Boren defends decision to give OU students day off following Texas Game

(Norman-AP) -- University of Oklahoma President David Boren is defending his move to cancel classes following O-U's 63-to-14 win over Texas earlier this month.

Boren says the cancellation was meant to renew a tradition set by longtime O-U President George Lynn Cross. Cross occasionally gave students a Monday holiday after a win over Texas.

Boren says the move was also meant to celebrate other recent developments at O-U, like the successful end of a half (B) billion-dollar fund-raising campaign.

Ruth Okediji is chair of the O-U Faculty Senate. Okediji says she has received e-mails that claim the move sends the message that sports are more important than academics at O-U.

Boren says the class cancellation won't become an annual habit.

O-U students were off the Friday before the OU-Texas game and the extra day off gave them a four-day holiday.