View Full Version : Universities/Colleges and downtown OKC



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bombermwc
09-17-2008, 10:09 AM
Which is why the private schools in OK are the ones forking out the best students in their fields.

Midtowner
09-17-2008, 10:30 AM
Which is why the private schools in OK are the ones forking out the best students in their fields.

Some private schools yes, some not so much.

Mid America Bible College, for example, is one I don't see churning out spectacular graduates.

jbrown84
09-17-2008, 01:15 PM
Well, Sally Kern's husband is a "professor" there, so that tells you a lot.

I think he teaches Creation 101 and Culture War 450.

Midtowner
09-17-2008, 01:31 PM
Well, Sally Kern's husband is a "professor" there, so that tells you a lot.

I think he teaches Creation 101 and Culture War 450.

I don't really take a lot of issue with Bible colleges. If people think their religion is so great that they should be required to study church dogma as part of their higher -ed curriculum, bravo, God bless America.

For all I know, there couldn't be a better person to teach those sort of classes than Rev. Kern., so power to him.

In truth, I don't see how these places could be much better or worse than someplace like OCCC or OSU-OKC. Lots of adjuncts, only a few doctorates on the full time staff (which is very, very small).

Their course catalog doesn't have anything totally insane on it, at least nothing any more insane than what they'd probably force an undergrad to take at OBU or OCU.. They're just very new, very small, and they don't have as distinguished a faculty as either school.

FYI, Culture War ain't in the course catalog :)

jbrown84
09-17-2008, 01:34 PM
at least nothing any more insane than what they'd probably force an undergrad to take at OBU or OCU..

You'd be surprised how liberal (or neutral) the bible classes are at OBU. Sally would certainly take issue.

To me the difference is that schools like OBU and OCU might have a couple semesters of required Bible classes, as well as offer majors in religion and ministry, but they aren't indoctrinating, they are teaching their students to have an open mind, to question, and to form their own opinions and beliefs.

bombermwc
09-17-2008, 01:47 PM
Now I can't say anything about OBU beacause I went to OCU. But our "bible" courses were basically 2 courses you got to choose out of a list. Everyone took "Intro to Biblical Literature" which examines the bible as a piece of literature, not a religious doctrine. You read passages, analyze it for what it symbolises/translates. It's more of an education on terms and concepts of biblical times than religion. The other course can be chosen from many different areas. I chose Philosophy for my course (never again.....) but you could have taken Eastern Relgions, Middle Eastern Relgions, something about old-history religions, etc. You get the point. Even though they were religious courses, it wasn't as though you were being told "THINK MY WAY". That's the Methodist philosophy, be tolerant and open to new ideas.

And hey, it's OCU, so think of all the gay dancers there. They've got to be tolerent to accept all walks of life. As I understand the ideals behind OBU, if you say you are gay, you are expelled. Such as the gay/les student organization that got a bunch of students kicked out a couple years ago. I don't know if they are still that crazy out there or not. That's something you for sure don't deal with at a public school, but it depends on the private school whether you do.

Just for clarification, I didn't really count places like Mid-America or that size place in my comments about churning out the students. Basically....I meant the NAIA schools.

Midtowner
09-17-2008, 01:56 PM
MACU is an NAIA school, isn't it?

jbrown84
09-17-2008, 02:05 PM
As I understand the ideals behind OBU, if you say you are gay, you are expelled.

No, that's not true. The girl, for example, who came out in Newsweek, is still there, or she graduated at least. Official policy is they ask you to go to counseling, if that even happens. Most students, faculty members, and administrators don't agree with the policy or support it/enforce it.

Back on the classes issue, we are required to take Old and New Testament (1 sem. each), which are mostly history and cultural context, with some literature emphasis as well. It is not "Sunday School" or Bible study. We also take one semester of Philosophy and one semester of Comparative Civilization (anthropology and world religions). All are taught without the "America/White People/Christianity is superior" undertone that you see in many fundamentalist schools/churches.

okcustu
09-22-2008, 09:26 PM
i just heard from a very reliable source at OCU that the regents are considering a move downtown and they would know by the end of the school year. he also said that depending on acquisition and etc. it could be open in four years

Kerry
09-22-2008, 09:37 PM
Define "move downtown".

okcustu
09-22-2008, 09:39 PM
thats all he said, it is just at the planning stages i dont think they have narrowed done a place since he talked about acquistions

Kerry
09-22-2008, 10:10 PM
I really wish the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education would create Oklahoma Polytechinic (O-Poly) or the Oklahoma Institute of Technology (OIT or O-Tech) downtown. It wouldn't really be a school that competed with OU or OSU but it could serve students from around Oklahoma that attened 2-year schools or graduated from one of the other state schools and want to work on an advanced degree. Teaching staff could be brought in from some of the other state schools to build up the faculty. Even if just had 1,000 students it would be a great start.

okcustu
09-22-2008, 10:37 PM
sounds like a good idea the Oklahoma career tech people would probably be pretty gung ho about it it's just probably getting higher ed to go along with them

Kerry
09-22-2008, 11:04 PM
If we can have Panhandle State University we should be able to have a state campus in downtown OKC. Please don't take that as knock against OPSU but it seems that the State University systems lacks a premier campus that students at the state campuses can aspire to attend. Not ever one qualifies or can afford to attend OU and OSU.

CuatrodeMayo
09-22-2008, 11:42 PM
A design school...please.

bombermwc
09-23-2008, 09:03 AM
If OCU moves anything downtown, it will be an "extension" campus. They haven't spent hundreds of millions of dollars in the last decade to up and abandon the campus.

BG918
09-23-2008, 09:13 AM
A design school...please.

What about an urban studio that is a joint venture between OU and OSU? Currently at OU you do a year-long urban design project your final (5th) year of architecture school. I'm not sure what OSU does but it would be cool to see both schools come together to work on urban projects in an urban setting downtown. It would also provide the opportunity for 60 or so OU/OSU students to spend a year living in and around downtown OKC if they desire. I know Virginia Tech has a program like this where their students go to the VT Alexandria (Washington DC) campus to do urban projects for a year.

CuatrodeMayo
09-23-2008, 09:56 AM
That would be great. Currently, the OSU school does 2-3 urban projects in the fall semester and competition studio in the spring.

jbrown84
09-23-2008, 11:00 AM
The only school I can see realistically making a complete (or significant) move to downtown would be OSU-OKC. Their facilities on Portland don't amount to much compared with OCU or OKCCC, and I can see them moving everything downtown except the programs that need that land.

CCOKC
09-23-2008, 06:18 PM
Again, that campus has made significant capital improvements over the last year so not sure they are looking to move.

okcustu
09-24-2008, 12:12 AM
If OCU moves anything downtown, it will be an "extension" campus. They haven't spent hundreds of millions of dollars in the last decade to up and abandon the campus.

the law school, asthetically speaking, is blahh and they are seriously looking into moving the law school the school needs more dorms and they would prefer to have them concentrated.

HOT ROD
09-24-2008, 04:47 AM
I really wish the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education would create Oklahoma Polytechinic (O-Poly) or the Oklahoma Institute of Technology (OIT or O-Tech) downtown. It wouldn't really be a school that competed with OU or OSU but it could serve students from around Oklahoma that attened 2-year schools or graduated from one of the other state schools and want to work on an advanced degree. Teaching staff could be brought in from some of the other state schools to build up the faculty. Even if just had 1,000 students it would be a great start.

Kerry, that;s what I've been talking about. Something like Seattle Polytech (tho is not downtown, but in Cap Hill-close) or Denver's Auraria campus (which is downtown). Nothing big and it dont have to be 4 year, I was even thinking OKC community college; there needs to be more than just one campus - downtown is perfect.

HOT ROD
09-24-2008, 04:49 AM
BG, I concur!