Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 70-4709: Minority faculty representation - Faculty award and

fellowship opportunities - Faculty salaries.

A. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Oklahoma State

Regents for Higher Education continue to increase the proportional

representation of ethnic minorities among the academic faculties at

the individual institutions of The Oklahoma State System of Higher

Education. Funds shall continue to be made available to the

institutions for the first year payment of salary following

employment of a newly hired tenured or tenure-track minority faculty

member. It is the intent of the Legislature that these funds be

provided only for those persons who are hired with the intention of

permanently filling a faculty position which either has become open

or has been created at an institution. Funding for personal

benefits shall be provided by the employing institution. It is the

further intent of the Legislature that special effort continue to be

given to recruitment of minorities in those academic fields in which

they are particularly underrepresented. The State Regents shall

encourage the institutions to continue aggressive recruitment of

minority academic faculty.

B. It is the intent of the Legislature to initiate award and

fellowship opportunities to commend faculty, serving at institutions

of higher education within The Oklahoma State System of Higher

Education, who have the potential for nationally or internationally

recognized research or scholarship.

C. It is the intent of the Legislature to raise faculty

salaries to a nationally competitive level. Institutions which are

currently farthest from the national average shall be the first to

participate in such increases in salary.