OSU President Burns Hargis said at Tuesday’s General Faculty meeting that the higher education model must change to adapt to the economy. Hargis said thanks to a successful energy industry, Oklahoma has been somewhat insulated from economic troubles for the past three or four years, but that is beginning to change.
Before being unanimously approved by the Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents as OSU’s 18th president, V. Burns Hargis held an open forum with OSU faculty, staff and students at the Student Union Theater.
Hargis, a 62-year-old Oklahoma City businessman, resigned his position on the OSU board last July in order to apply for the university’s presidency.
OSU Provost and Senior Vice President Marlene Strathe, who has served as the university’s interim president since March 1, will continue in that role until Hargis becomes the president.
“After 40 years, the reins of leadership are being handed back to an OSU graduate,” said Lou Watkins, the regents’ chairwoman.
“He is the right leader at the right time to keep OSU and the system moving forward in a bold manner, especially regarding expanding support for all-important academic and research initiatives which will benefit our faculty, students and state.”
Hargis, a 1967 OSU graduate, is only the second alumnus of the university to become its president, joining Oliver Willham, who served from 1952 to 1966.
Loading ...
All Articles