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Office of the President

Joe Harroz Jr., President of the University of Oklahoma with students

 Together, as a university community, we endeavor to become worthy of our past – the tremendous legacy we have inherited – and to deliver on our promise of changing lives for generations to come. 

– President Joseph Harroz, Jr.



Inauguration of the 15th President of the University of Oklahoma

Joseph Harroz, Jr. was inaugurated as OU's 15th president and delivered his vision for the future of the university on September 17, 2021.

See Inauguration Highlights



 

 

Messages and Statements

Student walking on the South Oval on the University of Oklahoma campus

A Message from President Harroz – Welcome Back Fall 2023

August 10, 2023

The final days of summer break are upon us, and the unmatched energy of campus is growing by the day. Welcoming the fall semester is always an exciting time. It’s a moment that epitomizes what unites us as the OU Family: to educate the next generation of leaders, create knowledge, and serve society. Our collective determination to uphold these values has guided us from our very beginning, linking past to present, and where we aim to go next. These ambitions are intrinsic to our crimson roots and inspire us to forge ahead with an unstoppable spirit.

Stephenson Cancer Center

A Message from President Harroz – Celebrating NCI Renewal at Stephenson Cancer Center

May 05, 2023

Today, the University of Oklahoma and our health care partner OU Health are celebrating a significant milestone: OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center at OU Health Sciences has achieved renewal of its status as a National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Center. This accomplishment recognizes the cancer center’s continued growth as a statewide cancer network that provides leadership in patient care, research, education, and community outreach. Patients who are treated at an NCI-designated cancer center have improved long-term survival rates and better quality of life, and renewal of this distinction will undoubtedly save countless lives and enhance care for the people of Oklahoma.

Pride of Oklahoma marching

A Message from President Harroz – There's Only One Oklahoma

February 24, 2023

We’re only two months into the new year, yet we’ve already seen a cascade of achievements worth celebrating at the University of Oklahoma. From setting new records for research expenditures, to announcing our early move to the SEC, to bringing in the highest number of undergraduate applications in OU history, to gaining momentum toward our historic $2 billion fundraising goal, the building blocks for our university’s next chapter are materializing right before us.

  

Lead On, University

Officially launched in July 2020, Lead On, University defines a clear plan for the Norman campus’ future and the comprehensive strategies to achieve it. As the university’s first Strategic Plan in a generation, it aims to position OU as a top-tier public research university that fosters a culture of innovation, excellence, and inclusivity.

The heartbeat of the Strategic Plan echoes the university’s fundamental purpose – We Change Lives – three small but powerful words that affirm who we are and inspire our path forward.

  

  

Find tweets from the 15th President of The University of Oklahoma President, Joe Harroz, at twitter.com/OU_President.