"In the past two years, the University has taken significant leaps in research and sponsored program expenditures, reaching well over the $140 million mark in FY 96."
In the early 1990s, Oklahoma State University reached, then passed, the $100 million mark for research and sponsored program expenditures. In the past two years, however, the University has taken significant leaps in such expenditures, reaching well over the $140 million mark in FY 96. The exact expenditures for such programs in FY 96, $142,475,311, represent a growth of nearly 11% over FY 95 (see Table 1). In addition, over the past seven years expenditures for such efforts have grown by more than $57 million, or more than 67% (see Figure 1).
Also, for the second year in a row OSU has also shown significant growth in expenditures for research programs. In FY 95, research expenditures increased by over 13%, and in FY 96 these expenditures grew by more than 12% (see Table 2). Most notably, funding from federal agencies continued to grow significantly. In FY 95, expenditure of federal funds for research increased by nearly 20%, and in FY 96 federal research expenditures increased by over 18%. These increases continue a trend of rising federal support for OSU research. Over the past five years, expenditure of federal funds for research has increased more than $22 million, a growth of over 110% (see Figure 2). And, as shown in Figure 3, federal funding now accounts for more than 43% of all expenditures for research. While a visit to the Stillwater campus and a review of the University's financial successes provide an aggregate view of research at OSU, it is the individual success stories that make the University an excellent place to pursue new knowledge. Included within the Report are many such stories, including that featured on the cover of the Report of Dr. Charlotte Ownby, Regents Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Ownby's research focuses on the improvement of treatment in snakebite victims and has brought her international recognition.
My sincere thank you to each sponsor, researcher, and administrator who helped to make FY 96 such a successful year. I look forward to the commencement of research in new facilities and to many other exciting opportunities in the coming year.
