OU VP for Public Affairs Announces Intent to Retire, Effective December '16

By <a href="http://www.ou.edu/publicaffairs">Public Affairs,</a> (405) 325-1701

University of Oklahoma Vice President for Public Affairs, Catherine Bishop, today announced her intent to retire from the University, effective in December.

Bishop has more than 35 years of service to OU. The University’s chief spokesperson, Bishop oversees public relations functions on the OU Norman and OU Health Sciences Center campuses and at OU-Tulsa.

“Catherine Bishop’s service to the University is beyond measure,” said OU President David L. Boren. “She is irreplaceable as Vice President for Public Affairs. She has acted as a valuable personal adviser to me and to virtually every department on campus. Her knowledge and understanding of this institution is unexcelled. Catherine Bishop has the deep appreciation of the entire OU family.”

President Boren also announced that Rowdy Gilbert, development officer at the College of International Studies, will join Bishop’s staff as assistant to the Vice President during the transition period prior to Bishop’s retirement.

Bishop, who has worked for nine Presidents or interim Presidents while at OU, said, “It’s been a privilege and a pleasure to work in higher education for the majority of my career. It has been especially rewarding to work this past 22 years with the visionary leadership provided by President and Mrs. Boren.”

As Vice President, Bishop has worked to enhance relationships with constituencies and increase understanding of and support for the University’s missions and goals. She has served higher education in leadership posts for the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education and on the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma College Public Relations Association as well as for numerous other national, state and local professional, civic and philanthropic efforts.

She has been honored by the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation with the Otis Sullivant Award for Perceptivity and by the Oklahoma City chapter of the Association for Women in Communications with the Byliner Award.

At OU, Bishop has been vice president of two of the University’s staff governance groups and has served on more than 100 OU councils, committees and boards. She has been honored with OU’s Administrative Staff Council Superior Performance Award and the University’s Professional Staff Association Distinguished Service Award.