Southwestern Oklahoma State University

09/14/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/15/2026 08:15

New SWOSU Blue Roof Updates to Stafford Building

Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) has completed the installation of a new blue roof on the General Thomas P. Stafford Center, giving the building an updated look after more than 30 years under its original green roof.

The original metal roof was installed when Stafford was constructed in 1995. According to Lori Boyd, Vice President for Administration and Finance, it had reached the end of its expected useful life and had begun experiencing leaks. Deferred maintenance funding appropriated by the Oklahoma legislature made the replacement possible. The same deferred maintenance funding supported roof projects at the Old Science Building and Hilltop Theatre.

June 2018: The Stafford Center before roof replacement, with its original green metal roof.

July 2026: Roof replacement underway at the Stafford Center.

August 2026: The General Thomas P. Stafford Center following completion of its new SWOSU blue roof.

Physical Plant staff and architects from MA+ selected blue to better represent SWOSU's colors and create a more consistent appearance across campus.

Stafford was one of the university's major building projects of the 1990s and was dedicated in February 1996. The center is named for astronaut and Weatherford native Gen. Thomas P. Stafford.

About Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) was founded in 1901 and offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs across three locations in Weatherford, Sayre, and Yukon. The university serves more than 5,000 students and prides itself on affordability, small class sizes, and over 200 faculty and staff committed to helping students achieve their academic and personal goals.

For more information about Southwestern Oklahoma State University, visit https://www.swosu.edu.

Southwestern Oklahoma State University published this content on September 14, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 15, 2026 at 14:15 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]