Yep, but I didn't see a specific thread for this project and it had already been discussed in this thread.
I was not directing the comment at you. It was to clear up any misunderstanding that it was on the campus. The op should have started a CC or hotel thread.

This hotel is currently being discussed by the Norman City Council. The bitching about a 4 story hotel is pretty incredible.

During discussion about the Noun hotel, Sean Rieger and then the guy from Visit Norman both shared that Sooner Legends will be permanently closing due to the pandemic.

10:30 PM CST UPDATE - this appeared to pass on a 7-2 vote with Hall and Bierman opposed.

This hotel is currently being discussed by the Norman City Council. The bitching about a 4 story hotel is pretty incredible.

During discussion about the Noun hotel, Sean Rieger and then the guy from Visit Norman both shared that Sooner Legends will be permanently closing due to the pandemic.

10:30 PM CST UPDATE - this appeared to pass on a 7-2 vote with Hall and Bierman opposed.

good news on the new hotel terrible about sooner legends doug is a really good dude

Yep. Very excited to see this new one open as I think the proposal looks awesome.

Legends did announce their catering will continue out of a new location.

good news on the new hotel terrible about sooner legends doug is a really good dude

Great news for Campus Corner. Hope they have their financing in place to make it happen.

What do you do with a closed-down Sooner Legends? I would love to see it razed and replaced with a larger, nicer hotel but realize that is tough to accomplish right now. It seems like a good location for one though right off the interstate and not far from OU.

It looks like the residential hall towers are going to be replaced:


In today's meeting of the OU Board of Regents, OU President Joseph Harroz announced the administration's plan to replace the residential hall towers located on south campus.

The towers include Adams, Couch and Walker, which are currently used as freshman dormitories.

"The towers right now were built in the '60s, the mid-'60s," Harroz said. "So what we are endeavoring to do is go on a multi-year plan to replace those."

- http://www.oudaily.com/news/ou-president-joseph-harroz-announces-plans-to-replace-towers-in-freshman-housing-master-plan/article_fea2755e-7ded-11eb-8909-cbd637e90f41.html/?x=ooo&fbclid=IwAR2_fDbdbX5En7i3PZcOxwKSBwf7UibfTOz2EicA9 G5Y7i_8ClASfQgtQ5M

I lived in Walker Tower my freshman year; lots of fond memories.

They just spent a ton of money to renovate all those dorms, but I know times have changed and students now want a different type of living experience, more like the most recent housing they have built to the east of the towers.

I'm also sure it's a competitive thing in terms of recruiting prospective students.

I lived in Walker Tower my freshman year; lots of fond memories.

They just spent a ton of money to renovate all those dorms, but I know times have changed and students now want a different type of living experience, more like the most recent housing they have built to the east of the towers.

I'm also sure it's a competitive thing in terms of recruiting prospective students.
I believe the serious mold issues are playing into this.

I lived in Walker Tower my freshman year; lots of fond memories.

They just spent a ton of money to renovate all those dorms, but I know times have changed and students now want a different type of living experience, more like the most recent housing they have built to the east of the towers.

I'm also sure it's a competitive thing in terms of recruiting prospective students.

Renovations mainly completed in fall 2008-spring 2009. But the tornado shelters that were probably a couple million we’re just completed in the last few years

I imagine the replacement will look similar to the quad-style dorms that have been built along Lindsey. This will also likely encompass Cate Center. The end product will be a huge high-density residential community for OU students. This will make the replacement of the Huffman Center a bigger priority as it will sit right in the middle of all this new housing.

Walker 10th floor alumnus here. I liked the culture of the freshman quad. Always easy to meet lots of people and stuff going on in the courtyard. Nice to have everything super close. It felt like our own little city.

I get that the rooms are cramped by todays standards, and that people don't like sharing bathrooms, but IMO freshmen do not need "apartments". Too much emphasis on luxury living when everyone is complaining about the cost of college! These buildings will last another 100 years, I wish they wouldn't just be wasted.

Torn on this in it's entirety.

I lived in Walker a couple of years and enjoyed it. At the time, all rooms had 2 beds per room in the identical setup. Some guys on the floor bunked their beds to provide some alternate space. When an inspection found it, they were told to take down the bunks but when a housing official saw what they did, he liked it so well, they were allowed to keep the bunk setup.

I could see taking one bed out of a lot of the rooms would to give students a choice on space. You could keep two beds in one room but turn the other bedroom into a living area. You could keep some rooms just as they are.

By providing some choices, the school could possibly bump up the prices of renovated rooms a little but lower the 4-bed suite prices. Cost is a huge consideration so the school needs to maintain a wide variety of choices.

How about replacing one tower to replace lost beds from renovated rooms in the other towers?

^

As part of a recent renovation, all the furniture is modular and most students stack the beds.

Also, in the new residential colleges to the east, the bathrooms are still shared; they are not set up like apartments.

^

As part of a recent renovation, all the furniture is modular and most students stack the beds.

Also, in the new residential colleges to the east, the bathrooms are still shared; they are not set up like apartments.

My point was, there are options vs. going $150 million or more in debt. Try replacing one tower first and renovating others. The towers are fine except for room space which can be accomplished through opening some walls and making single rooms.

Edit: Some students bunk beds. My child looked at the fact bunked beds have such little room between the top bunk and the ceiling, it was claustrophobic. When l visited, many were not bunked.

They have not said they are going to demolish and rebuild the towers all at once.

I'm very sure they won't do that because they can't possibly give up all that dorm space at once, as enrollment remains near record highs.

And I said 'most' students bunk their beds in the towers, not all.

I would expect the Cate center to be demolished and replaced with something mirroring Durham.
Then they probably will take out a tower at a time and clone the Durham again on the lots covered by current towers. In the end I expect kinda a village of lower 4-5 story residential halls

^

There was a proposal years ago (by Boren I think) to replace Cate with residential colleges similar to Dunham and Headington.

The Cate complex is actually on more land than Walker and Adams combined, so it would make sense.

^

There was a proposal years ago (by Boren I think) to replace Cate with residential colleges similar to Dunham and Headington.

The Cate complex is actually on more land than Walker and Adams combined, so it would make sense.

From what I’ve heard that is the plan so they can gradually demolish the towers and move students into the new residential buildings.

One thing I hope OU can do is integrate more mixed-use into these residential halls.

I would expect the Cate center to be demolished and replaced with something mirroring Durham.
Then they probably will take out a tower at a time and clone the Durham again on the lots covered by current towers. In the end I expect kinda a village of lower 4-5 story residential halls

Cate has all actually been redone and houses offices for certain programs across OU. I believe only one of the four is for dorms anymore.

^

The new dorms also have university offices and even some classrooms.

New on campus living will be a good thing. The dorms are pretty dated. I think students want somewhere better to live. The real question will be the cost per month. Excited to see new living at OU. I think the new Headington style dorms are amazing. It makes the university look 10 times better than the old towers.

Adams Tower will be starting demolition this Summer.

Cross Village is now owned by OU (with help from the Chickasaw Nation) and will be student living in the Fall for freshman.

RIP Adams Tower. Lots of memories from when I was a in school.

Oh wow. I lived at Adams Center (Tarman Tower, 10th floor) my first year at OU, Fall 2010 - Spring 2011.

Turns out that negotiating with the company that built the new Cross Center turned out to be a better plan than slamming them in the press and threatening to sue them, which was Gallogly's ham-fisted, bombastic approach.

I still can't believe the way he was brought in and allowed to run the university.

Thank goodness he's gone and Harroz seems like a super sharp guy who truly loves the university.

Oh wow. I lived at Adams Center (Tarman Tower, 10th floor) my first year at OU......

First thought, oh I might know him....


Fall 2010 - Spring 2011.

20 years too late.... lol


Turns out that negotiating with the company that built the new Cross Center turned out to be a better plan than slamming them in the press and threatening to sue them, which was Gallogly's ham-fisted, bombastic approach.

I still can't believe the way he was brought in and allowed to run the university.

Thank goodness he's gone and Harroz seems like a super sharp guy who truly loves the university.

Agreed. I personally believe Gallogly was brought in to hatchet some costs and go after Boren. That might be my tin foil hat talking, but I'm just sayin.... Unfortunately I think it cost us some really good people at OU.

Agreed. I personally believe Gallogly was brought in to hatchet some costs and go after Boren. That might be my tin foil hat talking, but I'm just sayin.... Unfortunately I think it cost us some really good people at OU.

Like the 1995 season with Howard Schnellenburger I usually just try to forget that the Gallogly experiment even existed

Like the 1995 season with Howard Schnellenburger I usually just try to forget that the Gallogly experiment even existed

Pretty good comparison.

I’m not sure if this will result in a new building built but its pretty impressive:

“ OU awarded $208M for severe weather research institute”

https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/ou-awarded-208m-for-severe-weather-research-institute/article_4e1e9746-cdf5-11eb-be45-cbb8b7fcbf67.html

https://okcfox.com/news/local/ou-becomes-home-of-noaa-severe-high-impact-weather-institute

Still would love to see a world-class meteorology museum across the street from the National Weather Center one day. This would further cement Norman as the meteorology hub of the U.S. ahead of State College and Atlanta, IMO.

Still would love to see a world-class meteorology museum across the street from the National Weather Center one day. This would further cement Norman as the meteorology hub of the U.S. ahead of State College and Atlanta, IMO.

That would be really cool

Good news for OU

https://okcfox.com/news/local/ou-class-of-2025-breaks-previous-records

Allot of great things being done at OU, but I’m hoping President Harroz can fulfill his strategic plan and elevate the States flagship university to AAU standing and improve its USNWR ranking.

Allot of great things being done at OU, but I’m hoping President Harroz can fulfill his strategic plan and elevate the States flagship university to AAU standing and improve its USNWR ranking.

Will be almost impossible if they don't get an exemption for the medical school being in a different city or county. And those are very rare.

Will be almost impossible if they don't get an exemption for the medical school being in a different city or county. And those are very rare.

Thanks for the information. I did not know that was a prerequisite.

Thanks for the information. I did not know that was a prerequisite.

i believe that is the primary reason that Nebraska lost AAU status, the research done at its med school no longer counted toward its stats ..

Thanks for the information. I did not know that was a prerequisite.

Was not meaning to sound rude, I promise.

I think the rule is really dumb. And I see no logical reason why OU should move their med school. I would hope the AAU would modernize their archaic rules.

Was not meaning to sound rude, I promise.

I think the rule is really dumb. And I see no logical reason why OU should move their med school. I would hope the AAU would modernize their archaic rules.

Seems like they could do some research and offer classes in Norman if this was really a sticking point. Maybe OU Health can take over Norman Regional’s hospital on Porter

Seems like they could do some research and offer classes in Norman if this was really a sticking point. Maybe OU Health can take over Norman Regional’s hospital on Porter

Why just throw away billions you have dedicated at OU HSC? I mean, OU is not swimming in funds right now, thanks to the state's crappy funding. Just throwing away what you have near Downtown isn't smart, in my opinion. The AAU is the entity that needs to change their stupid, archaic rules.

Why just throw away billions you have dedicated at OU HSC? I mean, OU is not swimming in funds right now, thanks to the state's crappy funding. Just throwing away what you have near Downtown isn't smart, in my opinion. The AAU is the entity that needs to change their stupid, archaic rules.

How is CU-Boulder an AAU member if its medical school and HSC is in Aurora?

The AAU voted Nebraska out because agricultural research is “not considered as highly." That tells you all you need to know.

Just FYI, but 12 AAU member schools don't even have a medical school.

And one of the primary reasons Nebraska was dropped was due to the large amount of agricultural research which is not valued by the AAU standards.

How is CU-Boulder an AAU member if its medical school and HSC is in Aurora?

they likely have enough research funding with out counting the med school

https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/higher_education/losing-aau-status-not-fatal-for-nebraska/article_e93dccc6-ed16-11e5-9aa9-0312c0e2e5e6.html



MARY RYAN
The AAU dumped Nebraska essentially for two reasons.



First, the University of Nebraska’s medical school is at its Omaha campus, not the flagship campus in Lincoln. So, any federal research dollar, premier faculty member and publication in a prestigious journal from the medical school couldn’t be counted toward Nebraska’s AAU status.

Second, the university focuses heavily on agriculture research, a priority for a land grant institution. But in the eyes of the AAU, most agricultural research is not peer-reviewed, competitive research, so it is “not considered as highly,” AAU spokesman Barry Toiv said, compared with medical and economic research.

That sounds like an AAU problem, not a Nebraska problem. Agriculture research is hardly some trivial thing that doesn't matter in the big picture.

they likely have enough research funding with out counting the med school

Right, this is the issue.

If the university on its own has tons of research funding, they don't need to rely on the medical school.

As for OU, the medical school is in the same metro area and only 20 miles from the main campus. The distance at Nebraska is 60 miles.

Just FYI, but 12 AAU member schools don't even have a medical school.

And one of the primary reasons Nebraska was dropped was due to the large amount of agricultural research which is not valued by the AAU standards.

I would guess weather and energy-related research (specifically O&G research) might count negatively for OU. If agricultural research counts against Nebraska, then those might count against OU, since they aren't prestigious enough fields.

As for OU, the medical school is in the same metro area and only 20 miles from the main campus. The distance at Nebraska is 60 miles.

it was pointed out to me via pm that part of the issue with nebraska was that their medical school is under a different organization than their main campus.

I would guess weather and energy-related research (specifically O&G research) might count negatively for OU. If agricultural research counts against Nebraska, then those might count against OU, since they aren't prestigious enough fields.

You have absolutely no way of knowing that weather and oil & gas research would somehow be discounted.

Neither is remotely similar to agriculture.

You have absolutely no way of knowing that weather and oil & gas research would somehow be discounted.

Neither is remotely similar to agriculture.

I would say weather, energy and agriculture are some of the most important things to research and are integral to the advancement of mankind. But maybe not in the eyes of the "elite".

You have absolutely no way of knowing that weather and oil & gas research would somehow be discounted.

Neither is remotely similar to agriculture.

Well, the AAU seems very uppity. I mean, you could argue weather research is less competitive than agriculture, since there are far fewer top-level weather schools in the country.

And the educational elite are mostly liberal, and we know how they view O&G (as a hopefully dying form of energy).

Just reading between the lines. Not making anything as fact, just giving my opinion.

Well, the AAU seems very uppity. I mean, you could argue weather research is less competitive than agriculture, since there are far fewer top-level weather schools in the country.

And the educational elite are mostly liberal, and we know how they view O&G (as a hopefully dying form of energy).

Just reading between the lines. Not making anything as fact, just giving my opinion.

This is a hilarious viewpoint. There is a huge contingent of ELITE who are O&G wealthy. Don't confuse elitism with the product that made them rich. And, being eco friendly isn't necessarily liberalism. I know plenty of conservatives who are very sensitive to the environment. Any farmer who doesn't want to protect the land that makes them a living shouldn't be farming.

I'm not sure what "educational elite" means. Wanting the population to be educated, aware, and able to think for themselves isn't liberal or conservative. What conclusions those that can think and conclude for themselves indicates their own sense of which ideology is consistent with their knowledge and beliefs. Parents and society have about 18-20 years to prepare their children... four years in college doesn't change their upbringing. If parents can't defend against additional thoughts and information then their training wasn't good, their thoughts weren't that strong, or both.

As for O&G dying .... well it won't die, but it sure will be diminished by progressive and prosperous nations. There were lots of people who didn't want cars to interfere with horses either. Most can't be stuck in the past forever, but some can.

I would say weather, energy and agriculture are some of the most important things to research and are integral to the advancement of mankind. But maybe not in the eyes of the "elite".

Please define "elite".

There are huge sums beings spent on climate research, so I would say that the educated and informed are highly aware of the need to understand the climate and weather. Weather isn't just about a TV 5 minute report in the evening. It is much more sophisticated.

I am curious as to why you think O&G research is discounted. What facts do you use to support this accusation?

I would guess weather and energy-related research (specifically O&G research) might count negatively for OU. If agricultural research counts against Nebraska, then those might count against OU, since they aren't prestigious enough fields.

It wasn't about how important agriculture is, it was about the lack of peer review of studies. There are valid methodologies for proper scientific research and peer review is a big part of that. If others cannot substantiate or replicate your research, the validity is in question. Don't confuse the subject matter with the objective process.

Thanks for the information. I did not know that was a prerequisite.

Again (I'll post this over and over again), these rankings about elitist prestige and appearance and have less to do with educational quality. Honestly, they represent one of the biggest problems in both K-12 and higher education: using flawed metrics to make educational decisions.


It wasn't about how important agriculture is, it was about the lack of peer review of studies. There are valid methodologies for proper scientific research and peer review is a big part of that. If others cannot substantiate or replicate your research, the validity is in question. Don't confuse the subject matter with the objective process.

What you're describing is only true for some research studies. I have published over 50 peer reviewed academic articles and only a small number of them are replicable for varying reasons such as sample size, anonymity, etc. There are many different research methodologies needed for different data sets or contexts. Many qualitative researchers do not use "validity" anymore, but instead use concepts like "trustworthiness." Much of qualitative research involves identifying meaning from deep contexts. For example, I often use "emergent coding" methods that are not replicable and, in fact, can produce different results with different research teams. But, the findings are still as worthwhile to the field of research. There are differences across different disciplines. Journal metrics like impact factor, not methodologies, tend to be the way that academic scholarship is built into any of these formulas. Now, I don't agree with those metrics either, but that's for another day.

Well, the AAU seems very uppity. I mean, you could argue weather research is less competitive than agriculture, since there are far fewer top-level weather schools in the country.

And the educational elite are mostly liberal, and we know how they view O&G (as a hopefully dying form of energy).

Just reading between the lines. Not making anything as fact, just giving my opinion.

I agree that these systems are elitist, but you're reasoning is off. This isn't some traditional liberal/conservative divide. The arbitrary criteria for these systems are designed to indicate prestige more than educational and scholarly quality in my opinion.

As for OU, the medical school is in the same metro area and only 20 miles from the main campus. The distance at Nebraska is 60 miles.

As a University of Nebraska student from Norman, I can back this up completely. Traveling from Lincoln to Omaha feels like it takes forever, leading to my friends and I hardly ever traveling to Omaha.

Interesting, I had never thought much about the rankings other than to take them as fact till I read some Malcolm Gladwell recently

https://malcolmgladwell.bulletin.com/902401096977837

Right, this is the issue.

If the university on its own has tons of research funding, they don't need to rely on the medical school.

As for OU, the medical school is in the same metro area and only 20 miles from the main campus. The distance at Nebraska is 60 miles.

The location of the University of Tennessee's medical school is wild. Its 400 miles away from the main campus in Memphis. Makes OUHS seem like an easy walk to the Norman campus by comparison.

Right, this is the issue.

If the university on its own has tons of research funding, they don't need to rely on the medical school.

As for OU, the medical school is in the same metro area and only 20 miles from the main campus. The distance at Nebraska is 60 miles.

It sounds like a good opportunity for OU to increase its overall research funding on the Norman campus. Lots of available land in the research park. Someday they will redevelop the acreage where LNC sits as well. Hoping to see more of a mixed-use neighborhood built on that land. That combined with the existing research park across Jenkins could be a huge economic driver.

The location of the University of Tennessee's medical school is wild. Its 400 miles away from the main campus in Memphis. Makes OUHS seem like an easy walk to the Norman campus by comparison.

And UT isn't an AAU school. Yet somehow, KU is, with their medical school in Kansas City.

I do know that OU has vastly increased their meteorological research, and engineering research (energy and non-energy). Not sure what the threshold is, or other criteria.