OSU Proposes Merger With Tulsa Community College

Oklahoma State University President Jim Hess has proposed merging the OSU Tulsa campus with Tulsa Community College, a plan TCC President Leigh Goodson opposes.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Higher Education

Modern brick academic building with a stone walkway and young trees on flat prairie land under open sky in warm late-afternoon light. — OSU President Jim Hess has proposed merging Oklahoma State University's Tulsa campus with Tulsa Community College, a plan TCC President Leigh Goodson opposes as too risky. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Would you support merging a state university with a local community college?

OSU President Jim Hess proposed merging Oklahoma State University's Tulsa campus with Tulsa Community College, circulating a detailed plan for months and publicly announcing support for it in September 2026. Tulsa Community College President Leigh Goodson opposes the proposal, calling it too risky.

Why it matters

The plan would rename the college OSU Tulsa Community College, place it under the OSU A&M Board of Regents, and create one president over both institutions, affecting higher education options for students in Tulsa. Its outcome will shape how lower-level coursework and transfer pathways are organized in the city.

The proposal would establish one president over OSU Tulsa and OSU Tulsa Community College under the OSU A&M Board of Regents. The plan includes modifications intended to protect existing ad valorem revenue, though its projected financial impact has not been detailed.

The players

Jim Hess

Jim Hess is the president of Oklahoma State University, which operates the OSU Tulsa campus.

Leigh Goodson

Leigh Goodson is the president of Tulsa Community College, a public two-year college serving the Tulsa area.

The details

Hess circulated a detailed plan for months before publicly announcing support in September 2026. The plan would rename the college OSU Tulsa Community College, and Hess says it eliminates some duplication of lower-level courses at both institutions. Goodson argues the proposal could jeopardize critical funding and says TCC has become a better partner for transfer students.

Months before September 2026: Hess circulates the detailed merger plan.
September 2026: Hess publicly announces support for the merger.

Roadmap

The merger proposal reflects a broader push among public higher-education institutions to consolidate overlapping lower-level course offerings to use tax dollars more efficiently. Its treatment of local ad valorem revenue shows how such consolidations are often shaped around the funding streams that sustain community colleges.

Students considering OSU Tulsa or Tulsa Community College should watch for any decision on the merger, since it could change the names, governance and course offerings at both institutions. Transfer students in particular should confirm how credits and advising will be handled if the plan advances.

The takeaway

Institutional mergers can consolidate duplicated courses and streamline governance, but they also carry funding and partnership risks that students and taxpayers should weigh. Following how the proposal is debated will show whether Tulsa's higher-education landscape is reshaped.