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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

Interlocking OU logo, SEC logo, Summer 2024

A Message from President Harroz – OU Moving to SEC

February 09, 2023

Today we announced that the University of Oklahoma and the Big 12 Conference agreed to terms that will enable us to officially join the SEC for the fall 2024 athletics season, pending final approval of the OU Board of Regents. This comes one year earlier than originally expected, and we are pleased we could arrive at this decision in close collaboration with Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark and other Big 12 Conference members. Together, we created a path forward that delivers the stability and certainty we have all sought over the past 18 months.

Teri Reed

A Message from President Harroz – Announcing the Inaugural Director of the OU Polytechnic Institute

January 30, 2023

I am excited to announce that Teri K. Reed, Ph.D., will join OU as the inaugural Director of the OU Polytechnic Institute, pending OU Board of Regents’ approval. She will also hold the George Kaiser Family Foundation Chair. An OU alumna and internationally recognized leader in the field of engineering education, Dr. Reed will return to her alma mater on March 1 from the University of Cincinnati, where she has served as Assistant Vice President of Faculty Research Development, Executive Director of the College of Engineering and Applied Science, and Professor of Chemical Engi­neering. We are thrilled to welcome her back to her home state of Oklahoma.

University of Oklahoma campus

Annual Statement of Commitment to Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity

January 18, 2023

The University of Oklahoma annually reaffirms its full commitment to equal employment opportunity and affirmative action, including the policies and procedures that prohibit discrimination throughout our campus community. This commitment is supported by our Strategic Plan, which includes our goals to become a top-tier public research university, and to be a place of belonging for all. A core strategy to help us achieve these goals is to develop and retain an outstanding and diverse faculty and staff.

  

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.

  

  

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