See continued ARPA coverage here:
OKLAHOMA CITY – A bipartisan group of state lawmakers recommends appropriating $60 million to support and promote nursing programs at Oklahoma’s colleges and universities that are intended to address a severe shortage of nurses.
Grants for nursing programs were first proposed in Senate Bill 1458, which cleared both chambers of the Legislature on May 20 and became law on May 27 without the governor’s signature.
A joint legislative committee on pandemic relief funding has endorsed 64 projects that total more than $1.72 billion, the majority of the state’s $1.87 billion allocation of American Rescue Plan Act funds. The full Senate and House of Representatives will consider the panoply of projects when the Legislature reconvenes in special session this week at the State Capitol.
The $60 million includes $9.7 million for appropriation to career and technology centers to increase their capacity to accommodate nursing students, and $50.3 million to expand nurse training programs at state colleges and universities.
The funding includes $110,000 for Cameron University in Lawton. Scott Schneider, the school’s vice president for business and finance, said the funds will be used to “improve our infrastructure.”
Cameron hosts two-year and four-year nursing programs offered by Western Oklahoma State College and the University of Oklahoma.
“Currently, those programs are housed in two buildings at different ends of our campus,” Schneider said. “We want to get them located in the same area, so there will be interaction between students who are working toward a two-year degree and those who are working toward a four-year bachelor’s degree.”
Cameron’s share of the ARPA funds would be used to renovate space in South Shepler Tower for the two nursing programs, he said.
Other nursing grants will include $10 million to Southwestern Oklahoma State University at Weatherford, $9,769,689 to Oklahoma City Community College, $9,464,710 to Rose State College in Midwest City, $8,849,223 to Tulsa Community College and $6,585,487 to Southeastern Oklahoma State University at Durant.
The grants also include $4,537,500 to Care Providers Oklahoma, based in Oklahoma City. That organization offers workshops, training seminars and professional development courses for long-term care nursing professionals and administrators.
Other nursing program grants will be $1,780,000 to Murray State College at Tishomingo, $634,850 to Moore Norman Technology Center and $150,000 to Northeastern State University.
In addition, $300,000 grants will be awarded to each of 11 schools: Carl Albert State College, Connors State College, Eastern Oklahoma State College, Langston University, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, Northern Oklahoma College, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Redlands Community College, Rogers State University, Seminole State College and Western Oklahoma State College.