Higher education and the Vision 2025 package

The push is on to pay for a campaign to pass Tulsa's Vision 2025 plan. Higher education in Tulsa has a lot at stake over the vision vote. <br><br>OU's Tulsa campus is one of several schools that

Tuesday, July 22nd 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The push is on to pay for a campaign to pass Tulsa's Vision 2025 plan. Higher education in Tulsa has a lot at stake over the vision vote.

OU's Tulsa campus is one of several schools that will receive more than $100-million if the Vision plan passes. News on Six anchor Craig Day talked with OU President David Boren who's helping lead the charge.

In a meeting of city and business leaders and higher education officials in Tulsa, OU President David Boren lobbied for support for the vision 2025 plan. OU stands to gain $30-million if the higher education/job creation package passes. "I think this is one of those defining moments for Tulsa. Tulsa has to believe in itself and this will be a very, very strong message about the type of community Tulsa wants to be."

OU would use the money to build a new 100,000 square foot research and medical clinic at the Schusterman campus in Tulsa. Boren says a new medical facility would generate 3,100 new jobs over 15 years and would have a one and a half billion dollar impact on Tulsa's economy. "We have the plans all ready to go. This isn't something you're going to have to wait five or ten years to see. Within 18 months, we'll be nearing completion just as soon as we get the green light."

Other colleges in Tulsa are waiting on a green light as well. Thatâ€™s because they have a lot at stake too, with the Vision package. OSU Tulsa would also get $30-million, NSU $26-million, and $8-million each for Langston and TCC's Southeast campus.

Boren says all of the campuses would contribute to Tulsa's economy. "When you look all across the country, the cities, the areas that have joined the community together with higher educational institutions, built a research base, created jobs, have really been the centers of progress.â€

If the Vision package passes, construction on a new OU facility would begin in January.