Population Growth for OKC

[HangryHippo]

The state needs to make a significant investment in OU. Boren did a great job, but we need to build momentum and keep making improvements. It needs to become a top technical school and start churning out a bunch of science and math graduates. With Tinker being what it is, perhaps OU should really push their aerospace engineering program. More graduates in that area could lead to more aerospace companies moving jobs here.

OKC also needs to work with OU to set up some sort of "tech business incubator" system around the HSC. The Innovation District isn't gonna work without OU's cooperation. They seem to like their manicured lawns, but if the school felt like it was intimately involved with the project and that there was a direct benefit to students (i.e., something to boost their profile with potential students), they might get on board. Perhaps a residential tower for med students, with an attached office building that could lease space to startup companies founded by recent graduates. Even have faculty advisers set up to teach them how to set up a business like that. Maybe even have a degree program specifically for people who want to start their own tech business -- a combination of business and engineering. Maybe graduate programs where you can get your MBA along with a Masters in computer science or something.

And if we could build a better connection between the Oklahoma School of Science and Math, that may help too. Funnel really smart high school kids directly into an OU program, and from there they've got a clear path to starting their own business. Most of the startups won't be successful, but some of them might be. Now these kinds of developments would take some time to pay off -- a kid going into OSSM wouldn't be starting a company for about a decade, but we'd have a lot of potential in the pipeline, and this seems like the natural way to encourage this. While we're at it, let's increase the size of the OSSM. It's a great school, and I think we need to get more students there as long as we can maintain the same level of quality.

MAPS needs to continue, with roughly a 50/50 mix of quality of life improvements and economic development. Convention centers are needed, but so are parks and museums and things like that. When people visit OKC they need to think that we've got a lot of fun things to do. This will make companies more willing to consider a move here.

Boren has done an incredible job, but sometimes, I feel like he really could have done more to advance the STEM programs at OU. As you said about Tinker, I don't understand why OU hasn't focused on becoming one of the top aerospace engineering programs in the US? Why are we just now developing a biomedical engineering program? Why isn't petroleum engineering the top program in the US? I understand the state's fiscal crises and idiotic leadership have played into this significantly, but sometimes, I feel like Boren's devotion to things like political science and international studies came at the expense of the fields where OU could have really helped itself and the state. Also, the fact that the university doesn't do a better job with the OUHSC is borderline criminal. What ought to be a premier medical facility for the state is anything but because the lack of leadership and willingness to be a partner on the part of the university.

[bchris02]

50% humidity is lower than most today and not high. Summers are hotter in Dallas and just as humid or more. Don’t visit Houston, New Orleans, Memphis, Nashville, etc. if OKC is too humid. Winters in Kansas City, Chicago, Indianapolis, Buffalo, Denver, etc., etc, are colder. If everyone wants to compare us to San Diego, we lose.

This is my personal preference but I would take the summers in the Southeastern United States over OKC. They typically get more rain in the summer and it's not as common for 100+ degree days, though they do happen sometimes. It might not seem like much, but July days with afternoon highs in the low 90s are much more comfortable than days with highs around in the low 100s. Also, the much larger trees and the shade they provide make the heat seem less brutal. Pleasant weather in the spring and fall also seems to last longer than it does around here. Winters may be a little warmer here than up north but we are still talking highs in the 20s/30s and lows in the 10s, typically with wind gusts. Not what I would consider pleasant winter weather. This may just be my personal preference, but weather is definitely not a selling point for OKC.

[LocoAko]

I have to say the weather in Oklahoma absolutely sucks. I didn’t realize it until I moved back. If it’s hot, there’s no wind. If it’s 70 degrees there’s a 25 MPH wind which makes it unbearable. If it’s cold it is of arctic intensity. The tornadoes don’t even matter to me - I enjoy the severe weather season.

Anecdotally this just isn't true from my experience. On the East Coast when it is hot (and especially humid) it is often due to stagnant airmasses with very little wind. I've actually found the heat + wind combination in Oklahoma noteworthy as someone coming from the Northeast... *shrug*

[Rover]

C

Boren has done an incredible job, but sometimes, I feel like he really could have done more to advance the STEM programs at OU. As you said about Tinker, I don't understand why OU hasn't focused on becoming one of the top aerospace engineering programs in the US? Why are we just now developing a biomedical engineering program? Why isn't petroleum engineering the top program in the US? I understand the state's fiscal crises and idiotic leadership have played into this significantly, but sometimes, I feel like Boren's devotion to things like political science and international studies came at the expense of the fields where OU could have really helped itself and the state. Also, the fact that the university doesn't do a better job with the OUHSC is borderline criminal. What ought to be a premier medical facility for the state is anything but because the lack of leadership and willingness to be a partner on the part of the university.

Cancer center is outstanding(just recognized as tier 1). Diabetes center is outstanding. Ear institute is outstanding(internationally known). New state of the art Children’s hospital. They’ve done an outstanding job, with or without 23rd street’s support. For a relatively poor state, it is amazing the level of medical services available at the OU health sciences center. And, once the legislature allowed researchers at OU to share in commercialization we have had some great successes incubated there too. Glad they added biomedical engineering, but given the financial support they get from the state, it is amazing they are as comprehensive as they are.

[Jake]

Having lived in Wisconsin, hearing that Oklahoma has bad winters is hilarious to me.

[Bunty]

Again, I ask, why would anyone live in the dump that is Oklahoma? /s

Oklahoma is far from perfect. I hope no one is trying to say it is. But it is also not the worst state, either. I don't care what the rankings say. I have been to neighboring states, and most are dumps (Kansas and Arkansas), and Missouri is not exactly great either (their state university has been embroiled in race issues for decades). Oklahoma has a chance to improve with the next election, just by losing Mary Fallin. But who we vote for to replace her will have a lot to do with the course the state takes.

Not really. The truth is, aside from using vetoes, Oklahoma governors don't have much power to guide the state to a better direction. So I get sick of seeing Todd Lamb's TV ads about him having a plan. Oklahoma governors don't have much broad power to change the state. That was proven true when Gov. Fallin's plan to drastically change taxation in Oklahoma was not allowed to see the light of day in the state capitol. Therefore, who we vote in as legislators has more impact on the future of Oklahoma.

I already said why I live here. I was born in Oklahoma and became a homebody at heart. Perhaps, it's something inherited. Moving to another state was not an adventure I wanted to tackle. Yet, I would ask why do people still live in these dumpy Oklahoma towns, which have been declining for years? Such towns are depressing places. While there isn't very many of them, why not move to an Oklahoma town on the grow? Just turn in job applications in such towns and patiently wait for a positive response.

[Bunty]

Having lived in Wisconsin, hearing that Oklahoma has bad winters is hilarious to me.

Really, Oklahoma only has a bad winter about once every 25-50 years. Even then a person from Wisconsin might say, "This is bad? Really?"

[Rover]

From a weather data site:
Days of Hot Weather in Oklahoma City
Most summer days at Oklahoma City have highs in the 90s Fahrenheit. On average, 11 days a year heat up to 100 °F (38 °C) or more.

How Often Oklahoma City Has Cold Temperatures
Normally two nights a year gets down to 10 °F (-12 °C). The city averages just one day a decade, usually in December, when the thermometer plunges to 0 °F (-18 °C) or even less.

This hardly describes the extreme conditions some here espouse. I also looked up humidity and it averages less than Dallas, Austin, Nashville, Kansas City, etc. It is lower in Denver by far in the winter...which is not good.

Average annual wind speed
City MPH Difference
Boston, Massachusetts 12.3 -0.1
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 12.2 0
Buffalo, New York 11.8 0.4
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 11.5 0.7
Dallas, Texas 10.7 1.5
Kansas City, Missouri 10.6 1.6
San Francisco, California 10.6 1.6
Cleveland, Ohio 10.5 1.7
Minneapolis, Minnesota 10.5 1.7
Virginia Beach, Virginia 10.5 1.7
Providence, Rhode Island 10.4 1.8
Chicago, Illinois 10.3 1.9
Detroit, Michigan 10.2 2
Rochester, New York 9.7 2.5
Indianapolis, Indiana 9.6 2.6
St. Louis, Missouri 9.6 2.6
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 9.5 2.7
Miami, Florida 9.2 3
Atlanta, Georgia 9.1 3.1
Las Vegas, Nevada 9.1 3.1
New York, New York 9.1 3.1
Memphis, Tennessee 8.8 3.4
Seattle, Washington 8.8 3.4
Baltimore, Maryland 8.7 3.5
Denver, Colorado 8.7 3.5
Austin, Texas 8.5 3.7
Louisville, Kentucky 8.3 3.9


People who live here tend to underestimate uncomfortable climates elsewhere and exaggerate our own.

[Bunty]

OKC has extremes in all four seasons. Most other places people are bringing up do not. Phoenix or Houston may be brutal during the summer but their winters are nice. Chicago and Minnesota's winters may be brutal but their summers are nice. In OKC, summers are brutally hot, winters are brutally cold, and it seems like the wind is always blowing especially in winter when it makes it feel much colder than the actual temperature. Winter tends to bring damaging ice storms around here more often than snow. Summer tends to bring drought. Plus, nowhere on the planet sees as many tornadoes (statistically) as central and western Oklahoma. For born-and-bred Okies that isn't really something that matters but it does to people out of state. In my opinion, weather is one of the biggest drawbacks of living here.

This person who moved to Oklahoma City from California seems to enjoy the changes in season. He was so sick and tired of California, he wanted out of there. This is a well done audio essay of that move and settling in. Oklahoma City can continue to grow in population as long as it has attractive jobs to offer for those wanting to get out of circumstances they no longer want to live with. Of course, the state needs to provide better support for education to help make that so.

[Isaac C. Parker]

In terms of total sunshine per year, Oklahoma City is one of the sunniest large cities in the U.S., which could prove to be a decent marketing point.

Source: https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/sunniest-cities/

[PhiAlpha]

The state needs to make a significant investment in OU. Boren did a great job, but we need to build momentum and keep making improvements. It needs to become a top technical school and start churning out a bunch of science and math graduates. With Tinker being what it is, perhaps OU should really push their aerospace engineering program. More graduates in that area could lead to more aerospace companies moving jobs here.

OKC also needs to work with OU to set up some sort of "tech business incubator" system around the HSC. The Innovation District isn't gonna work without OU's cooperation. They seem to like their manicured lawns, but if the school felt like it was intimately involved with the project and that there was a direct benefit to students (i.e., something to boost their profile with potential students), they might get on board. Perhaps a residential tower for med students, with an attached office building that could lease space to startup companies founded by recent graduates. Even have faculty advisers set up to teach them how to set up a business like that. Maybe even have a degree program specifically for people who want to start their own tech business -- a combination of business and engineering. Maybe graduate programs where you can get your MBA along with a Masters in computer science or something.

And if we could build a better connection between the Oklahoma School of Science and Math, that may help too. Funnel really smart high school kids directly into an OU program, and from there they've got a clear path to starting their own business. Most of the startups won't be successful, but some of them might be. Now these kinds of developments would take some time to pay off -- a kid going into OSSM wouldn't be starting a company for about a decade, but we'd have a lot of potential in the pipeline, and this seems like the natural way to encourage this. While we're at it, let's increase the size of the OSSM. It's a great school, and I think we need to get more students there as long as we can maintain the same level of quality.

MAPS needs to continue, with roughly a 50/50 mix of quality of life improvements and economic development. Convention centers are needed, but so are parks and museums and things like that. When people visit OKC they need to think that we've got a lot of fun things to do. This will make companies more willing to consider a move here.

Based on what I've heard about Jim Galogly's so far, I think a lot of the things you've mentioned are on his radar. One of his focuses is going to be leveraging his business and government connections to build better hiring/internship pipelines for OU's business, tech, and engineering grads. Those connections are largely already there on the energy industry side (though more would never hurt anything), but could be vastly improved for graduates going into other industries, such as aerospace, tech, etc. Those pipelines will help promote, increase enrollment, increase donations, and build national prestige for those programs. He's also talked a lot about continuing to improve the med school/HSC and Tulsa campuses. Based on his track record, I feel like he has the ability to accomplish those goals during his tenure. He should do a great job of building on what Boren did over his time at OU.

[PhiAlpha]

90, humid, and no wind. That doesn’t sound like a fantastic day to me unless I’m on the beach

We’ll have to agree to disagree. Those cities have their seasonal troubles, but they also have more pleasant days outside of those seasons. It seems like we have summer and winter, with 2 weeks of springs and 2 weeks of fall. And when it’s summer it is HOT HOT HOT and winter is COLD COLD COLD. The 4 weeks of transition a year go by very quick.

Everyone always says that but I don't really get it. It has been that way this year and is for a year or two every once and awhile, but we had very mild summers from 2013-2017 and through a period back in the 2000s. Up until this year (and maybe last year), it hasn't really gotten all that hot until mid to late August. For 2013-2017 the highs were in the mid 70s to low 80s through June, mid 80s to low 90s through July, and almost never hit 100. Years like this where it starts hitting the high 90s in May seem to be the exception more than the rule.

[dankrutka]

Texas has Austin and Dallas. Texas pays teachers more than a living wage. Texas has international airports and a coast. I think bchris was pointing out that while the states he mentioned have dumbass politicians, too, they have many other positive attributes that are well-known to the nation. Georgia has Atlanta and will probably be a blue state within ten years. North Carolina has the Research Triangle, a coast, a very modern city that is bigger than OKC, and world-class academic institutions.

Your post borders on pedantry. Do we really need to rehash the dumb **** that is happening in our state legislature that makes national news? And we sure export some quality leaders, like Scott Pruitt, possibly the most venal and corrupt member of the Trump Syndicate.

We were on every major international news organization for nearly a month with tale after tale about four-day school weeks, decayed, outdated textbooks, and impoverished teachers. You think that's good for business?

Your post seems to be addressing different topics than the conversation bchris and I were having. You might want go back through and read the posts again.

bchris' post (and many of his posts) I responded to vaguely complained about culture wars legislation as being the thing that keeps Oklahoma behind other states. I asked him to (a) explain what culture wars legislation was different than other states (no one has provided an example yet) and (b) tell me what legislation he'd like to see passed. The point of the latter was to start a productive conversation. Nothing in your post (i.e., geographic advantages, international airports, thriving metropolitan areas, research triangles, Pruitt's corruption) actually addresses what I said. It's all well known and I certainly didn't dispute any of it. The one issue you brought up that actually addresses the topic we're discussion -- lack of education funding -- is the same one that I already addressed in detail in this thread and in probably 100 hundred other posts on the board.

Anyway, I would like to discuss this important topic more or you could start a different thread to discuss the topics you introduced.

[dankrutka]

BChris always lays major blame on our state legislature for being a leading detractor for companies/people in deciding whether to relocate here over another city/state and Dan made the point that all the other, more economically successful, states that BChris mentioned have equally crazy elected officials that have equally stupid agendas but that it hasn’t had the negative impact on those states that you would expect it to if it was the primary deterrent to corporate relocations here . He asked him to provide examples of how the LEGISLATIVE FOCUS was any different between those states and OK since you would expect it to be if that is what’s truly differentiating our economic success from the states he mentioned. Dan’s point is the one you mention as being BChris’...the elected officials are crazy in other states too, but it hasn’t had the major negative effect on them that BChris acts like it does on OK.

Ah, thanks. You pretty much made all the points I made. I should have looked ahead to your post. Lol.

[PhiAlpha]

OKC has extremes in all four seasons. Most other places people are bringing up do not. Phoenix or Houston may be brutal during the summer but their winters are nice. Chicago and Minnesota's winters may be brutal but their summers are nice. In OKC, summers are brutally hot, winters are brutally cold, and it seems like the wind is always blowing especially in winter when it makes it feel much colder than the actual temperature. Winter tends to bring damaging ice storms around here more often than snow. Summer tends to bring drought. Plus, nowhere on the planet sees as many tornadoes (statistically) as central and western Oklahoma. For born-and-bred Okies that isn't really something that matters but it does to people out of state. In my opinion, weather is one of the biggest drawbacks of living here.

OKC has had some of the wettest summer months on record over the last decade, so no, summers don't tend to bring drought...some summers do, some don't.

And wrong, statistically, central and western OK do not receive more tornados than anywhere on the planet. If you do it by County, 5 counties in Texas, Colorado, and Florida have us beat. If you do it by county land area, a county in Florida and Texas top anything in OK, and if you measure it by population density, OK doesn't appear on the list until number 10. If you measure it by state, Texas and Kansas both top OK. If you measure it by state land area, Florida tops OK. Texas has more deadly tornadoes, and OK is number 9 in tornado deaths per 10000 sq miles. The argument is that OK has had more EF4/F4 and EF5/F5 tornadoes than any other state since 1950 which is true, but Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Alabama are not far behind us. Violent tornadoes are much rarer and have only accounted for 1.7% of our total tornadoes since 1950 so it's not like we see a massive tornado every 15 minutes and despite having the most So all of that to say... NO, STATISTICALLY central and western OK do NOT see more tornados than anywhere else on the planet.

https://weather.com/storms/tornado/n...ne-us-counties
http://www.ustornadoes.com/2016/04/0...united-states/
https://www.weather.gov/oun/tornadod...-monthlyannual
https://weather.com/storms/tornado/n...tornado-states

[PhiAlpha]

Ah, thanks. You pretty much made all the points I made. I should have looked ahead to your post. Lol.

Ha, well your post explained it better anyway.

[PhiAlpha]

Boren has done an incredible job, but sometimes, I feel like he really could have done more to advance the STEM programs at OU. As you said about Tinker, I don't understand why OU hasn't focused on becoming one of the top aerospace engineering programs in the US? Why are we just now developing a biomedical engineering program? Why isn't petroleum engineering the top program in the US? I understand the state's fiscal crises and idiotic leadership have played into this significantly, but sometimes, I feel like Boren's devotion to things like political science and international studies came at the expense of the fields where OU could have really helped itself and the state. Also, the fact that the university doesn't do a better job with the OUHSC is borderline criminal. What ought to be a premier medical facility for the state is anything but because the lack of leadership and willingness to be a partner on the part of the university.

Yes, while Boren did a great job, I think this is probably one of the areas in which he deserves some criticism. Gallogly should be leaps and bounds better in those respects. Along those same lines, his major emphasis on National Merit Scholars over anything else was tiring. Is it great that we get a ton of them, absolutely, but I really feel like he overemphasized it.

[Rover]

National Merit scholars wasn't the end game, just a tool to get to the goal. Boren was about raising the academic level of the university and bringing in smart and talented individuals was one tool in the belt. Just like we talk about OKC needing to recruit and retain the creative class to use as a building block of innovation and growth, Boren emphasized National Merit Scholars. Raising the prestige of the school gets more donations, grants, etc.

NM Scholar recruitment and promotion was no more "over anything else" than his relentless pursuit of better facilities, more endowed chairs, smaller classes, more research grants, top ranked athletics, better student housing, etc.

[HangryHippo]

Yes, while Boren did a great job, I think this is probably one of the areas in which he deserves some criticism. Gallogly should be leaps and bounds better in those respects. Along those same lines, his major emphasis on National Merit Scholars over anything else was tiring. Is it great that we get a ton of them, absolutely, but I really feel like he overemphasized it.

That's another great example. I understand their value in raising the academic profile of OU, but there were a number of other initiatives that Boren seemingly ignored that could have helped achieve the same result.

[Laramie]

DR.GEORGE LYNN CROSS, University of Oklahoma president (1944–1968).

Cross is known for a humorous remark made during the winning football years at Oklahoma. When asked by a member of a legislative appropriation committee, "Why do you need so much money?" he replied, "I would like to build a University of which the football team could be proud."

Boren has done an outstanding job with the OU National Merit Scholarship program. New president, James L. Gallogly needs to continue to recruit merit scholars and promote other areas.

[kevin lee]

PhiAlpha is a on a mission. Like a one man wrecking crew lol.

[Rover]

That's another great example. I understand their value in raising the academic profile of OU, but there were a number of other initiatives that Boren seemingly ignored that could have helped achieve the same result.

Like?

[gopokes88]

Everyone always says that but I don't really get it. It has been that way this year and is for a year or two every once and awhile, but we had very mild summers from 2013-2017 and through a period back in the 2000s. Up until this year (and maybe last year), it hasn't really gotten all that hot until mid to late August. For 2013-2017 the highs were in the mid 70s to low 80s through June, mid 80s to low 90s through July, and almost never hit 100. Years like this where it starts hitting the high 90s in May seem to be the exception more than the rule.

47 straight days over 100 degrees in 2011 is burned into my brain and soul that OK is insanely hot.

[Rover]

47 straight days over 100 degrees in 2011 is burned into my brain and soul that OK is insanely hot.

Historically, that is totally an outlier and does not define the true climate here. We all tend to remember extremes more than the usual. When you go elsewhere the long term natives all remember the “winter of ____” or “the summer of____”, or this hurricane or that flood. That doesn’t define their climate.

[PhiAlpha]

PhiAlpha is a on a mission. Like a one man wrecking crew lol.