News and Events

Dear Alumni, Students, and Friends:

The Regional and City Planning Division is doing well.  The program maintains its 57 year old tradition of comprehensive planning, interdisciplinary education, and community development with a strong focus on student success.  Here are a few current highlights and accomplishments:

  • Rural and Regional Planning Moratorium: On December 1, 2004, students in RCPL's Rural and Regional Planning course presented Moratorium or Else:  Can regional planning help resolve water transfer controversies?  The presentation covered the results of their semester-long project analyzing the proposed water sale to Texas that resulted in a statewide moratorium on out-of-state water sales and the proposed groundwater sale from the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer to OKC's western suburbs, which also resulted in a moratorium.  Click here to view the final presentation or download a copy of the final report in PDF format.
     

  • RCPL students land great careers:  100% of RCPL's for the past five years (2000-2004) have found jobs continuing RCPL's strong placement record.  Some starting salaries exceed $40,000. 2004 placements include in public planning agencies in OKC, Broken Arrow, Dallas and in private firms such as HNTB, RTKL.

  • Lecture Series 2002: In Fall 2002, the Rodgers' lecturer was Eric Damian Kelley who spoke on Comprehensive Planning in Conservative Times.

  • Lecture Series 2001: We are especially proud to have inaugurated the Joseph Lee Rodgers, Jr. Lectureship in Comprehensive Planning in 2001. 
     

  • OKAPA/SPA Back-to-School Events: We enjoyed great speakers to our Back-to-School Events in September for the past few years:

    2004:   Sam Bowman, OKC Council member
    2003: V. Gail Easley, FAICP, President, The Gail Easley Co., Florida  Mike McAnelly, FAICP, APA Region III Director, Project Manager,   Carter & Burgess Co. Dallas, TX.
    2002:

    Robert Hunter, FAICP, City-County Planning Commission, Executive Director Hillsborough County, FL (April 2004 elected APA President)

  • Speakers: RCPL regularly invites practicing planners to meet with students.  2002-2005 speakers included Prof. Charles Leider of Oklahoma State University on Landscape and Tourism Planning for Oklahoma's small communities; Dr. Kay Decker from Northwestern Oklahoma State University who spoke on the special concerns of rural planning; David Streb, Planning Director for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation; a speaker from Oklahoma Department of Commerce; alumni Vicki Dugger from Oregon's Downtown Development Association on her recent APA National Planning Award on dealing with Main Streets that are highways.  

  • Annual Alumni Career Panel: Every spring semester, RCPL invites alumni to speak to students about landing that first job and planning a rewarding career. A big thanks to past participants:

    2005: Aaron Adel, Gene Edwards, Mike Southard, Anais Star
    2004: Elizabeth Jones, Steve Rhodes, and Richard Rollison

    2003: Nancy McNayr, Wiley Rice, Bob Schiermeyer, Renee Spineto

    2002: Shelley Cadamy, Dan O'Connor, Mike Southard, and Ruth Walters

  • The Fall Comprehensive Plan studio project has taken on projects from Piedmont (2001), Poteau (2002), and Mustang (2003). The 2004 studio project is taking place in Tuttle, OK.  

  • International Studies: RCPL Professor Shen led 32 OU students on a Journey to China (JTC) during Summer 2004. The group stayed in China for a month and visited four major Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Kunming, and Xian. Students witnessed the rapid urban development in China.

  • Dr. Shen also has developed a new Design and Planning Study Abroad in China course for Spring and Summer Inter-sessions. Limited slots are available for each session.

Come visit us on campus!

RCPL is in Carnegie Hall, which is  located  in the southwest corner of the North Oval.  In the map below, Carnegie Hall is the building shown just to the right of the flag.

carnegie hall