OU Students Recognized at OU Regents Meeting for Their Support of Local Oklahomans, Raise Thousands of Dollars for Children’s Hospital
NORMAN – University of Oklahoma President James L. Gallogly celebrated student volunteerism and a positive trend in the school’s finances with the OU Board of Regents at their March meeting today. Gallogly announced the university is turning the corner regarding the school’s finances and recognized the important community service work OU students are doing to have a positive impact on their community through a near $1 million fundraising event.
Gallogly recognized Thanh Truong, a dental student at the OU College of Dentistry, who recently volunteered his time with the Mission of Mercy Clinic in Oklahoma City to provide free dental care to uninsured or underinsured Oklahomans. Truong, who earned his undergraduate degree in biochemistry at OU Norman before pursing dentistry, once was a beneficiary of the Mission of Mercy Clinic and OU faculty and student volunteers himself.Truong credited his interest in dentistry to the care he received from this important group. Truong was recently featured on NBC Nightly News coverage of Mission of Mercy Clinic in Oklahoma City.
Thanking the organizers of the 2019 Soonerthon, Gallogly highlighted the more than $900,000 that OU Campus Activities Council students raised during the annual SoonerThon to support lifesaving medical research, equipment, family support and care programs for the Children’s Hospital Foundation, part of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
“All the money raised locally during this event stays local and directly impacts Oklahomans in all 77 counties,” said Gallogly. “I am so proud of the dedication our students have shown to take care of others first.”
Gallogly reported to the Regents that the university is beginning to see the impact of savings actions taken since he began in July 2018.
“As a result of about $33 million in annual savings ideas identified to date, we are turning the corner,” said Gallogly. “Negative numbers on the Norman campus are now positive. Our cash position has finally shown an improvement from $152 million to $177 million, an increase of $25 million.”
He went on to say, “We are also building cash at the Health Sciences Center. That same monthly figure has also improved by $36 million.”
Gallogly provided an update regarding donations to the University.
“We also continue to make progress with fundraising; $55.6 million in new and conditional pledges, in addition to cash gifts which total more than $68.5 million, put the University on track to hopefully match the previous year’s giving,” said Gallogly.
Gallogly delivered an overview of significant research work currently being conducted at the university, highlighting specifically that OU Norman campus researchers submitted 580 proposals (an 11.7 percent increase) with a dollar amount requested of over $322 million (a 47.1 percent increase) to federal, state and industry sponsors.
Gallogly concluded by saying, “I am proud of the work we are doing at the University of Oklahoma and of the students and alumni who continue to focus on service and support to our community.”
Other items presented and approved at the OU Board of Regents’ March meeting included:
· Election of the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Executive Secretary of the Board of Regents
· Nominations for Distinguished Professorships; Regents’ Awards for Outstanding Juniors, and Superior Staff and Faculty awards. The awards will be announced at events later in the spring on each of the Norman, HSC and Tulsa campuses
· Resolutions designating the dates for 2019 Staff Week at various campuses. OUHSC Staff Week will be held April 15 through 19. OU Norman and OU-Tulsa Staff Week will both be held April 22 through 26.
· Acceptance of a donation of property from the Phillips 1998 Descendants Trust for land near Lake Texoma to further the University of Oklahoma Biological Station’s mission.
The next meeting of the OU Board of Regents currently is scheduled for May 9 and 10.
