2023 Oklahoma Statutes › Title 70. Schools › §70-3510. Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges - State educational institutions under jurisdiction of - Powers and duties - Institution personnel - Fidelity bonds - Federal funds - Gifts - Contracts - Property - Employee benefits.

The Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges, also known as the Regional University System of Oklahoma (RUSO) pursuant to Section 3507.1 of this title, shall have the supervision, management, and control of the University of Central Oklahoma, East Central University, Northeastern State University, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and Southwestern Oklahoma State University; and it shall have the following additional powers and duties:
(a) Adopt such rules and regulations as it deems necessary to govern each of the institutions under its jurisdiction.
(b) Employ and fix the compensation and duties of such personnel as it deems necessary including architects, attorneys, engineers, and other professional and technical persons for its operation and for the operation of the institutions under its jurisdiction. Any of such personnel having custody of public funds or other public property may be required to furnish corporate surety bonds in such amounts as may be deemed necessary by the Board, payable to this state and conditioned upon a faithful accounting of all such funds and property.
(c) Enter into contracts, purchase supplies, materials and equipment, and incur such other expenses as may be necessary to make any of its powers effective.
(d) Authorize officials at the several institutions under its jurisdiction to act in its behalf in the making of contracts, or in carrying out the powers conferred upon it.
(e) Receive and make disposition of monies, grants, and property from federal agencies, and administer the same in accordance with federal requirements.
(f) Accept gifts of real and personal property, money, and other things, and use or dispose of the same in accordance with the directions of the donors or grantors thereof.
(g) Direct the disposition of all monies appropriated by the Legislature or by the Congress or derived from the sale of bonds or received from any other source by the institutions under its jurisdiction.
(h) Acquire and take title to real and personal property in its name, on behalf of any of the institutions under its jurisdiction, and convey, exchange, or dispose of, or otherwise manage or control, such property in the interest of such institutions including the granting of leases, permits, easements, and licenses over or upon any such real property. The Board shall have the power to institute any legal action in the name of the Board before any court having jurisdiction of such actions. The Board shall have custody of abstracts of title and instruments affecting the ownership of or title to real property acquired for or belonging to such institutions.
(i) Have supervision and charge of the construction of all buildings at institutions under its jurisdiction.
(j) Determine the need for and cause to be constructed dormitories and other buildings, on a self-liquidating basis, at any institution under its jurisdiction.
(k) Establish and maintain plans for tenure and retirement of employees of the Board and of the institutions under its jurisdiction, and for payment of deferred compensation of such employees; and provide hospital and medical benefits, accident, health, and life insurance, and annuity contracts, for such employees and their dependents. The Board may pay for all or a part of the cost thereof for employees, with funds available for the operation of the institution. Amounts payable by an employee for such insurance or annuity contracts may, with the consent of the employee, be deducted from his or her salary.
(l) Maintain an inventory of all property belonging to each of the institutions under its jurisdiction.
(m) Audit all accounts against the funds allocated to the institutions under its jurisdiction.
(n) Provide penalties and forfeitures by way of damages and otherwise for the violation of rules and regulations of the Board, which may be sued for and collected in the name of the Board before any court having jurisdiction of such actions.
(o) Do all things necessary or convenient to carry out the powers expressly granted to it by Article XIII-B of the Oklahoma Constitution and the Statutes of Oklahoma, or to make institutions under its jurisdiction effective for the purposes for which they are maintained or operated.
(p) Issue, on behalf of the institutions supervised and managed by RUSO, special and limited obligations for purposes of such capital projects as RUSO may deem proper.
Added by Laws 1965, c. 396, § 510, eff. July 1, 1965. Amended by Laws 1990, c. 218, § 6, eff. July 1, 1991; Laws 2023, c. 186, § 1.