🎓 The Executive Order Shaking Up Oklahoma Higher Education

In a bold move to enhance accountability and align public higher education with workforce needs, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed Executive Order 2026-07 on February 5, 2026. This order fundamentally alters faculty employment practices at the state's regional universities and all 13 community colleges by prohibiting the granting of new lifetime tenure appointments. Instead, future faculty positions will transition to fixed-term, renewable contracts evaluated based on specific performance metrics such as teaching effectiveness, student completion rates, job placement success, and alignment with local economic priorities.

Tenure, formally known as permanent academic appointment, has long served as a cornerstone of higher education. It provides job security to faculty after a typical six-year probationary period, protecting academic freedom—the ability to teach, research, and speak without fear of reprisal for unpopular views. Under the new policy, existing tenured faculty at community colleges retain their status but will undergo post-tenure reviews every five years to ensure ongoing performance. This shift aims to make taxpayer-funded positions more responsive to measurable outcomes, according to the governor's office.

The order spares Oklahoma's flagship research institutions, the University of Oklahoma (OU) and Oklahoma State University (OSU), along with their health sciences campuses. These R1-designated universities can continue offering tenure-track positions, though with mandatory five-year post-tenure evaluations that could lead to reassignment or termination for sustained underperformance. Community colleges, which primarily offer associate degrees, certificates, and transfer pathways, bear the full brunt of the tenure elimination for new hires.

What This Means for Community College Faculty

Community colleges in Oklahoma enroll tens of thousands of students annually, providing affordable access to higher education for working adults, first-generation learners, and those pursuing vocational training. In fall 2025, statewide community college enrollment grew by 4.3 percent, contributing to the fifth consecutive year of increases across Oklahoma's public higher education system. However, with over 900 tenured professors at these institutions as of 2024 federal data, the policy introduces uncertainty for prospective faculty.

New hires will operate on renewable contracts, typically three to five years, renewed based on rigorous evaluations. Key criteria include classroom performance, student success metrics like credential completion and transfer rates, contributions to institutional service, and how courses support workforce demands in sectors like energy, healthcare, and manufacturing. This performance-based model mirrors trends in K-12 education and private industry but marks a departure from traditional academia.

For adjunct professors—part-time instructors who already comprise a significant portion of community college teaching staff—this could mean more opportunities for full-time roles without the tenure path, but with greater job insecurity. Adjuncts often teach on semester contracts with limited benefits, so the shift might encourage institutions to prioritize stable, high-performing non-tenured faculty. Faculty considering community college jobs in Oklahoma should now weigh these renewable terms carefully.

• Renewal decisions tied to student outcomes and economic relevance
• Post-tenure reviews every five years for grandfathered faculty
• Potential for higher turnover, impacting curriculum continuity
• Increased emphasis on professional development to meet metrics

Affected Institutions and Scale of Impact

All 13 Oklahoma community colleges fall under the order, including major players like Tulsa Community College (TCC), Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC), and Rose State College. These institutions collectively serve over 50,000 students, focusing on workforce-ready programs in nursing, welding, IT, and general education transfers. Regional four-year universities like the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO), Northeastern State University (NSU), and Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) are similarly affected, educating more than 54,000 students combined.

In 2024, Oklahoma's regional colleges alone had 761 tenured faculty and 412 on the tenure track, per National Center for Education Statistics data. Community colleges add hundreds more, making this one of the largest tenure eliminations in U.S. history at non-research institutions. The policy requires institutions to certify compliance with the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, ensuring uniform implementation.

Administrators must now redesign hiring processes, shifting from tenure-track searches to performance-oriented recruitment. This could streamline staffing but raise administrative burdens for evaluations. For job seekers, platforms like higher-ed-jobs listings will reflect these changes, with Oklahoma community college openings emphasizing contract renewability.

Stakeholder Reactions: Support and Criticism

Governor Stitt framed the reforms as essential for efficiency, stating, “No job funded by taxpayers should be exempt from regular, meaningful performance reviews.” He highlighted anecdotes of underperforming tenured faculty, arguing the system subsidizes privilege over performance. Supporters, including the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, praise the alignment with economic needs, especially amid Oklahoma's energy-driven economy.

Opposition has been swift and vocal. American Association of University Professors (AAUP) President Todd Wolfson declared the order undermines academic freedom, warning it will devastate education quality and faculty recruitment. “Governor Stitt has instantly made Oklahoma less competitive for hiring the best qualified faculty members,” Wolfson said. Faculty unions and professors worry about chilled speech, politicized evaluations, and brain drain to states like Texas or Kansas.

Oklahoma Regents Chancellor Sean Burrage welcomed dialogue, noting shared commitments to accountability. For a deeper look, read the full governor's press release.

Photo by Xiaohan Feng on Unsplash

📊 Broader Reforms and Performance Funding

The tenure change is part of a comprehensive package. A companion executive order mandates performance-based funding by October 2026, linking state appropriations to graduation rates, affordability, and job outcomes. Institutions must track alumni wages, employment types, and locations via partnerships with the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission.

Another initiative explores 90-credit-hour bachelor's degrees at regional universities to accelerate entry into the workforce, potentially reducing costs by 25 percent compared to traditional 120-hour programs. Program approvals will now hinge on outcome data, leading to sunsetting low-performing offerings.

• Enhanced alumni tracking for better accountability
• 90-day study on shortened degree pathways
• Funding tied to workforce alignment and student success

These steps position Oklahoma as a leader in outcome-driven higher education. More details in analyses like Inside Higher Ed's coverage.

National Context: Tenure's Declining Role

Oklahoma's action amplifies a national trend. A 2023 AAUP study reveals only 23 percent of faculty hold full-time tenured positions, down from 39 percent in 1987. Contingent faculty have surged 65 percent since 2002. States like Florida, Texas, and Iowa have imposed post-tenure reviews or limits amid conservative pushes for accountability.

Experts like University of Georgia's Timothy Cain call it a “pernicious” erosion of shared governance, potentially enabling political control. Yet, proponents cite stagnant productivity post-tenure. For faculty navigating this landscape, exploring adjunct professor jobs or tenured roles elsewhere remains key.

Implications for Faculty Careers and the Job Market

Prospective community college faculty face a more fluid job market. Renewable contracts offer flexibility but demand continuous excellence, possibly boosting salaries for top performers via merit pay. However, insecurity may deter PhD holders from liberal arts backgrounds, favoring vocational experts.

Recruitment challenges loom: Why choose Oklahoma over tenure-offering states? Retention could suffer, increasing reliance on adjuncts—who teach 50-70 percent of courses nationally. Salaries average $60,000-$80,000 for full-time community college faculty; check professor salaries for comparisons.

Positive angles include clearer advancement paths without tenure politics and alignment with industry norms, potentially attracting business-savvy educators.

Potential Benefits, Concerns, and Solutions

Benefits: Heightened focus on student success could elevate completion rates, currently around 30 percent nationally for community colleges. Economic alignment addresses Oklahoma's needs in oil, aerospace, and healthcare.

Concerns: Reduced academic freedom risks self-censorship; administrative overload from reviews; equity issues for underrepresented faculty.

Solutions: Faculty unions advocate legal challenges; institutions could negotiate multi-year contracts with appeals. Aspiring professors might pursue higher ed career advice to adapt, emphasizing data-driven teaching.

For balanced views, see the AAUP response.

Photo by Sean Chen on Unsplash

Looking Ahead: What Faculty and Institutions Should Do

As implementation unfolds, community colleges must update policies by regents' deadlines. Faculty should document achievements meticulously and engage in professional development. Job seekers: Monitor openings on sites like university jobs.

In summary, while challenging traditions, these reforms prioritize outcomes in an era of fiscal scrutiny. Share your experiences on Rate My Professor, explore higher ed jobs, and access career advice to thrive amid change. Oklahoma's experiment may influence national policy—stay informed.