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WOSC president reports $5.78M in state appropriations, enrollment gains and $4.57M purchase order for Bitter Creek project
Summary
President Chad Wiginton told the Board that Western received $5.78 million in 2024 state appropriations (generating $10.71 in output per dollar), Summer 2025 enrollment rose 22.63% year‑over‑year, Fall 2025 enrollment is up 9.5% as of Aug. 5, and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation issued a $4,571,552.70 purchase order for the Bitter Creek Shooting Sports project.
President Chad Wiginton delivered the President’s Report on Aug. 5, updating the Board on mission review, recent appropriations and enrollment trends and providing a status update on the Bitter Creek Shooting Sports project.
Wiginton said Western completed its scheduled three‑year review of the mission and vision statement with no recommended changes. He stated the college received $5.78 million in appropriations from the Oklahoma Legislature for fiscal year 2024 and that, according to the report presented, that investment generated $10.71 in total economic output in the State of Oklahoma for every dollar appropriated.
On campus activity, Wiginton reported Summer 2025 enrollment increased by 22.63% compared with Summer 2024 (which had itself risen 20.06% over Summer 2023) and that Fall 2025 enrollment, as of Aug. 5, was up 9.5% from the same date last year. He reminded the board that the college’s Fall 2025 in‑service will begin on Aug. 8 at 8:30 a.m. and will include a presentation by a four‑member team from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education as part of their Road Show.
Regarding the Bitter Creek Shooting Sports project, Wiginton reported the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation issued a purchase order for $4,571,552.70 on July 22, 2025. The college’s planning group will review the final bid packet on Aug. 20, bids are anticipated to open at 2 p.m. on Sept. 11, and the college anticipates breaking ground this fall if the schedule holds.
Ms. Rachel Beckner also announced that the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education has launched five interactive dashboards (Enrollment; Student Success; Degrees Conferred; Critical Occupations; Employment Outcomes) to provide data and analysis for the system and institutions. That item was informational; no board action was required.
