than highschool graduates. Public increased training is vital to strengthening Oklahoma’s economic system and constructing our workforce, and have to be a high state precedence.”

For the subsequent fiscal yr, the State Regents are requesting $40 million for vital workforce growth initiatives, together with funds to assist meet engineering, nursing and instructor training workforce wants, enhance doctor residency capability within the state, fund pre-collegiate STEM Summer time Academies and supply scholarships for grownup college students returning to finish their faculty diploma or earn an industry-recognized micro-credential or certificates.

Different priorities embody requests to completely fund the concurrent enrollment program for highschool seniors and juniors ($4 million), enhance investments in need-based monetary assist and scholarship applications ($6.85 million), and supply extra funding for system operations ($34.3 million), which is able to assist campus operations and infrastructure; promote collaboration, innovation and effectivity initiatives amongst establishments; and strengthen the standard and expertise of on-line training.

One other precedence for the state system of upper training within the upcoming legislative session can be to keep up the present legislation concerning weapons on increased training campuses. Oklahoma increased training helps the Second Modification and gun possession. Beneath present legislation, campus presidents can authorize who might carry weapons on campus. The State Regents and the presidents of all 25 state system establishments strongly consider that the present legislation with regard to weapons on campus is working.

The State Regents may also proceed efforts to protect the devoted funding supply for the Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship. Acknowledged by the Southern Regional Schooling Board as one of many high promise scholarship applications within the nation, Oklahoma’s Promise is taken into account a nationwide mannequin that mixes emphases on tutorial preparation and monetary assist for school. Roughly 15,000 college students are anticipated to obtain the scholarship in faculty throughout this tutorial yr. For extra details about Oklahoma’s Promise or to use on-line, go to www.okpromise.org.