Regional + City Planning student Iman Abubakar recently published an op-ed in the OU Daily about transportation inequities in Norman. Abubakar’s article, “Dismantling transportation barriers to socioeconomic equity,” explores accessibility and frequency issues with Norman’s public transportation system.
The local public transport is mostly utilized by low-income families, people with disabilities, and international students who do not have access to cars. According to a survey by Go Norman Transit, 53% of public transportation riders make less than $25,000 a year, and 54% don’t own cars. Despite these statistics, the neighborhoods where many of these citizens live do not have bus stops nearby, leaving them without a reliable form of transportation.
According to Abubakar, another issue with Norman’s transportation system is its limited hours, as it only runs from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the week, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays. The low frequency of buses limits those who are dependent on public transport to take them where they need to go, decreasing their standard of living. For instance, these citizens would have no form of transportation to attend night shift jobs, nighttime classes, or access any healthcare facilities once the buses stop running.
Abubakar’s op-ed was written as part of a Regional and City Planning course, “Planning with Diverse Communities,” which is taught by Dr. C. Aujean Lee.
Associate Professors Lee Fithian, Ph.D., and Elizabeth Pober have published a chapter in the recently released New Perspectives in Indoor Air Quality, published by Elsevier. Their contribution, titled “Chapter 16 – Architecture and the Challenges of Indoor Air Quality,” examines the relationship between architecture and indoor air quality.
Dr. Ladan Mozaffarian, Assistant Professor of Regional and City Planning, has been selected to serve as Co-Chair of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) Planners of Color Interest Group (POCIG) for the 2025–2027 term.
The Gibbs College of Architecture is proud to recognize Tahsin Tabassum, a recent graduate of the college’s Master of Regional and City Planning program and current doctoral student at the University of California, Irvine, for receiving the prestigious 2024–2025 American Planning Association (APA) Outstanding Student Award.
